The Atlanta Botanical Gardens – Imaginary Worlds

This is the entrance hall to the gardens where one buys tickets, can go to the rest rooms and take a rest in air conditioning. I love these metal leaves. I could not see where there was a sign for the artist that did the work but I am sure there is one.

Suspended in the middle of the hall is a piece by Dale Chihuly.

Here in the Atlanta area this year, we have had what can only be referred to as the perfect growing season storm. None of us can keep up with our yards and the garden was no difference. Flowers of gargantuan proportions were everywhere. I am including some photos of those as well. Without the perfect combination of rain and sun, I think the Imaginary world sculptures out of plants would have dried up by now. But instead, you can see they are spectacular.

Apparently they had a Volume I at some point, which I clearly missed.

These three installations appeared on the main walkway up to the gardens.

I went by to say hi to Mr. Frog, a great favorite of visitors from all around the world who sit on the bench with froggy and have their photos taken. He always reminds me of the mad frog from Wind in the Willows.

I pat the frog and head off onto the path of lush greenery. There was so much growth, I almost missed the first one, but he stomped his feet and charged me.

Remarkable isn’t it. They do such a great job of hiding things in the gardens. Of course, I went on Saturday, the 11th, because the weather man promised we would NOT have rain. But as you can see the clouds gathered and it looked like rain to me. It was so hot and humid my camera kept hazing over from the amount of moisture in the air.

Here is the Lady of the Lake, she is always here. But do you remember what she looked like when the Chihuly exhibit was on. Her face was almost non-existent from the lack of rain that year. Look at her now. (You can find the Chihuly posts to compare her October 16, 2016 and October 29, 2016 just click on the dates they are active links to those posts and will bring them up for you.)

These are all living plants not plants they replace every day. The color is so beautiful on them.

The pots around the restaurant. Look at the size of the plants in them.

This is on the front lawn of the garden. Underneath the greenery is the covered walkway, which you can normally see quite clearly, but here you can hardly see it.

More gardens and then on to the back trails again.

There were so many flowers and still all in bloom in the middle of August that there were butterflies every where.

Look closely at this butterfly, he has the electric blue coloring on the lower part of his wings.

The gardens purchased this piece which we saw in 2016 but look at the amount of vegetation that has grown around it. Do click on the dates for the Chihuly posts and see how the gardens have changed.