splendors of Brookgreen, The

Southern Living, Apr 1999 by Lingo, Karen

Brookgreen Gardens is a lovely setting for America's artistic culture and South Carolina's Lowcountry heritage.

The soul of a garden lies not only in the plants that delight the eye, but also in the reason the garden is there in the first place. The soul of Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, rests with the couple who preserved it for generations to come.

During the early 19th century, this was one of the wealthiest areas in the country because the climate was perfect for the cultivation of rice. The Civil War marked the end of the plantation era and of the wealth derived from Carolina Gold, as the rice was called. But the history and heritage remained.

In 1930, industrialist Archer Huntington and his wife Anna, a sculptor, purchased four rice plantations to use for their winter home. On the remnants of Brookgreen's plantation, they began a garden to house Anna's sculptures.

Today you can walk beneath the oaks and stroll the pathways that lead not only to sculptures by Anna Huntington but past those created by leading artists from 1880 to the present. More than 580 works make this the country's largest outdoor sculpture collection.

Among the new things this year is the renovated Small Sculpture Gallery, the first open-air gallery in America specifically designed for sculpture. And an addition, the Garden Room for Children, is scheduled to open this spring.

One of the most exciting things is an exhibition of the works of South Carolinian Grainger McKoy. This is the first major exhibition outside Brookgreen's own collection in its 67-year history. It will be on view through December 31.

The gardens cover only 300 acres of the more than 9,100 acres purchased by the Huntingtons. The remainder is a wildlife sanctuary; take a walk on the Lowcountry Trail for a leisurely look at it.

One of the most popular ways to see wildlife, and learn about the history of the area at the same time, is to take a ride on The Springfield. The 48-foot pontoon boat takes you down Still Creek and past the abandoned ricefields. Karen Lingo Brookgreen Gardens: on U.S. 17, about 20 minutes south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; (843) 237-4218. Hours: 9:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. daily. Admission: $8.50 adults, $4 ages 6-12.