Though Brookgreen Gardens is famous for their sculptures, buildings and landscape, I found the beautiful flowers, ancient oak trees and the Lowcountry Zoo to be the real highlights of my visit.
The zoo is home to a host of native animals that includes foxes, owls, hawks, alligators, river otters, ducks, herons, white-tailed deer recently added and red wolves. Brookgreen Gardens is also home to a number of wild native species that enjoy the outer areas of the gardens, like wild turkeys, eagles, snakes and alligators. Right at the entrance to the Lowcountry Zoo, children can enjoy personal meetings with domestic animals, like miniature horses, goats and chickens.
Roseate Spoonbill
For art lovers, the gardens are inundated with a collection of statues which boosts the aesthetics of the Lowcountry property that was once home to four thriving rice plantations. More sculptures and other artworks – including paintings and etchings – are on display in three galleries, as well as a visible storage and research facility. In all, the property exhibits over 2,000 works by 425 artists.
Brookgreen Gardens covers nearly 10,000 acres, preserving this historic site’s natural landscape and featuring cultivated areas. The Carolina weather keeps a few things in bloom year-round and these are frequently updated with seasonal blooms. One of the most popular times to visit the garden is actually in the winter. Mornings are also a great time to enjoy it when smaller crowds allow visitors a chance for quieter experiences around the property.
A lazy fox
Considered the floral jewel of South Carolina’s coastal community, Brookgreen Gardens excites visitors with year-round and seasonal blooms, shrubs and trees. You can also see foxglove, snapdragons in the spring to daffodils and crocuses in the winter. The property’s array of flora is sure to impress no matter when you visit. Attractions include the Live Oak Allée and its 250-year-old live oak trees, the Palmetto Garden, the Fountain of the Muses Garden and more.
Located about 45 minutes south of Myrtle Beach and just outside Murrells Inlet, S.C., Brookgreen Gardens offers natural beauty, the most complete place to see and photograph local animals and birds from the Lowcountry, as well as the nation’s largest and most comprehensive collection of American figurative sculpture. Whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in nature, learn about the Lowcountry’s rich history, explore a new art form or simply enjoy a peaceful day with family and friends, Brookgreen Gardens offers an experience you’ll never forget!
Night Heron
Bald Eagle
Photos: by Bill Vanderford
