Celebrate the Earth with a visit to Brookgreen Gardens

Each year on April 22, people around the world celebrate Earth Day. The world's first Earth Day was held in 1970 in

the United States to bring diversity, education and activate an environmental movement. 

It expanded to a global movement in the 1990s and celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year. For 2021, organizers

plan three days of celebration April 20-22. 

A great way to observe the day is to visit  Brookgreen Gardens  in Murrells Inlet, the South Carolina coast's floral

jewel. The 9,127-acre property welcomes visitors each year to view its spectacular gardens, where something is

always in bloom. 

Visit the Botanical Gardens, home to 250-year-old Live oaks, four wings of a butterfly garden, and the palmetto

garden celebrating South Carolina's state tree. Walk along the Lowcountry Trail, Enchanted Storybook Forest,

Children's Sensory, and Nature Trail. 

Or spend a day with the Lowcountry Zoo animals, where you can view native species such as alligators, bald eagles,

grey foxes, river otters, white-tailed deer, and more. It's free with garden admission.  

You can also visit the "Wild World: 200 Years of Nature in Art" exhibit at  Brookgreen Gardens  through Sunday, May 23. The exhibit is included with admission into the gardens and features paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, and

historical objects reflecting animals and native plants. The works are drawn from Brookgreen Gardens' collection

and work on loan from renowned artist Sandy Scott and the Kaminski House Museum.

On Wednesday, April 21, join a Tai Chi for Beginners class in the Leonard Pavilion, also included with garden

admission (reservation is required as there is a limit). 

Take a Creek Excursion that runs daily onboard a 48-foot pontoon boat where you'll see historic rice fields, now

home to alligators, waterfowl, and osprey. A guide helps you see the rice plantations' distinctive landscape and

understand the role of enslaved Africans in the cultivation of the rice crop and the shaping of Lowcountry history.

Boat rides last approximately 45 minutes. Tickets are $10 adults and $6 children, in addition to garden admission.

With sandy beaches, ancient rivers, salt marshes, and lots of wildlife, a Hammock Coast vacation is the perfect way

to celebrate our planet. Our two-bedroom Lakeside 63B property in Litchfield overlooks Osprey Lake and offers

easy access to walking and biking trails. Our four-bedroom Porch property on Pawleys Island offers panoramic

views of the ocean, along with private creek docks just steps from the home.