Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens was first established by Archer Milton Huntington and his wife Anna Hyatt Huntington in 1931. They wished to have a place to display Anna's vast body of sculptural work in a natural setting, and they also saw the need to preserve the native flora and fauna of the area. They saw the great potential in achieving both goals in one fell swoop with Brookgreen Gardens. The land was previously developed into rice plantations. The Huntingtons bought four of those plantations - The Oaks, Brookgreen, Springfield, and Laurel Hill - to create present-day Brookgreen Gardens. The gardens were originally supposed to be merely a part of the large homestead the couple were building as a winter home, but soon became a much grander endeavor. They wanted to include the works of other American sculptors in the gardens and soon had created the first sculpture garden in the United States.

The facilities and gardens lie solely on the former Brookgreen Plantation. There are few relics surviving on the plantations, but the former Oaks Plantation contains the remains of the Alston (Allston) Cemetery. The cemetery has the gravesite of Gov. James Alston and his child, and the memorial of his wife Theodosia Burr Alston who was lost at sea. Mrs. Alston is the daughter of Vice President Aaron Burr. The foundations of several Oaks Plantation buildings have been unearthed during recent archeological activity. In 1978, Brookgreen Gardens was named to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1984, the 551-acre area of sculpture gardens was included in the designation of Atalaya and Brookgreen as a National Historic Landmark.



Brookgreen Gardens Mission
To collect, conserve and exhibit figurative sculpture by American artists;
To cultivate a display garden and exhibit sculpture therein;
To collect, conserve and exhibit the plants, animals and cultural materials of the South Carolina Lowcountry;
To educate a diverse audience about sculpture, horticulture and the ecology and history of the Lowcountry;
To provide additional artists and cultural opportunities for members, guests and the community;
To sustain the institution and all of its assets with visionary leadership, sound management and prudent fiscal policies.

The Huntingtons wanted to create a sculpture garden where American figurative artists could display their work in a natural setting. A setting where the sculptures could be enjoyed in an outdoor setting. In my own opinion, viewing a sculpture in an indoor museum setting is fine, but there is just something about enjoying them in the outdoors that really emphasises the beauty in each piece. The Brookgreen sculpture collection was started with Anna Hyatt Huntington's own works and those of her contemporaries. As the collection grew they began to add sculptures from artists from the early 19th century through the 21st century. They now hold the honor of displaying the works of over 350 artists, totalling over 1,200 works! They continue to acquire new works from historical and contemporary artists. Mrs. Huntington laid out the walkways that the gardens are designed around. These gardens exhibit the largest and most comprehensive collection of American figurative sculpture in the country! Brookgreen strives to continue building their programs to foster an active appreciation of the sculpture collection "as a living asset of value to a national audience". This program, The Center for American Sculpture, was established in 2002. Since 1999 Brookgreen Gardens has invited Sculptors in Residence to work on their property as a way to strengthen the relationship of the organization with working sculptors. The Sculptors in Residence also give back to Brookgreen by visiting with the public and allowing them to see works in progress, view demonstrations, and attend workshops and lectures on their work.

Sculpture in America author Wayne Craven says Brookgreen is "unequaled in its size, focus on figurative works, visibility of the sculpture to the visitor, and integration within a garden setting." Since 1973, Brookgreen has been responsible for creating an annual medal commemorating the history of the Lowcountry (natural or cultural), or the artistic process of the artist. These medals are included in the collections of The British Museum, Smithsonian American History Museum, National Sculpture Society, and the American Numismatic Society.

The gardens of Brookgreen comprise 9,200 acres of land that contain sandy ridges, fresh tidal swamps, forested swamps, and salt marshes. Despite the development of the gardens, Brookgreen still manages to preserve the natural heritage of the property. There are several smaller gardens that contribute to the overall Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington Sculpture Garden. The garden was designed by Anna Hyatt Huntington in 1931 in the shape of a butterfly with wings spread. This area of gardens includes the Dorothy P. Peace Garden Room for Children, the Kitchen Garden, and the Brenda W. Rosen Carolina Terrace Garden, most notably. The latter contains mature trees, roses, shrubs, and perennials that are quite stunning. There are three other major gardens apart from the gardens in the butterfly, some of which are more formal in design. The Dogwood Garden was laid out before WWII, but was not finished until after the war, in 1945. The Palmetto Garden was created in 1950 and made great use of the Sabel Palmetto - the state tree of South Carolina. One of my favorite gardens is the whimsical Fountain of the Muses Garden which was named and designed for the sculpture of the same name.

Live Oak Allee is home to live oak trees that were planted in the 1700's and are estimated to be 250 years old! Constitution Oak, the largest on the property, is 66 feet tall, 17 feet around, and has a crown spread of 117 feet. There are more than 2,000 species of native and exotic plants at Brookgreen Gardens. The gardens are beautiful all year round, and I recommend trying to see it in every season. My favorite season is spring, when the azaleas are in full bloom!

The Lowcountry Zoo is an integral part of Brookgreen Gardens. Comprised of three main elements - native animals, domestic animals of the plantation, and the Cypress Aviary. The native animals include grey foxes, barn owls, river otters (my favorite!), alligators, and bald eagles, just to name a few. These are all animals that would not be able to survive in the wild due to having been bred in captivity by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums or having been majorly disabled in the wild and obtained from a wildlife rehabilitation center. The AZA accredits only institutions that have "achieved rigorous standards for animal care, education, wildlife conservation and science". Brookgreen Garden's Lowcountry Zoo is the only zoo on the coast of North and South Carolina to receive this accreditation.

The Domestic Animals of the Plantation Exhibit connects the zoo to the history and culture of the Brookgreen. The animals are considered rare breeds because they are much more like the animals of the 1800's than the highly specialized descendants in existance today. The animals include the Tunis sheep, Red Devon cow, Marsh Tacky horse, mule, and Dominique chicken. This exhibit, opened in 2003, was Brookgreen's first major animal exhibit in over 20 years.

The Cypress Aviary at Brookgreen Gardens is the only aviary known to be built over an existing cypress swamp. An elevated boardwalk through the swamp allows visitors to observe the birds in a natural setting. Some of the birds you will see in the aviary are black-crowned night herons, great blue herons, egrets, wood ducks, and ibises.

Visit the brand new Butterfly House to view hundreds of butterflies native to the southeast. There is an additional admission to this timed 30-minute Whispering Wings Butterfly Experience.

Brookgreen offers two daily zoo programs free with admission. Mother Nature's Cafe is a 50-minute tour that allows visitors to see an interpreter feed the animals a snack and watch their natural behaviors. Meet the Animals is a 45-minute program in an interactive setting with an interpreter to introduce you to different animals.

Brookgreen Gardens has an extensive variety of programs and experiences for your enjoyment.

School Trips

*Cultural Performances*
Ron Daise leads sensational performances on the Gullah/Geechee culture. Brookgreen offers three programs with Ron Daise - Gullah Lessons on History, Family & Respect, Gullah/Geechee Rhythms, and Priscilla's Posse, A (Simulated) Press Conference about Gullah Heritage. The programs are suitable for grades 3-5, 3-12, and 9-12 respectively.

*Art*
These programs use the sculptures in the gardens for an educational experience. Sculpture Safari, Learn to Look, Where Art and Nature Meet, and Fauns and Fountains (Mythology).

*Nature Programs*
There are several different choices for a nature-oriented class trip! Some of these include Plantation and Native Animals: History and Habitats, Upland Forest and Cypress Swamp Ecology Walk, Sensing Nature, and Animal Detectives.

Sculpture

*Sculpture Workshops*
The Sculptors in Residence teach workshops and share their craft with attendees. The workshops vary depending on which artist(s) are in residence, but there is usually one or two workshops available for most months out of the year.

*Offner Sculpture Learning and Research Center*
This center was formed from the bequest of Richard McDermott Miller (1922-2004), who left the contents of his New York City studio to Brookgreen Gardens. Comprised of over 400 pieces, this was the largest single gift to Brookgreen since that of the Huntingtons. A visible storage facility had to be built to display the works, and also allowed them to display other works from the collection there were in storage.



Events

*Cool Summer Evenings*
This summer program provides live entertainment. For an additional fee, visitors can partake of the evening creek cruises! Have dinner at one of Brookgreen's 3 eating places and then enjoy the free entertainment.

*Gullah/Geechee Mania!*
Ron Daise hosts this interactive, cultural game show. Answer questions about Gullah/Geechee people, songs, history, etc. Free with garden admission!

*Camp Brookgreen*
This week-long program includes activities at Brookgreen and Huntington Beach State Park, arts and crafts, storytelling, and more.

*Camp Brookgreen for Adults*
Single day program for adults with arts and crafts, nature activities, and creative writing

*Harvest Home Weekend Festival*
This annual fall festival is full of live entertainment and outdoor activities. Enjoy the beautiful weather while participating in the scarecrow-building contest, going on a hay ride, or visiting the pumpkin patch. Be sure to get your face painted while you're here!

*Nights of a Thousand Candles*
Named one of the Top 20 Events in December by the Southeastern Tourism Society, this annual event is a highlight of the year. Musical performances, carolers, great food, and more. The gardens are transformed with thousands of stringed lights and candles. This is a truly spectacular event!

Excursions


*Creek Cruises*
Cruise in a 48-foot pontoon boat along the ricefields. Enjoy the distinctive landscapes as an interpreter provides information on the rice plantation operations.

*Southern and Northern Treks*
These two treks tour areas of Brookgreen with an interpreter providing information on Oaks Plantation and the Alstons, and Laurell Hill Plantation Families. See sites not open to the public outside of these tours.

*The Oaks History and Nature Trail*
This trail is off the beaten path and only accessible by mini-bus. Interpretive panels along the trail provide information about the Oaks Plantation.