Pink camellias are some of the standout florals on the Judge Arthur Soloman Camellia Trail. Photo Credit: Howard Hackney
Florals in each of the distinct gardens cover an astounding range of textures and colors.
mission focuses on community education and applied research in the fields of horticulture and environmental science. A wide range of practical programs are offered, serving everyone from school-aged children to golden- aged gardening enthusiasts. Orchid shows, camellia festivals, a springtime “Birds, Bees and Blooms” event and the annual holiday exhibit, “Bright Lights, Botanical Nights,” are also on the gardens’ calendar. But the flower gardens themselves are always the main attractions. They combine the fascinating elements of colorful open-air museums, engaging science projects in progress, and peaceful paths back to nature. At the entrance to the gardens, an elegant white Visitor & Education Center looks like an updated Georgian plantation home. This point of entry and exit for guests contains a well-furnished reception area, sparkling restrooms and a sunlit, garden-themed gift shop. Just outside the center, plants in each of CGBG’s individual gardens cover an astounding range of textures and colors, levels, shapes, and sizes that provide visual complements and contrasts. Specialty gardens feature brilliant displays of daylilies, delicate purple irises, yellow sunflowers, classic roses, and fragrant lavender spikes that lighten the landscape. Crape myrtle trees boast abundant seasonal blossoms, towering pines
provide blessed shade, and a nine-foot-tall cascade splashes into a cool water garden pool. The stylized Formal Garden may be viewed clearly from the Visitor Center’s elevated back patio. Geometrically shaped, carefully manicured yaupon holly hedges are lined up in precise rows, bordered by fringy palms, crape myrtles, and olive trees. The White Garden’s lush green lawn is accented with contrasting white pergolas and coordinating floral touches. Blue lake glimpses, iceberg roses, perky asters, daffodils, and saw palmettos enhance the idyllic scene. In the Woodland Shade Garden, trees and flowering bushes of variable heights provide several stages of shady comfort. Leafy ferns and wildflowers add visual interest. On sunny days, crystal clear reflections of the sky on the lake are amazing. The Historic Georgia Trustees Garden commemorates a famous Savannah plot established by James Oglethorpe in 1734. Today’s scaled down replica includes authentic examples of crops planted by the earliest colonists in Georgia—grapes for winemaking, sour oranges, figs, and mulberries that attract worms for silk production. Cottage gardens spring from British traditions that date
TWO GREEN THUMBS UP
COAST TO COAST FALL MAGAZINE 2020
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