Newton Lee

Review of Olbrich Botanical Gardens

NOT WHAT AS GOOD AS IT USE TO BE

NOT WHAT AS GOOD AS IT USE TO BE

I understand there is a sign at the front entrance that say photographers who are taking senior photos and family photos must pay for a permit, but it is ridiculous. The price is about $30 which is a waste of money and time; might as well allow us to pick their flowers with that price. We came in to take photos and they eyed us as we came in and then had us pay for it despite only going to take pictures not of family or any senior photos but for other reasons. They explained that if we use their garden for any photos, then we have to get a permit from them (which i might add, they never gave to us). They started going over the guidelines which are one of the most obvious guidelines that are/should be common sense. One of my friends asked how about people who use their phones to take pictures, but she couldn't give us an answer, only a "well..." and proceeded to count the money we wasted for a 1 day permit. Olbrich garden is a nice place, but with its ridiculous price of $30 for a dumb permit, it isn't worth it. Not only that, the majority of the areas have art everywhere they just ruin a lot of the scenic views: the thai pagoda for example which have these bird things that hang from it and a person who is guarding the inside of the pagoda, barring us from entering at all, or the weird hanging lights at the tower and the outline of a face hanging above one of the fountains. Art can be beautiful, but laying it out wherever like that doesn't make a garden any more pretty.

I suggest Olbrich garden think about the overly expensive photography permit because with that, it deters anyone, any photographers, to take any photos. i suggest anyone who is going to take photos just use a phone camera because $30 is not worth it, or better yet go elsewhere for photography.