This week I found myself in a place I’d never heard of and it opened my eyes. I had just been to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and a friend suggested that I should stop off at the famous gardens in Murrells Inlet. So I just had to go to find out what all the fuss was about.
Brookgreen Gardens is a 1,600 acre sculpture and wildlife preserve, located just south of Murrells Inlet, in South Carolina. It displays about 1445 works of American figurative sculptures.
At first it didn’t look like anything special; lots of oak trees lining its entrance and a tranquil you get to recognise when you visit plantations in South Carolina, but as I walked through the gardens I realised how breath taking it was. I saw so many interesting sculptures that I just had to take these photos to share my trip with you.
One of the first statues I found was of Bernard M. Baruch. Bernard, ‘The Park Bench Statesman’, made his fortune on Wall Street, but his greatest achievement was his service to his country as an economic advisor during both World Wars. He earned his right to be commemorated in Brookgreen Gardens as he was also a confidante to six American presidents.
I like these sculptures as they are quite serene, surrounded by native plants and gentle flowing water. These bird sculptures – the Heron, Grouse, and Loon – were created in 1992 for a location in downtown Minneapolis. Compared to how free the statues are in the gardens, they previously were perched on granite boulders in a fountain, encircled by a seat wall.
Another bird sculpture that I came across when visiting Brookgreen Gardens was this Diving Eagle. This sculpture is the half-size model of the United States monument, dedicated to those who died in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. This sculpture is critically acclaimed and has won many awards since its completion!
When exploring the Gardens these three women stood out to me, and it wasn’t just because of how big the sculpture was. This sculpture, the Saint James Triad, encapsulated inspiration, creation, and challenges. Miller, the creator of this wonderful piece, placed three figures within box-like frames to contrast soft curves with geometric lines. This contrast is what made it so visually appealing to me.
During my trip, I found something rather odd. I could see so many frog sculptures; there was a special exhibition using frogs at the Gardens. However I didn’t go… Frogs ain’t my thing!
Coming to the end of my tour around Brookgreen Gardens I was mesmerised at how many sculptures there were, and how magnificent they all looked. On the way out I found these lifelike sculptures. I didn’t manage to get the names of these statues… however I thought it would be quite fun to pretend that they were real as I was able to get up close and personal with them.
By the end of this long but insightful day I felt that everywhere I went I was being followed by statues – I couldn’t escape them. My trip at Brookgreen Gardens was a successful one, I got to experience seeing so many amazing sculptures and I discovered the beauty of the gardens. I would highly recommend you to visit the Gardens, and if you do be sure to tell me in the comments!
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Until next time,
Delia
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