Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art

Cheekwood Botanical Garden: In full bloom all year long

         Whether it’s toasty outside during the summer months or during the blustery winter days, there’s one place in Nashville in which nature is thriving.
        Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art is the premier location for garden, art and history enthusiasts. The attraction offers various themed-gardens, art exhibits and historical artifacts that keep visitors returning month after month.
        Stretching more than 55 acres, the sprawling property features 10 different gardens for visitors to enjoy.
        The Martin Boxwood Gardens surround the property's Georgian-styled mansion with planted boxwood and a bubbling pool and fountain. The Robertson Ellis Color Garden splashes vibrant hues of reds, yellows and greens with colorful foliage. The Carell Dogwood Garden displays branching dogwoods, while the Herb Study Garden sprinkles the air with aromatic scents from the planted herbs.
        Visitors searching for a place to meditate will enjoy the Japanese Garden. A crooked path leads to a forest of towering green bamboo, followed by a grassy courtyard dotted with maples and gingkoes. The Wills Perennial Garden comes alive in the summer with sunflowers, asters and ornamental grasses. The Burr Terrace Garden is another perennial garden left to be explored.
        The Turner Seasons Garden lends itself to the celebrations of fall, winter, spring and summer with flowering shrubs and winter berries. The Robinson Family Water Garden features three ponds surrounded by ferns, hostas and water plants. The Howe Wildflower Garden takes center stage in the spring with vibrant blooms.
        Inside of the looming Cheekwood mansion, history unfolds. The mansion was the former home of the Cheeks, an influential entrepreneurial family, and was converted into a museum in 1960.
        The creaky wooden floors and the spiraling staircase add to the grandeur of the museum. Oil paintings line the walls, and family artifacts such as trinkets and delicate tea sets can be viewed. Art exhibits include permanent collections and contemporary pieces.
        Extra: The gardens have proven popular for rehearsal dinners and weddings. The grounds also have a restaurant called the Pineapple Room Restaurant, offering dishes including pan-seared salmon cakes, the Cheekwood Rueben sandwich and lemon chess pie.
        Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for youth, students with a college identification card and active military personnel with ID. Children five years old and younger are free.
        Cheekwood is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

- by Leah Caudle , Nashville Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)