Oct. 19, 2016---Atlanta Botanical Gardens-Chihuly day and night:

Every since we moved here I've seen advertisements for Chihuly in the Garden and have been anxious to get to the Atlanta Botanical Garden before the exhibit leaves.  My MOBOT (Missouri Botanical Gardens) even gets me and guest into it free---at least in the daytime.  That's a savings of $21.95@.  Angie wanted to go, too, so we agreed we were going----before Oct. 31st when the exhibit left.  Time was running out!  So we finally decided to pick a date and go see it in the afternoon, go to dinner, then go back for Chihuly Nights (unfortunately they don't have reciprocal entrance for that).

The day finally came!  So I picked her up at 1pm and we were on our way downtown to where the Atlanta Botanical Garden is.  Surprisingly, traffic was moving and we made it there in about 30 minutes.   Had to pay for parking (goes by the half hour or hour, so ended up paying $7 for about 3 1/2 hours).  We were expecting it to be crowded at night, so bought our tickets to come back when we got our free entrance for the daytime hours.

The horticulture team here worked with the Chihuly team on a color scheme.  Then six 53' containers full of Chihuly glass were shipped to the garden.  The thousands of elements were installed over a 2 week period.   The other time Chihuly had an exhibit here was 12 years ago when the garden was half the size it is now.  I'm thinking the garden has almost doubled since I was last here!

 There happened to be a scarecrow exhibit going on right now, too.  Some pretty interesting "scarecrows"!

 I assume this was some sort of kids organization's scarecrow.  They had signs with the scarecrow with funny notes from the kids on them.  Such as this one----

 There were also lots of flowers still in bloom around the gardens.

 Another interesting scarecrow.  Wonder if this would really keep birds out or would it attract them?!

 Angie noticed this one had a first place ribbon by it.   But is there really a scarecrow there?! :)

We headed to the elevated Kendeda Canopy Walk.  This goes over the entrance road that leads to the garden's parking lot.

 Hanging high along side the walkway is this piece---Chartreuse Hornet Ployvitro Chandelier.

 I love all the interesting seating areas throughout the park---such as this one on the canopy walk.

 We were able to get glimpses of Chihuly to come---like this piece at the far north end of the garden.

 down off the canopy walk and circling around on our way towards the above piece is this one---White Belugas

 Shortly after the Belugas is this feature.  The purple pieces are Neodymium Reeds.  The green piece is Green Hornets and Waterdrops.

 closer view of the above.

 even closer view

 Lots and lots of different types of foliage, too.

One of the kinds of bushes had lots of these orchid looking blooms on it.  There were many happy bees in the garden.

 love all the different striated leaves.

 Getting closer to Saffron Tower.

 Reflection of the tower in the water mirror.

 Close up of Saffron Towers.

 More interesting flowers near the tower---reminds me of the above piece.

 Another picture of the tower.

 and another happy bee.

 Another Fall flower

 Still not a lot of leaf color in these lower elevations.  But it's still really hot.  In fact, high temperature records were broken today with something like a high of 89.  It was a bit humid, too.  One of the reasons why we didn't go in the summer was because we thought we'd wait until it cooled off!  Got tired of waiting!

 They were very original with the names of these---Red Reeds.

 Continuing along the Woodland Ramble---still on the North side of the park.  I don't think there was much to this part of the garden last time I was here---which was at least 4 years ago.

 Loving the leaves.

 This one looked like camouflage.

 Now we're on the other side of the entrance road heading into to the Cascades Garden. 

 Here are the Fiori Boat and Niijima Floats. 

and more colorful leaves.

 and colorful flowers.

and not so colorful flowers

 We headed back up towards the entrance and continued on our way to the south side of the park.  This is the area where the scarecrows were.

 I like the artwork on the pumpkins in this scarecrow.

 I loved how this one's cape was made!

cut up water bottles!!!  What a neat idea!

Next we headed towards the Children's Garden where another Chihuly was hanging---Trumpet Flower Arbor.

zoomed in.

 more colorful leaves.

 I don't think Linton's restaurant was here last time I was here, either.  Looked pretty nice.

 to the East of Lintons is this piece---Sol Del Citron

zoomed in

 Love how they placed a lot of yellow around it.

 Looking over the permanent piece, Blue and White, in the Levy Parterre between Day Hall and Mershon Hall. I guess they got this piece 12 years ago when the exhibit was here then.

 Zooming in on Blue and White.

 By now Angie and I had been here a couple hours and were ready for a cold drink.  So we headed into Linton's.  Not only is there a sit down restaurant in there, but there's also a little cafe bar and dedicated seating area for it.  It was nice to sit and cool off for  awhile.  I didn't notice them, but I've read they've added six drawings by the Chihuly artist to accent one wall.  The long table is one of the ones for the cafe bar.  The round ones are for the sit down restaurant.

 Back to being intrigued with the markings on the leaves.

 Across a walkway from Linton's is this little courtyard.  Here we also visited the Chihuly gift shop.  While we were in there, we asked one of the employees about memberships.  She said both our fees could be put towards a membership.  A single membership is $75, $99 for a couple; so $50 of that was met.  Angie decided she and Josh were going to join.  Ken and I were slackers when it came to Angie's birthday and anniversary, so we bought it for them for their anniversary.  I know how much I enjoy our membership and reciprocal gardens.  Hopefully they will, too.

 zoomed in on the above piece---Three Graces Tower

 Back out into the garden and more interesting patterned leaves.

 Loved this doggy.  Reminds me of our last dog, Roxy, only Roxy was black instead of green. 

 Another of the many sitting areas.

 One of the times I was here years ago there was a gate exhibit going on.  Wonder if this was left over from that?  This led to an outdoor cafe.

 Another gate.  This one led to the smallest Japanese Garden I've ever seen.

 This was half of it.  But it had Chihuly in it, too---Turquoise Marlins and Floats (here are the floats looking like a babbling brook).

  The Atlanta Botanical Garden isn't so much a structured formal garden with flowers beds covering every where.  It's more of a park like setting.  But where they do have flower beds, they have some really interesting flowers.

 continuing to the far north side of the park ---Sapphire Star. 

 Looking back at Levy Parterre on our way towards Sapphire Star.

 Even found a butterfly still out and about.

 and more bees.

 roses still in bloom

 I believe these were on the Magnolia trees. 

 Skyline of the city of Atlanta from the Sapphire Star.

 Yep, another zoomed in picture of the Chihuly.  I almost like detailed views of the glass more then the whole piece.

 Close to here is where the future Skyline Garden will be---scheduled for 2017.  This is showing the Carmel and Red Fiori pieces.

 and more pretty flowers.  Looks like one of my favorites---alstromeria.

These were on a tree by the Fiori pieces.

 Looking through the Red Fiori to the big lawn area.

 Another of my favorite flowers!---Hibiscus

 another insect enjoying the garden.

 Not sure if this guy is a butterfly or a moth, but still pretty.

 looking back over the lawn towards the Sapphire Star.

 In front of the Fuqua Conservatory is a lily pond.  I love the way the water beads up on the lily pads and sparkles.

 There were even some blooming lilies.

 Next we headed into the Conservatory.  There was a wall of these guys and some other bromiliads.

 Inside the main area of the conservatory were 3 more Chihuly pieces.  This was the first one---appropriately named Ikebana.

 It was quite humid in this very tropical setting.  Made for interesting sun rays streaking in.

 Looking up through the dangling aerial roots.

 another Chihuly

 Love the tropical foliage!

 Entering the Fuqua Orchid Center.  These guys graced the entrance---Sapphire Neon with Neodymium Reeds, Floats, and Logs.

 We were surprised that the orchid center was actually cool.  Don't know if these are orchids, but they certainly fit in with the neon Chihuly pieces!

 One of the orchids here.

 another "flower" in the orchid room.

 Not sure if these are orchids.  If they are, they certainly aren't the the typical orchid.

Another Chihuly piece inside the orchid center---Black and Green Striped Herons with Icicle Clusters.

 Now it was almost 5 and the park was suppose to close.  Chihuly Nights was suppose to start at 6.  Although we found out when we got there that after 4 you could pay for Chihuly Night and they would give you a wrist band and you could just stay.  I wondered how they would get everyone out by 5.  Seems it would have been easy to get there before 4 and just stay.  But we took advantage of paying for the Chihuly Nights by putting that towards a membership.  We planned to go to dinner from 5-6, so we headed back to the entrance.
A few more pictures along our way.

 I wonder if wisteria hangs from here in Spring.  I bet that would be pretty.

 Cute garden decor by the gift shop at the entrance to the garden.

We didn't know where we were going to eat.  So I started driving and Angie started checking the internet for places near by.  She mentioned a couple places, then came up with this place---Mary Mac's Tea Room.  Not sure who named it!  It's a lot more then a Tea room!  It's a really great Southern restaurant!  I will gladly go here again!!!

 One of the rooms inside the restaurant.

 They have a unique way of ordering.  You fill out your own order form.  Seems like a good idea!  If your order is wrong, it's probably your fault!  You get to order an entree, then pick 2 sides (more if you want, but for an extra fee).  The selection was great---chicken (fried, chicken fried, or baked), turkey, pork chops, meatloaf, and more that I'm forgetting.  Sides included Brussels sprout souffle, fried green tomatoes, mac and cheese, potato cakes, sweet potatoes, cooked apples, creamed corn, green beans, butter peas (had to ask what those were), salad for a little more, and many more things that sounded good to me.  Desserts included peach cobbler, apple cobbler, key lime pie, and pecan pie.

  Plus they start you off with a selection of breads---rolls, corn bread and cinnamon rolls.

 I got the fried chicken breast, Brussels sprouts souffle, and potato cakes.  Very good chicken coating!  Everything else was great, too.

Angie got the chicken fried chicken, mac and cheese and fried green tomatoes.  Our meals were about $13@. 

 Dessert was separate.  I got key lime pie.  We ate some of it there and took the rest home.

 Angie got the pecan pie to go.

By now it was past 6pm, so we headed back to the garden.  In the entrance building is this piece---Nepenthes Chandelier---which is part of the Garden's permanent collection.

 Didn't show this one earlier.  It's the one nearest the entrance (not counting the chandelier) --- Indigo Blue Icicle Tower.

 Then we headed back towards the Levy Parterre.

 Didn't show these earlier either---Fire Amber Herons.   I love the design on the planter.

Heading back through the gardenhouse.

  By now I was beginning to realize it wasn't going to be as neat at night as I thought it might be. The lighting wasn't the greatest on many of the pieces.  It was still fairly light here, but it was already noticeable that some of the Chihuly wasn't lit well. 

 The Earth Goddess.  She was installed in 2013---since my last visit.  She's supposed to be covered with more than 18,000 plants.  She looks pretty bare right now.  But I love the hand forming a waterfall. 

 We headed back to the Citron Tower, stopping to take pictures of a few more of the pieces.  This is from the White Balugas.

 The Saffron Tower was one of the  really neat pieces at night since it had the lights built into it. 

 Now that it was dark, it got quite crowded.  I'm glad we came in the afternoon and knew where we were going at night.  There was very little light in most places of the garden and we kept hearing people trying to figure out where they were.

 Note how dark it is on the other side of the tunnel. 

 This piece looked pretty cool at night---Fern Dell Paintbrushes.

 This was back in the Japanese garden---The Turquoise Marlins.

Sapphire Star was lit well.

 We went back into the Conservatory to head to the Orchid center.  We didn't get all the way through the orchid center earlier.  Again, I love tropical plants and designs made from them.

 Reflection of Sapphire Neon in one of the Floats by the entrance of the orchid center.

 The Sapphire Neon pieces were pretty cool, but the rest of it was dark.

Most of the orchid center was closed off.  With as dark as it was in there, I'm not surprised.  
I'm glad we went to Chihuly Nights, but actually liked it better in the daylight.  It was a fun mother/daughter outing!  Wish we could do more of them.