Gardens Continued...

Take time to read inspirational poems and quotes on the statues. Enjoy the peaceful sounds of the water features.

My favorite area is the Live Oak Allée. Brookgreen Gardens has several Live Oak trees planted in the early 1700s with Spanish moss hanging down from the branches lined up to walk under and take tons of photos.

Once you have your fill of art, plants, and flowers, head to the Lowcountry Trail. The trail has interactive stations where you can hear stories on the daily life of enslaved laborers on the rice plantation. There are also viewing platforms and overlooks for the Lumpkin rice field. Besides walking along the trail, you can also sign up for several excursions that take you on a boat or overland to learn more about the historic rice fields and Oak plantation to understand the role of enslaved workers.

Right after the Lowcountry Trail, you enter the Lowcountry Zoo. First up is the Floyd Family Heritage Farm, where you will see milking cows, horses, sheep, and chickens. As you follow the path around the zoo, you will encounter alligators, birds, otters, deer, and foxes in their natural habitats. Seeing the alligators sunning themselves behind the fence was comforting after seeing the “Watch Out for Alligators and Snakes” signs around the bodies of water earlier in the gardens.

A bit further on the path, you come across an area that moves you. You will see several birds and other native animals that were either bred and raised in captivity or have sustained a major disability due to injury.

When I visited, I could see a great horned owl peek out of an enclosure. The great horned owls in this aviary are survivors of injuries but haven’t fully healed and are only partially flighted. The zoo workers provide exceptional care for these broken animals and give them a great quality of life. Unsurprisingly, the Lowcountry Zoo is one of five institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in South Carolina.

And last but not least is the Children’s area in Brookgreen Gardens. There is a large butterfly house for them to wander through. Will a butterfly land on your shoulder? Expect to hear squeals of excited kids in this area. Around the butterfly house are the Children’s Sensory Trail and Children’s Storybook Forest, providing the little ones in your family something to discuss on the ride back to the hotel.

If you are interested in experiencing the beauty of Brookgreen Gardens on your next vacation to Myrtle Beach, make sure to visit early in your trip. Your admission tickets are valid for seven days. You can keep returning and spread out your exploration of Brookgreen Gardens, especially if you need a break from the touristy side of Myrtle Beach. Springtime in Brookgreen Gardens is worth a visit or two.