Coweta's Secret Garden

It was one of those rare, eerily serendipitous finds. In the summer of 2000, Jennifer Bigham literally stumbled upon buried treasure when she bought a 140-acre plot of land south of Atlanta in rural Coweta County. Having purchased the property purely as a place to go and relax, Jennifer and her unsuspecting family instead found themselves cast in a curious local drama that drew them in and convinced them to save history and revive a tribute to nature and the arts. For beneath the murky tangle of underbrush on their new spread, in what appeared to be just another Southern shrine to kudzu, lay the crumbling remains of Dunaway Gardens – an all-star attraction of the ’30s and ’40s. Over the course of the next three years, the theatrical splendor of the grounds was unearthed and painstakingly renovated, one stone at a time.

"We are meant to share it,” Jennifer Bigham said of Newnan’s famous gardens, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “It’s a place that speaks of a quieter, gentler time.”

In 2003, the Bighams re-opened the garden’s imposing iron gates, welcoming flora and fauna fans once again to this scenic sanctuary of unrivaled beauty. Brides have since fallen in love with Dunaway Gardens as the perfect spot for tying the knot, whether it's under the centuries-old white oak Wedding Tree or on the grass-and-stone-terraced amphitheatre.

Just a 30-minute hop from the big city, Dunaway is becoming a popular getaway for Atlantans, as well.

But few realize they are strolling through a historical playground for famous actors. In its heyday, Dunaway was a theatrical training ground for the likes of Minnie Pearl and played proud host to such celebrities as Walt Disney. Town and rural folk alike came to see spectacular shows, and guests enjoyed glamorous parties that rivaled the glitz of The Great Gatsby.

Born of the love story between famous Chautauqua Circuit stage actress Hetty Jane Dunaway and her dashing booking agent Wayne P. Sewell, Dunaway was the product of a compromise.

Hetty Jane could hardly have known what to think when, as a new, modern bride, she was whisked away to Sewell’s sprawling, and very rural, Georgia plantation. Her groom told her she could turn his land into anything she wanted and for 18 years she created a haven for her husband, her friends and her art.

With muscle and determination, the Bigham family and their workers dug, shoveled and swatted to uncover Hetty Jane’s elaborate masterpiece, once known as the South’s largest rock and floral garden.

In the process, they uncovered one gem after another, including Little Stone Mountain, a 1-acre granite outcrop rumored to have healing powers, as well as the burned remains of the Blue Bonnet Tea Room, where Hollywood stars of yesteryear dined on hearty fare and ladies sipped specialty blends of herbal tea.

“We literally rolled back the kudzu like carpet,” said Bigham’s son Josh Fisher, a real estate broker and Director of Operations at the gardens. He was one of a 15-man crew who beat back towering weeds, snakes and an occasional angry beaver living in the adjoining wetlands, which now offers a spectacular view.

Dating back to the early 1900s, Dunaway Garden’s remarkable, sometimes outrageous history certainly makes it a lively, unique spot for special occasions or just a casual walk-through.

DUNAWAY GARDENS IS OPEN DURING THE FALL AND SPRING, WITH SOME OFF-SEASON OPEN GARDEN DAYS. 3218 ROSCOE ROAD / HWY. 70, NEWNAN. 678/423-4050. DUNAWAYGARDENS.COM