Myrtle Beach and Brookgreen Gardens

What a delightful week we have had relaxing in the comfortable home of our dear friend Juanita. (For those of you who remember our Alaskan travels of 2009, Juanita is wife #2.) We are thoroughly enjoying the locally grown produce from the farmers markets ~ feasting on salad fixings, sweet corn, watermelon. Also enjoying the fresh fish, shrimp, and BBQ ribs.

We managed to avoid the holiday crowds by lying low over the 4th of July w/e, I was just delighted to have the Wimbleton finals to watch during the day. In the evening, with camping chairs slung over our shoulders, we walked the one mile down to Surfside Beach, where we enjoyed one of the best firework displays we have ever seen.

While the majority of the holiday makers were enjoying the beach, on the 5th and 6th, we happily explored "Brookgreen Gardens" which back in the 1850s was a rice plantation, owned by a Joshua John Ward. It was documented that in some years he harvested 4 million ~ yes I am correct when I say million ~ pounds of rice, thanks to the 1000+ slaves he "owned" at that time. (Is it any wonder that these wealthy men of the South were in fear of slavery being abolished, but I digress.)

In 1931 Archer and Anne Hyatt Huntington (not related to the Hyatt Hotel family) bought this land and created the beginnings of Brookgreen Gardens, and created an “Outdoor Sculpture Museum" and display garden. The complete collection comprises over 1200 works, spanning the entire period of American sculpture from the early 1800's to the present. But, only 500 sculptures are displayed at a time throughout the 50 acres of these gardens. The expansive lawns, serene flower gardens, and numerous lakes provides a haven for the numerous varieties of butterflies, birds and many small wild animals, all of which we enjoyed during our hours spent there. One’s senses are just delighted with lingering fragrances throughout the many flower gardens. While we ate our picnic lunch, beside one of the beautiful reflecting lakes, butterflies danced in the breeze and bull frogs serenaded us from afar.

Set apart in a corner of this "garden" is a Labyrinth, which we chose to walk, for it is said, that if one does, "it connects the past with the present and refreshes one’s soul".

This truly is a garden to revisit over the seasons, and not one to be missed for those passing this way.

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