Start with a membership…
We became members of the Missouri Botanical Gardens because we love the place! We paid $115 for a friends and family membership which allows us to bring two other people with us when we visit. In addition, MoBot participates in reciprocal agreements with over 300 gardens and we thoroughly enjoy that. See the list here.
Closer to home, you can join Minnetrista in Muncie, or Newfields in Indy and get reciprocal discounts or free entry to art museums AND botanical gardens! Or join the American Horticultural Society and receive the same reciprocal benefit plus American Gardener magazine.
Many gardens waive their entrance fee while others give discounts. A few have blackout areas (say, 90 miles). Check out the details before joining your favorite garden — and then take full advantage of this amazing feature on your botaniquests.