Alabama's own Grecian garden

Southern Living, Apr 2001 by Thompson, Annette

Like the images depicted in John Keats's poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn," the art of ancient Greece inspires an appreciation for beauty. This same ideal spreads across a hilltop just north of Montgomery in a garden graced by classical statuary amid a springtime riot of blossoms.

Stroll the paths of Jasmine Hill to experience this outdoor museum. Along the opening walk you'll meet a marble bust of Homer and a bronze of Socrates. Farther down the way, mesmerizing fountains and quiet reflecting pools serve as backdrops to cascades of pink azaleas and clouds of blossoming cherry trees. Nearby, late-blooming camellias still offer a bud or two, as century-old crepe myrtles prepare for their summer display.

Everywhere you look, well-placed plantings compete with poised replicas of ancient Greek statues. But don't worry; you're the winner in the competition as the gardens and artwork vie for enduring beauty. You may enjoy both the elegance of a stately old ginkgo tree and a graceful bronze statue of the youthful Marathon boy. Surrounded by seasonal plantings, you'll contemplate a copy of Venus de Milo and, down another pathway, a Carrara marble replica of Winged Victory. Stop a moment for quiet reflection at the pool that adorns the re-creation of the Temple of Hera ruins, the site of the ancient Olympic games in Greece.

Benjamin and Mary Fitzpatrick began this museum-- garden in the late 1920s. After running a chain of stores across the South, they retired here to an 1830s cottage. During this time they made more than 20 trips to Greece to commission the art-- work you see today, while developing their landscape plan. They left their project in good hands in the 1970s when Jim and Elmore Inscoe took over and established the Jasmine Hill Foundation.

Today, the gardens still hold to the Fitzpatricks' original mission: "educate others regarding the many contributions of ancient Greeks to our own way of life." Over the years, though, the Inscoes have directed the addition of a new Olympian Welcome Center for the 1996 Olympic Games as well as expanded the collection of statuary.

Although every season here offers its own blooming palette of colors, spring is Jim Inscoe's favorite. "It snows once a year at Jasmine Hill when the cherry trees bloom," says Jim. He's right-a walk along one of the paths showered by white and pink blossoms defines the true meaning of beauty. Annette Thompson

Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum: located off U.S. 231 just north of Montgomery, on Jasmine Hill Road; (334) 567-6463 or www.jasminehill.org. Hours: 9 a.m.5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Admission: $5 adults, $3 ages 6-12.