Topiary Garden
Topiary Garden
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Georges Seurat's "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" is recreated in a sculptured evergreen garden featuring larger-than-life human figures, animals and boats.
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Neighborhood: Discovery District
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- Previa1994Chicago, Illinois6,314 contributionsUnique, Lovely and No admission feeTopiary Park in Columbus is an unusually beautiful garden that amazingly recreates a scene of a painting through topiaries - the scene in Georges Seurat’s famous painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The park site previously had been the home of the Ohio School for the Deaf, and one will see placards on the history of the school along the paths in the park. One can walk among the topiary plants to view closeup how the plants are trained to all the different shapes of people, animals, and objects depicted in the painting. Visitors can compare the topiary garden with the painting looking at the relief bronze plaque of the original painting from the top of a slight hill in the park. I understand this Topiary Park is the only topiary representation of a painting in the world. We walked around leisurely covering the full park in less than an hour. Of course, one could spend more time in the park. Admission is free, though street parking is metered through mobile app. This unique attraction is worth being more well-known. Columbus should be proud of the work and should promote it more.Visited July 2020Written July 22, 2020
- Michael PMason, Ohio270 contributionsA Tuesday Afternoon...We stopped here on the reco of a store clerk and it was a worthwhile stop. Close to downtown, and very unique. I was unfamiliar with artwork this is based, but fortunately there is a plaque educating people like me. Admission is free, and there is metered street parking near by. You can visit for as short or as long as you’d like. The park is nice, so you could picnic there if you’d like.Visited March 2021Traveled as a coupleWritten April 3, 2021
- Amber SalutricLockport, Illinois87 contributionsAmazing!!!Wow, this park was a great stop we made during our trip to Columbus! No admission fee and can walk around at your own pace. What a creative re-creation of the famous painting by George Seurat! Stand at the top of the hill so you can see the painting as Seurat saw it and compare it to the shaped shrubs. Super cool!Visited August 2020Traveled with friendsWritten August 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
304 reviews
Excellent
135
Very good
105
Average
44
Poor
17
Terrible
3
Jason C
Morganfield, KY387 contributions
Jul 2021
Located on the former grounds of the old School For The Deaf near the main library, the Topiary Garden is a beautifully landscaped park that makes for a good place to enjoy a picnic or just a day outdoors. Featuring a topiary recreation of Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte", the park is a beautiful example of living art. Definitely worth a visit, either for a quick walk or a longer stay.
Written July 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jen Travels
Detroit, MI5,719 contributions
Mar 2023 • Solo
This is a very nice garden you can tour and take photos, or just sit back and enjoy the serenity.
Now keep in mind, this is next to a uniformed high school, so you may find lots of kids there hanging out during or after school. That was what happened when I went. But they kept to themselves and weren't being rowdy.
But it's well maintained and was beautifully designed. There is many visually and mentally appealing, from the landscape to the animal life.
Lots of different people and animal-shaped topiaries, as well as regular small decorative topiaries in pots, like ones you'd find outside residential homes.
There is a building on site that's their Museum and gift shop, however when I went yesterday it was closed and locked.
Parking is along the street, and I only saw one entrance down along the street on the high school side.
There are benches throughout where you can sit down and read a book.
There is a small paved walkway throughout, but most of the area is grass.
Highly recommend visiting this garden solo, or with family/friends.
Now keep in mind, this is next to a uniformed high school, so you may find lots of kids there hanging out during or after school. That was what happened when I went. But they kept to themselves and weren't being rowdy.
But it's well maintained and was beautifully designed. There is many visually and mentally appealing, from the landscape to the animal life.
Lots of different people and animal-shaped topiaries, as well as regular small decorative topiaries in pots, like ones you'd find outside residential homes.
There is a building on site that's their Museum and gift shop, however when I went yesterday it was closed and locked.
Parking is along the street, and I only saw one entrance down along the street on the high school side.
There are benches throughout where you can sit down and read a book.
There is a small paved walkway throughout, but most of the area is grass.
Highly recommend visiting this garden solo, or with family/friends.
Written March 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MidwestKathM
Detroit, MI828 contributions
Jul 2022
I'm always on the hunt for the out-of-the-way sites or hidden gems so when I cam e across the Topiary Garden, I couldn't pass it up! Being a fan of George Seurat and his 1884 painting A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (at the Art Institute of Chicago) and Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, I was happy to come across this Topiary Garden whose shrubs and bushes are sculpted to resemble the characters depicted in Seurat's painting. A lovely sight to see!! Located only blocks from the Columbus Museum of Art, the Ohio State Capitol, and Franklin Park Conservatory, it is worth a side trip to spend a little while walking through the gardens!! Parking available on the street only, but pay attention to the parking meters. This site is walkable from the Columbus Museum of Art if you are already parked there.
Written August 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dmarkwind
Kansas City, MO2,677 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
I was excited about visiting this place, but was disappointed the topiary figures aren’t more numerous and more fanciful. It wasn’t well-marked that the place where we parked on the street required advance payment for parking during daytime hours, and we had to hunt down a kiosk and figure out how that worked. It was a nice enough urban park. But if we had it to do over again, I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to visit this place.
Written July 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dede K
140 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
Topiary Garden Park, the only public park of its kind, not only in Ohio, but in the world as well. The Topiary Garden is a living recreation of Georges Seurat's famous post-Impressionist painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of LaGrande Jatte. Situated in downtown Discovery District, the Topiary Garden Park sits on the remnants of the Old Deaf School Park. Though it has become affectionately known as the Topiary Garden Park, the park land actually dates back to the early 19th century, when it was a dormitory and campus for the adjacent Deaf School.
This is an absolutely beautiful place to stumble across during our road trip. We always keep our eyes open for cool places and this one takes the cake! Greenery, flowers, pond…can’t get any more beautiful! Specifically cool for a lover of art. Highly recommend!
This is an absolutely beautiful place to stumble across during our road trip. We always keep our eyes open for cool places and this one takes the cake! Greenery, flowers, pond…can’t get any more beautiful! Specifically cool for a lover of art. Highly recommend!
Written July 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jgbtravels
Louisville, KY3,320 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
I never realized that my wife had never been here despite her many business trips to Columbus. This lovely and peaceful topiary park sits next to the old deaf school. It’s close to downtown and offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Relax and take a few pictures to post to friends. Don’t settle for a meter. There’s side streets that offer free parking. Generally a half hour or less will suffice.
Written August 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aprilp2412
Oceanside, CA590 contributions
Aug 2020
I feel like most large cities don't do well with having parks in the middle of town but somehow Columbus gets it right. Topiary Park is beautiful and well maintained. It's a nice size and has a peaceful feeling. Much of the park is in the sun but you can find many shady places to sit and relax. The topiary's are super cool and worth spending at least a few minutes checking out. There is not a parking lot but plenty of metered spaces nearby.
Written September 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aydeepy
Columbus, OH6 contributions
May 2015 • Solo
Topiary Park is a place that will generally show up in lists with titles like "Best Things to Do in Columbus" or similar. While I don't know that it is a must-see when visiting Columbus, I'm glad I found time to visit. There is ample on-street, metered parking. I found the neighborhood in which the park is situated to be charming -- the historic School for the Deaf (now Cristo Rey high school) is beautiful, and there are some lovely old houses across the street from the park. The park itself is well-maintained and there were many people there enjoying it -- people from the nearby Children's hospital, students from the high school, a group of older women clearly having a blast taking photos of their group in front of the topiaries, and yes, even homeless people (though that seems to offend some of our reviewers). The park's website explains that the topiaries are not trimmed until June when the major growth of the season is complete, and that they are then trimmed/maintained through the summer. Understanding this, I wasn't put off by the topiaries being a bit overgrown, but instead was able to stand at the recommended spot at the top of the hill and appreciate the thought and effort that was put into the recreation of Seurat's painting. It was fun to compare what I was seeing with the relief of the painting that is stationed at the viewing area. This was a great stop-off for 30 minutes or so and I wouldn't hesitate to go back if I had some time to kill or needed a few minutes of peace in the middle of the city. My only disappointment was that the museum and gift shop at the gatehouse was not open, even though according to the posted hours it should have been.
Written May 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dpres368
Mentor, OH23 contributions
Oct 2017
I have been hearing about this place for a while and stopped to visit because it is something that is so up my alley. The topiary statues were amazing, the grounds were beautiful and I so enjoyed my stroll through the garden. I like that it had plaques that explained how it depicted a painting and its history. It is a nice place to visit and get away from the business of Columbus ~ a lovely garden in the middle of town. There are a few benches along the path, so you can stop and rest or just enjoy the view, but it is not a long walk, most should be able to handle it. There is quite a bit of parking on the streets around the garden, that should not be a deterrent. Enjoy!
Written September 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OhioTea
Toledo, Ohio827 contributions
Aug 2011 • Couples
What a gem! Tis garden is the worlds one and only Topiary Garden sculpted to recreate a painting. Tis attractions is free, with a cute and very affordable gift store. The area around the garden is nice with many historical homes worth admiring.
*There are many nice picnic areas with high class stone tables and seating
*The area is free to roam around, great for kids who want to run around
*The area is photo friendly, ideal for nice photos
*The garden changes through the season, so check it out several times a year!
*There are events all year - music, community gardening, and more! You can even come out in the Spring and help plant the actual garden itself!
GO! If you are in the area go, its a fun and fast little trip to see a world class exclusive garden...for FREE! I plan to return with friends!
*There are many nice picnic areas with high class stone tables and seating
*The area is free to roam around, great for kids who want to run around
*The area is photo friendly, ideal for nice photos
*The garden changes through the season, so check it out several times a year!
*There are events all year - music, community gardening, and more! You can even come out in the Spring and help plant the actual garden itself!
GO! If you are in the area go, its a fun and fast little trip to see a world class exclusive garden...for FREE! I plan to return with friends!
Written August 14, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
occams-razor
Antioch, IL89 contributions
reviewers mention no admission fee - but is parking also free?
Previa1994
Chicago, IL6,314 contributions
There is no dedicated parking lot; street parking is metered and meters need to be fed (by mobile app).
Are the topiary’s upkept and open to the public during the winter as well?
Mark R. C
Columbus, OH28 contributions
Yes, they are.
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- Restaurants near Topiary Garden:
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- (0.21 mi) Oodles Noodle & Dumpling Bar
- (0.47 mi) Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace
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- (0.31 mi) Schokko Art Café
Topiary Garden Information
| Excellent Reviews | 135 |
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| Very Good Reviews | 105 |
| Topiary Garden Photos | 211 |













































































