Massee Lane Gardens

Georgia, United States

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Massee Lane Gardens, located in Fort Valley, Georgia, is a 9-acre botanical garden recognized as an International Camellia Society "Garden of Excellence" and serves as the headquarters of the American Camellia Society.

Originally established in the 1930s as the private garden of David C. Strother, it was donated to the society in 1966 and has since grown into a premier destination for camellia enthusiasts, featuring over 1,000 varieties of the plant. The gardens are renowned for their extensive camellia collection, which blooms from late summer through spring, with peak displays in February and March, earning camellias the nickname "Winter Rose".

Brick pathways guide visitors through formal camellia displays, including specialized areas like the Camellia Species Garden, Seedling Forest, and Sun Trial Garden, while also showcasing the breeding work of Dr. William Ackerman, known for developing cold-hardy, fragrant, and yellow-flowered hybrids.

In addition to camellias, the gardens feature the Abendroth Japanese Garden with a tea house and koi pond, the Scheibert Rose Garden with more than 150 varieties, an Environmental Garden highlighting native southeastern plants, and seasonal blooms of azaleas, daffodils, daylilies, and hydrangeas.

The site also includes the Annabelle Lundy Fetterman building, which houses a visitor center with a gift shop, auditorium, and the largest public display of Boehm porcelain sculptures in the United States, along with educational exhibits and a slide show on camellia cultivation. Designated a National Register Historic Place, Massee Lane Gardens offers guided tours, hosts an annual Festival of Camellias in February, and remains a year-round attraction where something is always in bloom [web: