| Birmingham Botanical Gardens | |
| Photo Width: | 220 |
| Location: | 2612 Lane Park Road Birmingham, Alabama 35223 |
| Coords: | 33.4917°N -86.7745°W |
| Operator: | City of Birmingham/ Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens |
| Visitation Num: | 350,000+ |
| Visitation Ref: | [1] |
| Status: | Open all year |
| Open: | Dawn to dusk |
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is 67.5acres of botanical gardens located adjacent to Lane Park at the southern foot of Red Mountain in Birmingham, Alabama. The gardens are home to over 12,000 different types of plants, 25 unique gardens, more than 30 works of original outdoor sculpture, and several miles of walking paths.[2] With more than 350,000 annual visitors,[1] the Birmingham Botanical Gardens qualify as one of Alabama's top free-admittance tourist attractions. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is also a part of the American Public Gardens Association.https://www.publicgardens.org/about-public-gardens/gardens/birmingham-botanical-gardens
The gardens include a garden center that has a library (the largest public horticulture library in the U.S.[3]), auditorium, Linn-Henley Lecture Hall, Blount Education Center, Gerlach Plant Information Center, Alabama Cooperative Extension System office, Arrington Children's Plant Adventure Zone, and a restaurant.
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens began as an idea prior to 1960. The Birmingham mayor of that time, James W. Morgan, led an effort to establish the gardens on a 69acres portion of unused city property east of the Birmingham Zoo on the side of Red Mountain. The garden officially opened in 1963. The Birmingham Botanical Society, now known as the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, was established in 1964 with a mission of helping the city to support and improve the garden.[4]
While the City of Birmingham funds the core necessities of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG), the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens (FBBG) was formed to raise funds for the gardens outside of the day-to-day needs. According to the BBG website, the mission of the FBBG is, “to protect, nurture, and share the Gardens’ countless wonders”.[5] Not only does the FBBG help fundraise for the gardens, they provide outreach and educational programs to help patrons learn about the gardens and its importance to the surrounding community.
Not only does the Birmingham Botanical Garden boast a wide variety of flora, it also hosts a library with over 14,000 books, audiobooks, DVDs, and more. These items include books on gardening for children or adults, horticulture magazines, and even teaching resources with lesson plan materials. The Library also contains an Archives and Rare Book Room that was created in partnership with, “Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the City of Birmingham, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, plant groups, garden clubs, and societies.”.[6] The archive contains many different manuscripts, photographs, catalogs, and even plant fossils.
Another interesting and unique aspect of the BBG library is that it hosts a seed exchange program to foster a time honored tradition that helps connect those in the community. This exchange encourages the community to plant native flora and provides an opportunity for the community to bond through sharing both seeds and information. The exchange requires the patron to donate a package of fresh seeds (non-GMO) or make a $10 donation before choosing a packet to take home.https://bbgardens.org/programs/seed-exchange/