Two weeks ago, my 13-year-old attended Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, located in Huntsville, Alabama. Nicholas is 13 years old, and neither one of us was comfortable sending him down to Alabama on his own. I am an attorney and can work from just about anywhere, so I escorted him down to Huntsville. While he was at camp, I stayed at and spent most of my time working. Unfortunately, most of the historical sites closed by 5:00 pm, so I did not get to see as much as I would have liked. However, I did manage to visit Huntsville Botanical Garden for an evening.
The Garden sits on 112 acres of land, once owned by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. It’s opened year-round and one of the top three places to visit in the state of Alabama. It boasts a picture-perfect aquatic garden, a spectacular wildflower and nature trail, and numerous specialty gardens and plant collections. It is home to the Purdy Butterly House, the nation’s largest open-air butterfly house. There are also eight specialized gardens aimed at children.
Upon entering the parking lot, you see the magnificent visitor’s center. Inside is the atrium where guests check into the Garden.
The 3,500 sq. ft. facility has a cafe with fresh meals and snacks, a gift shop, gallery space for exhibits, offices and conference rooms, along with a balcony overlooking the Garden. An interesting fact about the visitor’s center, the columns in the front are made of limestone and were part of the third Madison County Courthouse which had opened in 1914.
The Garden is opened to the public the following hours:
April – September
- Monday – Thursday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Friday & Saturday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Sunday: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
October – March
- Monday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sunday: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Members and children under 2 are free. Adults are $14.00, with discounts given to military personnel ($12), Students ($12) and Seniors (55+ $12). From November through February, the admission rates are discounted $2.00.
Upon purchasing my ticket, I was given a map of the grounds. The gentleman at the counter explicitly told me not to miss numbers 5 and 15.
The first thing I noticed as I exited the visitor’s center was how quiet it was outside. There were very few people, and it was just so peaceful. I turned to look at the back of the visitor’s center and was struck at its beauty.
As I was making my way to the Garden Railway, I came across Teledyne Terrace. Teledyne is a company that focuses on aerospace and a contributor to the Garden. This structure was erected in their name.
Also on my way to the Garden Railway, I came across the thought table.
Each rock had either a word or a picture painted on it. The idea is to create a message with the rocks. Once created, you snap a photo, upload it to social media with the #hbgmoments. This was mine.
I wasn’t sure what to expect of the Garden Railway. Imagine my surprise when it resembled another garden railway that I love, in one of my favorite places, Epcot!
The Garden Railway is a miniature landscape that contains a village, farm, waterfall, pond and train trestle and tunnel. I love watching it go on by.
Next, on my walking tour, I came across a cute hammock area and some areas for children to play and relax.
As I kept walking, I knew I was getting closer to # 5 on the map. If you recall, the gentleman at the front desk told me not to miss #5 and #15. Number 5 did not disappoint.
The Damson Aquatic Garden is a 100-foot pool divided by the Aquatic Pavillion featuring lotus, water lilies and many creatures that make their home in this complete ecosystem.
Another highlight of the Garden is the Children’s Garden. It is eight gardens in one! There is the land of the dinosaurs, space travel, rainbows and prisms, traditional nursery rhymes, learn about bamboo, and create a maze. In the summertime, there are multiple water features, including a wading pool and Pollywog Bog.
Last but certainly not least, the Purdy Butterfly House. At 9,000 square feet, this is the nation’s largest open-air butterfly house featuring over 2,000 butterflies, quail, frogs, fish, and turtles. No wonder this was highlighted on the map. It was beautiful and I could have spent hours here relaxing.
Overall the garden was beautiful. Many of the flowers had already bloomed, but there was still enough to see. I can imagine the fall is absolutely gorgeous.
Speaking of the fall, through September and October the Garden hosts a scarecrow trail, weekend hayrides, hay bale art, a con maze, pumpkin display, and a Halloween event, Bootanica! So if you happen to be in the area in the next two months, make sure to check these out.
