Atlanta Botanical Garden - Alice’s Wonderland Returns

Let's explore the Atlanta Botanical Garden! The Garden opened in 1976 and has grown to include 30 acres of beautiful flora and art in the middle of Midtown Atlanta.

The current special exhibit is called Alice's Wonderland Returns, and "features seven installations of 38 of the topiary-like mosaiculture pieces throughout the Garden" according to the Botanical Garden website. Also, per the website, Mosaiculture is a centuries-old art in which steel forms are covered with fabric, filled with soil and then planted with thousands of living plants.

Some of us saw this special exhibit just after it opened in May, so let's go again at the end of the run to see how it has changed as everything has grown during the summer.

Many pieces of art as well as several Chihuly glass sculptures are part of the Garden's permanent collection, so we will also keep an eye out for those. And, of course, we will go see the Earth Goddess (pictured above), a spectacular 25-foot sculpture containing 18,000 annuals.

Adult weekday admission is $26.95. An annual Garden membership starts at $80 for an Individual ($144 for two years), and there are many other levels available. Membership includes unlimited free admission during regular hours and free or reduced admission to special events and exhibitions, plus other benefits.

The Garden opens at 9am, so we will start our visit then. Let's meet about 10 minutes before 9 in front of the entrance gate so we can meet each other and buy tickets as needed. Some members attending this event may have guest passes to share, so we'll assess that when we meet outside the gate.

Also, the event duration and distance listed here are estimates. It's hard to know exactly how long we will spend enjoying the incredible beauty of the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is located at 1345 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30309.

Garden guests can park in the SAGE parking deck on levels 4, 5, and 6. Parking deck fees are: 0-30 minutes - free, 31- 60 minutes - $3, each additional 30 minutes - $2. The parking deck is card-only. No cash is accepted. The parking deck also has an entrance on Monroe Drive.

Garden members can buy multi-visit parking passes that reduce the cost of parking to $5 or less per visit.

It may be possible to park for free on the street in the Ansley Park neighborhood across Piedmont Avenue from the Garden, but I have not investigated this. It's also possible that street parking is restricted to residents only, so don't count on it. If you look for free parking around the Garden, allow lots of extra time.

Public transportation option: MARTA bus #27 stops at the Piedmont Avenue entrance to the Garden. This bus can be boarded at the Arts Center or Lenox train stations.

The Trip Leader(s) for this event has (have) elected either to personally collect the funds that event participants are required to pay, or to require participants to pay funds directly to a third party. No funds will be paid to the Atlanta Outdoor Club for this event. Therefore, by registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree to the following: (1) the monies paid by registrants will not be monitored, managed, or otherwise accounted for by the Atlanta Outdoor Club; (2) that the Atlanta Outdoor Club bears no financial responsibility for this event; and (3) you waive any and all claims against the Atlanta Outdoor Club, and hold the Atlanta Outdoor Club harmless for the loss of any monies you paid for this event.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any paying registrant may request directly from the Trip Leader, prior to the event, a breakdown of funds collected, estimated expenses, and deposits made in anticipation of the event. Following the event, the Trip Leader must complete his or her financial accounting for the event, with supporting documentation, within 30 days of the completion of the event, and a paid registrant may request a breakdown of funds collected, money spent and supporting documentation after that time. If you are unable to obtain requested documentation, please contact the Director of Paid Events.

All tickets will be purchased directly from the Atlanta Botanical Garden. No money will be collected by the AOC or the trip leader.

Adult weekday admission is $26.95.

An annual Garden membership starts at $80 for an Individual ($144 for two years), and there are many other levels available. Membership includes unlimited free admission during regular hours and free or reduced admission to special events and exhibitions, plus other benefits. 

If you are already a member of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, you do not need to purchase a ticket for this event.