Garden Giggles at Atlanta Botanical Garden

Don’t let the name fool you. For all its scientifically documented and ecologically diverse species of plants, the Atlanta Botanical Garden is a great place to take the family. Here, on a 30-acre spread in Piedmont Park, kids can romp and roam in the great outdoors – and learn a thing or two about nature in the process.

The Children’s Garden is, of course, the perfect starting point. Just a skip across the Flower Bridge, in a sun-dappled sanctuary of lush greenery, bright buds and sweet scents, this enchanting land welcomes wee ones with a winding path of whimsical wonders.

Cocoon inside a colossal caterpillar in the Laugh Garden, where an open-air maze leads to a 12-foot butterfly, perched atop an arched pavilion. Dig for fossils in the Dinosaur Garden in the company of a Cretaceous-era duckbill dinosaur, similar to those that roamed Georgia long ago. Scout out the “grandmother” and “grandfather” oaks at the three-story tree house. Listen to the bullfrogs bellow in the pond at Soggy Bog, complete with carnivorous plants and a splashy waterfall.

Built in partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to emphasize wellness and healing, the two-acre garden does just that, merrily mixing plant facts with hands-on fun at each of the themed spots. Little explorers can see an observation hive abuzz with activity at Beehive Meadow, hop into a watering can worthy of Peter Rabbit in McGregor’s Garden, and tour a “wattle” and “daub” house, fashioned like those made in 800-1540 A.D., in the Creek Indian Garden.

Adding to the experience, the Children’s Garden Amphitheater features special programs by storytellers, musicians and puppeteers from late spring through early fall. On this particular visit, Piedmont Winds demonstrated nature in music with its cheerfully chirping “Birds and Bees” performance. And on warm-weather days, tykes can cool off in a fountain of giant shower-powered sunflowers.

The adventure doesn’t end there. The garden is replete with sightseeing delights, including its “Niki in the Garden” exhibit, featuring mammoth masterpieces by the late French sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle. The outdoor art – fantastically festooned with mirrors, glass, semi-precious stones and ceramic mosaics – dazzles the senses with color and creativity.

Viewers can do more than gaze upon the wondrous work, they can reach out and touch it. Some pieces offer a truly tactile experience, extending an open invitation to step inside, for the interior design is surprisingly spectacular as well, perhaps none more so than “La Cabeza” with its celestial ceiling cast in heavenly hues of aqua and blue.

Much of the magic is generated by the mythological and monumental nature of the sculptures, which soar up to 18 feet in height and 25 feet in width. “Arbre Serpent” mesmerizes at the building entrance with an unusually striking slew of gilded snakes. The crocodilian “Nikigator” hooks kids with its stone-studded skeletal structuring. The artist’s eye-popping collection of “Nanas” and Native American-inspired totems tickle the child in everyone.

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