Callaway Gardens

Pine Mountain, Georgia, United States

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Callaway Gardens, located in Pine Mountain, Georgia, began in the 1920s when Cason and Virginia Callaway purchased depleted cotton fields with the vision to restore the land and create a natural retreat.

In 1930, Cason discovered the rare Plumleaf Azalea growing in the area, which inspired them to develop the gardens. Over the next two decades, they made significant improvements by damming streams to create 13 lakes, filling in eroded gullies, and planting over 20,000 trees, shrubs, and native flowers with the help of landscape architects.

The gardens opened to the public in 1952 as the Ida Cason Gardens, later becoming Callaway Gardens in 1961. Today, these gardens cover more than 14,000 acres and are famous for housing the world's largest azalea garden, as well as offering golf courses, cycling trails, boating, and various recreational and educational opportunities. The gardens continue to honor the Callaway family’s legacy of conservation, restoration, and natural beauty, attracting millions of visitors annually.