Iahawk

Good morning,
DH is an avid photographer. We are looking for suggestions on flower gardens to visit in early april within a 12hr drive of chicago. He would like to focus on botanicals this spring. Looking at tennessee, north carolina, georgia, arkansas as of now. We would make it a thursday to monday trip.
Many thanks!

Gretchen

April might get you a beautiful spring in Charlotte. It certainly would if you got to Charleston. It's azalea/dogwood season.

starrs

Asheville NC - the gardens at the Biltmore Estate
http://www.biltmore.com/visit/biltmo...ardens-grounds

North GA - Gibbs Gardens
http://gibbsgardens.com/

Atlanta - The Atlanta Botanical Gardens, including their amazing orchid house
http://atlantabg.org/

Callaway Gardens -
http://www.callawaygardens.com/event.../azalea-season

starrs

The above are gorgeous "professional" gardens and I highly recommend all of them.

You could do Asheville/Biltmore, then Atlanta Botanical Gardens, then Callaway and the Gibbs Garden on the way back home.

If you do that route, there's a tiny little individual's garden with a very sweet story on the drive between Asheville and Atlanta - the Martha Jean Memorial Garden
http://www.smokymountainnews.com/new...a-lasting-love

The weekend of April 10-12 is also the famous Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park (next to the botanical gardens) -
http://www.dogwood.org/

olympicgaym

The Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis are usually in full flower by the 2nd week in April. Cherry trees, tulips and more. You can check their website www.mobot.org for what is in flower.
There are also several beautiful old neighborhoods with dogwoods, etc. in bloom. Only 5 hours from Chicago.

rncheryl

Starrs beat me to it: Ashville/Callaway

Iahawk

We've been to Asheville and photographed the Biltmore gardens extensively last September. Wonderful place!!!!