Location Name
Brookgreen Gardens

Street Address
1931 Brookgreen Dr., Murrells Inlet SC 29576

City
Murrells Inlet, south of Myrtle Beach

Type of Prayer Place
Garden

capture-brookgreen-2Description
Brookgreen Gardens is a 9,000 acre site featuring nature trails, woodlands and an extensive outdoor sculpture garden with over 1,444 works on display from American artists. The gardens were not created primarily as a place of religious contemplation and be aware that they contain a very large amount of sculptures depicting mythical figures and Greek and Roman gods displaying the naked human form. However the gardens can be used as a place of meditation and contemplation by enjoying the natural beauty of the gardens and by seeking out the scattered sculptures with Biblical themes. The official website states “For 83 years Brookgreen Gardens have been an inspiration, refuge and retreat for our community.” And it truly is a welcome place of retreat from the busy tourist oriented beach areas that surround it.

The gardens were created in 1931 by Archer and Anna Huntington to display her sculptures in an outdoor setting. Anna was an accomplished artist and in 1915 she created “Joan of Arc” the first public monument in New York City by a woman. Another of her works “The Holy Family Rests – the Flight to Egypt” is in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.

capture-brookgreen-3How I used this place of prayer
As I walked through the gardens I kept an attentive eye out for the beauty of nature that connects me to God’s beauty, and there is an over abundance of it. I especially loved the towering live oaks. When I saw sculptures of ancient gods, I said a prayer of thankfulness that the belief in these myths did not thrive. I also kept an eye out for sculptures with Christian themes or subjects. There are indeed these scattered throughout the garden if you search for them. The most striking of these is “The Offering” which shows Mary holding the Christ child. This was originally created for a church in Bowing Rock, NC and sits under an arbor. Other sculptures with Christian themes include “The 139th Psalm” which depicts birds in flight to illustrate “If I take the wings of the morning…” There is also Samson and the lion, St. Christopher and 3 different statues of St. Francis. Anther is entitled “The 6th day” alluding to a specific day of creation from Genesis.

Hours of Operation & Admission Requirements
Admission charges are as follows: Online advance tickets are: Adult – $13; seniors – $11, children 4-12 $6. There are also additional charges for special tours within the garden, such as a boat ride.

capture-brookgreen-4Contact Information / Sponsoring Organization
http://www.brookgreen.org/

Personal Tips
When we purchased our tickets at the gate we were told that they were good for several days. Wear comfortable shoes as there is a good deal of walking. Also, bug spray is in order and also cool clothing if you are visiting in the summer.

Here is a link to a website that shows photos of some of the photos and describes the artists: http://www.funbeaches.com/brookgreen.html

Added by Karen Barber on May 19, 2014