If I made a list of Georgia’s 7 Wonders, Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden would be right at the top because it is a dream-like delight unlike anywhere else in the world. Finster transformed an ordinary plot of land into a living art environment of angels, mirrors, mosaics, bike parts, and bric-a-brac. If you’re into outsider art, or just in search of something immersive and handmade with a lot of heart, this is for you. For the best experience, stay overnight and take a moonlit stroll through the garden with the company of resident cats, Calvin and Hobbes.
Location
200 North Lewis Street, Summerville, Georgia, USA
The closest city with an airport is Chattanooga (<1 hour away). It’s about a 2 hour, 40 minute drive from Athens, GA and about 2 hours from Atlanta.
Reverend Howard Finster
Howard Finster began building Paradise Garden in the 1960s. In 1976, at nearly 60 years old, he had a vision from God commanding him to paint sacred art. Rising to the occasion, Finster created more than 46,000 works before his death in 2001. His art is now celebrated in galleries around the world. Every corner of Paradise Garden bursts with color and boundless imagination, creating an art environment that transcends religious boundaries for visitors. He is celebrated as one of America’s most treasured outsider artists, and was a key figure in the Southern Visionary Folk Artists collective.
In pop culture, Paradise Garden can be seen as the backdrop for R.E.M.’s “Radio Free Europe” music video. Finster’s art is on the cover of R.E.M.’s album Reckoning (1984), as well as on the Talking Heads’ album Little Creatures (1985), and he collaborated on several pieces with Keith Haring.
When to Go
The garden is operated and maintined by the Paradise Garden Foundation, a Georgia Non-Profit. It’s open year-round, Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm. Tickets are $15 (discounts to seniors and students). The color pop of Finster’s creations means it’s wonderful in every season (bring bug repellent if you go in the summer though!).
Finster Fest
Finster Fest is an annual arts and music festival (since 1991!), usually held in September. This year, Finster Fest is September 23-24. Tickets are $10.
Tomb of the Unknown Body
Read about the unusual grave at Finster’s Paradise Garden on my friend’s blog Southern Cemetery.
What’s Nearby?
- The Calhoun Rock Garden, 1411 Rome Rd SW, Calhoun, GA 30701: 50+ miniature castles, cottages, a mini Notre Dame, and a kid-sized Colosseum made from small stones, cement, shells, and tile.
- James H. (Sloppy) Floyd State Park, 2800 Sloppy Floyd Lake Rd, Summerville, GA 30747: Hike the Marble Mine Trail to an abandoned mine entrance and aqua lake
- Chattanooga, TN!
*These photos are from my trips to the garden from 2015 to 2022
I like your blog. And you started out very near where I lived decades ago! Though I lived in NW Georgia only 4 years, they were formative years and were the only time I lived in the south. Certain places and people around there are forever in my heart.
Thanks, Dean! We gotta catch up sometime. I’d love to hear about your Georgia years. ♡