Garvan Woodland Gardens delivers, whatever the weather
Arkansas is famous for false springs, meaning the weather warms up early in the calendar, and we get a little too excited about outside activities in short sleeves.
No matter how many times we fall for Mother Nature’s mirage, there is a place in Garland County that will always look beautiful and showcase flora’s finest: Garvan Woodland Gardens.
Hot Springs boasts some of the finest outdoor recreation around — from mountain biking and hiking to fishing on Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton or Lake Catherine. (Keep in mind, those horse races are outside, too!) At Garvan Woodland Gardens, you can explore over 4 miles of scenic trails surrounded by Arkansas’ beautiful plant life.
Did you know, there are over 10,000 different types of azaleas? (Bring that fact to your next game of Trivial Pursuit.) Garvan highlights some of Arkansas’ best azaleas by showing the top 160 varieties along its 210 acres of land. In the winter their horticulture team plants 150,000 tulips showcasing 150 varieties. They usually show their beauty in early spring, but if you missed them, you can purchase the bulbs for your garden in the gift shop! After the tulips finish their bloom, the gardening team changes out the beds for summer annuals, always offering visual feasts.
If you are looking for an outdoorsy chapel for your wedding, it’s hard to find a more “out of doors” experience than inside the doors of Anthony Chapel. Built from both glass and wood, the glass is so prominent that one gets the feeling the wood is only there for structural integrity. The glass provides all the views of the woods with rain-proof protection for that expensive wedding dress and updo for the photos. It hosts over 200 weddings a year, rain or shine.
It’s nice to have a place where everyone can walk on easy paths and appreciate the beauty of our Natural State’s plant-life. While visiting you will see flower enthusiasts, photographers, hikers, families and people who just need to get away and surround themselves with the touch of nature.
Leigh’s father is a lifelong farmer who taught his children, “Those plants will change you.”
Anywhere in Arkansas’ great outdoors is an opportunity to let the scene change you for the better.
For a visual look at the amazing Garvan Woodland Gardens, visit Arkansas’ Great Outdoors on YouTube, and watch Episode 38. Click for more information about Garvan Woodland Gardens and Arkansas’ Great Outdoors.