Atlanta's Botanical Gardens are completely worth the price of a ticket. The whole environment reminded me of zen. I went in happy, came out happier and almost centered, relaxed and inspired.
The first impression of The Gardens is magical. After paying for your ticket, you walk into a large and modern building. From the ceiling a giant whimsical green glass chandelier hangs proudly.
A short winding walk takes you to The Garden's lunch spot. A small Hippie-Bo-Ho stand serves gourmet sandwiches and salads, and exotic teas and beverages. While you pay a bit more than average for a sandwich and chips, it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had.
The rest of your trip is filled with winding paths through overgrown vines and small op
en ceiling gardens. It truly had the feel of a Secret Garden. You constantly encounter iron gates, which in themselves were lovely pieces of art, shaped like butterflys and other creatures. Behind every gate lies some mysterious secret. Whether it's just a large space covered in tulips of all colors, or a fantastic fountain in a cobblestone courtyard, your imagination is never at rest. It's hard to not feel like a child in this amazing space.The best part of The Gardens, for me, was the strange tropical house. You walk through a tropical jungle setting. We spotted tons of quails and heard what we later found out was the song of frogs. There are thousands of tendrils coming down from the ceiling, which we also learned were roots of a tropical plant running rampant.
The tropical jungle leads into a desert room with cactus and through a narrow hall filled with trees that produce some well known flavors-cinnamon, chocolate, etc. And at the end, the Orchid rooms. Truly amazing design, amazing care-takers, amazing budget...all these elements equal stunning Orchids like I've never seen before.
I am definitely a fan. It would be worth it get a season pass to this wonderful place. I officially dub this one of my personal "Gems" of Atlanta!
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