Once upon a time, there was a toddler named Kollin, and his mom took him with her on a media preview at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. This not-so-young mom was taking her chances when she arrived at the garden with no stroller. She didn't know how extreme this place is but thank the heavens she had on her most comfortable tennis shoes. She was armed with plenty of snacks, water, toys, and a change of clothes. She was both physically and mentally prepared to carry Kollin once he grew tired and refused to walk. She had a ball to play with when he became bored of looking at plants. She was ready for tantrums, dehydration, spoiled-rottenism, etc. But what this unsuspecting mom was not prepared for was the possibility that Kollin would be intrigued by what they would see at the Imaginary Worlds exhibition.
A somewhat recent transplant to the Atlanta area, this was my first visit to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and I haven't been inside of a botanical garden, or one this large since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. From the moment we turned into the driveway, there was a feeling of serenity and calmness that helped to get me into the right mind frame for what was ahead of me with Kollin. He isn't the most cooperative kid at times. But in his defense, he is two years old. I don't expect much! The Garden was not crowded when we arrived, so we snagged a convenient spot not too far from the entrance. Once we were checked in, we headed into the garden, and we immediately saw flowing waters and the beautiful installments I was invited to preview. WOW was my first thought, but the words came to Kollin's mouth first. He was in awe of the beauty of this place, and so was I. I knew from that moment that this might not be so bad. As we journeyed further into the garden, I grew more impressed with the menagerie of giant living plant sculptures, and even more so with my little buddy's excitement and ambition to see more.
He took off, and I could barely catch him. I took the opportunity to observe him and allowed him to explore. He walked the entirety of the garden, taking in every bit of it. We saw lots of little ones in the garden, mostly in strollers. If Kollin could talk to them, I bet he would tell them what they were missing. It was an extraordinary learning experience for us both. He saw a lizard on a trail and a turtle in the rotunda. He watched tadpoles floating about in a pond as a frog looked on. It was awesome to see him sulk it all in.
Then we came upon the Children's Garden. The End!!!! No really, it was icing on the cake. There is a tree-house area with climbing nets and a slide as well as some fun bridges to play on. There are hands-on activities like a water “painting” wall and a balsa wood construction area. There are also outdoor instruments to help your kids find their inner musician and dance star. Check the website for a listing of activities, classes and the season opening of the splash pad. I hear there are also occasional performances in the amphitheater, and much more!
You should add this to your Atlanta with Kids bucket list! Kollin and I give it two thumbs up and a bag of chips! Suitable for kids of all ages. The Imaginary Worlds exhibition ends October 28th. Garden hours from May to October are Tuesday - Sunday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Thursdays 9 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. for Cocktails in the Garden, an event I would not mind catching with the hubby, or a girlfriend or two.
Imaginary Worlds will wow visitors with a storybook-themed world of sculptures, both indoors and out – most custom made for the Garden by the exhibition’s creators, International Mosaiculture of Montreal®. The nonprofit group has staged wildly successful exhibitions of its work around the world, and five years ago the Garden presented the first major exhibition of its kind in the United States. This time, the sculptures – steel forms covered in soil-and-sphagnum moss and planted with thousands of meticulously groomed plants – are staged in 14 installations. At the Midtown garden, look for a giant Phoenix looming over the Alston Overlook, a mermaid lounging beside Howell Fountain, a massive dragon and sleeping princess near the Great Lawn, a prancing peacock inside the Fuqua Orchid Center, and three towering camels lumbering through the Skyline Garden, to name a few. This all-new cast of characters joins the Gardens’ permanent sculptures, Earth Goddess, Shaggy Dog and Frogs, which are legacies from the original exhibition.
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