State Botanical Garden of Georgia

This is one of my favorite places in Athens! There are plenty of forest trails that you can walk or run that are quiet and beautiful. You can also enjoy the beautiful gardens by walking on paved trails that make it easy to move around. The only downside to this place is that I can’t bring my dog, which I completely understand why!

Very impressed with this botanical garden. What a gem in Athens! Parking and entrance is free but donations are welcome at the Conservatory. Beautifully displayed in very well-​maintained gardens. Lots of varieties of plants, trees and flowers indoors and outdoors. There’s also a small café inside.

Absolutely gorgeous and well-​maintained!
The staff at the visitors center were very friendly and eager to help with first-​time visitors.
The gardens are organized and easy to get around, and nearly every plant is labeled.
I never knew you could walk 5 feet and pass 10 different types of plant!

BEATIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL place. :) There is plenty to see. Thank god this place is close to home. I love being outside and this place is perfect! Good place to come and relax but also good place for a fun and romantic date!

Thank goodness for UGA for their State Botanical Garden of Georgia. My wife and I have been coming here now for 11 years and have seen the changes. This place is beautiful and a place that I would recommend for anyone who loves the outdoors and is looking for a fantastic place to just relax and unwind from the everyday hustle and bustle.
It is completely free to visit and for parking at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, but when you enter, they do have a donations box at the visitors’ desk that asks for $ 2 as a donation to help keep the gardens maintained. I recommend that people donate, after all this place is such a great place to visit and with that, it must cost a lot to maintain as well.
Inside the main building they have a café that sells food and drinks and they also have a gift shop at the front entrance that sells local items, flowers and other gift items.
I really love the herb and physic garden, they have all sorts of herbs that smell so good. When coming here, I have my kids smell the herbs and try to guess what they are. After visiting this herb garden, you’ll want to go home and start cooking. They have just about every herb one could think of.
My other favourite of course is the Flower Garden which is in the far rear of the property. This place is gorgeous, the grass is so perfectly cut, bright green and as soft as the putting greens when putting for an albatross (double eagle). Come here when the sun is at the golden hour and you’ll take amazing pictures. The colours here really pop in fotos here.
Throughout the year visitors can see different plants in blossom. I love the gardens here and highly recommend it. Just look at the pictures and you’ll see why. It is also a great place to get some good exercise as well.
Hours: Monday-​Sunday (7 Days a week 8am-​6pm)
They are open daily except on UGA holidays.
[Review #277] (Thirty Seven Review of 2015)

Very relaxing, romantic, fun, and educational way to unwind and de-​stress. You will defiantly feel better after an hour here. It’s like free therapy for your soul.
Free entrance with a small donation is suggested. No fee to park. Please support them buy buying something, even just a soda water or post card. Please donate to keep it beautiful and free.

I love free opportunities to get my son out and enjoy nature. The beauty of the Botanical Gardens is that he can observe plant life that he wouldn’t otherwise see in the south. Large — with tons of trails to enjoy getting lost on. Great place to jog when it’s not too hot.

This place has a little of everything — I wish it wasn’t so hot I would have liked to wander around some more — being from Denver the humidity in GA in June was too much for me. But it is worth it! And it is free — can’t beat that!

Great day for a stroll in the gardens.

Athens is full of random, sometimes unexpected natural areas, and this one is probably the best. The actual botanical garden is fascinating in and of itself. There is a diverse array of plant life from all corners of the earth, organized by place of origin. Additionally, there’s a beautiful terraced area with green spaces, flowers, and metal sculptures. There’s also a large greenhouse in the area, but, unfortunately, I’ve never been inside.
In addition to the garden itself, there are miles of trails that wind through the woods and by the river. The trails are pretty well marked, but it’s still useful to take a close look at the maps before you set off on an expedition.
I’m sure there’s so much more tucked away in this park that I have yet to discover even after several visits, and I’ll definitely keep coming back.

A visit to the State Botanical Garden has always been on my radar, and I’m glad I finally paid them a visit. Wow! What a facility! The many paths though the gardens are a nice, easy walk. There’s plenty of cool growing things to check out. It’s no surprise to see so many photographers doing their thing in the area (many of them are pros).
This place is also very clearly made for events. But even if you’re not needing the gardens for a special event, you could just show up with a picnic and chill out right there. And the cost is right. Admission to the Gardens is free (suggested $ 2 donation). That donation is a tenth of what it costs to visit the Garden’s Atlanta counterpart.
The volunteers were very friendly. Helpful. Invested in helping the garden succeed. There’s a thriving education component, and tours, among other garden features. Overall, I found the State Botanical Gardens to be just a fun, easy place to hang out, take some pictures, and relax.
Next time I’m going to bring a small picnic. Holler if you’re coming with.

We visited the gardens today and unfortunately there wasn’t a lot in bloom; it was too late in the season for some things and too early for others. However, the gardens are well-​maintained and there are several miles of trails. The visitors’ center is large and very nice, with a gift shop (it has a good selection of books, but the gift items weren’t anything special and they were very high-​priced) and a café. Also, the woman in the gift shop and the woman at the information desk were very friendly. Lastly, there are several beautiful life-​size bronze sculptures of people (mostly children) near the visitors’ center.
Admission is free, although donations are appreciated.

Heritage garden is a beautiful place to have a sandwich!

Gorgeous gardens, easy to navigate trails. Great park!

Our wedding was here on a Thursday in June and it was a dream come true done in an affordable fashion. The Day Chapel is stunning and needs very little decoration for your big day. When we arrived for our rehearsal, there were 2 baby deer sleeping feet away from the front door. We accidentally woke them up and they walked away into the woods. I would totally recommend this venue to anyone wanting to have a small wedding. We had 90 guests and they fit perfectly.
Me and my husband had our first date at the gardens, so this beautiful place is very special to us. The gardens are great for photo-​shoots, picnics, dates, exercise, relaxation, and connecting with nature. I always take out of town guests here.

I have been coming here since the day I began uga as an undergrad and it is amazing! It’s free and has a great gift shop. Has amazing flowers, plants and trees on the ground and even had a beautiful tropic garden in a huge enclosed green house. Perfect for studying, photography, friends and a great family environment! Good food too at the restaurant!

The State Botanical Garden is a great place to take a walk in the woods, have a picnic, or host a special event.
The botanical garden is filled with nature trails. If you’re looking for a place to take a cross-​country run or meander along a trail, the botanical garden is your place. The trails wander through fields and woods and offer a nice tour of the ecosystems of northeast Georgia.
If you want something less active, it’s a great place to have a picnic. The grounds are filled with a wonderful variety of flowers and plants. It’s a great space to host an outdoor wedding or Bar Mitzvah.
The conservatory has a small, but wonderful collection of tropical species to tour, including coffee and vanilla plants and orchids. The interior of the conservatory is beautiful and is a great venue for events.

What a beautiful place. I go here when I need to think, when my kid and neices need to run around or I can go to the gift shop. Tranquil, Quiet, Peace

We visited this beautifully tranquil and well-​maintained Garden with it’s many adventurous trails and well marked and identified plants, trees, flowers, etc. This was my first visit and it will certainly not be my last. A picnic lunch in one of their many gardens will be a perfect getaway from today’s madness.

This place is a gem just sitting outside of Athens. Beautiful grounds, extensive trails, and a gorgeous facility to relax in for a quick lunch after you’ve been walking around. It’s maintained very well and the plants are all labeled. They’ve set up a garden and have classes to help people learn the art of gardening.
If you’re in the Athens area, make sure to stop by here. This is run by the state and it’s also free. A great place for a nice date or family gathering.