10 Jan Magazine names Brookgreen Gardens one of the South’s best sculpture gardens Visitors and residents of South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® know that Brookgreen Gardens, a 9,000-acre botanical garden and zoo in Murrells Inlet, is a special place. But this historic landmark has just garnered more accolades by being named in a new best-of list from venerable – and Southern favorite – magazine Garden & Gun. In an article by Jeanine Barone, the magazine highlights a short list titled “Seven Whimsical Southern Sculpture Gardens.” Brookgreen earned a spot – and high praise. Brookgreen Gardens uses reflective pools to accentuate many of its sculptures. (Photo courtesy of Brookgreen Gardens) Page Kiniry, president and CEO of Brookgreen Gardens, said she’s thrilled that Brookgreen has been recognized by Garden and Gun. “With more than 50 additions to our sculpture collection in the last three years,” Kiniry said, “Brookgreen Gardens continues to offer new opportunities to experience the best of American sculpture.” In the article, Barone wrote, “Sculpture parks and gardens offer peaceful environments bubbling with sensory delights and, unlike most indoor museums, room to roam, unencumbered by four walls. These are seven venues worth exploring.” Often, foliage accents the man-made art at Brookgreen Gardens. (Photo courtesy of Brookgreen Gardens) The other sculpture parks and gardens on the list are: River Gallery Sculpture Garden in Chattanooga, Tennessee The Charles W. Ireland Sculpture Garden in Birmingham, Alabama Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park in Raleigh, North Carolina Robert T. Webb Sculpture Garden in Dalton, Georgia The Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden in Houston, Texas Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in New Orleans, Louisiana Brookgreen’s collection of figurative sculptures include animals, humans, and the mythological by American artists. (Photo courtesy of Brookgreen Gardens) As for Brookgreen Gardens, Barone wrote: “At this lovely rambling estate, the collection of figurative sculptures (animals, humans, and the mythological) by American artists numbers in the thousands. Visitors spend the day strolling paths past ponds, fountains, moss-draped live oaks, and formal gardens. Often, foliage accents the man-made art, like Dancing Goat by Albert Laessle, a bronze positioned within a cluster of ornamental grasses.” Brookgreen Gardens is a unique melding of art, nature, and history. Since its founding in 1931, by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, Brookgreen has been a cultural center for the Hammock Coast. It is one of America’s premier gardens and one of a few select places in the United States to have earned accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, as well as being designated a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “Every day, Brookgreen offers a selection of tours, programs, and exhibits for all ages,” Kiniry said. “You may stroll through the gardens on a guided tour or explore these beautiful spaces on your own. Each season, new exhibitions and special events make Brookgreen Gardens … ‘Ever Changing. Simply Amazing’.” ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA’S HAMMOCK COAST® The Tourism Marketing Commission oversees marketing for Georgetown County under the moniker and registered trademark of South Carolina’s Hammock Coast®. The Hammock Coast is one of South Carolina’s most popular vacation destinations, wowing visitors with some of the Palmetto State’s premier beaches, award-winning golf, Lowcountry charm and abundant eco-activities. At the heart of the area’s appeal is the casual charm it provides, delivering a surplus of family-friendly activities without the crowds its nearby neighbors – Myrtle Beach and Charleston – attract. Follow the Hammock Coast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. By Clayton Stairs / tourism manager for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® 0 Hammock-All, Murrells Inlet
