Beaks and BarksHuntsville BloomsPurdy Butterfly House
Dinosaur Uproar AliveScarecrow TrailGalaxy of Lights
Purdy Butterfly House
Monday, May 1 – Saturday, September 30 2017
This beautiful, soaring 9000 sq. ft. natural stone and steel beam structure overlooking the entrance pond is home to thousands of native butterflies, tadpoles, frogs, button quail, turtles and other critters. Waterfall, ponds, streams, lush vegetation and flowering plants invite visitors to experience this varied and colorful collection of flora and fauna.
The Purdy Butterfly House is open May through September annually. Garden admission fees include entry into the Purdy Butterfly House.
Presented By:
May 13 – August 13 2017
A different kind of animal has arrived at the Garden: dinosaurs. For a limited time, ferocious, magnificent creatures of the mighty Mesozoic era will be “unextinct”—brought “back to life” throughout the Garden.
Ever since the first dinosaur was discovered, these magnificent and mysterious creatures have captured our imagination! For generations we have marveled at skeletons and illustrations, only able to imagine how they might have moved, until they were brought to life through technology. The Garden is excited to exhibit museum-quality animatronic dinosaurs. Long considered the most natural looking and life-like dinosaurs available, every detail was designed in collaboration with some of the nation’s most prominent paleontologists. And the engineering of the animatronics is unparalleled.
Hear the infamous roar of the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex, and the deep vocal calls of a hollow-crested, duck-billed Parasaurolophus. Search for vegetation with the leisurely Stegosaurus, then walk with an Ankylosaurus family as the low-browsers munch on plants close to the ground. Forage in the forests of North America with a Triceratops and two of its young. Stand beneath a coastal Pteranodon as it glides overhead.
Come face-to-face with animatronic dinosaurs on an adventure that also includes photo ops—for the ultimate #SelfieSaurus—and a fossil dig, where you’ll experience what it’s like to discover and interpret clues about these long-gone giants, and an educational and thrilling family experience.
Presented By:
Sponsored by:
Carol Williamson, Riley & Dylan Campbell
Scarecrows | Hay-bales | Sorghum Maze | Weekend Hayrides | Pumpkin Patch | Gilded Gourds
The Scarecrow Trail is free with Garden Admission or Membership
Hayrides will be every Saturday from 1-4 and Sunday from 1-4
The Pumpkin Patch offers a wonderful backdrop for your fall family photos on our vintage tractor and unique pumpkin displays. It’s the perfect spot to catch the weekend hayrides around the Garden. A wonderful new addition to the Scarecrow Trail, our Gilded Gourd display! Lots of creative artists and lots of gourds!
Bring your cameras so you can capture them in the beauty of the autumn garden. Cast your vote for your favorite scarecrow during the month of September. Pick up voting forms in the Guest Center.
1st place Scarecrow – $250 • 2nd place Scarecrow – $100
3rd place Scarecrow – $50 • 1st Place Haybale Art – $100
Galaxy of Lights
November – December 2017
Galaxy of Lights is a holiday light extravaganza featuring larger-than-life animated light displays.
See Santa soaring over a delightful winter village. Nursery rhyme characters dance and frolic among traditional scenes of the season. And, best of all, experience the magic of the twinkling icicle forest. Galaxy of Lights is the perfect holiday treat for the young and young-at-heart.
Many nights are discounted to $20. Our busier nights are $25 if purchased in the driving line (example: December 24th).
We accept donations of coats, gloves, blankets and canned goods for the less fortunate.
We give $1 off the driving night gate price of admission with any donation.
Special discounts are only allowed at the gate. Any ticket purchased in advance (in Shoppe at the Garden or online) will NOT receive any other discounts. Please note: Admission fees may be changed without notice.
Cool winter days during January and February are perfect for getting out of the house and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine in the Garden.
For the birding enthusiasts, you’ll be able to explore the Lewis Birding Trail, included on the North Alabama Birding Trail. The Garden is a Birding Hotspot and is included on the North Alabama Birding Trail Map. Visit the Lewis Birding Trail page for a list of bird species sighted at the Garden, a Birding Trail Map, and a photo gallery of birds photographed in the Garden. Grab your binoculars, head out to the Trail and capture a few sightings of your own!
For the “Barks” part of Beaks & Barks, bring your favorite four-legged friend to the Garden each day to stretch your legs and theirs and play some fetch in our “No Leash Zone.” Your dog can play there off-leash with his pals while you make friends with other pet parents. Then you both can enjoy the Garden while strolling, on-leash, on the pet paths.
Garden membership or admission for humans + $1 per dog or $10 PawPass for the season for your four-legged friends.
Our beautiful outdoor spaces take center stage during March and April. Spring-blooming trees, shrubs, and perennials are highlighted by colorful bulbs and special flowering displays.
We hope you’ll join us for favorite spring events, such as Night of 1000 Flowers, Spring Plant Sale, and Bunny Bonanza. Plant walks, classes for adults and children, and home school programs add to the fun.
