Holcomb Gardens

Welcome to Holcomb Gardens

A beacon of natural beauty in Midtown Indianapolis, Butler University’s Holcomb Gardens have been free and open to the public since 1928. Whether used as a green space for students to gather between classes, a wedding or photography venue, or a hands-on botanical learning site, the Gardens serve both the Butler campus and the public at large.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff shortages, plant theft, and destruction led to the temporary covering of the Gardens’ ornamental beds. In 2024, as part of Butler’s Gateway Project, 12 of the 13 beds were redesigned and replanted in partnership with the Indiana Native Plant Society (INPS) and with the help of over 400 volunteers. The refreshed beds honor the original Holcomb Gardens designs while advancing Butler’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. They feature only Indiana native plants, support biodiversity, and align with INPS’s mission: the preservation, study, and use of plants native to Indiana. In 2025, thanks to a generous grant from the Indianapolis Garden Club, the 13th and final bed was restored.

Beyond their beauty, the renewed Holcomb Gardens represent Butler’s overall shift toward sustainable landscaping. This includes favoring natives over introduced plants, increasing purchases from nurseries that don’t treat plants with pesticides, expanding no-mow zones, and reducing the use of landscaping chemicals. These efforts and more are designed to support local ecosystems—including fresh waterways—and the wildlife and people who depend on them.  

As an anchor institution within Midtown Indy and the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood, Butler is committed to Gateway Project initiatives that promote education, connection, and well-being throughout the community. Holcomb Gardens embodies that promise.