Since we so often need a change of scenery, we made a trip to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. This short trip was well worth the price of admission, which is free, and is a place for “what if” if you have a 315 acre property and a volunteer army. We at the Firefly, pretty bed and breakfast near Madison GA, appreciate human effort in all of its forms. We also like human-scale living, but once in awhile we do something that is better organized, and this is that type of place.
Maybe a Backroad Traveler will find their way here as well.
Directions
The State Botanical Garden is in Athens. At the end of the driveway, turn left. When you get to the middle of town, take another left, on 441, and keep going out of town for about 40 minutes until you get to Loop 10 which goes around Athens. Take a right at the loop, and get off at Exit 9, and take a right. You will pass the state dairy farm, state seed production place, and shortly thereafter there will be a right turn into the garden.
Either that or use your GPS. It is open basically 8 to 5, unless you choose to have the Prom there. There are some places for night gathering.
Here is their web link: https://botgarden.uga.edu/
State Botanical Garden Rationale
The stated mission of this place is to encourage learning, inspiration and engagement, and there are some preservation activities for rare plants in Georgia. A significant investment has been made to encourage kids be out in nature, and try to understand plant life.
In addition to making the scene someplace new, we’re always looking for inspiration of one kind or another. We like to think that our place has the capability of growing most, if not all of these beautiful plants, and there are lessons in landscaping here as well.
PS we probably only visited 5 of the 315 acres, so there is an excuse to go back.
Water Features
You’re greeted at the park entrance by one of several water features. The designers have figured that the sound of running water is calming, and a part of the local nature as well. The place features a Japanese garden, complete with bridge, and a water feature deliberately designed for mud-free playing by kids.
Kids Area
This is a giant play area, with twig features, and places to climb, which integrates into the surrounding woods. There is a place for lectures and classes, to encourage outdoor appreciation of nature. There are a couple of venues for storytelling and/or music nearby.
We have moon gate envy, and had we not been distracted by some other projects, we might have attempted to build one someplace at the Firefly.
Vegetable and Japanese Gardens
A substantial portion of the cultivated space is dedicated to productive gardens, including veggies and herbs. The main lesson here is that they’re using raised beds. The staff is thoughtfully gardening to demonstrate abundance in a relatively controlled area.
The part we didn’t tour this time but might is the formal garden. There is an edible garden with fruit trees and other features for sustainable food production.
Botanical Garden of Georgia Rain Forest
Oddly, or maybe not, on this particular day, it was hotter outside than it was in the tropical rain forest. This indoor space is climate controlled and had a lot of trees that are non-native and fun, like this banana
They let us bring in our lunch. Lunch that day was charcuterie, with herring, gouda, chaffles, and fruit. Sorry you missed it.
Also, we met Bob, one of the local master gardeners. Our mission of the moment is to find some passion fruit plants, just for the name. He was friendly but unhelpful in telling us where to get some. We were intrigued with hops and kiwis, though. There is a beer in there somewhere.
Decor Ideas
Since we’re perfectly capable of building some of these structures and growing these plants, we appreciated the human effort put into the landscaping. There were also inspirational ideas around the place that could be incorporated into our decor.
We have to like gift-shop ideas about gardening too.
Gadget of the day was this little round hose coil, which looked like ceramic, which keeps your hose from being kinked up. Also, it looks better than a pile of hose, which is what we have to deal with at our place.
Who knew that you could order a similar one.
What We Missed
The huge, symmetrical formal garden, and the fruit trees. We’ll have to go back.
Do Over
Would we do this again? Yes we would and probably will. This is a pleasant place, close to the Firefly, and full of beauty and inspiration.
There are a few days we wouldn’t necessarily suggest going. This place is one exit down from the UGA stadium, which holds about 95,000 people. There is a significant tailgate culture here, where people go up, park, and sit around in the parking lot and party, even though they don’t have game tickets.
Since we make it our business to keep track of these things, click us up and we will give you the home schedule.
The fall here is the best time of year. After mid-September, the air is less humid, it is warm and sunny, and very pleasant, so it makes sense to go back in the fall, and appreciate the fall colors.
But the spring visit, with a profusion of flowers and all of the things that come with spring, was wonderful.
