Shell-abration: Tortoises Turn 50
Two remarkable tortoises hit the big 5-0, and we’re shellabrating them all month long!
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Two remarkable tortoises hit the big 5-0, and we’re shellabrating them all month long!
They’ve been part of the Cleveland Botanical Garden for five decades — quietly charming visitors, outlasting trends, and proving that slow and steady really does win the race.
Yes — there will be party hats.
Daily Activities in May
- Self-guided scavenger hunt
- Themed crafts
- Meet the tortoises (Daily, 1-2pm)
- Browse 50 years of Cleveland Botanical Garden history
- Photo ops with the tortoises (Fridays, 12:30-1pm)
Birthday Party – May 30, 11am-1pm
- Scavenger hunt, tortoise crafts, birthday card making
- Meet the tortoises and “spa day” for the tortoises
- Photo ops with the birthday boys
- Tortoise trivia!
- Themed storytime
- Tortoise games (Bingo, spin-the-wheel, trivia)
- Sing happy birthday and celebrate with cake
- Collectable buttons, t-shirts and more in our gift shop
- Live DJ spinning tortoise tracks
Here’s more to explore at Cleveland Botanical Garden
Topiary Garden
In every season, living evergreen and deciduous plant sculptures transport you to another world where anything goes—as long as it’s unexpected. This garden was designed in 2002 by architect and... more
Garden Café
Current Hours Sunday: 1-4pmTuesday-Friday: 11am-4pmSaturday: 11am-8pm more
The Garden Store
Our carefully curated collection features original, one-of-a-kind, and locally made gifts and garden goods that change with the seasons—and that you won’t find anywhere else. Our friendly staff is always... more
Costa Rica Glasshouse
Our towering trees, ever-blooming shrubs, and rich vegetation offer a lovely, tropical retreat. In this area, bromeliads, delicate orchids, and lush vines cling to every surface. Our avocado, coffee, papaya,... more
Sunken Garden
This cultivated garden filled with seasonal flowers and native trees and shrubs sits nestled in the corner underneath the Botanical Garden’s Japanese Overlook Hallway. This secret oasis is perfect for... more
Hershey Children’s Garden
Children can become immersed in hands-on activities like: The Hershey Children’s Garden was one of the first of its kind in the country when it opened in 1999, and it... more
Your Spring Bucket List
We’re sooooooo back! Spring at Cleveland Botanical Garden is a chance to explore lush indoor and outdoor gardens, encounter tropical butterflies, and enjoy the sights and scents of the season... more
CK Patrick Perennial Garden
Our ever-changing path indulges your senses with a collage of hues and textures. One day you might spy a group of towering foxtail lilies, and a month later come across... more
Rose Garden
Our picturesque rose garden features a colorful collection of floribunda roses, encircling a classic, Roman-style octagonal pool. Selected for hue, hardiness, and disease resistance, the floribundas join other members of... more
