If you live in Georgia, and you garden, chances are you 've heard of Wilkerson Mill Gardens. Elizabeth Dean is a well-known Georgia gardener who frequently speaks to gardening groups throughout the southeast. (Elizabeth is one of the names associated with hydrangeas). She and her husband Gene own Wilkerson Mill Garden located in Palmetto, Georgia and it's such a nice place to go to spend an afternoon. This past weekend I went to find a tree. The one in my front yard didn't survive last year's drought so I was looking to find a replacement.
Visiting Elizabeth's garden center isn't at all like visiting your local nursery. It's a little odd in that you are still in Fulton County, Georgia but you are in the deep woods when you get to Wilkerson Mill. Yes, there is an old mill on the grounds, and of course a stream, but there are also little seating areas where visitors can relax and just enjoy the bird symphony. While we were there 2 people came just to bird watch and I was so excited to spend an hour listening to my favorite bird song, sung by the wood thrush.
Gene is a terrific writer and one of the things I enjoy most when visiting, is taking my time reading all the plant descriptions. One will find puns, riddles and wit in many of the written descriptions. Elizabeth and Gene used to live in Atlanta and had a beautiful garden in Little Five Points. The scaled back and lived in a complex with a small urban garden. They used to keep photos of both of their breath-taking gardens on the website but they have changed some of their photos.
Oh yes, I got off track. We found our tree. It's a ginko. And I forgot to mention the fresh eggs that are also available down on the farm. If you love visiting unique gardens you might also enjoy the amazing experience in shopping for native plant at Towaliga Plants. Located near Macon, Georgia, this is another garden stop that is sure to please.
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