BrookGreen Gardens

16 September 2009

During our trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, we visited BrookGreen Gardens near Murrells Inlet. It is situated 18 miles south of Myrtle Beach. Brookgreen has more than 300 acres of gardens and facilities that are open to the public. In addition there are excursions that take visitors to parts of Brookgreen more than 6,000 acres that are not generally open to the public.

In 1931, Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington founded Brookgreen Gardens, a non-profit garden museum, to preserve the native flora and fauna and display objects of art within that natural setting. Once a rice plantation, today, Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historic Landmark with the most significant collection of figurative sculpture in an outdoor setting by American artists in the world and has the only zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on the coast of the Carolinas.

It is open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. through 5 p.m. The admission fee is $12 for adults. Admission tickets are valid for seven consecutive days.

These are some of the interesting things to do at Brookgreen:-

Brookgreen Gardens, the first public sculpture garden in America, has in its collection more than 1,200 works by 350 sculptors.
The Low Country Zoo is home to native animals that live in the woods, swamps and waters of the Low Country. You get to see Alligators, Bald Eagles, River Otters, Red Foxes, Owls, Deers and more.
The Cypress Aviary is the only known aviary built over an existing cypress swamp where you can stroll through on an elevated boardwalk and observe the birds feeding and flying in this natural setting.
The Oaks Plantation History and Nature Trail is a self-guided walking trail through the woods. Visitors can see the archeological site of the former plantation house, the foundation of the spring house, Alston family cemetery, and the slave village.
Low Country Excursions have Cruises on a 48-foot pontoon boat along rice fields now home to alligators and waterfowls.

We had only 1 day to visit Brookgreen Gardens but you actually need atleast 2 days to absorb the beauty of these majestic gardens. We were able to cover most of the gardens and the zoo but couldn’t go for the Cruise and History Trail. So if you are visiting Brookgreen gardens, make sure to plan ahead and visit for at least 2 days.

Visit the Website of Brookgreen for more information.