Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Brookgreen Gardens is about 16 miles south of Myrtle Beach and about 10 miles south of where we were staying in Surfside Beach.

It is 9,100 acres and was formed from 4 rice plantations.  2,500 acres of it are across US 17 as Huntington Beach State Park.

It was opened in 1932 by Anna and Archer M. Huntington.  Anna was a sculptor and many of her pieces are on display in the gardens.  With 1,444 pieces, it has the most significant collection of figurative sculptures in an outdoor setting by American artists in the world (there is a building with even more sculptures, but they did not allow photography).  The Gardens are also a National Historic Landmark.

The entrance on US 17

'Fighting Stallions' by Anna Huntington. It is the median between the entrance and exit road. 

An old man reading a newspaper on a park bench.  Just curious as to what he was reading.

'Circle of Life'There are 4 sculptures in this series (see next 3). This one is 'Creation'

  'Being'  

  'Transformation'

  'Dormancy'

  Live Oak Allee'

  Sampson and the Lion in the Palm Tree Garden. That's Caroline in the photo. 

Orpheus and Eurydice within the Palm Tree Garden.

Another view of the Palm Tree Garden.  

  'Ecstasy'

  There were several poems on granite slabs just like this one in the Palm Tree Garden. I like this one the best.

  Caroline in front of Diana.

  The Fountain of the Muses: The Poet, the Architect, the Musician and the Painter.

  From the other side of the pond (sorry, but I do not remember who the female figure is in the foreground).

  Pegasus. The largest sculpture (about 15' tall) and one that took the longest to complete (9 years).

  Entrance to a short walking trail.

  Female fox squirrel.

  Water hyacinths.

  A canal built during the plantation times.

  A bald cypress along another canal.

  'Riders of the Dawn'

  Alligator Bender.

  Dionysus

  Diana of the Chase

  Don Quixote and his sidekick Sancho Panza. That's Caroline in back of Don.

  'Time and the Fates of Man'

  About an 8' alligator

  Water Lily

  A mango tree

A variety of spider lily