Armstrong Lockett House and W. P. Tomes Memorial Gardens

The Armstrong Lockett House and W.P. Tomes Memorial Gardens are located in Knoxville, Tennessee.  This southern antebellum home was built in 1834 and was once part of a 600 acre farm.  The gardens here are beautiful.  There are formal Italian gardens which include nine terraces and five fountains which lead right down to the Tennessee River.  There are plenty of blooming plants, including roses and magnolias.  For those who like a little history, the house is well-worth the visit. Inside is a collection of 18th century antique furniture and English silver dating back to the 1600s.

  Admission to tour the house and gardens is $7.00 for adults.  Children under 12 are admitted free.  The gardens are open Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Chattanooga Choo Choo Gardens

The Chattanooga Choo Choo Gardens are part of the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  The property was once part of a busy railroad terminal.  If you go, you can still see parts of the old terminal.  It's basically a courtyard surrounded by train cars and formal gardens.

There's a water garden with 400 fish, an herb garden, a rose garden with 500 rose bushes, and a day lily collection featuring 184 varieties. There's also a lovely Victorian-style gazebo which serves as a setting for many weddings.

  
The gardens are open from dawn to dusk.  Admission is free.

Donald E. Davis Arboretum

The Donald E. Davis Arboretum is located in Auborn, Alabama on the campus of Auborn University.  It covers 14 acres and features trees, shrubs and wildflowers of the southeastern United States.  The scenery is quite lovely, as winding paths take visitors over streams, through wooded areas dotted with native flowers.

The arboretum is open from dawn to dusk.  Admission is free.

Cator Woolford Gardens at the Frazer Center

The Cator Woolford Gardens at the Frazer Center are nestled in the Druid Hills of Atlanta, Georgia.  The property was once part of a 33-acre estate belonging to an entrepreneur by the name of Cator Woolford.  Then in the 1920s, a prominent garden architect, Frederick Law, designed the gardens to look as they do today.  These secluded gardens are an oasis of flowers and trees.  There's even a small stream that runs through the property. 

The gardens are a popular place for weddings, so it is not uncommon to see photographers taking pictures of wedding parties.  The Frazer Center itself, is a building that houses programs for disabled children.  I'm sure it's very therapeutic for the kids to enjoy the beauty of nature here!

Admission is free, and the gardens are open from dawn to dusk.  

Fred Hamilton Rhododendron Garden

Situated in the North Georgia Mountains, in Hiawassee, Georgia, the Fred Hamilton Rhododendron Garden is lovely place to spend an afternoon.  Visitors will see dogwood, tulip magnolias, azaleas, and of course, rhododendron.  There are over 400 varieties of them - 3000 plants all together.  When they're in bloom, the view is spectacular!

For those who like to hike, there are plenty of trails.  The scenery is gorgeous, with views of Lake Chatuge and Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest mountain.

  
The garden is open daily from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  Admission is $3.00 per person.