Brookgreen Gardens receives American Public Gardens Association’s 2019 Award for Garden Excellence
July 26, 2019
Brookgreen Gardens, South Carolina’s premier botanical gardens, received the American Public Gardens Association’s (APGA) Award for Garden Excellence. President and CEO of Brookgreen Gardens, Page Kiniry, accepted the award at the APGA’s annual conference in Washington, DC this June. The award, voted on by fellow members of the APGA, recognizes Brookgreen Gardens’ commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.
“We are thrilled to receive this award from our peers at the American Public Gardens Association,” says Kiniry. “At Brookgreen we strive to not only preserve the Lowcountry’s native plant species, but also display the most beautiful blooms year-round.”
Brookgreen Gardens’ 250-acre botanical garden contains over 2,000 species of native plants. Archer Huntington and noted sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington purchased the land in 1930, to build a retreat for the world, and Anna designed the original garden to form the shape of a butterfly. Now the Brookgreen horticulture staff works to maintain a beautiful garden that continues the Huntingtons’ mission to collect, exhibit and preserve the plants of the Southeast, while also showcasing selected exotic species.
The botanical gardens are comprised of several garden exhibits. The Live Oak Allée contains Live Oak trees that were planted in the early 1700s when Brookgreen Gardens’s property was four thriving rice plantations. The Palmetto Garden in memory of Mary Emily Jackson, named for the use of Sabal palmetto, South Carolina’s state tree, was completed in 1950. The whimsical Fountain of the Muses Garden displays the sculptural group of the same name and takes bold garden design to new heights. The Brenda W. Rosen Carolina Terrace Garden has a spectacular array of perennials, roses, shrubs and mature trees.
Brookgreen Gardens blooms year-round. Visitors can enjoy perennial blooms, roses, azaleas, foxgloves and a stunning summer display of multi-hued caladium along the Live Oak Allée during the summer. See a list of what’s in bloom at www.brookgreen.org.
About Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is located on U.S. 17 between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and is open to the public daily. Founded in 1931 by Anna Hyatt Huntington and Archer Huntington, Brookgreen is home to the largest and most significant collection of American Figurative Sculpture in the world, and is a leader in sculpture conservation, environmental conservation, and the protection of the plants, animals, and history of the South Carolina Lowcountry. For more information, visit our web site at www.brookgreen.org or call 843-235-6000.
