Georgia's Most Beautiful Garden Boasts 30 Acres And A Stunning, Living Sculpture

Most gardeners enjoy the chance to explore gardens that are not their own. This is a great time to discover new plant collections, see inspiring landscape designs you can possibly add to your garden, and learn more about new plants and flowers you may not have in your own space. If you're looking for inspiration, you will more than likely find plenty of it as you explore. You can find beautiful public gardens to visit in every state in the U.S., like the California garden that spans 37 acres and features over 3,500 stunning plant varieties, or this amazing garden in Mississippi with 700 acres and thriving wildlife. In Georgia, one garden stands out above the others and is named the most beautiful garden in the southern state by HGTV — the Atlanta Botanical Garden. 

It may surprise you to find out that the city that has the busiest airport in the world also has the most beautiful garden in the state. Once you visit them, you're sure to be a fan as well. The garden has been pleasing visitors since it opened its doors in 1976. It spans 30 acres right in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, which includes a variety of specialty gardens and the stunning Earth Goddess, a 25-foot sculpture made of a sheet steel frame, where thousands of plants are added to create the stunning sculpture on display.  More than 18,000 annuals are used for the Earth Goddess alone! During the holiday season, the Earth Goddess is transformed into the Ice Goddess, with her hair brilliantly shining with thousands of lights.

In a city as busy as Atlanta, it's a pleasure to be able to visit an urban oasis right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle that will let you get away from it all. If the kids are with you, they will be enchanted by Lou Glenn Children's Garden, a two-acre garden that opened in 1999 and is among the first of its kind in the U.S. The Children's Garden is accessed by the lovely and unique Flower Bridge. There is plenty of climbing, splashing, and playing fun for the kids to enjoy, along with an abundance of learning opportunities, such as the stepped vegetable garden that teaches the different stages of edible gardening. The kids can also watch another display, the honeybees, where they can see inside the working hive of a honeybee that is behind glass. 

A third of the Garden's 30 acres belongs to Storza Woods, one of the last remaining secondary growth hardwood forests in all of Atlanta. Enjoy a variety of gardens within Storza Woods that include Azalea Walk, Glade Garden, Channel Garden, Camellia Walk, Bowl Garden, and more. You can enjoy Storza Woods from the forest floor and the unique Kendeda Canopy Walk. Storza Woods explodes with yellow, white, and peach colors in the spring when the daffodils bloom during the yearly Atlanta Blooms! exhibition. In 2017, Skyline Garden opened, a 1.5-acre modern garden that extends from the Rock Garden to the rear of the Fuqua Orchid Center, another exhibit you won't want to miss, with more than 2,000 plant and flower species.

If you're interested in classes and education, Atlanta Botanical Gardens has you covered. Adult classes are a great way to get out and meet new people and do new things. Classes offered include beginning and intermediate Tai Chi, fine-line pen drawing for botanical illustration, Chinese watercolor painting, and low-maintenance gardening, where you can take what you learn from the classes and choose the perfect plants for your garden, like these 15 low-maintenance flowering plants that will thrive in the sun. There are also several garden chef demos, chef dinners (act fast on these; they sell out quickly!), and the Fest-of-Ale running Thursdays in October, where you can explore the Scarecrows in the Garden exhibit while enjoying live entertainment and craft beers.

Other fantastic offerings include garden camps throughout the year, school programs including a homeschool day scheduled for May 15, 2026, Title I outreach programs, and summer high school internships. You can also become a member and purchase a yearlong membership that provides unlimited access to the Atlanta and Gainesville gardens for 12 months, access to member events, plus discounts and privileges in the gift shop and at other botanical gardens across the country.