LEGO Reviews Ideas21353

The Botanical Garden

Name: LEGO The Botanical Garden 21353
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 21353
Rating: 4.82 (314 reviews)

82 · HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: A20243,792 pcsHigh agreement · 95%

Expert reviews

6analyzed

Owner ratings

314

Consensus

BUY

BrickScore

Highly Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"With a BrickScore of 81.7, near-perfect owner ratings across 314 reviews, and 97% recommending it, The Botanical Garden earns its Highly Recommended tier as one of the most visually celebrated LEGO releases of 2024. The price is the only consistent reservation."

Reviewers and owners are in near-complete agreement that The Botanical Garden (21353) is a standout 2024 Ideas set, earning a BrickScore of 81.7. The fan-designed glasshouse structure drew consistent admiration for its architectural beauty and the creative use of plant-building techniques, with multiple reviewers describing it as the most beautiful building LEGO has ever released. Owners back that enthusiasm strongly: 314 ratings average 4.82 out of 5, and 97% say they would recommend it.

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LOVED (6)

01Architectural design of the glasshouse inspired by real botanical structures like the Palm House at Kew
02Creative and varied use of pieces to represent flowers, plants, and animals
0312 minifigures and 5 animals adding life and playability to the finished build
04Spanning two full baseplates, providing impressive display presence
05Engaging build variety that alternates between intricate plant construction and large architectural sections
06Small charming details such as the bunny eating buds off a plant and the rooftop greenhouse

CRITICIZED (4)

01Price of $329.99 considered steep by several reviewers, with some suggesting $250 would have been more appropriate
02Building plants can be repetitive and require extra patience
03Interior space feels a bit small given the scale of the exterior
04Some stickers are present, though positioned on interior walls and largely hidden in the finished build

What reviewers are saying

"This set is just incredible. Although the set is not marked as such, and the sidewalk and Technic pins are missing, the build and model feel like a Modular. It's big, it's detailed, and there are so many clever technique…"

Rebrickable Reviews

"The Botanical Garden is hands down one of the most beautiful large buildings that LEGO has ever created."

Jay's Brick Blog

"The botanical garden looks magnificent on display, offering plenty of floral variety"

Brickset Reviews

"I will buy this by the way. I absolutely will buy this when it comes out and I will do a review of it from my own perspective."

JANGBRiCKS

"I love the set I think it's gorgeous looking"

Solid Brix Studios

Ecosystem

41757-1 Friends Botanical Garden — The 21353 takes it up several notches. Friends walked so LEGO Ideas could run. While the Friends version is a great set with clever part usage to build botanical details, the 21353 significantly surpasses it in scale (4x more parts), detail, and sophistication. However, both share similar color schemes.

10326-1 Natural History Museum — Same designer (Chris McVeigh) with similar design philosophy. Natural History Museum has better parts-per-dollar value (7.4 cpp vs 21353's 8.7 cpp). Both share design details like leaking pipe/water creating botanical elements. 21353 appears comparable in quality and modular feel despite not being officially marked as such.

10315 Tranquil Garden — Continues modular tree design format from Tranquil Garden where trees can be swapped in and out via slots in ground, allowing different arrangements and customization

LEGO Friends Botanical Garden — More ambitious, expensive alternative with different architectural style (Victorian vs Friends' rounded/domed), 35 unique plant species vs Friends version, advanced building techniques. Friends version currently discounted 25-44% making it budget option, but Ideas set offers significantly more detail and ambition

IdeasTier 1Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 5

Avg score

Consensus

BUY

Rebrickable Reviews

Editorial Source

BUY

Key Pros

✓Incredible detail and design with many clever techniques
✓Every build step is engaging
✓Feels like a Modular set in quality despite not being officially marked as such

Key Cons

✕High price at 8.7 cents per part compared to similar sets
✕Some repetitive construction in front bushes and tree

READ FULL REVIEW

Jay's Brick Blog

Editorial Source

BUY

"The Botanical Garden is hands down one of the most beautiful large buildings that LEGO has ever created."

Key Pros

✓An incredibly engaging and fun build that just flows well
✓Plenty of minifigures encourage play and storytelling
✓So many creative Plant, Flower and Tree builds

Key Cons

✕It would be nice if the front wall/entrance could be entirely removed
✕High price (US$329.99) creates psychological barrier despite good value

READ FULL REVIEW

Brickset Reviews

Editorial Source

BUY

"The botanical garden looks magnificent on display, offering plenty of floral variety"

Key Pros

✓Magnificent display appearance with excellent balance of colourful flowers and realistic muted tones
✓Outstanding variety and authenticity of botanical representations
✓Traditional Victorian architecture looks spectacular and realistic

Key Cons

✕Potentially expensive for some collectors given abundance of single-stud tiny pieces
✕High number of stickers (five total, though only five applied throughout)

READ FULL REVIEW

JANGBRiCKS

Expert Video Source · avg of 2

BUY

"I will buy this by the way. I absolutely will buy this when it comes out and I will do a review of it from my own perspective."

Key Pros

✓Significantly larger and contains more pieces than original fan submission
✓Walls and roof are removable for interior viewing and play access
✓New flower and window pane elements add botanical authenticity

Key Cons

✕Interior is very dark and difficult to see inside for actual display (not just renders)
✕Back walls do not come off (only front and sides)

JUMP TO REVIEW

Solid Brix Studios

Expert Video Source

WAIT FOR SALE

"I love the set I think it's gorgeous looking"

Key Pros

✓Gorgeous, detailed design that accurately captures real botanical conservatory aesthetics
✓Excellent plant and flower variety with diverse designs
✓Removable roof sections and walls for easy access to interior spaces

Key Cons

✕Expensive at $330 retail price
✕Not a modular building despite $330 price point and community expectations

JUMP TO REVIEW

Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Buy now (4)Wait for sale (1)

Value drivers

Rebrickable Reviews: Designer Chris McVeigh minifigure with signature beard serves as a notable collectible; dual-sided printed blind visitor minifigure is accessibility milestone.

Jay's Brick Blog: Visually-impaired minifigure and fan designer immortalized minifigure (manager in blue quilted vest) drive novelty and collectibility

Exclusivity

Rebrickable Reviews: LEGO Ideas exclusive; limited production run typical of Ideas program.

Jay's Brick Blog: Exclusive to LEGO.com and LEGO Stores (1 November 2024 for Insiders, November 7+ for general release)

Resale

Rebrickable Reviews: Likely to appreciate after retirement, particularly due to new molds and exclusive botanical elements. However, reviewer notes current price is high, which may limit initial uptake.

Jay's Brick Blog: Strong aftermarket potential expected due to limited availability (exclusive to LEGO.com/LEGO Stores), substantial piece count, and exceptional design quality

Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (12)

Gardener - Female, Medium Nougat Overalls over Sand Green Shirt, Reddish Brown Boots, Dark Brown Hair

Gardener - Male, Medium Nougat Overalls over Sand Green Shirt, Reddish Brown Boots, Bright Light Yellow Hair

Photographer - Male, Dark Brown Jacket over Red Hawaiian Shirt, Olive Green Legs, Reddish Brown Flat Cap, Dark Orange Beard

Botanical Garden Manager - Female, Dark Blue Bodywarmer over Sand Green Sweater, Tan Legs, Reddish Brown Hair

Man - Light Bluish Gray Jacket with Pinstripes, Dark Brown Legs, Light Bluish Gray Coiled Hair

Barista - Female, Reddish Brown Apron, Dark Blue Beanie, Dark Tan Hair, Glasses

Woman - Bright Light Blue Jacket over White Shirt with Coral Flowers, White Legs, Dark Orange Hair with Braid

Man - Yellowish Green Jacket over White Shirt, Sand Blue Legs, Medium Nougat Tousled Hair

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Panel 5 x 5 x 3 1/3 (5925)
New mold for glass roof corners, lines up with Panel 6 x 5 x 3 1/3 Curved Top introduced earlier in the year
Brick Arch 1 x 5 x 3 1/3 Curved Top (5845)
New mold for support beams; features same curve as Brick Arch 1 x 6 x 3 1/3 Curved Top but one stud shorter for snug fit
Plant, Flower, Peony Rose with 2 Layers (5904)
New mold, already spotted in Wicked and Wednesday sets but developed for this set; comes in 5 colors; same width as minifig head, fits in half sphere or as crown
Plant, Flower, Tulip (5903)
New mold in 2 colors; stands 2 plates tall; small hole runs through fitting small pins
Peony flowers in multiple colors (new print colors)Value
Available in 5 colors; new color options support botanical garden theme
Large transparent panels
Part of price consideration; needed for glass roof structure

What Owners Say

Owners consider this one of the most beautiful sets LEGO has produced, praising its stunning glasshouse architecture and dense plant variety, while acknowledging that assembling hundreds of individual flowers makes for a repetitive and sometimes slow build.

COMMON PRAISE

+Finished display is widely called breathtaking, with the combination of glasshouse architecture and dense botanical interior making it a standout centerpiece
+Variety and creativity of plant and flower builds is praised, including charming details like a bunny eating buds off a plant
+Removable roof sections allow the interior to be shown and explored, which owners love when displaying the set
+Build experience is described as therapeutic and meditative by many, particularly new builders and those using it for relaxation

COMMON COMPLAINTS

−Building dozens of identical small flowers is the most common complaint, with multiple owners calling sections repetitive or tedious
−At least one owner reported missing pieces, including a glass ceiling panel, which could not be easily replaced from spare parts
−One seasoned modular collector found it a slight letdown compared to other modular sets, citing the longhouse footprint as less versatile on a shelf

stunning displaybotanical detailrepetitive buildtherapeutic hobbymodular companion

Buyer Ratings

Walmart4.8

157 reviews

89%