MURRELLS INLET, S.C. – Brookgreen Gardens is pleased to announce a diverse array of programming in June, including the return of its annual after-hours lighted art exhibition, Summer Light: Art by Night. In addition to this breathtaking series of evenings at the Gardens, June offers an educational Juneteenth celebration, the unveiling of a new art exhibition, and a series of immersive summer camp experiences for children.
Summer Light: Art by Night, Wednesdays and Saturdays, June 4 – August 30, 6 – 10 p.m.
On 26 enchanting summer nights, thousands of bulbs will illuminate Brookgreen Gardens, offering guests an opportunity to see the National Historic Landmark in a new light. Brookgreen's stunning landscapes, including the iconic Oak Allée, will come alive with sparkling light installations created by Brookgreen's public exhibits production and design team, the same talented group behind the beloved Nights of a Thousand Candles winter series. Additionally, this year's event will be enhanced by the exhibition Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith, featuring 30 large-scale glass sculptures that will be illuminated as evening falls. Gates will reopen at 6 p.m. each Wednesday and Saturday to allow visitors to enjoy live music, savor dining and beverage options from Austin's Harvest Restaurant, the Old Kitchen, and a selection of food trucks, as well as shop at Keepsakes, Brookgreen's onsite retailer. For more information on this year's event and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.brookgreen.org/
Additional June Events:
Harmony in Nature Series
Designed to deepen the connection with the natural world amidst the lush tranquility of Brookgreen, these curated events offer participants an invigorating blend of relaxation and discovery.
- Get to Know Trees, June 3, 10 – 11 a.m.
- Tibetan Sound Bowl Meditation, June 10, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Brookgreen Labyrinth Walks, June 20, 1 – 3 p.m.
- Chair Yoga, June 25, 10 – 11 a.m.
Photo Walks in the Garden, June 4, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Photographers Anne Malarich and CJ Uricks will lead guests on a two-hour walk through Brookgreen Gardens with a camera in hand. Walks will cover photography topics, including exposure and composition while exploring various subjects such as flowers, butterflies, and birds.
Dirt & Details: Four Corners, June 5, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Brookgreen Gardens Manager of Horticulture Luiz Nascimento will lead guests on a tour of the Harvest Living Wall and Annual Border, where he will explain the process, preparation, and planting of the seasonal display, as well as the Four Corners, where he will discuss how the Brookgreen team transformed the area into an ornamental border of shade perennials.
Sip and Sculpt, June 7, 3 – 5 p.m.
Held in the new Simpson Art Center, this hands-on event invites guests of all experience levels to unleash their creativity and mold their masterpieces while sipping on something delightful. The June Sip and Sculpt is now full, but another class is available on October 11.
An Archaeology of Food in Georgetown County, June 10, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Dr. Jodi A. Barnes, Heritage Trust Archaeologist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, will discuss archaeological research in Georgetown County and what it reveals about past foodways, from what people ate to how they stored, prepared, and consumed foods beginning 8,000 years ago to the turn of the 20th century.
Care and Case Studies of the Animals at Charles Towne Landing, June 12, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Dr. Todd Heldreth, Staff Veterinarian at Charles Towne Landing Animal Forest, will discuss how zookeepers provide routine care to promote the physical and mental well-being of the animals at Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site in Charleston, South Carolina.
Twist and Weave: A Square-to-Round Basket Experience, June 14, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
This hands-on basket weaving workshop will provide beginners or those looking to refine their skills with the opportunity to create a square-to-round basket to take home. Participants will learn how to lay out a base, weave structured sides, and finish the rim with professional techniques.
The Elegance of Camellias: History, Symbolism, and Cultivation, June 17, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Led by Kate White, president of the Perennial Plant Foundation and a member of the Horticulture Advisory Board at Trident Technical College, this talk will explore the rich history, cultural significance, and horticultural beauty of camellias as well as how to best care for them.
Juneteenth Program: Gullah Storytelling, June 18, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Honoring freedom, heritage, and resilience through the power of storytelling, this program for all ages will be led by acclaimed Gullah storyteller Frank Murry, who will share the oral traditions passed down through generations and offer insight into the lives, wisdom, and culture of the Gullah Geechee people.
Backyard Bullies: Invasive Plants and How to Stop Them, June 24, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Kaela Miller, plant collections coordinator at Brookgreen Gardens and a former zoo horticulturist, will lead a discussion on invasive plants in the Grand Strand area, providing tips on how to identify and manage them while sharing beautiful alternatives to restore balance and biodiversity in guests' outdoor spaces.
Brookgreen 101, June 26, 1 – 2 p.m.
Brookgreen 101 is a monthly public information program at the Wall Lowcountry Center Auditorium, covering various aspects of Brookgreen Gardens, including its collections, property, history, people, poetry, art history, corporate history, founders, and purposes. This month's topic will be Two Horsey Women, Anna Hyatt Huntington and Belle Baruch, with Robin Salmon and Lee Brockington.
Children's Programming:
Pollinator Playground, Now – September 14
Guests are invited to fly, leap, climb, or crawl their way through this family-friendly exhibition and see what it takes for a pollinator to survive, help plants thrive, and, in the process, feed the world! Before the adventure begins, visitors will learn the ins and outs of pollination at Pollinator Basic Training. Then, they may use their knowledge to navigate through the maze – visiting flowers, avoiding threats, and using their good survival instincts to steer clear of dead ends – fostering an appreciation for the physical abilities and adaptations pollinators use to collect nectar and pollen.
Camp Brookgreen: Nature is 'Sense-ational,' June 9 – 13, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
This five-day summer camp invites children in kindergarten or first grade to explore their five senses and nature while discovering the many areas of Brookgreen Gardens through fun-filled walks, crafts, and STEAM activities.
Teach Outside the Box: Stretch Safari, June 21, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Designed for children aged 6-12, this fun and engaging movement program combines stretching, music, and storytelling to inspire mindfulness and creativity while building strength, flexibility, and focus.
Camp Brookgreen: Icky-ology, June 23 – 27, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
This five-day summer camp invites children in second or third grade to take a hike on the wild side while investigating things that are "icky" in the natural world, such as how animal waste is used in the garden, while participating in STEAM challenges, making crafts and meeting animal ambassadors.
Exhibitions:
NEW: Up, Down, Near and Far, June 14 – August 10
The Up, Down, Near and Far exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens features a series of unconventional photo-based images by Charleston-based photographer and multimedia artist Kirsten Hoving. The "Down" and "Near" portions of the exhibition focus on what we see when we look closely at what is at ground level, while the "Up" and "Far" portions of the exhibition emphasize distant cloudscapes and forest scenes.
- Artist Talk with Kirsten Hoving, June 14, 2 – 3 p.m.
Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith, Now – August 30
Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith showcases vibrant glass sculptures that capture nature's beauty, on display in the Noble Gallery and throughout the Sculpture Gardens. Daytime admission is included with the general admission ticket to the Gardens, while evening visits require a separate event ticket to Summer Light: Art by Night, Wednesday and Saturday evenings, June 4 – August 30.
NAWA Exhibition - Brookgreen Inspires: Women Create, Now – July 20
Brookgreen Inspires: Women Create presents the beauty and power of Brookgreen Gardens and its collections as seen through the eyes of sculptors, painters, and photographers who are members of the South Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Women Artists, an organization founded in 1889 to gain recognition for professional women artists in an era when that field was strongly male-oriented. Their interpretations of Brookgreen's landscapes, sculptures, structures, animals, and other inspirational views will be on display through the approximately 70 artworks juried for this exhibit.
For more information about Brookgreen Gardens and its upcoming programming, visit www.brookgreen.org.