“Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?” As a child, I loved the movie “The Secret Garden” and all the beautiful garden magic it depicts. Over the past year, I have grown a new appreciation for nature (especially plants) and the beauty of the outdoors. There is something about tuning into nature that makes me feel good. It’s now April, spring has finally sprung, and I wanted to share some special gardens that are part of the Dogwood Arts Festival, but that are not so secret anymore.
Dogwood Arts is a non-profit organization that promotes and celebrates our region’s art, culture, and natural beauty by hosting several events in the month of April and hosting the most celebrated event in Knoxville: the Dogwood Arts Festival. There are other events that are part of the Dogwood Arts however that you don’t want to miss out on such as the Chalk Walk, Hikes and Blooms, and Bikes and Blooms. My most favorite part of the festival are the featured gardens. Move over Mary Lennox; these Knoxville gardens will give you a run for your money.
The featured gardens this year are GATOP (God’s Answer to Our Prayers), Anderson Estate, and The Hopkins Cottage Garden. They are open for one weekend only to the public on SATURDAY, APRIL 20th: 10:00AM-5:00PM and SUNDAY, APRIL 21st: 12:00PM-4:00PM. (Please note that several of the gardens require extensive walking; comfortable walking or hiking shoes are recommended.) The gardens are privately owned and there is limited parking at each garden. Guests will be admitted on a first come first served basis. This event is free, though a $5.00 donation per garden is suggested.
The Hopkins Cottage Garden
Dennis & Linda Hopkins
1708 Pheasant Ridge Trail
Knoxville, TN 37922
A labor of love cultivated over 35 years! This enchanting space features a lovely gazebo, cozy outdoor fireplace, arbors, bridges, stone terraces, a shaded pergola and winding stone paths that beckon you to explore. Inspired by a lifelong passion for gardening that began in Indiana, this Tennessee haven offers an extended growing season and a true gardener’s paradise.
Anderson Estate
Shuttle Information Coming Soon!
Set on a hilltop overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains, Anderson Estate is a plant collectors garden. This young, but ever-expanding garden, features an extensive Hosta collection with over 500 varieties and also includes a wide assortment of azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons, conifers, and a native plant display garden. The kitchen garden with 11 raised vegetable beds, fruit trees, and berries is home to an apiary. The property also includes a cemetery from the 1800’s, an Enchanted Forest, and a professionally landscaped frog haven with a bubbling brook and waterfall.
GATOP
Dr. Alan Solomon
2634 Delrose Drive
Knoxville, TN 37914
Included in the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Gardens, GATOP (God’s Answer To Our Prayers) features many hundreds of botanical specimens such as conifers and hollies, extensive displays of wildflowers, perennials, and ground covers, as well as numerous water features and large marble outcroppings. Complimenting this unusual garden are stainless-steel, iron, bronze, and stone sculptures. The site features one of Knoxville’s oldest marble quarries.
Open Rose Gardens
Stroll through open rose gardens presented by members of the Tennessee Rose Society. This event is free to attend, and tours are self-guided. You are invited to get out of the car and walk around each property. No tickets or pre-registration is required. The rose gardens will be open on SATURDAY, MAY 11th 10:00AM-6:00PM; SUNDAY, MAY 12TH 10:00AM-6:00PM; SATURDAY, MAY 18TH 10:00AM-6:00PM & SUNDAY, MAY 19TH 10:00AM-6:00PM.
Michael & Mary Bates
513 Altamira Drive
Knoxville, TN 37934
World travel created a lifelong love of roses for these property owners. Their garden is home to over 300 roses including hybrid teas, floribundas, climbers, David Austin English Roses and easy-care shrub roses.
Kathy Brennan
706 Landing Lane
Knoxville, TN 37934
Brenrose Garden is a secret rose garden with companion plants; enter a backyard oasis thru the arch covered with ‘Iceburg’ roses and clematis.
Open Gardens and Camera Sites
There are even more spectacular gardens to see along the Dogwood Arts Trails. The trails are located across Knoxville. Once you choose your trail and arrive, follow the pink lines on the road and let them guide you through beautiful open gardens and breathtaking camera sites in each neighborhood. For a complete list of those locations, click here.
I hope you take the time this month to enjoy the art and nature of the Dogwood Arts Festival. You can find the addresses to these gardens on the Dogwood Arts website and their Facebook page.
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
― The Secret Garden
