The Best Gardens to Visit in Memphis, Tennessee
The gardens of Memphis are steeped in culture. If a garden isn’t part of a gallery, they are near a museum or a planetarium, as most of them are in the same part of town. East Memphis is the fancy side, where you can spend the day learning and teaching kids about impressionists while you look at flowers.
1. Cooper-Young Gardens
Architectural Landmark
The Cooper-Young neighborhood has a collection of small, quirky gardens that are a lovely way to relax if you have an hour to spare. Memphis residents are passionate about keeping their gardens pretty, so expect nothing less than home-made mosaic wall art and improvised upholstery between the flowered paths. These gardens are near the Central Gardens area in the middle of Memphis, and the 02 bus takes you there easily.
2. Memphis Botanic Garden
Botanical Garden, Park
3. Overton Park Formal Gardens
Botanical Garden
If you want a day that can include nine holes of golf, the Memphis Zoo and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, as well as gardens lined with pretty flowers, stones and benches, then Overton Park is the place to be. This 342-acre (138ha) public park in Midtown Memphis includes hiking trails, and one of the few remaining old-growth forests in Tennessee, along with many other exciting activities. To get there, take the 50 bus all the way up to the east side of town.
4. Dixon Gallery and Gardens
Museum
5. Chickasaw Gardens
Botanical Garden
Carrying on the tradition of culture at the heart of a Memphis garden, Chickasaw is very close to the Pink Palace Museum and its planetarium. In a neighborhood of the same name, these gardens boast a lake at the center, surrounded by benches and full of birds, a walking path and a wonderful community vibe. To get there, head to the Chickasaw area of Midtown.
6. Memphis Memory Gardens
Park
For a more tranquil atmosphere, visit the Memphis Memory Gardens, which is a cemetery. A quiet and beautiful place to wander around, the gardens are well kept, and the monuments and mausoleums are both extravagant and tasteful. It’s an oasis of calm in a vibrant city; to visit, take the 53 bus all the way through town.
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