Visiting Brookgreen Gardens from Myrtle Beach SC
Brookgreen Gardens is a very neat idea - the first sculpture garden in the U.S. It is a big, 50 acre landscaped garden that has over 900 different works of art on display. It's essentially a giant museum housed outdoors. They also have, as part of the grounds, a separate wildlife preserve called the Lowcountry History and Wildlife Preserve. There is a trail you can walk through the preserve and see many of the animals firsthand. They have a number of separate gardens, including areas with live oak, rose gardens, shrubs, and various kinds of South Carolina native plants on display.
A winner of numerous tourism awards, Brookgreen Gardens has become a popular tourist attraction for those visiting Myrtle Beach. It is located in Murrells Inlet, just about 18 miles from Myrtle Beach, and visiting the gardens is a pleasant way to escape the crowds, especially during the summer months.
The Sculpture Garden is considered the main garden of Brookgreen’s 9,200 acre property. Shaped like a butterfly, it includes a Live Oak Allee, the Dorothy P. Peace Garden Room for Children, the Kitchen Garden, and the Brenda W. Rosen Carolina Terrace Garden, full of perennials, roses, and shrubs.
There are three additional major gardens at Brookgreen and these are more formal than the butterfly-shaped garden. They include The Dogwood Garden, laid out during World War II; the Palmetto Garden, which profiles the state tree; and the newest addition – The Fountain of the Muses Garden, which is designed around a sculpture of the same name and boasts a whimsical feel.
The Arboretum, which contains huge specimen trees, also displays some pieces of sculpture, and the Lowcountry Center Garden includes a wealth of natural local flora. Visitors can also check out the Cultural Garden, which displays herbs and vegetables grown during the plantation period prior to The Civil War.
The sculpture garden, the first public garden of its type in America, includes 1,200 works by more than 350 American artists. The facility also offers workshops in sculpture and drawing throughout the year, presented by well known names in the region.
The Lowcountry Zoo at Brookgreen Gardens is a delightful offering of an eclectic mix of animals that is sure to entertain visitors of all ages. Included in the collection are native lowcountry animals including alligators, bald eagles, various owls, foxes, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and river otters; domestic animals of the plantation, which includes chicken, horses, cows, and sheep; and a cypress aviary, which includes a variety of herons, ducks, egrets, ibises, and other flying creatures.
Special events at Brookgreen Gardens include classes, lectures, history walks, children’s discovery activities, and much more. Portions of the property may be rented for weddings or other special occasions as well.
There are three restaurants at Brookgreen Gardens: The Pavilion, which is open daily for lunch and includes outdoor dining in season; The Old Kitchen, serving desserts, beverages, wraps, and soups from 10 am to 4 pm; and the Courtyard Café, open from early March through the end of November and offering snacks, light fare, and beverages including beer and wine.
The sculpture gardens are the highlight of Brookgreen. They're very well done, and you get to see a lot more than with the animals (who often aren't near the areas you are allowed to walk along). They do have some education films, etc. that you can watch, and it's also a great place to go if you're associated with a group or school that wants to take a tour.
The address of Brookgreen Gardens is:
1931 Brookgreen Drive
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
843-235-6000
You can see a very nice picture gallery of many of the statues here (it's not associated with the actual organization). There's another good picture gallery with academic descriptions of the statues here. The official webpage is here.
Brookgreen Gardens is open daily year-round except Christmas Day. Tickets may be purchased at the attraction.
Return to Myrtle Beach Guide Home Page