ATLANTA — The Atlanta Botanical Garden is planning an eight-acre expansion project that will directly connect the site to the Atlanta Beltline.
Funded by a $165 million capital campaign, the development will establish a new entry point to the property along with dedicated visitor amenities. The garden is seeking a few million dollars in additional donations to reach its fundraising target.
Mary Pat Matheson, the president and CEO of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, explained that the expansion project grew out of an effort to link the botanical grounds to the adjacent multiuse trail network.
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“When we realized the land next to the garden touched the Beltline, we went on a mission to raise money and build eight acres of new gardens,” Matheson said.
To create the four-seasons, walkable footprint, existing commercial properties near the site will be demolished. The plans feature a visitor facility directly along the trail path.
“With a new visitor center that’ll have a really fabulous restaurant right on the belt line,” Matheson said. “So we’re going to be one garden with two front doors.”
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Designers drew inspiration from European landscapes, including traditional Italian gardens, incorporating a water feature that flows through the property.
Matheson highlighted how the entrance design aligns with environmental goals by encouraging non-automotive arrivals.
“The other thing that’s great about it is its sustainable entrance,” Matheson said. “Why? Because you don’t have to drive a car to come in that front door. You come in by foot, you come in bicycle, or you come by scooter, so your own volition. And we love that, because we’re a green organization.”
Project leaders aim to complete the expansion in 2029.
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