memphis botanic garden

We were in town for the AZ Liberty Bowl, and because it was New Year's Eve few things seemed to be open. So we ventured out to the Botanic Garden and I am so glad we did. The weather was so cold, but we still enjoyed all this place has to offer. I really want to go back in the spring or summer, because I can only imagine this place is 10x better then. Even in the middle of winter, the Garden is a fun place to explore.

I love gardens and flowers and especially love to stroll amongst them and take pictures. So on our way to Graceland, we decided to stop in first at the botanical gardens and visit. What an amazing place. The gardens sit on 96 acres. The gardens have 23 specialty gardens. One of the first places we ran into was the rose gardens. They were beautiful but in June in a city that is miserable in the summer, they were a bit withered and dried out. The water gardens are just stunning. There is a beautiful fountain with a lovely statue and water lilies. There are also lots of shaded areas with lots of green foliage and statues found without. Then we come to my favorite..The Japanese Gardens. I just love the simple beauty of the gardens. As we got closer we found a bunch of duckies that just came right up to us. And over at the koi pond the fishes were practically jumping up to get food. I also love he beautiful ponds located all over the place. Little kids will like the my big back years area..but on this day is was overrun with children and I am child free so I skipped it. Now one thing that bothered me that I have experienced at several other places. We were trying to enjoy the Japanese Gardens and we were already there and a photographer was taking bridal pictures and was very rude. He kept running us off. Unless you have rented out the place, expect people to be there and realize we have the right to be there as well/. The gardens have been certified at as level 4 arboretum and their hosta trail is only 1 of 15 recognized in the US. They do have a number of events and classes throughout the year. You can also host your next big event here or even get married here. The do have wheelchair rental here. And they do have a gift shop and a café as well. And once a year during Dogs Day..you can bring your best buddy to enjoy the gardens.

On a recent weekend getaway to Memphis, we enjoyed such a warm day that we decided to check out this garden. Granted, it's winter and there wasn't much growing, but the garden was still lovely. The Japanese Garden had bridges being repaired, but the koi were swimming in the lake, and it was still quite serene. I can't wait to come back when everything is in bloom!

This is a wonderful place, and it continues to expand its offerings.If you enjoy botanic gardens, this is a must see if you are a local or a visitor. The daffodils in the spring are breathtaking. You can walk for hours here. If you have children, My Big Backyard is a MUST SEE (and experience). During the spring through fall, they offer a free farmer's market. It's small, but the vendors have wonderful things.There's a ton of programming here for all ages, so be sure to check the web site to see what's going on. They are very good about offering programming year round.I know a lot of people rave about the Japanese Garden, and yes it IS beautiful, but don't stop there - keep going. Make time to walk and wander. Bring a sketch book, a camera or a book. Fratelli's is an on site restaurant, and the food is very good. It also features an outside patio for dining.There really is something for everyone here - adults and children alike.Memphis is so lucky to have such a beautiful place. There are paved paths throughout the garden, but be brave - get off the path in the areas where you are allowed to go.Also, if you're an adult and you have no child with you, don't let that stop you from checking out My Big Backyard. The giant "bird's nest" that's a sitting are is cool, as is the giant mosaic in the ground. I think the mosaic is a butterfly. Try the tree house, too. Check the web site for what's blooming and what's going on.There's a small gift shop. If you like art, be sure to check out the art that's on display inside the visitor's center.

We took some of our children and grandchildren in 2012 and agin in 2014. There are special features for the young ones. They have beautiful flower gardens, trees, etc.

The Botanic Garden has something blooming most of the year - irises, daffodils, azaleas, dogwoods, and ornamental fruit trees. The Japanese Garden features a bridge from which you can watch [and feed] koi swimming in a pond. In the Spring, the wooded area is full of Spring blooming ground cover. The walk around the Garden paths is a pleasant experience. There are indoor plants on display, plant sales, and musical performances.

My boys, 7 and 8, loved the Big Backyard part of the Botanical Garden. Lots to explore and learn with. Almost like the set of "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids."

We recently took a very large girl scout group to the garden. We setup a tour to talk about water life. The tour was was super fun as the girls got to skim bugs and such out of the pond. Later they got to finger paint pictures with pond scum. We had a lot of extra free time extra for them to explore as well. They could have spent hours in the big back yard. Look forward to going again to explore the rest of the garden.

Memphis Botanic Garden is beautiful all times of the year. The Big Back Yard is great to walk through. There is a boat on a "river" to photo graph kids. One of my favorites was the floating bridge. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the day.

As a professional photographer, I paid the high annual fee to be able to take clients in for nice backgrounds in their portraits, but, as a pro photographer, I was REQUIRED to call in a week ahead of the scheduled shoot for permission (even though I paid the &75 annual fee). If another event was set for the time I wanted, I was denied entry. Now keep in mind the average person could come & go unrestricted. I, as someone who was sensitive to special events and having others disturb my shoots, would be very mindful of others but I am restricted! Go figure. I have had the average Joe walk right though my shoot, oblivious to what's going on. That's just part of the the job. But to restrict me while others can go freely is just dumb. I bring $$ to the park with my clients-or at least, I used to. Now I take clients elsewhere and tell them why I won't go to the gardens anymore. Just saying a tad more common sense would go a long way.

So many gardens to stroll through - rose, forest, sensory, Japanese, children's garden and more. The children's garden is a must see - so innovative and wonderful!

We've been to the botanical garden a few times, each time hoping it would 'grow' on us... but it hasn't. Not really more than average.

My family and I went to the Botanical Garden at the end of May and the flowers were just being planted. Every trail we took came to a dead end with nowhere to go but back the way we came. The "Big Backyard" was good for the young kids we did spend a little while there but other than that we left disappointed. Might be better in the summer but probably a one time visit for us. The did have a farmers market that might be a reason to give it a try.

Love this garden! Admission is $8 and totally worth it. Be sure to attend their food truck parties which feature live music and great local food.

We like to visit gardens when visiting cities when we travel. Unfortunately this one was not up to par. Maybe the end of September is not a good time but we saw nothing that we were "wowed" by. To top it off there was a book fair going on in the entrance facility and they had a horrible musician (I use the word loosely) outside just "screaming" (I guess he thought he was singing) and playing so loudly that you could hardly carry on a conversation anywhere in the Garden. What could have been a beautiful day in the garden was ruined by this performance.