Cheekwood Art & Gardens

I think my new favorite place in the whole wide world may be Cheekwood. It's too bad that it is in Nashville, and that Nashville is so far away from my house. (Oh, but imagine how close it would be if I lived in Belle Meade!)

Cheekwood is a 55-acre botanical garden and museum of art built by Leslie and Mabel Cheek, and their Maxwell House fortune. The house is a 30,000-square-foot Georgian-style mansion that was completed in 1933, and it is now an art museum. We never even set foot inside of it, so you know I have to go back.


We did spend some time exploring the gardens. It was so lovely to see things in bloom, since nothing had started blooming at home yet. In fact, when we got back home after our trip, our yard and garden seemed so barren, even though my crocuses had bloomed. I mean, they are nothing compared to this blast of bloom and color:


We did go into the Frist Learning Center on the grounds for their Tuesday Tots art program. After an instructor gave Connor and Lex a short speech on their "Modern Masters" exhibit, they were provided with canvases, paint and spackle, and set to work. Their paintings turned out fabulously, and I'm going to have them framed so that I can hang them up here at home.


Next, we explored the gardens a bit more, but we barely scratched the surface. There are two entire garden trails littered with sculptures, and I would love to go back and explore those.

These may be the cutest photos I have ever taken.

Which one would you hang up on the wall?

We finished up our visit with a stop at the Pineapple Room for brunch. It was so yummy that I am really looking forward to going back! So, who wants to come with me?

(You get in for free with your reciprocal membership from Franklin Park Conservatory.)