The Mobile Botanical Garden is a 64 acres city park, features a variety of native plants and flora like azaleas, camellias, magnolias, ferns and herbs. It provides a growing experience for people of all ages and background. There are about 8 theme gardens at the site, namely Rhododendron Garden, Maple Garden, Herbs Garden, Winter Garden, Fragrance and Texture Garden, Rebloom Mobil Garden, Fern Glade and Pine Forest.
The Gardens offer opportunities for the adults to enjoy moment of serenity and beauty of nature. And for kids, the gardens are a special introduction to nature's wonder which may influence their life time interest after the discovery.
Japanese Maple Garden is a tranquil area.
Thank you John Allan Smith for donating such lovely collection of Japanese Maples.
The garden is just like an art gallery containing pieces of artist's work, gorgeous!
Some of the most brilliant maple foliage in the garden.
Mobil Botanical Gardens is a natural habitat to many animals, birds and insects. It is their home.
Fragrance and Texture Garden was one of the first garden developed on Mobile Botanic site. The level paved trail is suitable for wheelchairs or persons who have difficulty with uneven ground, enabling visitors of all abilities to enjoy.
Florida Anise
Some of the plants are grown as an accent plant or as small lawn, mainly for its bark characteristic and pest resistance
The unusual tea leaves.
A small koi pond and a Japanese fort bridge are one of the features at Fragrance and Texture Garden.
Many shrubs at the Fragrance and Texture Garden are of Japan and Taiwan origins. Most of them are either planted for landscaping purposing, for screen shade, for its heat tolerance, for its lustrous dark green leaves, good foliage color or for its flowers. Plants grown here are adapted well to the soil and grow fast with least care condition.
Millie McConnell Rhododendron Garden was named after a long time supporter in its early years. The garden underwent an extensive redesign in year 2005.
The cast-iron columns flanking the main entrance to Rhododendron Garden are remnants dating back from the 1850s-1890s.
The central Gulf coast is famous for its azaleas especially the Mobile area. Azaleas and rhododendron are classified in the same group botanically, with variations in size, color, shape and blooming period. American Satsuki hybridized azaleas are characterized as bright color with medium and low growing plants. Blooming period occurs in mid spring.
Rhododendron Garden contains a collection of 1000 evergreen azaleas specially developed for this area's intense southern growing condition.
We enjoyed strolling among azaleas collections that have not showcased anywhere in the region.
With inclusion of native azaleas hybrids, The Garden has become the most comprehensive rhododendron collection anywhere along the Gulf Coast.
The center gathering area is flanked by ancient cast-iron columns which once graced the demolished buildings in downtown Mobile and the pavers once lined the downtown streets.
Covering an area of one acre land, Winter Garden contains the older camellias plus approximately 500 new camellias which comprised of 350 new cultivars.
Camellias were planted several decades ago in an area near the current location. Winter Garden was born after over 75 cultivars from the era were identified and tagged 3 years ago.
Winter Garden was designed with an entrance, decking and gathering circle by Camellia expert The gathering circle is tucked into a hill adjacent to Fern Glade making the spot an excellent place for ceremonies, lectures, presentations and a place for peaceful reflection.
The new camellias are planted along the paths winding under tall trees.
The beautiful camellia with morning dew.
Winter Garden was dedicated to the pioneering local nurseryman Kosaku Sawada who founded the nursery in 1914 and still in business today .
The camellias beautiful flowers.
The tall plant full of golden yellow fruits is the Asian lime which are very common in South East Asia. Asians use the fruit as the sour flavor to the food dishes.
Herbs Garden is a charming and intimate garden, to delight the senses and to educate about the cultivations of herbs within the environment.
Herbs Garden contains traditional culinary herbs and wide range of plants used for beauty, medicinal use, spiritual significance, fragrance and practical household uses.
Plants in the Herbs Garden came from local nurseries, donation from individuals and from Botanic Greenhouse.
The herbs in the garden are grown all year round.
The relatively high elevation protects the herb plant from cold winds in winter while the use of raised beds and canopy of long leaf pines shield the herbs from the intensive heat of afternoon sun.
The beautiful little violet flowers of thyme
Flowering herbs including roses in the Herbs Garden.
Corner for small flowering cherries plant for Gulf Coast area which is about 25 feet and usually flowers after last frost with light carmine pink bloom.
The road winding into Mobile Botanical Garden and its nearby park.
Wide area of wet Land by Mobile Botanical Gardens site.
Wild geese.
The park.
The site of mobile history trail and the display of historical train at the park.
