“I can’t find the Montgomery Botanical Gardens”! “I don’t see a sign for the gardens on Forest Avenue!”. Those have been repeated messages from potential visitors to our beautiful gardens. It is both sad and frustrating that there has been no sign to identify the location of the botanical gardens on Forest Avenue nor on the I-85 Interstate Exit at Mulberry Street. But one of those problems is about to be solved.
Ground has been broken, and construction has begun on the new Pedestrian Entrance to the Montgomery Botanical Gardens on Forest Avenue at the three-way intersection of Forest Avenue and Park Place. The impressive stone pillars on each side of the new entrance will support an arched sign designating Montgomery Botanical Gardens above them.
The stone-faced pillars will appear very similar to the exterior of the Gayle Planetarium to blend with the environment and appear to have been there historically. The pillars will support an arched sign identifying the entrance to the Montgomery Botanical Gardens, with gates that will be opened and closed on the same schedule as the existing vehicle gate. Mr. Joe Hall, owner and stonemason of Appalachian Stone Company, is the builder and artisan who is leading this very needed project for MBG.
Interestingly, Mr. Hall is a third-generation stone mason, and his grandfather was the stone mason who installed the attractive stone exterior of the Gayle Planetarium. Mr. Hall’s assistant, Mr. Wayne Pitchford, is a vital part of this work to create the new entrance.
Currently, the only entrance to the gardens is through the single-vehicle entrance, which is not as safe or accessible for pedestrians to use. This new Pedestrian Entrance will do more than provide support for the MBG sign, which is very important. But it will also provide a much more convenient, safe, and accessible entrance for visitors to the gardens.
The River Region Trails organization will be participating in the project with MBG not only with partial funding but also in helping to repair and replace the uneven sidewalk on each side of the entrance to be more accessible to people with mobility challenges, disabilities and those who use wheelchairs and walkers. One of the RRT planned trails will be established along Forest Avenue and pass by MBG. Patients, employees, and visitors from Jackson Hospital will be greatly assisted by the convenience of this new entrance. The entrance is expected to be completed by the end of June, and a ribbon-cutting event will be announced.
The new Pedestrian Entrance will open into the recently installed Japanese Maple Garden and Hosta Garden. This is Phase II of MBG, which will also be the location of the historic Janney-Crane fountain that will be installed in the near future and will provide a peaceful spot for resting, meditating, and enjoying the pleasant sounds of water and nature.
The pedestrian entrance is a significant development that will improve access, facilitate visitors and clearly identify the location of our beautiful botanical gardens in this urban area. Botanical Gardens in every city are major attractions for tourists, businesses, and residents alike, and Montgomery Botanical Gardens is a significant asset to our city.