Beeland Park Camellia Gardens - Greenville, Alabama

Beeland Park Camellia Gardens - Greenville, Alabama

About the Gardens
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THE LEGACY OF GREENVILLE'S CAMELLIA CITY
 
Beeland Park, a historic property owned by the City of Greenville, is a notable landmark gifted to the city in 1933 by Mr. R.A. Beeland. The Beeland Park Camellia Gardens were recognized in 2023 by the American Camellia Society as the 65^th garden on the American Camellia Trail.  The Sasanqua Garden Club formed a partnership with the City of Greenville & the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce to renovate & improve the Gardens. The “Soon to Bloom” project was launched, & the Beeland Park Advisory Board was established. Renowned Camellia expert, Bobby Green of Green Nurseries in Fairhope, Alabama was engaged to develop a long-range plan for the gardens & to identify the varieties of camellias within it. The improvements include Civil Works Administration-style stone pillars at the gardens entrance that match the original ones at the main entrance of Beeland Park. The stone pillars are spanned by a beautiful wrought iron camellia arch given by private donors. The Sasanqua Garden Club has provided all funding for other renovations through various grants & the sale of commemorative bricks that form a walkway under the new camellia arch leading up to a lovely salt kettle fountain surrounded by a diverse group of plants. A watering system & electricity have also been added to the gardens.

Beeland Park Camellia Gardens consists of eight acres holding more than 300 camellias some of which are nearly 70 years old.  A soft walking path now meanders throughout the gardens where guests can scan QR codes to learn about the identified camellias and other plantings.  The soft path has been named for The Greenville Men’s Camellia Society in recognition of their role in making Greenville “The Camellia City” and the Camellia becoming our state flower.  As visitors enter the gardens through the wrought iron camellia arch, past the salt kettle fountain,  the soft path to the left leads to a picnic area with three round picnic tables refurbished in the Civil Works Administration-style stonework that is consistent throughout the gardens. From the picnic area the path circles back to the right where Bobby Green’s plan is being continued with the addition of an outdoor classroom to be called the children’s “Curiosity Center.” It will face a natural amphitheater area above which a hard-surface walking path is proposed to provide more access to the gardens.  Beyond the “Curiosity Center,” plans include the addition of an exploratory “Enchanted Forest” children’s play area. Birdhouses & bird feeders with tiny cameras will be installed to provide an educational bird’s-eye view. Scheduled tours of the gardens & lesson plans will eventually be offered for school groups and various clubs and organizations. The City of Greenville & the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce are grateful to the Sasanqua Garden Club for their fundraising efforts & for private donations & grant funding which have made the recent improvements to Beeland Park Gardens possible. For access to QR codes and other information about Beeland Park Gardens please visit sasanquagardenclub.org.