Summer has arrived at Magnolia Plantation and the Gardens.

If you are planning your trip to Charleston, stop in to see the romantic gardens here at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. There is a great breeze off the Ashley River and plenty of ponds scattered through out the gardens.

Magnolia is one of the last large scale Romantic Gardens left in the United States. The Romantic Garden movement has its roots in the industrial revolution in Europe, and is tied directly to the empowerment of the common man. When he went to work in the factories, he wanted to design gardens that would help him forget the dreary life offered during the workday. Romantic Gardens are designed to take the viewer to a place where emotion takes precedent over reason. Surprise awaits around every corner. Form, balance and symmetry are thrown to the wind and these gardens are designed to appeal directly to the soul.

The hydrangeas are blooming as well as the Magnolia Grandiflora, the tree our plantation is named after. These Magnolias start to bloom about the middle of May and produce a bloom that is over 6-7 inches across. Also, we have planted over 6000 annuals and perennials over the last month, with another 8000 to go.

Guided interpretive tours include the Plantation House, a Nature Tram tour in the wildlife areas, a Nature Boat tour in the wetland areas of the plantation, and our newest tour, "From Slavery to Freedom". This new edition is a 45 minute tour that discusses Magnolia's unique street of slave cabins that were occupied well into the 20th century and have been carefully preserved and restored to document the full arc of African-American life at Magnolia Plantation. See the The Robert and Patti Whitelaw Founders Award and Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation Honor Award information below.

Summertime Special

During the month of June each person purchasing a regular garden admission ticket for $15.00 will get to chose TWO of our guided tours, the Nature Train, the Nature Boat, the tour of the Plantation House, or the new "From Slavery to Freedom" talk for $10.00. These tours are usually $7.00 each and this is a savings of $4.00 for each regular garden admission.

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the month of June we also invite you to join Tom Johnson, Director of Gardens, at 1:30 PM on each of those days for a stroll through America's last romantic garden. This garden walk is free with the regular gate admission ticket.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Offers Summertime Savings for the Carolinas and Georgia

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is offering summertime savings on the weekends in July and August for visitors from the Carolinas and Georgia.

Family Fun Weekends will begin Friday, July 3.

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the gate admission will be reduced to $50 for each car carrying up to six passengers for visitors from the Carolinas and Georgia. This special will allow entry into the Gardens, the Audubon Swamp Garden, and your choice of one guided tour.

The guided tours include the main house, the nature train and boat rides, and the “From Slavery to Freedom” cabin tour that interprets the role African Americans played at Magnolia from slavery through emancipation and into the twentieth century.

The special admission rate ends Sunday, Aug. 30.

The lower admission price for the summer is not the only way to enjoy Magnolia at a reduced price. Magnolia offers an individual annual membership for $55 and a family annual membership for $75, which entitles cardholders to unlimited access for a year to the gardens, petting zoo, Audubon Swamp Garden and parking. The membership doesn’t include the guided tours.

For more information, call Magnolia at 843-571-1266 or visit www.magnoliaplantation.com.

The Robert and Patti Whitelaw Founders Award

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has received the Robert and Patti Whitelaw Founders Award. This award is given annually to recognize individuals, groups, or government entities for the long term protection and preservation of important buildings and places as well as those involved with preservation advocacy. The recipients’ work embodies the spirit of achievement and high expectations that were the highlight of Robert and Patti Whitelaw’s efforts to preserve Charleston’s streetscapes, neighborhoods and public buildings in the 1940s through the 1970s. Robert Whitelaw was one of the Founder’s of Historic Charleston Foundation in 1947.

Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation Honor Award

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has also received a prestigious Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation Honor award for the meticulous restoration work and innovative interpretation of the “From Slavery to Freedom” project. The Palmetto Trust, in partnership with the S.C. Department of Archives and History and the Office of the Governor, recognized the winners of the 15th Annual 2009 Historic Preservation Awards at the Landmark and Preservation Conference in Columbia, South Carolina on March 26. Honorees represented some of the most significant preservation, rehabilitation, interpretation and restoration of architectural and cultural heritage that have taken place over the past year around the state.

Awards recipients were selected by a panel of preservation professionals with the intent of recognizing outstanding examples of stewardship of the state’s historic resources and the significant contribution that historic preservation makes to the landscape and culture of the state. Criteria include: degree of difficulty of the project, obstacles that were overcome, impact in the community or state and best practices in the implementation of preservation techniques.

For additional information, please call us at 843.571.1266.