State Botanical Garden celebrates 50 years of buds & blooms

When you visit Athens, Georgia, you expect to see plenty of red and black.  But Bulldog country is far more colorful than that, thanks to a unique space set aside by the University of Georgia 50 years ago.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of The State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia, a 313-acre preserve featuring five miles of nature trails and plenty of plants, flowers, and birds.  The area was set aside by UGA back in 1968 with the express purpose of creating a green space for the public to enjoy and for students and scientists to use as a research tool.  Today, more than 230,000 visitors per year can stroll through sections including the Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden, a Heritage Garden (which replicates the historic gardens of the South), and an incredible Hummingbird Trail, which opens each year on May 1st and attracts some of the garden’s tiniest and most fascinating visitors.  

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia is located at 2450 S. Milledge Avenue in Athens, and admission and parking are free.  The grounds are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, although visitor center and gift shop hours vary.

Good Day Atlanta’s Paul Milliken has waited a long time to visit The State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia, and finally spent the morning in Athens getting a tour of this beautiful place.