If you read the blog from last week, you will remember the story about the Huntington’s. Brookgreen Gardens was their gift to the state of South Carolina. They started developing the gardens in the 1930’s, and it is still just as loved today as it was when it opened. Their vision of what the gardens should be is still going strong. Many events are held throughout the year that let people experience all the gardens has to offer.

I first visited Brookgreen in 1996, and I honestly have to say that I wasn’t impressed. I was a teenager at the time, so maybe that is why I didn’t care for it, but it was 14 years before I returned. In the blog from the other day, you will recall the story about the day my life changed. It was in 2010 that I returned to Brookgreen, and I was instantly in love. Azaleas and tulips were blooming everywhere, and I was enthralled with all the beauty. Needless to say, by the next year I had a membership, and now I visit at least ten or more times a year.

Brookgreen Gardens is like most gardens in the winter. A lot of things are not blooming, but what is in bloom is absolutely gorgeous. Camellias, star magnolias, Japanese magnolias, and daffodils can be found all throughout the gardens. Pops of color greet you in unexpected places. As you walk among the sculptures you can sometimes get a greater appreciation for them. Some of the sculptures that you cannot always see clearly when everything is blooming are not obstructed by the beautiful blooms you get to enjoy during the rest of the year.

My personal favorite tree to photograph at Brookgreen always looks better in the winter. I have to photograph it each time I visit. A lot of camellias are located around it. There is a beautiful walkway that lets you walk underneath the tree. It just looks as if it has a lot of personality. The tree is located near the steps at the back of Brookgreen Gardens, so it has greeted many visitors over the years.

If nudity in sculptures offends you, then Brookgreen is not a place for you to visit. I have heard many people say that they had to leave because they just couldn’t deal with it. I see art and beauty when I visit Brookgreen Gardens. It is my third favorite place in the world. It is a place that I always suggest for people to visit if they just need to get away from the world for a few hours. You can forget all of your troubles while you are walking around. It is definitely a place where art and nature meet.

There will be many more blogs about Brookgreen Gardens. It is one of my favorite spots to photograph. There is so much to see and do there. I would have had more from this particular visit, but I had attended a lecture about tea from the owner of the Charleston Tea Plantation that lasted a little over an hour. I found out some fascinating information about tea during that hour that I never knew.

Brookgreen Gardens is located at 1931 Brookgreen Drive in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. It is open daily from 9:30am to 5pm. During special occasions you can visit Brookgreen during the evening. While the cost of admission may seem a bit pricey, your ticket is good for seven consecutive days, so it’s actually a bargain for the coastal area of South Carolina.

Published by travelingthesoutheast

My name is Donna. At an early age I had a love for photography. There was nothing more fun than taking film to a store and then having to wait several days to get the photographs back, sometimes only to find out that none of the pictures turned out the way I wanted them to. Quite a few years ago digital came out, and the rest is history. I can always be found with a camera around my neck, on my arm, or in my hand. I have always had a love for telling stories and sharing them with others. My imagination has always been a little on the wild side. About ten years ago, I decided one day that I wanted to start traveling, and I have never looked back. There is nothing in the world that I enjoy more than traveling and taking photographs. View all posts by travelingthesoutheast