A Cook And Her Books

Your SUPER-powered WP Engine Site

Gaia the Earth Goddess sculpture at Atlanta Botanical Garden

Filed Under: Garden, Travel Tagged With: ,

Master List of Garden Visits

By Leave a Comment

This is a dynamic list of public gardens and privately owned garden attractions I’ve visited over the years. I’ll add pictures and copy over time. Let me know your favorite gardens and where I should visit next!

Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Two bird sculptures in a garden meadow
Atlanta Botanical Garden (Atlanta campus) delights with art throughout the garden, like this meadow with a pair of bird sculptures. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Atlanta Botanical Garden 1345 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30309

Mausoleum at Oakland Cemetery | Photo by Lucy Mercer
Oakland Cemetery is a balance of history and gardens. It’s worth a visit in any season. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Oakland Cemetery 248 Oakland Ave, SE Atlanta, Georgia 30312

See my stories on Oakland Cemetery:

Historic Oakland Cemetery in Spring
Walking with Abra Lee at Oakland Cemetery

Gainesville, Georgia (Hall County)

Lily pond and building at Atlanta Botanical Garden Gainesville campus
Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Gainesville campus features woodland trails and a children’s garden. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Atlanta Botanical Garden Gainesville Campus 1911 Sweet Bay Dr. Gainesville, Georgia 30501

Kennesaw, Georgia (Cobb County)

Classical home exterior decorated with evergreen wreaths and garland
Visit Smith-Gilbert gardens in December for holiday decorating inspiration. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Smith-Gilbert Gardens 2382 Pine Mountain Rd, Kennesaw, Georgia 30152

Marietta, Georgia (Cobb County)

Community garden view from the fence
Green Meadows Community Garden in Marietta, Georgia, can be viewed from the fenceline during times when the gate is locked. community gardens like this one are a great way to learn the basics of gardening. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Green Meadows Preserve Community Garden, 3780 Dallas Hwy, Marietta, Georgia 30064

See my story about Green Meadows Preserve:

A Visit to Green Meadows Community Garden

Ball Ground, Georgia (Cherokee County)

Pansies in containers | Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books
Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, Georgia, is known for gorgeous containers and millions of daffodils. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Gibbs Gardens 1987 Gibbs Drive, Ball Ground, Georgia 30107

Athens, Georgia (Clarke County)

Urn with summer flowers at State Botanical Garden
Urn with summer flowers at State Botanical Garden in Athens, Georgia. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S Milledge Ave, Athens, Georgia 30605

Yellow and pink flowers in containers in a garden at dawn
UGA’s Trial Garden is the place to see what’s coming next to your local garden center. Check out the trial garden on UGA’s campus. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

University of Georgia Trial Garden 1030 W Green St, Athens, Georgia 30602

Summerville, Georgia (Chattooga County)

Paradise Gardens, Summerville, Georgia
Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden in Summerville, Georgia, is a folk art garden, heavy on the funky art and light on the botanicals. Still it’s a must-see for the vision and visions of its founder, legendary folk artist and preacher, Howard Finster. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden, 200 N Lewis St, Summerville, Georgia 30747

Check out my story on Finster Fest at Paradise Garden:

Finster Fest @ Howard Finster Paradise Gardens

Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama

Statue of a female gazing into a pond at the Birmingham Botanical Garden
Statue of a female gazing into a pond at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, Alabama 35223

Alaska

Juneau, Alaska

A red Japanese maple in by a bench under the shade of a larger tree, overlooking a garden
Jensen-Olson Arboretum in Juneau, Alaska, is a botanical jewel in Southeast Alaska. In a serene cove called Pearl Harbor, you can visit a world-class primula collection and walk trails through ancient woods. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Jensen-Olson Arboretum, 23035 Glacier Hwy, Juneau, AK 99801

A marmot sunning on a rock at the Shrine of St. Therese in Juneau, Alaska
Visit the National Shrine of St. Therese to walk through a Biblical garden and view wildlife like this marmot. It’s on the same cove as the Jensen-Olson Arboretum. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

National Shrine of St. Therese, 21425 Glacier Hwy Juneau, Alaska 99801

An updside-down live tree planted with colorful annuals in a garden
Glacier Gardens in Juneau, Alaska, is renowned for its upside down trees planted with colorful annuals. The Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure features a guided tour up a mountain to view the pristine beauty of Juneau. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure, 7600 Glacier Hwy, Juneau, AK 99801

My stories on Juneau, Alaska, gardens and travel are linked in these stories:

My Story in American Gardener Magazine
Adopt-A-Flower in Juneau, Alaska

Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona

Barrel cactus in a garden at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix
This barrel cactus is just one of the 50,000 plants you’ll find at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. This garden is great place to see giant saguaro cactus, too. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Desert Botanical Garden. 1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, Arizona 85008

Florida

Sarasota, Florida

Three pillars in a pond with plants
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida, focuses on tropical plants from around the world and exhibits featuring popular artists and musicians. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Downtown Sarasota), 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, Florida 34236

Coral Gables, Florida

Multi-colored glass chandelier at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden near Miami, Florida, features art like this Chihuly glass sculpture throughout the garden. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Old Cutler Rd, Coral Gables, FL 33156

Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Sign for Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michl, features a world-class sculpture collection set among gardens. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525

Holland, Michigan

Windmill in a garden in Holland, Michigan
Windmill Island Gardens in Holland, Michigan, is known for tulips in springtime and this windmill brought over from Holland brick by brick and assembled in the garden. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Windmill Island Gardens, 1 Lincoln Ave, Holland, Michigan 49423

Minnesota

Chaska, Minnesota

Yellow flowers blooming in a perennial bed at a garden entrance
Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum in Chaska features 28 specialty gardens, 44 plant collections, more than 150 permanent works of art. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Dr, Chaska, MN 55318

New York

The Bronx, New York City, New York

Plants suspended from the ceiling in a greenhouse
Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center is a 28-acre estate along the Hudson River in the Hudson Hill section of Riverdale in the Bronx, New York City. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center, 4900 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY 10471

North Carolina

Durham, North Carolina

Statue in a garden with a background of blooming red azaleas
One the campus of Duke University, The Sarah P. Duke Gardens includes about 55 acres of landscaped and wooded areas. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 2000 Lewis St, Durham, North Carolina 27705

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Pink native azalea blooming in a botanical garden
The North Carolina Botanical Garden on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill includes the Coker Arboretum. Look for stunning old-growth native azaleas in spring. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Coker Arboretum | North Carolina Botanical Garden at UNC Chapel Hill, 399 E Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514

Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Statue in fountain at Dixon Botanic in Memphis, Tennessee
Statue at Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, Tennessee. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books.

Dixon Gallery and Gardens, 4339 Park Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38117

View of red bridge over a pond in a garden
View of the red bridge over the pond in the Asian garden at Memphis Botanic Garden. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38117

Canada

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Mass planting of yellow annuals in a botanical garden
The Butchart Gardens is a 55-acre display garden in Victoria, B.C. More than a million visitors walk through the gardens each year. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

The Butchart Gardens, 800 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1J8, Canada

More Good Gardening Stories on A Cook and Her Books

Learn more about gardens and travel in these stories:

Finster Fest @ Howard Finster Paradise Gardens
Weekend in Greenville, SC

Join the Conversation

Let’s talk about gardening and more on Instagram and Facebook. I’d love to hear from you!

About the Author

Lucy Mercer

Subscribe to A Cook And Her Books Monthly Newsletter!

Privacy Policy

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *