I’ve been busy in my gardens the last couple of weeks, hence my absence. But, I wanted to share a beautiful plot of garden in Columbus, Georgia. This is the garden and homestead of Lillie Belle Kimbrough Adams. The 22-acre piece of land has been given in her memory, by her family, to establish an ongoing garden works program. It features the old house, totally a girl’s house, as I call them, because you can tell by the care that a girl-woman was here to love it. I would have liked Lillie Belle I am sure! A small house painted white, with lots of windows and a big porch, is always my favorite! So, let’s take a stroll through her garden!

In a southern garden you can grow elephant ears and other palms in your cottage garden!

And one must have a formal herb garden………

and a view from another way………

I love the shadows in the garden too, don’t you?

They were preparing for a wedding reception today. Another perk of the gardens.

There is another cottage on the farm along with one of the barns………….

This is the view of the carriage house and behind that, the gin house, where cotton was ginned. A gin was a machine that separated the seeds, seed hulls, and other small objects from the fibers of cotton. What a hot job that would have been!

Walking past what looks like grapes on a stick…….. it is an American Beautyberry……. I like it! The berries grow on stems, as you can see, and are colored fuchsia to rich purple. The birds love them and so do the deer! It mostly is a small mound-like plant that grows in shade, with moist to wet, well-drained soil.

And the big picture……….

Coming upon Sally’s Vegetable Terrace…….the sign.

and in real life……

What’s up this way?

Work was in progress on the Rose Gardens…….

From the fountain, flows water all around the rose garden………..

this way……..

and that way……..

The garden fountain and water plan reminded me of gardens in Italy or Spain.

Twisting this way and that…………..

Which leads us on to the walking trails…..

Did you know Georgia has walking trails just for their Camellia’s? Pick up the brochure at the state’s tourism offices. I counted 33 gardens with Camellia trails! Camellias have been part of the southern garden landscape since the establishment of the original thirteen colonies. We are viewing the garden in the fall so will have to come back to see the camellias in bloom!

and for the walker’s, there are choices to be made………..

and also spots to sit and rest a bit………

and there are more beautiful flowers to see!

I hope you have enjoyed our walk through the Columbus Georgia Botanical Gardens today. They are doing a great job to develop the gardens, protect woodlands and provide educational programs, in a beautiful serene environment. They also host many workshops and events! I really enjoyed this garden! More to see in Columbus……stayed tuned!