Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens

Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens (51 acres) - now known as the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens - is a historic research station and current botanical garden located at 2 Canebrake Road, Savannah, Georgia. The gardens are open daily, except holidays, without charge.

The garden's collections began in 1890 when Mrs. H. B. Miller planted three giant Japanese timber bamboo plants. By 1915 they had formed a bamboo grove, which drew the attention of noted botanist and plant explorer David Fairchild. In 1919 Barbour Lathrop, a friend of Fairchild, purchased the site and leased it to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for $1. Lathrop traveled extensively throughout China and Japan collecting plants for the garden; the USDA also collected and planted specimens. In 1979 the USDA closed the site. It was deeded to the University of Georgia in 1983 and now is part of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Today the gardens contain more than 100 bamboo varieties, said to be the largest bamboo collection open to the public in North America. Most specimens were planted in the 1920s. It also displays and/or evaluates 35 cold-hardy palm species, including numerous cultivars of dwarf palmetto. One of the largest collections of camellia species grows on site in the Judge Arthur Solomon Camellia Trail. Impressive specimen trees also cast shade across the property, including China fir, southern magnolia, castanopis, various lesser-known Asian holly and maple species, Chinese pistachio and live oak.

There are also beds showcasing landscape roses, daylilies, bearded iris and seasonal annuals. A new 50,000-gallon water garden was completed on the shores of one of the site's lakes in late fall 2012. A shade garden, formal garden, children's garden, bamboo maze (the largest in the Western Hemisphere), visitor center and gift shop have been included in the master plan, with various project construction commencing in 2012. An improved main entrance off of Canebrake Road is also anticipated.

The garden sells a number of bamboo and garden plants and has various special events and gardening classes throughout the year. Among the special events are: Wild Game Supper, Spring Festival and Plant Sale, Fall Family Festival and December Nights & Holiday Lights. There are also pick-your-own fields including strawberries (March to April), blackberries (May to July), and blueberries (June to July). http://www.bamboo.caes.uga.edu/

The Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm is part of the University of Georgia's Cooperative Extension Service. It also benefits from support through the non-profit Friends of the Coastal Gardens organization.