Mobile, Alabama
Bellingrath Gardens and Home
Bellingrath Gardens encompasses more than 65 acres, along with a 15-room museum home and the Bayou Boardwalk. The signature rose garden is a test site for All-America Rose Selections and features more than 2,000 roses in over 75 varieties. Voted “Top Public Rose Garden in the United States” in 2004 by All-America Rose Selections.
One of the most photographed areas is the Rockery, a series of flag stone steps with small terraces, waterfalls and pools descending between an elaborately built rock garden.
The property was originally the fishing camp of Walter Bellingrath, Mobile’s first Coca-Cola bottler. The gardens got their start as his wife, Bessie Morse Bellingrath, began bringing cuttings from their Mobile garden to the property to develop gardens. According to the garden’s history: “In the spring of 1932, the Bellingraths opened their property along the Fowl River up to a Depression-weary public for a day of azalea gazing. The response was phenomenal, as the roads between Mobile and the Gardens became one long traffic jam. The astounded couple decided to open the Gardens permanently, while charging a fee to assist in their care and upkeep.”
Open 364 days a year, closing only on Christmas Day. Hours from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
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