Theodore Travel Guide

bellingrath gardens are set on 65 acres of small hills, ponds, and marsh land. bellingrath gardens are planned to have flowers blooming year round. since bellingrath is one of the finest azalea gardens in america i would suggest visiting in late march or early april. call their toll free number to find out when the azalea's will be in full bloom.

the bellingrath home located in the middle of bellingrath gardens is open to the public for a fee. this 1935 home is on the national list of historic places. you have several options when visiting bellingrath. you can buy a ticket to tour the gardens, the home, and a river cruise on the fowl river together or just buy a ticket for one of the attractions. the gardens are the must see attraction of bellingrath. if you have time i would also tour the home. see their website for more information.

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Having just been to the Leu Gardens, I was quite disappointed in Bellingrath Gardens. It was beautiful, and had an army of gardeners keeping it groomed and weeded, but there were very few labels as to the identity of the plants. According to the map (which I read later), there was an introductory film which we could have seen, but the admissions clerk did not tell us about it.

There were many many beds with bedding plants - mostly various kinds of ornamental cabbage. Very nice but kind of samey. Nothing that any gardener couldn't do for themselves. The rose garden had scarcely any blooms because it was quite a bit farther north than the Leu Garden, and they had camellias too, but not as many as the Leu Garden and they were just distributed throughout the garden. I took about 45 pictures, and Bob only took about 20.

Even so, no matter what season of the year it is, there is something in bloom at the Gardens. When we were there, outdoors there were blooms of camelias, roses, tulips, pansies, snapdragons, daffodils, flowering cabbage and kale, poppies, primrose and paper white narcissus. Indoors there were of course orchids and other more tender flowers.

There are more in the spring of course starting with the azalea season, Easter lilies, hydrangeas, marigolds, salvia, fuschia, impatiens, delphiniums, and geraniums. In the summer there are blooms of roses, allamandes, hibiscus, caladiums, copper plants, coleus, vinca, petunias, marigolds, begonias, ornamental peppers, and bougainvillea. The fall brings salvia, coleus, copper plants, hibiscus, early garden-style chrysanthemums and during the holidays you can add poinsettias.

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When we got to the gardens, we had to decide if we wanted to see just the gardens or the house and gardens.

The boat trips don't run in the winter so we couldn't get the Value Package
Adults: $26.00
Children: (Ages 5 - 12) $17.00
Children Under 5: Free

which includes:
Gardens Tour,
Guided Tour of the Bellingrath Museum Home with its collection of priceless china, porcelain, silver and antiques)
45 Minute River Cruise along Fowl River aboard the Southern Belle River Cruiser

Nor could we take the Gardens and River Cruise Package
Adults: $18.00
Children: (Ages 5 - 12) $11.00
Children Under 5: Free

We could get $1 off the admission price for the gardens, but the combination tour had no discounts.

It was the Gardens and Bellingrath Home Package
Adults: $18.00
Children: (Ages 5 - 12) $11.00
Children Under 5: Free

I knew the house was built in the 30s and no photography was allowed inside. I also seemed to remember that we had not toured the house when we (or I) was here before because it was too expensive. So we just paid $9 each and took the garden ticket.

Gardens Only Package
Adult $10.00
Children: (Ages 5 - 12) $5.50
Children Under 5: Free