Sixty-seven acres of gardens in the Southside neighborhood near the Birmingham Zoo, with no admission charge. The Japanese garden is one of the most authentic in the Southeast — designed in 1962 with input from Japanese landscape architects and improved steadily since. The fern glade, the Southern Living garden, and the rose garden are the other highlights.
The gardens are at their best in spring when the azaleas are in bloom, but there is something to see in every season. The on-site library is one of the largest horticultural libraries in the South and is open to the public. A good option if you have a spare hour after visiting Vulcan Park or the zoo.