Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the living museum in Alabama with over 10, 000 plants from the collection. The garden is a big 67.5 acres and contains over 25 distinctive gardens, over 30 outdoor sculptures and miles of serene paths. The gardens have the biggest horticulture library in a Conservatory and the US. The gardens comprise a wildflower garden, two rose the Southern garden, a Japanese Garden with a tea house and gardens.

Throughout the year instructional programs are held over 10, 000 school children attending the free science program based field trip. The gardens are the most visited attraction with over 350, in Alabama and is open everyday.

The library in the gardens have in their own collection over 6, 000 horticulture books, DVDs, Compact Disc, magazines and videos. These include for visitors, new books, Magic School Bus DVDs, Resource material for hands on activities and a kid's section. Guided tours of the gardens can be found with a three week advance booking. Volunteer docents lead tours to Friday.

MP3 Walking Tours are available through MP3 players enabling visitors to explore the garden. Visitors can photograph as many screens as they want, it asked that visitors abide by the etiquette principles. The various kinds Of plants at the gardens comprise Gardens of Collections, where the plants from this group will be a particular plant family or identified group.

Prior until 1960, a Birmingham Botanical Garden was only an idea. That year Birmingham Mayor James W. Morgan spearheaded the move to establish The Gardens on a 69 acres east of the city's zoo in Lane Park, on the south side of Red Mountain.

Morgan was intrigued in developing the city he loved, and the city wouldn't have developed the exact same manner without him, clarified James A. Head, former chairman of the effort to locate the zoo in Lane Park. Despite objections from the Park & Recreation Board, Mayor Morgan went to Montreal to scrutinize the greenhouses in the Montreal Botanical Gardens and ask their curator.

Henry E. Teuscher, to design a master plan for Birmingham. Morgan pictured Birmingham's Gardens since the largest attraction of this sort in the Southeast. In 1964, The Birmingham Botanical Society, Inc., a nonprofit Corporation, was founded as a membership organization to support and enhance The Gardens. From this Day ahead the society's volunteers, fundraising efforts and support staff helped preserve and develop The Gardens.

Today city of Birmingham and the Birmingham Botanical Society are dedicated to the continuing expansion of The Gardens. This public/private partnership began in October of 1964, one year after the official opening of The Gardens.

The City of Birmingham supplies Birmingham Botanical Garden with financial and operational obligations on an annual basis. Presently, The Gardens is part of the Birmingham Parks & Recreation Board under the auspices of Director Melvin Miller. Birmingham Botanical Society dba Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a 501 non profit corporation. The Friends is a member and a donor based organization that supports and enhances The Gardens. In Nov 2001 Friends hired its first paid executive director and Chief executive officer, Mr. Frederick R. Spicer, Jr. The executive director joins the City and Friends of the gardens by working with the Birmingham Parks & Recreation Board and the non profit Board of Directors.

The history of the Birmingham Botanical Society is a colorful story filled with individuals who quickly realized the huge potential of the young Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Through the years thousands of volunteers have donated their time, talents, funds, energy, enthusiasm, and vision.

Members of the Federated Garden Clubs of District Three, local garden clubs, plant societies, local civic and business teams, master gardeners, and people from all avenues of life have contributed richly to this story.

Today Birmingham Botanical Gardens stands as one of America's greatest gardens, a real credit to the thousands of individuals who in 1960 had a vision of greatness for state and our city. Excerpts were taken from Carolyn Green Satterfield's book The Birmingham Botanical Society - A Short History printed in 1999. To get A copy of the publication please visit our gift shop or contact our office in 205.414.3950.

The Gardens of Nature, which focuses on native plants of the southeastern usa along with eco geographic plant groups. The Gardens of Culture concentrate on the design style of facet of human culture.

A gift shop, Leaf & Petal at The Gardens Gift Shop is located on the grounds of the gardens. The present shop features presents along with dycor for the home along with garden, stationery, jewellery, botanical arrangements, kid's toys and furniture.

The Gardens Cafy by Kathy G is opened from Tuesday to Saturday to serve people lunch that reflects the feel of the gardens by using local greens along with produce that are in season.

The cafy is able to host wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, high teas or dinners business and dinners. The cafy offers guests the Green Brown Bag lunches, that will be lunches served to go from 100% recycled paper bags with eco friendly cutlery along with containers. Picnic Basket lunches are also offered for parties between 4-6 people. The baskets can be pre ordered with individual meals or a group selection.

The gardens have some principles of etiquette to maintain the gardens safe, beautiful and serene. These comprise staying on the paths along with paved surfaces, avoid touching any one of the plants, structures or animals, don't climb on the plants, trees, fences or walls, no active sports, no feeding of any animals along with also to keep the gardens littler free.

The gardens are involved with a partnership between the City of Birmingham along with Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, that has around 2, 500 members who support the gardens.