Callaway Gardens

Callaway Gardens is a 6,500 acres (2,600 ha) resort complex located in Pine Mountain, Georgia, just outside Columbus, Georgia. The destination draws over 750,000 visitors annually.

Callaway Gardens was founded in 1952 by Cason J. and Virginia Hand Callaway to promote and protect native azalea species. His son, Bo Callaway, helped develop and run the garden. Today, Callaway Gardens features a wide variety of recreational attractions including a large enclosed butterfly habitat, the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, and the John Sibley Horticultural Center, known for its wide variety of cultivars and native plants. The native palm Sabal minor maintains one of its northernmost populations in the area.

History and expansion

The garden was originally conceived in 1930 after Cason J. Callaway discovered a rare azalea growing in the area. Callaway Gardens opened on May 21, 1952 as the Ida Cason Gardens, with a number of lakes, a golf course, and scenic drives. The gardens were named for the mother of founder Cason J. Callaway. Robin Lake Beach and the Overlook Azalea Garden opened the following year in 1953. In 1955, The gardens were renamed Ida Cason Callaway Gardens. The Masters Water-ski Tournament, now an annual event, held its first competition in 1959.