Michelle Cardenas
After our arrival in the delightful City of Atlanta, we decided to explore a piece of their (quasi) natural scenery. The Atlanta Botanical Garden is one of the most famous botanical gardens, featuring many prestigious pieces of art, diverse greenery, fountains and grand sculptures.
As soon as we entered the Visitors Center, we were met with a spectacular Dale Chihuly piece called the ‘Nepenthes Chandelier’. This piece was inspired by the Nepenthes Pitcher plants, one of the many plants featured in the garden.
Already a tourist attraction, the Gardens have recently become even more popular with the addition of Thomas Dambo’s “Save the Humans” collection. The collection includes six different trolls, each with their own written fairytale and style.
The enormous trolls are composed of wood and have their own personal accessories such as rocks, bird houses, and my favorite, a car! Each LEAP Ambassador chose their favorite one and made sure to take a picture in front of it! My personal favorite was Rosa Sunfinger, a troll with its own tiny garden grown out of a car! The true meaning behind this piece is to showcase how plants can beautify, transform and bring back to life our everyday items.
The beautiful sights did not stop there, as we made our way through the garden…
… we were met with the Earth Goddess.
This particular piece is about 20 feet tall, and contains thousands of plants that decorate the embodiment of the goddess.
The sculpture is eye-catching, it just draws you in with its vibrant colors and different plant species. The sculpture is paired with a fountain that flows in front and through the hands of the earth goddess, making for a tranquil and serene landscape.
As we made our way to the Levy Parterre section of the garden, we saw many man-made rivers and cascades. The cascades added a relaxing and gentle sound alongside the chirping of birds and frogs. The real show stoppers were the multiple Dale Chihuly pieces we saw on our way to Levy Parterre.
There was a tall yellow piece named the “Radiant Yellow Tower” that stood at about 30 feet tall.
The gleaming tower stood over a calm pool and cast an amazing reflection that showcased its vibrant color. The other Dale Chihuly piece we saw was “The Parterre Fountain Installation” and it was colored with a gorgeous blue tint, and its shape mimicked the flow of the fountain’s water.
The Botanical Garden was definitely a hidden gem in the City of Atlanta.
Despite the city’s reputation, the 30 acres of outdoor garden proved to be a must see location. We used this opportunity to learn more about the different aspects of nature and how beautiful it can be. With this, we ended the night in awe of all the stunning sights the garden had to offer.
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