On Jan. 23, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia broke ground on the Gateway to the Garden entrance project, with state legislators, UGA administrators, donors and garden staff in attendance. The project will relocate and expand the entranceway to accommodate the increased number of visitors and provide additional parking and trail access.

When the State Botanical Garden of Georgia was founded in 1968, its entrance was built to serve 50,000 visitors a year. This past year, more than 470,000 people explored its curated garden spaces and trails — nearly 10 times the original projection.

“The Gateway to the Garden project represents a tremendous milestone for the State Botanical Garden of Georgia as it continues to expand its offerings to visitors from across the state and beyond,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “The garden is a perfect representation of the significant impact the University of Georgia can have through its teaching, research and service missions, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who continues to elevate this special place on campus.”

The relocated and enlarged entrance will better accommodate larger vehicles, such as school buses bringing more than 4,000 children annually to the garden for field trips. In addition, the project includes a new parking area, improved trail access and greater pedestrian infrastructure to improve visitors’ experiences at the botanical garden.

Funding for the multiphase $5 million project has been raised from private support and a state appropriation of $2.35 million.  

Construction of the new entrance is expected to be completed in late 2026. Visitors to the garden should not be impacted by construction.