camayanrita@gmail.comHere comes the summer. Time goes fast. Before you can turn around there’s another year already.
Visiting a Botanical Garden here, I am having a fire in my belly. I am thrilled. Nature has always been a source of inspiration for me. Temperatures in summer here top out around 90 degree F and above. But still, I would need the extra daylight the summer would bring.
To begin, we were thankful despite coming in at noon. We still got, not the best parking spot. But better. There are a lot of visitors. It seems everyone is excited to come out. The parking space is full. But the garden is a huge space for everybody. It is a 30-acre garden with a Conservatory Center. This place was actually not on our list before coming. I requested. We googled it and it looks awesome. It didn’t take us a long time to consider. And here we go.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden was established in 1976. It is a non-profit organization. A garden took root and flourished. Truly a natural oasis. It is one of the largest displays of plant life in the Southeast of the US. With a mission to develop and maintain plants.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 5pm. Closed on Mondays.
Yes, an urban natural oasis in the heart of downtown. A charming garden that welcomes visitors and introduces them to countless forms of the plant world. It has given joy, pleasure and a sense of peace and tranquility to a lot of visitors over the years.
It is organized and displayed with artistry and horticultural skill. So many beautiful plants to look at. There is so much to learn and see. It’s humbling. Makes me feel alive. Together with my consuming curiosity of all that was around me.
ℑ𝔱 𝔦𝔰 𝔞 𝔤𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔱 𝔢𝔮𝔲𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔷𝔢𝔯.
Without plants our world is nothing. Plants are essential to life. I can see from looking around while moving around with ease. Universally, everybody’s faces lit up. Not burdened by meaningless things. I was immensely curious.
Leaning over to flowers. Looking up to hanging plants. Wandering along neatly laid-out flowerbeds. I would like to say there is nothing on this planet more than a flower, nor more essential than a plant. Without green plants we would neither breathe nor eat. Most importantly, I am with the enthusiastic visitors here united in our love for nature. With visitors who had become fascinated by natural history as well.
We all are born with it. Our houses are adorned with gardens. Our cities with parks. Our nations with national preserves. This is the first thing a woman does. To make a room livable is to place a plant in it or a vase of fresh cut flowers
ℑ𝔱 𝔥𝔞𝔰 𝔰𝔬 𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔶 𝔣𝔞𝔠𝔢𝔱𝔰.
There are so many incredible things happening in our world that are never noticed. So many stories never get told. It’s always good to be back in a garden like this. Where everything seems at peace. We feel a special delight in discovering. They have the power to nurture the spirit and stimulate creativity.
Philosophers said that plants move their bodies as freely, easily and gracefully as the most skilled animal or human. The only reason that we don’t appreciate the fact is that plants do so at a much slower pace than humans.
𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔰𝔢𝔱 𝔲𝔭
Absolutely beautiful and well maintained botanical garden in the middle of the city. It is easy to see why so many couples made it a date night. Not just for nature-lovers but for the vibe it offers. In a world full of chaos, we are constantly searching for peace.
There is plenty of walking. Keep following the path and you’ll see more. While moving around with ease. I loved every minute of it. But we don’t want just to be inspired. It is also a good chance to connect.
The grounds are immaculate. The garden provided an amazing diversity of plants and flowers. All exhibited in a beautiful manner. This place is an awesome place to behold: huge, holy with an eternal-feeling vibe. I may say I can be twenty miles from here and become totally disoriented. Once inside, there would be no future and no past. Only the illuminating twilight now. I know our time is limited but I wanna see as far as the horizon will allow.
Sometimes I travel in thoughts. Imagining around me is a wild land with mountains and deep valleys. Sometimes I get taken aback. I find myself blinking in. To really wake up if it was true. Having mixed emotions. This genuine love of the natural scene is very magical. Find myself asking if this is as close as I hope to get to heaven. Whatever. What I know is, this is here and now. Something I’m sure of.
A lotus flower, symbol of Buddha, lies at the center and is enclosed by an ornate palace.
𝔖𝔱𝔢𝔭 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔩𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔠 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔰𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔶
The Fuqua Orchid Center was the highlight of our visit. It treats visitors to a rare collection of high-elevation orchids never before grown in the Southeast US. The flowers, trees, grounds, and orchids are just spectacular.
The orchid family is the largest and most diverse in the plant world. Orchids are some of the most captivating plants in the world. The center collection showcases tremendous diversity as well as a variety of tropical plants.
There are two special climates maintained to accommodate the various temperature and light requirements of the plant collection in the two display houses.
𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔗𝔯𝔬𝔭𝔦𝔠𝔞𝔩 ℌ𝔦𝔤𝔥 𝔈𝔩𝔢𝔳𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 ℌ𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔢
𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔒𝔯𝔠𝔥𝔦𝔡 𝔇𝔦𝔰𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔶 ℌ𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔢
It contains a dazzling array of orchid species of all colors, sizes, scents and shapes.
Of particular interest to me is the cloud forest or ‘high elevation’ house which requires a perpetual fog as found on a mountain that is 6,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level.
The Tropical High Elevation House uses an air washer cooling system. Because a rain forest is usually considered to be a forest that gets at least eighty inches of rain a year. This is to maintain daytime temperatures below 76 F. The night temperature drops to 52 F throughout the year, even in the hot humid nights of Atlanta.
ℑ 𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔡 𝔰𝔬𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔬𝔦𝔩.
If you don’t take reality for granted at all in any of the given time. Then everything in front of you is actually miraculous. Particularly the natural beauty. When I look at a plant I am looking beyond it. Every plant I encounter. I am looking at the creation of life. Everything has a strange beauty to it. Its own special beauty.
Falling in love with irresistible southern charm here.
𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢𝔰 𝔱𝔬 𝔯𝔢𝔫𝔱 𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔰.
Turns out, connecting memories to plants isn’t as unique to my family as my childhood self imagined. Do you have plants that really mean something to you? Or do you grow plants that bring you to one of the happy places or times or relationships in your life? Some plants here brought back the details of a beautiful season of summer. from my home country.
There is a tremendous sense of accomplishment that comes from propagating plants, and a sense of preciousness that comes from propagating plants that tell part of your story. In this way, your garden will become as individual as you are. To be part of this. To be connected to what you grow.
𝔍𝔞𝔭𝔞𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔢-𝔰𝔱𝔶𝔩𝔢 𝔤𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔫𝔰
… have been part of North American culture for almost 150 years, providing distinct pleasure to visitors with their artful landscapes set within tranquil, beautifully controlled environments. Offering an insight into the ingenuity and range of variety. Offering a thought-provoking look. Also an intimate look at this serene Japanese-style landscape.
ℌ𝔬𝔴 𝔤𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔫 𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔟𝔢 𝔞 𝔪𝔲𝔩𝔱𝔦-𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔰𝔬𝔯𝔶 𝔧𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔞𝔩 𝔬𝔣 𝔭𝔢𝔬𝔭𝔩𝔢, 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢𝔰, 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔰
As humans, we long for connection to each other. We hold onto both with photographs and videos to try and keep specific moments nearby. The plants you grow can be another way you hold onto these things. They can be touchstones of celebrations, joyful events, and people.
Or place from your personal history to a plant that you or they loved.
ℑ𝔱 𝔦𝔰 𝔞 𝔧𝔢𝔴𝔢𝔩.
Used for plant research, education and conservation as well as being a beautiful garden.
A typical botanical garden will have particular features to fulfill its scientific, ornamental, conservation and educational features. Since prehistoric times mankind has gardened, for many reasons, enthusiastically.
A garden visitor can always anticipate an enjoyable display of floral beauty highlighted with attractive sculpture and restful water features. It adds to a more positive quality of life.
As we know since prehistoric times, mankind has gardened enthusiastically for many reasons.
This garden is a dream that has been rendered real through the extraordinary dedication and hard work of its talented creator. It is a living laboratory. A home to a lot of exceptional plants. In nature. In plants. There is always more we can uncover. More we can explore.
𝔒𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔞𝔪𝔦 𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔢 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔊𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔫
Origami, the centuries-old Japanese art of folding paper. A message it is sending us is;
“It all starts with a simple, uncut square. That’s a great metaphor for life; what we do with that is really what defines us. Every fold has a consequence, just like every decision in your life.”
The tabula rasa, the blank slate – a symbol of the starting point from which we all begin. Whether a teacher, architect, writer or entrepreneur. The folds represent our trials, decisions, mistakes and perseverance. It became our driving force to strive more in life.
ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN is the largest-ever exhibition by artists Jennifer and Kevin Box. It features 19 installations of nearly 70 larger-than-life sculptures.
The exhibition features flying birds, emerging butterflies, blooming flowers, grazing deer and other flora and fauna themes.
𝔐𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔰𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔫
The Chihully glass sculptures were an additional attraction. Simply breathtaking. This is one of the many impressive installation pieces in the garden.
Dale Chihuly is an American artist famous for his monumental glass sculptures in different shapes, colors and sizes. Most of his works are inspired by plants and nature. It is a motivating force for his actions and sends his mind into creating unique pieces like these. His works blend into surroundings. A remarkable expression between art and nature.
𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔓𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔢 𝔉𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔫
Walking through and along a paved path leading me into another exquisite space. The Parterre Fountain.
The centerpiece, for me, is the most iconic of the Garden’s. It is a one-of-a-kind sculpture in blue and white. A communication sent in the form of shapes and colors of water, ice and sky. A captivating mix of twisting, brightly colored glass. Plus, I heard it sparkle and lit up after dark.
His several iconic works are now a part of the garden’s permanent collection. Among the first of its kind. This place of such an impeccable taste is his creation. Place that holds his masterpieces, his collections and his spirit.
𝔑𝔢𝔭𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔰 ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔢𝔯
Loved by visitors during the 2004 Chihuly in the Garden exhibition. Now hanging here in the Hardin Visitor Center. The captivating gathering of brightly colored glass in shades of yellow, green and gold with touches of red. A remarkable interpretation of a Nepenthes pitcher plant, one of the Garden’s renowned collections.
Walking through and along a paved path leading me into another exquisite space.
You can see an array of carnivorous pitcher plants. As it captures insects. These exotic plants produce elaborate cup-like designs at the ends of their leaves. It holds fluid to break down captured prey allowing the nutrients to be absorbed. The amazing array of shapes and sizes vary depending on the type of prey available in their area of habitat.
A lovely experience it was. You will certainly want to take pictures of all the beauty this place holds.
ℭ𝔬𝔷 𝔦𝔣 𝔴𝔢 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔳𝔢𝔰 𝔲𝔭 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔠 𝔦𝔱’𝔰 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔤𝔬𝔫𝔫𝔞 𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔭𝔢𝔫.
All eyes and ears were wide and present in the moment. Opening to magic. Where the rhythm is very soft and kind. Where everything is in harmony. Everywhere I look, there is extraordinary wilderness. With a splash of bright and a dash of light colors. It is among the best. Most importantly, in the therapeutic part of this encounter. I trusted the marvelous feeling of alertness.
There is hope in many different forms here. Hats off to the plant growing staff who are able to pull off this botanical garden.
The whole point of being here is, of course, to see that the art of living is meant to be a boundless adventure and creation beyond our wildest dreams.
Honestly, I would want to linger here for a while like another day or so but time is limited. The need to see everything can become overpowering. I don’t like this feeling. But I’ll come back.
This trip is pure joy.
Thanks for reading.
