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Plan Your Event

Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a spectacular site for special events such as wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate parties and events, work retreats, organizational luncheons, holiday celebrations, and other special occasions. Whether you are in need of an indoor or outdoor setting, you’ll find many options to choose from. Offering a convenient location close to downtown Birmingham and adjacent to the charming and elegant community of Mountain Brook, the Gardens is the ideal place for your memorable event.

Facility rentals are managed by the City of Birmingham and are open to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. To make an appointment to learn more about pricing, room and garden capacities, space and date availability, safety protocols, and other details, contact

Save on room and garden space rentals!

Members of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens receive in-city rates on room and garden rental rates.

Garden Center Rentals

The 60,000-square-foot Garden Center is a horticultural hub for the Birmingham metropolitan area and central Alabama. This stylish neoclassical structure hosts more than 1,000 meetings, classes, flower shows, functions, fundraising events, and private parties each year. A number of generous-size rooms, some with kitchen access, are available for public rental.

Strange Auditorium

Named in honor of Ruth B. Strange and dedicated in 1988, the Strange Auditorium is often used to host meetings, lectures, luncheons, wedding receptions, fundraising dinners, charity auctions, craft shows, and annual flower shows. An adjoining full kitchen and prep room are available when renting the auditorium. Renters of this room often reserve the adjoining Hodges Room as well, and with it, the beautiful and private Rushton Garden just outside.

Hodges Room

The Hodges Room, named in honor of Frances Spain Hodges and dedicated in 1972, is useful for small- to medium-size meetings and activities, especially when visual and physical access to the out-of-doors is desired. The lush, secluded Rushton Garden, with its café seating and serene waterfall, is just outside. The Hodges Room is often rented along with the Strange Auditorium, combining to provide a gracious setting for a large affair.

Linn-Henley Lecture Hall

The Linn-Henley Lecture Hall is a comfortable, modern lecture hall boasting excellent acoustic qualities and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment.* Speeches, slideshows, PowerPoint presentations, live Internet access, and satellite hookups are all easily accommodated. Adjacent to the Garden Center Lobby, the Linn-Henley Lecture Hall is an excellent venue for business presentations, corporate meetings, lectures, panel discussions, and other uses appropriate for its theater-style seating arrangement. It is named for the Linn-Henley Charitable Trust, which funded its construction.

* Renters must provide a certified and approved A/V technician to operate this equipment. Please contact our Reservations Office for more information.

Ireland Room

Overlooking Blount Plaza from the second floor of the Garden Center, the Ireland Room is a popular and multifunctional rental space. Given in memory of Katherine Ireland by her mother, Mrs. C. Barney Ireland, and brothers, William Reynolds and Glenn Ireland II, it features a stylish white oak parquet floor and crystal chandeliers. Banquet seating for 80 guests is available. An adjacent small prep kitchen and a service elevator with access to a full kitchen on the first floor make catered meals easy. The Ireland Room is often rented along with the East Room, just across the lobby. Take your activity outside by adding the Hill Garden, accessible across the Plaza Bridge and down the stairs on either side of the Greek Revival-style belvedere with its scenic view.

East Room

Located on the second floor of the Garden Center, the East Room is a comfortable, carpeted room for small- to medium-size meetings and activities. Like most of our other rooms that are available for rentals, multiple seating arrangements are easily accommodated. The East Room overlooks Blount Plaza and sits across the lobby from the Ireland Room. These two rooms are often rented together and in conjunction with the Hill Garden, which is easily accessible across the Plaza Bridge and down the stairs on either side of the belvedere.

The Gardens Cafe by Kathy G

Operated by Kathy G & Company, our on-site cafe is also available for wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons, teas, corporate lunches and dinners, receptions, and other private events.

For reservations and more information, call 205.871.1000 or email [email protected].

Weddings block photo on Calendar web page: Courtesy of Eric & Jamie Photography/Maggie McCoy