Celebrate 26 years of holiday tradition at Rock City's award-winning Enchanted Garden of Lights — where joy, wonder, and magic await!

Warm your heart during this nighttime, family tradition as you walk through Rock City Gardens' winter wonderland. Located a quick drive from downtown Chattanooga, this magical Christmas lights experience is one of Chattanooga's memorable winter events.
Planter Gardens; Orchid Plants; Fruit and Gourmet Baskets. Enchanted Evening. $49.95 Sale $44.96. Love and Devotion. $131.95 Sale $118.76. Teleflora's Blue. All Plants Sympathy Plants Flowering Plants Green Plants Easter Plants Bonsai Plants Succulents Orchids For The Office Dish Gardens. Enchanted Cottage. The Witches of New Moon Cottage offer a wide variety of metaphysical and magickal wares to help you achieve that which you most desire. Whether you are a curious newcomer or an advanced Practitioner, you will find what you need at New Moon Cottage. Our desire is to help empower you to take control of your life! Open 9am–5pm Upcoming hours: March 22 – May 31 Monday–Friday: 9am to 7pm Saturday–Sunday: 9am to 5pm TICKETS GUIDELINES Advance tickets are required for non-members to enter Descanso Free Tuesday on March 16 is sold out. Purchase available tickets or become a member here: If you cannot purchase tickets on a specific Read More. Enchanted Forest of Light is generously sponsored by: Anonymous Erin and Rich Atwater Frank and Margaret Campbell Margaret Leong Checca Gordon and Dona Crawford John D’Angona Leo and Stephanie Dencik Georgianna Bray Erskine Laura and Mark Furey Mr. Stephen Gleason Heather Sturt Haaga and Paul Haaga, Jr. Lovell Holder Hotchkin.
Take a stroll down the lighted Grand Corridor in Yule Town, experience the twinkle of icy lights in the Arctic Kingdom, and the Magic Forest comes alive to reveal exciting enchantments!
All guests must reserve an entry time in advance online. Tickets and Passholder Entry Times cannot be booked upon arrival at the ticket desk.

Buy Tickets

NIGHTLY
November | 2020
December | 2020
January | 2021

December 1-23
December 25-31
View Activity Calendar
Regular Night Admission
(Green on Calendar)

$26.95 / $14.95

Adults / Children (ages 3-12)
View Calendar
Special Weeknight Admission
(Gold on Calendar)

$24.95 / $13.95

Adults / Children (ages 3-12)
View Calendar

Enchanted Gardens Coupon Discount

Value Night Admission
(Light Blue on Calendar)

$16.95 / $8.95

Adults / Children (ages 3-12)
View Calendar
Same Great Experience - Value Priced
Check the calendar for dates to take advantage of these special savings.
Annual Passholder Reservations

Free / 50% off select nights

Rock City Annual Passholders receive unlimited admission on Special Weeknight and Value Nights for the Enchanted Garden of Lights.
VIP Annual Passholders also receive unlimited admission on Regular nights. Regular Annual Passholders receive 50% off admission on Regular Priced Nights.

Hours & Pricing

November 20, 2020 – January 2, 2021 | 5:00pm - 9:00pm (10:00pm on select nights)
Reserved timed entry tickets must be purchased online in advance.
  • Tickets sold online ONLY. Tickets will not be sold in-person. Purchase timed tickets early for best availability.
  • ANNUAL PASSHOLDERS: All guests must have an advance reservation to visit the Enchanted Garden of Lights. Reserve your entry time online using the Buy Tickets Link, choosing your visit date, and select Passholder Reservation.
  • Pricing for the Enchanted Garden of Lights is based on the date of your visit. After clicking Buy Tickets, choose your visit date from the calendar to see the available ticket options.
  • The Enchanted Garden of Lights trail is not fully stroller and handicap accessible. Backpack or Front-style child carriers are recommended and stroller parking is available. A limited access / ADA trail is available to reach certain portions of the trail.

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Activities

Activities

The Arctic Kingdom Aurora Lights
Enchanted gardens discount coupons
Journey through this newly enhanced realm filled with the traditional icy blue and white, but immersed with the addition of aquamarine and purple creating a design reminiscent of the aurora borealis lights; bringing new life into this icy, Arctic realm of wonder.
The Magic Forest Soars to Holiday Heights
The Magic Forest soars to holiday heights with the 43-foot tree of lights featuring 12,690 channels of light control. Descend through the Magic Forest as the sounds of the season dance around you. Walk through the center of the 43-foot tree and into a 40-foot-long walk through archway tunnel where an additional 3,000 channels of light control form an oversized marquee-style board displaying holiday magic.
Visit Santa in his office
Immerse yourself in this BRAND NEW Santa experience. Meet Santa Claus in his cozy office where he works hard creating the Naughty and Nice list! Catch a one-of-a-kind glimpse of his Toy Shop and Sleigh as Santa prepares to spread Christmas Magic throughout the world! *Photos by DigiPhoto.
The Christmas Shoppes
Make sure Santa is impressed this Christmas Eve! Get your personalized ornaments, winter wear, plush ornaments, and more. Located in the North Pole Village
Enchanting Souvenirs & Holiday Gift Headquarters
After enjoying the holiday lights, stop by and do all of your holiday shopping in Downtown Yuletown. Garden’s Gateway and Woodland Wonders offer unique finds such as: the iconic Rock City Birdhouse, Birdfeeders, and Hummingbird Feeders, plus a NEW Enchanted Garden of Lights tree with Silver Bell.
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Dining & Menus

Dining & Menus

Gingerbread Cookie Decorating
Purchase a DIY Gingerbread Cookie kit in the Big Rock Grill. Guests will be given their own personal take home icing containers to design and decorate their cookie at home or at one of the cookie decorating stations inside the Big Rock Grill.
North Pole Lodge
Warm up with our delicious Hot Cocoa, Apple Cider, Coffee, Cappuccino and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Open Nightly, Weather Permitting
Reindeer Corn
Enjoy freshly popped Reindeer (Kettle) Corn, located on the Christmas Plaza. Open Nightly, Weather Permitting
Reindeer View Terraces (Cafe 7)
Enjoy hot drinks with a view like none other! Red and white mulled wine, Poinsettia’s (think Mimosa but made with Cranberry Juice), Hot Apple Cider and Eggnog, Regional Craft Beers and Domestics on Tap. Nightly made-from-scratch special. Open Nightly, Weather Permitting.
Cliff Terrace
Retreat from winter’s chill and warm up with a fresh to order Funnel Cake. Hot drinks and cookies also available. Open Nightly. Nearby also visit the Gazebo for Light-up Cotton Candy or the Dippin Dots cart for Hot Cocoa and Cappuccino.
Georgia Winery
Enjoy the sweet flavors of the holiday season with our custom labeled Enchanted Garden of Lights wine.

FAQs

FAQs

Can I purchase tickets in-person at the ticket window?
  • No, all tickets are timed-entry reserved tickets and must be purchased online in advance. Tickets will not be sold in-person. Nights will sell out in advance. We recommend purchasing your timed entry tickets early for best availability as capacity is extremely limited.
Do Annual Passholders need to reserve a time?
  • Yes, all guests must have a timed-entry reservation in order to visit the Enchanted Garden of Lights. Passholders can reserve their entry online here.
What are the safety policies surrounding COVID-19?
  • To read about Rock City’s safety and sanitation procedures, visit the COVID-19 information page for details.
  • Please note – face coverings must be worn at all times when social distancing cannot be maintained. Winter scarves wrapped around the face are not sufficient face coverings. Masks are required.
What time should I arrive?
  • We recommend that you arrive no more than 15 minutes prior to the admission time on your ticket reservation. This will give you time to park and walk to the entrance gate at the front of the gardens. Guests will not be admitted before their reserved time.
Can I change the date/time of my ticket?
  • Yes, tickets can be changed to different dates/times IF there is availability during your preferred time slot.* This can be done online following the directions on the Ticket FAQ page or by emailing us. Please note – this email address is monitored Monday through Friday 8am – 5pm. *An upcharge will apply to change from a lower-priced admission night to a higher-priced night.
We were not able to visit on our scheduled date/time, can I get a refund?
  • Tickets for the Enchanted Garden of Lights are non-refundable. Tickets are valid for 1 year from the date of purchase and the date can be adjusted following the instructions on our Ticket FAQ page. If you would like to convert your Enchanted Garden of Lights tickets to daytime Rock City tickets, please email us for assistance.
Where can I find coupons or discounts?
  • We are not offering any coupons or discounts for the Enchanted Garden of Lights for the 2020 season. Coupons for Rock City cannot be redeemed online, nor do we offer price adjustments due to coupons at the guest service window.
Are you having live entertainment?
  • No, due to physical distancing recommendations, we will not be featuring live entertainment, costumed characters, or entertainers at the Enchanted Garden of Lights this year.
Is Santa visiting?
  • Yes! Santa will be at the Enchanted Garden of Lights for visits through December 23, 2020 with an extra special way to greet guests and take photos. Children will not be able to sit on Santa’s lap, but guests will have an opportunity to interact with him and pose for a photo at his new workshop!
When is the best time to attend?
  • This year, we have timed entry and limited capacity per night, so we anticipate crowds to be more evenly divided among most days. Tickets are ONLY available online and we recommend purchasing your tickets early for best availability.
How much does it cost?
  • Admission price varies by date. Adult admission ranges from $16.95 – $26.95 and Children, ages 3-12, ranges from $8.95 – $14.95. Click here to view our calendar and plan your visit. Tickets are available online only.
Is there a combination to visit during both the day and evening?
  • No, there is not a combo day and evening ticket this year. A timed admission tickets for entry between 8:30am – 3:45pm is required to visit Rock City during the day, and a separate timed-entry admission is required for the Enchanted Garden of Lights during the hours of 5:00pm – 9/10:00pm. All guests wishing to visit for both experiences will exit the park at the close of the daytime hours (8:30am – 4:00pm) and re-enter with a timed entry admission ticket for the Enchanted Garden of Lights (5:00-9/10:00pm).
Can I visit the Enchanted Garden of Lights with a regular/daytime Rock City Gardens ticket?
  • No, a separate timed entry admission, purchased online specifically for the Enchanted Garden of Lights, is required for your visit.
Are you having Dinner with Santa?
  • No, unfortunately we are not able to offer Dinner with Santa this year.
Is all of the daytime Rock City trail open during the Enchanted Garden of Lights?
  • Most of Rock City is open for the Enchanted Garden of Lights, but as in past years, Fat Man’s Squeeze and the Hall of the Mountain King are closed due to steep, dark passageways. There is a portion of Rock City that is open during the Enchanted Garden of Lights that is not open during other times of the year. A different vantage point to explore!
Is there enough parking?
  • As we are located on top of a mountain, there is a limited number of parking spaces available. We have continued to expand our parking area in recent years and do our very best to park our guests as efficiently as possible. On our busiest nights, we have a police officer assisting with traffic before you arrive at Rock City and every night we have our own parking attendants working to assist guests. While we cannot control the traffic, we will do our best to get everyone parked as quickly and safely as possible.

Bring A Group

Group Pricing

Group Pricing is based on on the date you wish to visit. Please view the online calendar to see which admission price will be valid on your visit date.
Enchanted Garden of Lights Regular Admission Nights
Adults: $24.50
Children: $14.00
Enchanted Garden of Lights Special Weeknight Admission Nights
Adults: $22.50
Children: $13.00

Group Booking Details

  • Discounted group admission is available by reservation only for groups of 20 or more paying guests.
  • Blackout Dates apply – Discounted group bookings are not available for the Enchanted Garden of Lights on certain nights. Please call to inquire.
  • Group meals are available during the Enchanted Garden of Lights with 2 weeks advance notice and will be served in the Big Rock Grill with a maximum of 50 guests.
To make a reservation, please call 877-820-0759 Monday through Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm Eastern Time.

What's Blooming

Be on the lookout for pansies blooming in our gardens and lots of Holiday Joy!!

Partners & Sponsors

Rock City is proud to support the Ronald McDonald House during the Enchanted Garden of Lights event. Rock City has given over $100,000 to Ronald McDonald House so far from proceeds from this holiday event.

Enchanted Gardens Coupon

Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights was selected as a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Festival & Event winner for November 2019.

CURRENT NEWSLETTER

Magnolia Moments

Enjoy this peaceful 'Magnolia Moment' with Kate, our floriculturist. She teaches you a bit about the history of oak trees and the relationship between live oaks and the resurrection ferns that grow on the trees. Subscribe to our channel to see more 'Magnolia Moments!' Sign up for our newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/53d7b6c90bf9/magnolia-plantation-enews


Magnolia increasing awareness of African American history

When the nation's interest in Black History Month shifts as February ends Magnolia Plantation and Gardens will use a new staff position to sharpen its focus year-round on people of African descent.
Joseph McGill, a history consultant and an interpreter with the Slavery to Freedom Tour at Magnolia, has been named Magnolia's history and culture coordinator. McGill is also the founder of the non-profit Slave Dwelling Project.
Since the project's inception a decade ago, McGill has slept in more than 150 slave dwellings in 25 states to highlight the need to preserve extant slave dwellings to tell a full narrative of American history.
McGill's new position at Magnolia is an outgrowth of Magnolia's long-standing association with the Slave Dwelling Project, which recently presented its signature program, 'Living History, Through the Eyes of the Enslaved,' on Feb. 21 at Magnolia. The event attracted more than 800 college and middle school students for an up-close lesson on slavery and its impact on the United States. The night before the program, McGill led a discussion on slavery with 18 people in the dimly lit Carriage House at Magnolia.
McGill said in his new role at Magnolia “'my mission is to ensure the history and culture of all people who inhabited Magnolia will be disseminated through all interpretation at the site. This interpretation will exist in tours, signage, website and social media.'
Tom Johnson, Magnolia's executive director, said McGill is well-suited for this expanded position. 'Joe has an enormous understanding of Magnolia and the history of the African-American experience in the United States,' Johnson said. 'He has the sensitivity to help our guests understand the complexities of slavery and the impact it continues to have on and in our nation.'
Magnolia presents the living history program, which features storytellers and craft demonstrators, to supplement what Charleston-area students are taught about slavery in a city that was once the port of entry for enslaved Africans. It is estimated that 160,000 captured Africans arrived in Charleston from the late 1600s to 1865, said Dr. Bernard Powers, professor emeritus of history at the College of Charleston.
Some observers say schools nationwide get a failing grade at how they teach slavery. Powers said that criticism is unfair considering how the black experience in America was taught decades ago. 'I am sure if you go back far enough there were racial epithets (in the textbooks) in the middle twentieth century. At least now one finds references to slavery and the Atlantic slave trade.'
It is important that Charleston, because of its history, does the best job possible at telling the story of slavery, he said. 'It is a special responsibility we have,' he explained. 'We can tell the story in a way that others can't, which doesn't mean others can't tell the story. For example, the civil war is taught around the country, but you can look at Fort Sumter from the Battery.'
In April 1861, a confederate shell exploded over Fort Sumter marking the start of the American Civil War. Located at the entrance to the Charleston harbor, the fort is insight of the Battery at the tip of the Charleston peninsula.
Teachers can lecture about slavery and show pictures of slave cabins. Magnolia, however, has four authentic cabins built in the 1850s that serve as the focal point for Magnolia's daily Slavery to Freedom Tour. The cabins also were the backdrop for the recent living history program.
During the program, Scott Greene, who teaches South Carolina history at Laing Middle School in Mount Pleasant, said, 'If your subject isn't tested on a standardized test there is a push that it is not very important. It is getting to the point that some (subjects) are brushed over, but for me I go deeper in teaching about slavery and African American history.'
Greene came to Magnolia with about 300 Laing students. Eighth grader Ian Suthon was one of them. He said, 'History is important because without it we would not be able to improve upon what we've done. Teaching the history of slavery too is important because it is a major part of our history, and it can't be forgotten.'
A decade ago, McGill launched the Slave Dwelling Project at Magnolia by spending the night in one of the cabins. McGill often laments that the Slavery to Freedom Tour, begun in 2009, is not as popular as tours of the main house and Magnolia's natural surroundings. 'Most people choose not to engage in the subject of slavery, if given the choice,' he said. 'Incorporating the stories of the enslaved in all tours at Magnolia is one way of addressing that situation.'
McGill will continue as a Slavery to Freedom Tour guide. In his expanded role, he will work with Magnolia's program director Caroline Howell to increase an awareness of the people who were once enslaved at Magnolia.

Magnolia creates new horticulturist position to boost color

Kathleen 'Katie' Dickson, the former horticulture manager at Moore Farms Botanical Garden, has been named the floriculturist at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.
In this new position, Dickson will be responsible for the planting and maintenance of floral displays in the high-traffic areas of the gardens.
'I am very excited to elevate the color program at Magnolia,' said Dickson, a Mount Pleasant native who earned an environmental horticulture degree in 2011 from Clemson University. 'I want to raise the level of color and make splendid annual displays.'
Tom Johnson, Magnolia's executive director, said he's looking to Dickson to help Magnolia live up to the praise of John Galsworthy, an English novelist and playwright, bestowed on Magnolia in the early twentieth century. At that time, Galsworthy wrote in Century Magazine that other gardens such as Versailles in Paris, the Boboli in Florence, Italy, and the Cinnamon in Colombo, Sri Lanka, are 'also ran' when compared to Magnolia.
Dickson won't spend all of her time outside throughout the more than 100 acres of gardens at Magnolia, America's oldest garden.
She has a passion for tropical plants. 'Another big goal for me is to assist in the renovation of the Conservatory. I feel right at home in the Conservatory. I am drawn to warm, humid tropical climates. I like orchids, air plants and palms. I have been fascinated by them since I was a kid.'

Early childhood educator shows an interest in Magnolia's Children Gardens

A conference of early childhood educators in North Charleston provided the perfect opportunity for Sarah Eargle to drive from Newberry to see Magnolia's Children's Garden.
As she strolled the garden's winding paths, she saw ideas that she could use in a possible children's garden in Newberry. She didn’t come alone. Eargle, executive director of the Newberry County First Steps, came with Sheridan Kate Murray, director of the Newberry Museum.
Eargle and Murray were eager to see the garden's story walk, which currently features the book: 'Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom.' They saw that and more.
On Feb. 6, Tom Johnson, Magnolia's executive director, showed them the garden beyond the story walk, flanked by fairy houses. They saw the emerging edible garden where children will feel and smile plants and learn the values of pollinators like bees and butterflies.
'I now see so much potential of things that we can do depending on where we put the garden,' she said. “'It will determine the type of story walk we have. It will depend on whether we find a natural place or an urban trail. I can see many different ways.'
Eargle first heard about Magnolia's Children's Garden six months ago during a meeting in Columbia of First Steps educators from around South Carolina. During that meeting at the First Steps headquarters Crystal Campbell, executive director of Dorchester County First Steps, told the group about Magnolia's partnership with First Steps educators in the Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. The partnership between the three First Steps offices locally is called the Tri-County Play Collaborative.
The Office of First Steps in Columbia is the state-level agency that funds partnerships in 44 South Carolina counties. All have the same mission to ensure that all young children are prepared for kindergarten and beyond.
Campbell's presentation pushed Eargle in high gear to learn all she could about the children's garden. Eargle shared what she learned with Murray. Now they are on a mission to plant in the Midlands of South Carolina an idea developed through a collaboration of tri-county early childhood educators and supported by Magnolia.

Chinese lanterns switched on for Lights of Magnolia


As nightfall darkened Magnolia Plantation and Gardens on Friday, Nov. 15, a series of large Chinese lanterns glowed, illuminating America's oldest garden for the first time in its 334-year history.
Magnolia opened 'Lights of Magnolia: Reflections of a Cultural Exchange' to a steady flow of visitors who moved along graveled pathways to view 23 lantern displays placed within 11 acres.
The lantern festival is the result of a year-long partnership with Magnolia and the Zigong Lantern Group in China. The festival features custom-designed installations of large-scale thematically unified lanterns, a fusion of historic Chinese cultural symbols and images that represent the flora and fauna of Magnolia.
For Zigong, which has erected lantern displays worldwide, 'This is the first time the (company) has worked with a U.S. garden with such a long history,' Joy Lin, Zigong's international project manager, said. 'I feel proud that the craftsmanship and artwork has magically transformed the garden at night into a fairy land.'
Lanterns resembling lions, tigers, pandas and zebras clustered under ancient oaks represent Chinese culture. Butterflies, ladybugs, azaleas and alligators depict Magnolia's semi-tropical environment.
Stretched along Magnolia's oak-lined entrance is an eye-catching 45-foot high, 200-foot long dragon with scales made with 26,000 gleaming white porcelain dinner plates. The dragon, fins trimmed in changing red, green and blue light, is the longest built by Zigong, based in Zigong, China.
The dragon floats on clouds under a galaxy of bright red lanterns and an animated canopy of white and blue lights, making it appear this mythical Chinese beast has descended through a meteor shower.
As Ravenel resident Paul White approached the dragon on opening night he said, 'If you weren't here you wouldn't believe it. The depth of the color is just amazing.'
Lights of Magnolia will be on display until March 15, Wednesdays through Sundays. This is the first of a three-year commitment to stage this event in the Lowcountry, Tom Johnson, Magnolia's executive director, said. 'We are excited to bring this cultural experience to our international garden. With it, we want to attract more visitors to Charleston during the winter months when tourism to the city slows down.'
The lantern festival wasn't the only opening night attraction. Inside the Conservatory, guests were entertained by a Chinese folk dancer and a face-changing artist. Outside in the chilly night air, a stilt walker with lighted butterfly wings strolled alongside the dragon as jugglers tossed pins and hoops. And for the children, a face painter provided an artistic touch to young smiles.
On opening night, WCSC-TV, Charleston's CBS affiliate, aired two live segments during the evening news that reached thousands of Lowcountry viewers. The television station is a Lights of Magnolia participating sponsor.
The opening night followed a Nov. 12 ribbon cutting attended by five area chambers of commerce. During the event, Lin said. 'I hope this lantern festival will be a magical experience for everyone. I hope each of you can adopt a favorite light in your mind and let it inspire and lighten up our minds in the future.'
During the event, Justin Corsa, Zigong's executive director for North America, said, 'The most historic garden in America is right here in Charleston, and I honestly could not imagine partnering with any other garden, except Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Both sides worked extremely hard; a very difficult operation on both sides; a true test of strength. Magnolia succeeded, just as I expected.'
Although Magnolia is America's oldest garden, its longevity is just a moment in time compared to ancient Chinese culture that dates back thousands of years, Nona Hastie Valiunas, a member of Magnolia's board of directors, said at the ribbon-cutting.
She marveled at the idea of 'America's oldest garden being lit up by 11 acres of Chinese lanterns, including a two-hundred-foot dragon... I thought of my father (John Drayton Hastie Sr.), who was responsible for opening the gardens year-round. I thought about how much he would approve of this remarkable partnership, and my brother (John Drayton Hastie Jr.), feels the same way. We are so happy this partnership is here ... to have the gardens brought to life in such a unique and breathtaking manner.'
Ni Xiao Ping and Ni Yong Ping

Brothers finding their way from rice fields to lantern displays

Not so long ago, two brothers were growing rice on their family farm near Zigong, China, when they discovered that bending steel to make lantern displays offered a better wage than toiling in the wet boggy soil.
So, they left the farm and their families a year ago to join a group of artisans with the Zigong Lantern Group. Last week, the company assembled 23 lantern displays of 'Lights of Magnolia: Reflections of a Cultural Exchange' that opens Nov. 15 for a four-month presentation at America's oldest garden.
For Ni Xiao Ping and his older brother Ni Yong Ping this is their first trip to the United States and their first lantern project with Zigong Lantern Group, which has erected lantern displays around the world.
Through an interpreter, Ni Yong Ping said he is happy to be working with his younger brother, insisting that as youngsters growing up in a family of five children there were no sibling tensions between them. They worked in harmony on the farm that provided just enough income for the family, along with a yield of rice to feed the family.
Two of the brothers' sisters work in the lantern industry as well. They do the silk work like the four women who applied the silk to the lanterns at Magnolia. Their younger brother works in a factory in their hometown of Zigong. A younger sister lives at home with their father on the rice farm. Their mother has passed away.
Although growing rice is backbreaking work the brothers miss rice farming, a family tradition. Nevertheless, when the Zigong crew leaves Charleston this week they will return to Sichuan Province to await the next lucrative lantern assignment.

A glimpse of Magnolia Gardens finds a home in nation's capital

WASHINGTON - A landscape designer in Arlington, VA., and a carpenter in Charleston, SC, have built a miniature version of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens on display at the nation's capital.

Chuck McElhaney crafts the replica Long White Bridge

Jeff Minnich sketched the garden exhibit then thoughtfully installed plants alongside an artificial gator and two herons. Spanning it all is Charles 'Chuck' McElhaney's detailed replica of Magnolia's iconic Long White Bridge. These pieces of America's oldest garden, including a small black water pond, are compacted in a space no larger than a studio apartment.
This first-ever model of Magnolia is not alone near the entrance to the U.S. Botanic Garden at the base of the U.S. Capitol Building. It is one of 20 exhibits representing 21 gardens across the country assembled in time for the American Public Garden Association's week-long conference that begins June 17 in Washington. 'Thrive Together, Diversity Grows Gardens' is the conference theme.
Magnolia's exhibit reflects diversity in culture and nature. Signage tells the story of the Drayton family, owners of the gardens for more than three centuries, and the enslaved Africans, who shaped a raw Charleston landscape on which the garden grows today.

Magnolia's executive director Tom Johnson said, 'We are very excited by the Botanic Garden's invitation to be among some of the nation's most prestigious gardens. This is truly a plus for Charleston, the state of South Carolina and the Drayton family. We look forward to having our garden display provide a glimpse of Magnolia to those who'll see it at our nation's capital.'

Minnich and McElhaney faced challenges to create a small display that best represents Magnolia. In such a limited space, Minnich said, it was important to focus on detail 'because every leaf and every plant is close up.' The display includes azaleas, live oak, bald cypress, Southern Magnolia, dwarf palms, oleander and sweetgrass that grows along oceanside dunes. Minnich, owner of Jeff Minnich Garden Design, said, 'I want people to look at it and get a sense of what Magnolia looks like in coastal South Carolina.'
To depict the White Bridge's sweeping arches, McElhaney adjusted his design to nestle the smaller bridge against a lush floral display. Enslaved people built the original bridge in the 1840s from cypress. McElhaney, a member of Magnolia's maintenance staff, said he wanted the little bridge to be close to the original to carry on their tradition.

Complete with artificial gator

As recent rain clouds gave way to a bright sunny day in Washington, Cindy Donaldson of Rockville, Md., paused to admire the Magnolia exhibit. “It looks like the deep south,” she told her sister-in-law Donna Brandt. “I want to go see this garden,” said Brandt, who lives in Sellersville, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. She and her husband, David Brandt, plan to visit Magnolia this fall.
The garden displays will be in place until October. This is the second time in about a decade the Botanic Garden has celebrated U.S. gardens with a special exhibit, Devin Dotson, a USBG public affairs and exhibits specialist, said. 'Our goal was to show visitors what makes these gardens special.'
As the summer heat cools, the Magnolia exhibit will take on a springtime look with late-blooming Encore Azaleas. Robert 'Buddy' Lee hybridized the Encore. He is director of plant innovations for Plant Development Services, based in Loxley, AL. 'We are absolutely thrilled that the Encore Azaleas are included in Magnolia's display. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has one of the largest and most extensive collections of Encore Azaleas in America. With this display in Washington visitors will truly see the beauty of Magnolia and the impressive horticultural legacy of coastal South Carolina.'

Chinese lanterns will glow for four months beginning Nov. 15 at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, illuminating America's oldest garden at night for the first time in its 343-year history.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has partnered with the Zigong Lantern Group in China to present 'Lights of Magnolia: Reflections of a Cultural Exchange.' The lantern festival will feature custom-designed installations of large-scale thematically unified lanterns, a fusion of historic Chinese cultural symbols and images that represent the flora and fauna of Magnolia.
The lantern festival, the first ever at a public garden in North America for Zigong, places Magnolia in a position to play a prominent role in supporting Charleston's tourism traffic, Tom Johnson, the garden's executive director, said. 'We are expecting record-breaking attendance for this visually stimulating display of stunning Chinese art that will glow in the night,' he said. 'Magnolia is constantly looking for opportunities to enhance the garden experience for our visitors, and I believe we've found a unique opportunity with the Zigong Lantern Group.'
Meng Liu, executive director of China-Overseas for China Lantern International, said, 'This is a great beginning for Magnolia and the whole of Charleston. We are all excited and confident that this event will get the attention it deserves. Everyone who experiences this unique event will remember it forever.' The Zigong Lantern Group, based in Zigong China, is ranked number one internationally and recognized as the industry leader in Chinese lantern festivals around the world.
The company's hand-made, three-dimensional sculptures will be illuminated at night throughout the gardens from Nov. 15 to March 15. Magnolia will open its gates during the evening to allow guests to view the colorful lantern displays erected over nine acres of Romantic-style gardens.
The lanterns will be placed along a predetermined walking route throughout the historic gardens, Liu said. The designs will be unique and match Magnolia perfectly, she added.
The lanterns will be constructed in China, shipped to Charleston and assembled at Magnolia. Each of the displays will be installed over and around black cypress ponds and lakes. The reflection of the lanterns on the surface of the water will create an optical illusion that will expand their actual size.
Justin Corsa, executive director of North America for China Lantern International, said, 'Cultural Chinese lanterns began during the Eastern Han Dynasty of the Chinese Empire from 25 to 220 AD. They were initially used as lamps and were for Buddhist worship. The art of the lantern festival has been innovated over hundreds of years and is now a combination of traditional and modern materials with ancient craftsmanship.'
Decades ago when Magnolia Plantation and Gardens only opened the gates during the azalea-bloom season, Nona Hastie Valiunas and one of her cousins hid in the bushes then jumped out to scare the tourists. It was a playful time for young Nona who now shares ownership of the gardens that has been in her family for more than three centuries.
Today, when Valiunas visits Magnolia and mingles with the tourists she looks up at a massive oak laced with Spanish moss. Standing near Magnolia's iconic White Bridge, the tree is special to her not for its beauty but for the memories it holds.
A metal box high up in the oak contains the ashes of Valiunas’s father, John Drayton Hastie Sr., Magnolia's owner who passed away in 2002. 'My father's tree is my favorite spot in the gardens.' Hastie's death created the opportunity for Valiunas to become one of the owners of this historic property that has mostly been controlled by a male heir in the Drayton/Hastie Family.
As the family's matriarch Valiunas reflects on the women in Magnolia's history who were involved in adding social flare to the gardens during the Charleston Renaissance and others who joined the fight against slavery.
Valiunas explained that Ann Fox may have been Magnolia's first female owner in the 17th century. 'Stephen Fox gave the property as a wedding gift to his daughter Ann Fox when she married Thomas Drayton,' she said. 'So perhaps it would be technically correct to say that Ann was the first female who shared Magnolia's ownership. But, in the centuries to follow, the title was inevitably passed to the oldest male heir.'
The family sidestepped this custom in the 1800s when one of the Drayton men had only daughters. 'In order to satisfy the requirement of passing on property only to the elder son, (another Thomas Drayton) told his daughter, Sarah, who had married into the prestigious Grimké family, that he would leave Magnolia to her sons only if they changed their surname from Grimké to Drayton.'
Subsequently, Sarah's son, the Rev. John Grimké Drayton, who established the gardens at Magnolia in the 1840s, became Magnolia's owner and, ironically, he had no sons. He did not feel compelled by 'the onus of primogeniture and, instead, left the gardens and the property to his elder daughter, Julia. Thus, the whole issue of primogeniture was thrown out the window. What had been completely unacceptable to his grandfather - leaving the property to a girl - was perfectly okay to Rev. John.'
Sara Drayton's marriage into the Grimké family linked the Draytons to two women who would become leading voices in the abolitionist movement. Rev. Drayton's aunts were Sarah and Angelina Grimké, prominent abolitionists who left the state because of their views in slaveholding South Carolina. 'There wasn't much talk about the Grimké sisters when I was a little girl,' Valiunas recalled. 'What interested me most about the sisters was how completely they stepped outside their time and place. This, I believe, was very rare and requires both exceptional courage and particular timing. We are all molded by the mores of our family, our faith, our culture and our time. Angelina and Sarah walked away from everything. They left Charleston. They opposed slavery, which signified not only a repudiation of all they were raised to believe, but was also a direct repudiation of their mother and their father. I am most interested in what qualities of character come before such an exquisite leap. What creates such heroes?'
When Valiunas' paternal grandmother Sara Hastie was Magnolia's matriarch the parties at the gardens drew a who's who of important people of the 1920s. The guest list included British writer Somerset Maugham, Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov and British diplomat Harold Nicholson. They and others milled around the gardens with cocktails in hand and cigarettes dangling from their lips.
'My grandmother was much more than a socialite,' Valiunas said. 'She was a grand old lady, outspoken, opinionated, sardonic, with a marvelous sense of humor and a good mind. She did not particularly care about what other people thought, and she placed more value on a good joke or a good book than she did on the trappings of society. In the later years of her life, she held court on the porch at 9 East Battery (in Charleston) every afternoon at 4 p.m. The door was always open, the bourbon flowed and friends young and old stopped by to pay their respects and hear her stories. She was one of a kind, a true Charleston character in a town then famous for them.'
In contrast, Valiunas' mother Fernanda de Mohrenschildt Hastie was cut from a different cloth. Fernanda Hastie lived at Magnolia when she passed away in 2013. She was 94. She was unique among the Magnolia women. 'My mother was a kind, humble woman who seemed to have no ulterior motives and no agenda, except always to laugh and always to support every single person who crossed her path. She looked on the bright side of every adversity, and she rarely thought of herself first. No one - not a single person - disliked her.'
Magnolia women, Valiunas said, were smart and strong-willed. 'It always has been said that the family produces one person each generation who has a particular love of gardening, a particular love for the land. Perhaps that's the greatest commonality. All the Magnolia women share that affinity with nature, that love of beauty.'
Sid Evans, editor and chief of Southern Living magazine, moves into position for a video that features Magnolia as one of the magazine's favorite locations in Charleston. The magazine is owned by Meredith Publications, which prints a stable of name brand publications, including Time and Sports Illustrated. While at Magnolia, Evans interviewed Winslow Hastie, a member of Magnolia's board of directors, and Tom Johnson, Magnolia's executive director. Magnolia, America's oldest garden, is honored to be the only Charleston garden selected. Follow this link, to watch the video: https://bit.ly/2N4Ijxn
Sarah Bennett Smith
Sara Bennett Smith, the last surviving granddaughter of Adam Bennett, who was the superintendent of Magnolia's gardens before and after Emancipation, passed away Jan. 4, 2019. She was 96.
Mrs. Smith was born at Magnolia on May 2, 1922, to the late Ezekiel and Lula Davis Bennett. Her grandparents, Adam and Hannah Bennett, were enslaved at Magnolia and continued to work and live on the property after the Civil War.
In various accounts about Magnolia, Adam Bennett walked from Magnolia to Flat Rock, N.C., during the war to the summer home of the Rev. John Grimké Drayton, Magnolia's owner at the time. Adam Bennett went there to tell the Rev. Drayton about events at Magnolia during the war.
Mrs. Smith, according to her family, shared with her family the stories she heard of her grandfather being strung up to a tree at Magnolia and being beaten by Union soldiers during their 'infiltration' of Magnolia. Mrs. Smiths loyalty to her family and friends are mirrored through grandfather's loyalty to Rev. Drayton, her family said.
Mrs. Smith's funeral was held at Old Ashley Baptist Church on Johns Island. She's buried in Olive Branch Baptist Church Cemetery near Magnolia.

Magnolia Gardens placing exhibit at nation's capitol

The U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., has selected Magnolia Plantation and Gardens as one of only 21 gardens to install temporary exhibits at the nation's capitol in 2019 when the country celebrates public gardens.
Magnolia's unique design as the last large-scale Romantic-style garden in the country fits with the Botanic Garden's mission to create an array of displays that represent a diversity of gardens, said Botanic Garden spokesman Devin Dotson. The Botanic Garden is adjacent to the U.S. Capitol Building.
Arlington, Va., garden designer Jeff Minnich was selected to design Magnolia's entry. 'I am delighted that Magnolia was chosen to participate in the 2019 Summer Exhibits at the U.S. Botanic Garden,' he said. 'It's my honor and pleasure to assist with the design and installation of the display.'


Magnolia's executive director Tom Johnson said, 'To be honored by one of the nation's most prestigious gardens is truly a plus for Charleston, the state of South Carolina and the Drayton family that has been stewards of this land for more than 300 years. With Jeff's expertise, we will design and install a display that reflects the beauty of Magnolia that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually through our gates.'
The garden displays will be exhibited outside the Botanic Garden from May to October. Gardens were invited to present proposals for exhibits to coincide with the American Public Garden Association's conference that will be held in Washington from June 17-21, 2019. 'Thrive Together, Diversity Grows Gardens' is the conference theme. Magnolia's exhibit will reflect diversity in culture and nature.
The exhibit will be a small-scale model of Magnolia's iconic Long White Bridge across a small blackwater pond with metal herons and a metal alligator to represent some of the fauna in the gardens. Signage will explain Magnolia and its romantic gardens and the influences of Native American and African cultures.

The hands of the enslaved maintained Magnolia's living canvas

By Herb Frazier

When I focus the camera's lens then press the shutter I feel a tinge of nervous anticipation. I hope I've captured a beautiful moment in time at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens that will never occur again as long as time exists.
My eagerness to see the picture is mixed with reverence for the garden's beauty and the sacrifices of those who've shaped the landscape before me. My thoughts turn to the enslaved people who toiled in the soil generations ago. Black hands scuplted the land into an inspiring place for inspiring pictures.
This once-raw land along the Ashley River is a living canvas. On that wilderness the enslaved used crude tools to build dikes bordering a wildlife-laden swamp. They dug black-water ponds reflecting Magnolia's color. They planted today's mature azaleas, tall camellias, and aged oaks that arch over the entrance. Many of them are unknown. Others are still remembered at Magnolia.
That's their unintended gift to us, a scenic backdrop that draws photographers to America's oldest garden. The white owners got the credit. Then freedom came. A new generation of black hands in the soil followed with equal passion to care for Magnolia's living canvas.
Like the gardeners before them, today's African-American garden staff at Magnolia – people like Isaac Leach and his younger brother Teddy Leach – are more than just the muscle that drag off fallen trees. They understand plant science, the flow of river water for irrigation and the hidden places where fresh water springs from the earth.
They know it because they've witnessed the seasonal changes on this landscape where they've lived since birth. Four generations of Leaches have either lived or worked at Magnolia. Their father, the late Johnnie Leach, Magnolia's revered senior gardener, raised his family in one of the former slave cabins. Before that, Mr. Leach's father Willie Leach was a superintendent of the gardens in the early 1900s.
Isaac Leach likens himself to a painter who uses plants to produce a 'picture-perfect' garden. Memory guides him as he maintains the landscape as it was in his childhood.
Teddy Leach says, 'We grew up here. It is in our blood. We see trees today at Magnolia that our father planted when we were children,' like the towering pines that partition the parking lot. If trees remind them of their father, the land is a reminder of those who worked the land in slavery to make something beautiful. 'God created the land,' Teddy explains. 'The enslaved maintained it and added to this canvas.'
But the plants on that canvas aren't always respected, Teddy laments. He becomes furious when he mentions people who pull unopened buds from plants. 'Give it a chance to bloom,' he demands. 'Let it do its job!'
Like me, these protective gardeners wonder if Magnolia's visitors know who is truly responsible for what they see. That's a difficult story to tell sometimes because of the stain of slavery. For the Leaches and others who maintain this living canvas, however, they do so knowing they're carrying on the legacy of the men and women who came before them.
One of them who came before them – the Rev. Adam Bennett – was enslaved at Magnolia but rose to garden superintendent after Emancipation. Charleston resident Deborah Grace is Bennett's great-granddaughter.
'When I think of Magnolia, I liken it to the book of Genesis where the earth was void, then, out of nothing came something,' says Grace, who like the Leaches also lived as a child at Magnolia. The land was shaped by people who were brought here not by choice, she says. 'With bound hands and feet, they had only the freedom of mind to add beauty to this canvas.'
Herb Frazier is Magnolia's public relations and marketing manager.


A whimsical, educational garden for children grows in Magnolia's forest

Magnolia's volunteers and garden staff recently installed hydrangea in the children's garden. The plants were donated by Bailey Nurseries in Newport, Minn.

In the shadow of tall straight pines, work has begun at Magnolia to create a children's garden where young minds can explore nature in an enchanted world seen only through a child's imagination.
This garden for children will become a 20 acre-complex with a campground, outdoor classroom, miniature greenhouse and separate areas for butterflies, edible plants, ferns, wild flowers and a mystical place reserved for fairies.
Magnolia's history as a commercial nursery influenced Magnolia's executive director Tom Johnson's selection of the garden site. The first phase sits along Magnolia's entrance road. Eventually, the garden will spread deeper in the forest where the Nursery at Magnolia Gardens functioned from the mid-1940s to the late-1970s.
'The area of the nursery should be preserved and used again for the children's garden,' Johnson said. 'I envision it to be more than a place where children can run, have fun and explore the outdoors. My goal is to create a place where young minds can learn the value of environmental protection. Throughout the gardens will be lessons about plants, insects and birds to educate our youth about the order of the natural world.'
Johnson wants to encourage children to be curious not only about what stimulates their senses but also to use their imaginations to see what adults cannot. This part of his vision has attracted Paul Haden. He has volunteered to design a fernery and a fairy garden, a miniature garden with tiny structures and plants.
Haden is the managing horticulturalist of Willow Oaks Country Club in Richmond, Va., and owner of the Fife Corner Orchard in Goochland County, Va. He has worked on fairy gardens in Maryland and Virginia. Haden recently spent several days and nights at Magnolia to evaluate the site. He will advise Magnolia on what seasonal plants to display in the fernery and fairy gardens. His selection will take into consideration what the local environment will be decades from now due to climate change.
The popularity of children’s gardens is spreading alongside the interest in locally grown herbs and vegetables. The success of a children’s garden, Haden continued, depends on the use of local history and lore to engage childhood fantasies. Doing so increases the chance of more opportunities for children to have fun while teaching them about the environment.
A fairy garden needs houses. Other horticulturalists from around the country plan to build houses for it. A local artist has created characters for the garden. Recently, Magnolia received a cash contribution and Bailey Nurseries in Newport, Minn., recently donated 100 hydrangea for the garden. Bailey has committed to donate more plants.
A children's garden has to be designed with fairies in mind, Haden explained. 'If you don't have the right things for their physical and mental health they might disappear,' he said. 'If you are going to invite fairies into your garden you want them to have things that are good for their entertainment. They are amazed by the silly things humans do. They are like people. They don’t want to be bored.'

Magnolia Gardens will benefit from $1 million Ducks Unlimited grant

Ducks Unlimited has received a $1 million federal grant to launch a habitat enhancement and restoration project at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. The goal is to improve the flow of water through the various impoundments and ponds on the 500-acre Magnolia property to raise the diversity of plants and animals.
Funding from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) will be combined with $2.2 million in matching funds from federal, non-profit, state and private sources, said James A. Rader, manager of conservation programs in Ducks Unlimited's South Atlantic Field Office in Charleston. The first phase of the two-year project will begin in the spring.
The project will enhance Magnolia's historic tidal rice field by restoring the function of the inland rice field complex, which includes the Audubon Swamp Garden, Rader said. 'The improvements will enhance breeding habitat as well as foraging habitat for species closely associated with the rookery,' he said. 'The inland rice field project will also increase management capabilities by providing independent flooding, draining and circulation of each and increase connectivity between the inland and tidal systems.'
Rader said, 'The NAWCA proposal at Magnolia is a great opportunity for Ducks Unlimited to enhance habitat within the urban setting of Charleston. Similar work by Ducks Unlimited included enhancements at Drayton Hall and Bulow County Park in West Ashley.'
Winslow Hastie is a member of the Drayton-Hastie family that has owned Magnolia since 1676. He said, 'My family's stewardship of this land is well documented. We are looking forward to working with Ducks Unlimited to continue that legacy. We are excited about the potential this project holds to improve the wildlife habitat at Magnolia for the enjoyment of the people who visit our gardens and for the benefit of Lowcountry residents.'
Before collaborating with Ducks Unlimited on the NAWCA grant, Magnolia began improvements to the wildlife habitat in the 60-acre Audubon Swamp Garden and the 100-acre water impoundment and wildlife refuge along the Ashley River. Magnolia's ecologist Stacy Turner manages this work. It involves clearing vegetation from the swamp garden, and in the impoundment burning cattails, a fast-growing plant, and introducing native plants.
The grant, Turner said, will hasten the work he's done so far. An engineering assessment next spring will identify the scope of work. Rainwater flowing on the Magnolia property fills the Ravenswood Pond. From there water travels to the swamp garden, then to the impoundment and finally to the Ashley River. Over time culverts that direct water under road beds and dikes have become clogged with vegetation and sediment. These blockages prevent proper management and have led to the degradation of habitat by allowing an overgrowth of vegetation. To solve this problem, Turner explained, small culverts will be replaced with larger ones and embankments will be enhanced.
Turner has plans to reclaim overgrown areas and continue adding native plants, including powdery alligator flag, an aquatic plant that attracts butterflies. Enhancing the flow and management capacity will increase sources of food to diversify the population of wading and migratory birds and waterfowl. When that happens river otters, mink and marsh rabbits will be lured back to the swamp, he added.
Although the grant will support the work for two years 'there is never a stopping point when it comes to the ecology,' Turner said. 'When you finish one part of a project you can turn your head and see another area that needs improvements.'
Landscape and environmental consultant Jeff Jackson, founder of Lowcountry Roots, said the land management project at Magnolia is 'going to be a major undertaking that holds enormous potential to use native plants, not only for aesthetic purposes, but to attract wildlife to the area.' Jackson said Magnolia's executive director Tom Johnson has asked him to work with the Native Plant Society to compile a 'wish list' of native plants for Magnolia. Jackson estimates that as many as 70 species of native plants could be used to improve the habitat. Where to plant them, he added, will depend on the slope of the terrain and the moisture in the soil.
Johnson said, 'The signing of this agreement is the culmination of months of planning. I am so excited that Magnolia will receive this support from Ducks Unlimited to enhance the wildlife not only at Magnolia but also in the surrounding area. This is certainly the largest project I've ever done in my career that will have wide-ranging impact for years to come.'
Grant administration, engineering services and construction oversight will be managed by Ducks Unlimited, the world's largest non-profit waterfowl habitat conservation organization. In addition to the work at Magnolia, Ducks Unlimited will use the NAWCA grant to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to enhance the Bluff Unit at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge.
A large component of a successful NAWCA grant proposal is bringing together matching funding from a diversity of partners, Rader said. In South Carolina, the South Carolina Conservation Bank has been an essential ingredient in Duck Unlimited's and other conservation partners' recipe for success, he said. The South Carolina Conservation Bank SCCB provided $653,000 in match for this particular effort.
Craig LeSchack, Ducks Unlimited's director of conservation programs, said, the SCCB 'is an incredibly sound investment in conservation and land protection. Most of the restoration we do on public lands in South Carolina wouldn't be possible without the state and private match generated through bank projects. Because of the bank, Ducks Unlimited and its partners have secured more than $25 million from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act for conservation of South Carolina's wetlands since 2007. Other funding sources include Wetlands America Trust, a Ducks Unlimited land trust affiliate, Ducks Unlimited, USFWS and Magnolia.'

An artist touches the heart by capturing the eyes

Sharon Turk, an artist and nature tram guide at Magnolia, recently brought tears to the eyes of a family that has a long history with the gardens on the Ashley River.
On July 25, 2016, Johnnie Leach, Magnolia's senior gardener passed away at age 93. Mr. Leach lived with his family in one of the cabins that is currently part of the Slavery to Freedom program at Magnolia from the late 1940s until 1969. Mr. Leach, affectionately known as 'Mr. Johnnie', later lived in a modern dwelling at Magnolia until the time of his passing.
The Leach family has been an important part of Magnolia since Mr. Leach's father Willie Leach was a garden superintendent here. Johnnie Leach's sons and a grandson continue their father's legacy of service to the gardens at Magnolia.
Mr. Leach's passing touched Sharon, whose own family has a connection with Magnolia. Her parents are Magnolia volunteers. 'The Leaches lost their dad and that is heartbreaking, and my family has a history with their family,' Sharon said. 'The Leaches have been the kindest and warmest people.'
Sharon used her talent of acrylic painting on canvas to express her feelings. 'That is what I know how to do, paint a portrait' of Johnnie Leach. She wanted it to be a surprise. She asked Mr. Leach's grandson Jackson Leach, a Magnolia gardener, to quietly pass her a picture of his grandfather. That part of her plan was easy. Creating a portrait that she was happy with was not.
She rejected multiple versions of her work until she had an image that depicted Mr. Leach's kind eyes. 'On the fourth painting, I finally felt I was getting there,' Sharon said. 'Then I showed it to Jackson, and he said I nailed it.'
Sharon recently presented the painting to Mr. Leach's sons, Isaac and Teddy Leach, who saw through teary eyes Sharon's image of their father.
'Sharon got his eyes to a tee,' Isaac said emphatically.
Teddy choked back tears. Sharon's portrait is so real 'it was like he was right there with me. That's my dad. I miss him every day.'

Plants Now Available For Sale at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

The Gilliard Garden Center offers a variety of specialty and seasonal plants, including heirloom and hybrid flowering plants, herbs and shrubs for your landscaping needs. The garden center is located adjacent to the Magnolia Plantation & Gardens ticket booth and does not require garden admission. Visit the garden center to take home a piece of America's oldest romantic style gardens.
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Hours of operation are 10 am – 2:30 pm Monday – Friday and 9 am – 4 pm on Saturday & Sunday.
Magnolia dedicated the Gilliard Garden Center to honor Tena Lena Gilliard who was a greeter and revered employee at Magnolia during the turn of the 20th century. Gilliard once lived in the cabin that is now the garden center that bears her name. It is the second action Magnolia has taken to recognize Gilliard. In 1942 Magnolia registered the Tena Gilliard Camellia with the International Camellia Register.

New Summerville Marketing Program Takes Flight

The Town of Summerville, South Carolina, has launched a new marketing campaign and Magnolia, America's oldest garden, is the only local garden that city officials tout as a place to see when visiting the Flower Town in the Pines. 'Historic Magnolia Plantation consists of lush gardens through which flora and fauna-inclined visitors can meander. The fall season brings with it fresh mirabilis, roses, lycoris, crape myrtle, Mexican petunia and more plant life.' CLICK HERE to view the full press release.

Swamp Garden gets new naturalist for improved maintenance

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has embarked on a multi-year environmental project to re-establish and diversify native plants varieties and rejuvenate the wildlife habitat in the 60-acre Audubon Swamp Garden.
As part of the effort, Stacy Turner has been named to a new position – Audubon Swamp Garden naturalist. The swamp is named for naturalist John James Audubon, who was a friend of the Drayton family that has owned Magnolia since the late 1670s.
A similar ecological project is underway at Magnolia's 120-acre impoundment and wildlife refuge along the Ashley River. The three-year project there also is designed to improve the wildlife habitat and water quality for wading birds and waterfowl and establish a variety of native plants.
In the Audubon Swamp, Turner has already begun removing unwanted vegetation, including cattails from the edges of the swamp to provide a better view of wood duck boxes, cypress and tupelo trees and to improve the habitat for water fowl.
Clearing the swamp of unwanted plants is not as simple as it might seem, said Turner, who has undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology. 'You have to look at the water flow to determine where to clear first. Not all of the vegetation is removed', he added. 'It is a balance. You have to leave enough habitat for the wildlife. Ideally, you select the non-native plants to remove.”
Over time, Turner plans to introduce native grasses, shrubs and trees that include yaupon holly, lemon-scented fringe trees, coral honey suckle and crossvine. Each of these plants has a beneficial characteristic. Native Americans used the holly leaves to stimulate vision and crossvine attracts humming birds.
'I want natives that people don't usually see,' Turner said. Lantana, which is scattered throughout the swamp, will be replaced with the American beautyberry, serviceberry and sparkleberry. 'I would like to use natives in place of the typical plants that can sometimes be invasive,' he said.
Turner has consulted with native plant vendors, a botanist at The Citadel and the Native Plant Society to select 20 initial native plants for the swamp and the best locations for them.
Diversifying the vegetation will improve the swamp garden's appeal to water fowl and migratory birds. 'There is no point for the birds to nest if they can't find food to feed their young,' he said. 'Wildlife also helps to sustain the plants by distributing the seeds.'

Land management project expanding Ashley River wildlife habitat

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has begun a three-year project to improve the wildlife habitat and water quality in an impoundment and wildlife refuge along the Ashley River.
Tourists take a daily nature boat tour at Magnolia that travels on a 120-acre impoundment past alligators, wading birds, waterfowl and a variety of native plants. But that experience is being threatened by cattails, an invasive aquatic plant.
The first phase of the project involved spraying the cattail with an environmentally safe herbicide to remove the vegetation that is choking the impoundment.
Tom Johnson, Magnolia's executive director, said removing the cattails will improve the nature watching experience for wildlife enthusiasts.
Today, Magnolia is owned by the 12th and 13th generations of the Drayton family whose ownership of the 500-acre Magnolia began in the late 1670s. 'This project is following through with the Drayton family's three hundred year stewardship of the land to preserve a healthy landscape for the next generation,' Johnson said.
Robert C. Strange, an ecologist with Sabine & Waters, environmental land management consultants in Summerville, said removing the cattails will allow for other plants and aquatic life to flourish and improve the food source for fowl and fish.
Following the herbicide treatment the dried cattails will be burned between January and March. The impoundment will be drained and the nature boat channel will be dredged deeper. Three more water control devices will be installed to allow for improved water exchange between an adjacent 20-acre impoundment and the Ashley River.
The spoil from the dredging will be used to create additional islands in the larger impoundment, Strange said. These islands will create new opportunities for birds to build nests and roost in the coming years.
The work will not chase away the alligators. 'The gators will stick around, and they will be fine,' Strange added. 'Magnolia has enough swamp, and they will go out in the river. They come, and they go.'

The following is an excerpt from Paul Porwoll's book Against All Odds: History of Saint Andrew's Parish Church, Charleston, 1706-2013, published in 2014 by WestBow Press. Copies are available at the Magnolia Plantation Gift Shop, St. Andrew's Parish Church, and online through WestBow Press and Amazon.
John Grimke Drayton

Ministry to the 'Black Roses'

John Grimke Drayton is renowned for his vision that transformed Magnolia-on-the-Ashley into one of the world's horticultural masterpieces. Less known, but as remarkable, is Drayton's ministry to his 'black roses,' as he called the African Americans under his care, as an Episcopal priest.
In 1851 Drayton became rector of St. Andrew's Parish Church, established and built in 1706 just a few miles south of Magnolia. St. Andrew's was one of the earliest Episcopal churches that ministered to enslaved Africans. In 1845 two chapels in the parish were opened, one at Simon J. Magwood's plantation and the other on Nathaniel Russell Middleton's Bolton-on-the-Stono. Five years later a third chapel was begun at Magnolia.
Drayton had actually started his slave ministry much earlier, in the 1830s. He spent Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings in religious instruction with the adults and two evenings a week and Sunday mornings with the children. CONTINUE READING...