New Garden Continues Avenue of Magnolias Tradition
In partnership with: Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce
Sixty years ago, the Avenue of Magnolias began as a way for Mississippians to honor or memorialize loved ones by sponsoring the planting of magnolia trees along state highways. Over the years, tens of thousands of magnolia trees were planted, beautifying the roadways through a living legacy.
Regulations, safety concerns and a lack of available space for future plantings influenced the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) to create Magnolia Gardens. The new garden area will continue the tradition of the Avenue of Magnolias.
“We wanted to place Magnolia Gardens somewhere meaningful and easily accessible and to continue to honor those whom it represents,” says Ginger Williamson, MDAC deputy bureau director/timber commerce liaison. Williamson has led MDAC efforts to make Magnolia Gardens a reality.
“Locating Magnolia Gardens at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson also allows year-round maintenance of the gardens,” Williamson says.
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Still Magnolias
She also notes the garden’s continued care will be handled by commercial landscape designers ARK Design + Build, designers of Magnolia Gardens.
Completed this year, the main garden’s formal design incorporates a variety of plants, trees, flora and water features along with the stately magnolia trees. Lighting enhances its beauty in the evening. Visitors can enjoy strolling along a walkway lined with lush landscaping circling the bronze Working Man sculpture donated to the museum in 2011.
Magnolia Gardens is a cooperative project involving the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, the Garden Clubs of Mississippi Inc., ARK Design + Build and MDAC.
As with Avenue of Magnolias, Mississippians can honor the memory or achievements of someone special with donations. Hearing the stories of people who have supported Avenue of Magnolias for decades has driven Williamson to work on the project for the past two years.
“To me, Magnolia Gardens is all about the people for whom it represents,” says Williamson, who notes the project is entirely donor supported. “I’ve heard so many wonderful stories from people who write or call and want to share pieces of their lives that are so important. My goal was for this to be a beautiful spot to pay tribute to the lives it celebrates. Those supporting it financially should be proud that they chose Magnolia Gardens as a way to memorialize or honor someone.”
Learn more about Magnolia Gardens at mdac.ms.gov.
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