Lowcountry Paradise

Covered with palmetto trees, hydrangeas and Lilly of the Valley, South Carolina resembles a swampy Garden of Eden. One of the best places to catch a glimpse of the state's natural beauty is at the National Historic Landmark of Brookgreen Gardens. Nestled between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, the 9,200-acre outdoor museum boasts swamps, marshes,sculptures, fountains an aviary and a zoo. I had no idea how massive the place was until I arrived and was handed back my ticket because it's good for 7 consecutive days. You need a day to devote to just one of the half dozen areas so I chose the sculpture garden and the lowcountry zoo.




At the zoo filled with indigenous animals, we saw a red fox snuggled in a tree.



Eagles perched on a branch.



And a fountain decked with loons in flight.



The Huntington Sculpture Garden opened as the country's first public sculpture garden in 1931 and continues to display one of the most diverse collections of 1,200 works by 350 sculptors. The garden offers a broad range of figurative pieces, from bronze animals, to lowcountry icons like this depiction of a plantation worker.




As you would expect in a Garden of Eden, there's also lots of classical nakedness. I thought this piece with women draped in all different directions was the most intriguing work I witnessed.



More traditional Roman-influenced nudes were often highlighted, like this statue of an imposing couple.



This pool with Diana on the chase was one of my favorites.