The McReynolds Garden was created in memory of Beth McReynolds, the creator of the ‘Birmingham Style.’
“Leave Room for the Butterflies”
Beth McReynolds often spoke these words to her students as they were learning her iconic floral design approach, fondly remembered as the “Birmingham Style.” This style blends the structural principles of Japanese ikebana and the exuberance of English floral design using plants commonly found in Southern gardens. Mrs. McReynolds taught her students to celebrate the seasons and to honor the natural structure of cut branches and flowers, leaving room for the butterflies to pass through.
Breathing Space
This small and tranquil pocket garden, given by Mrs. McReynolds’ students, honors her Birmingham Style through the plant selection. Designed by her grandson, Dexter Hambaugh, the garden includes many of her favorite plants for arrangements such as evergreen azaleas, saucer magnolias, camellias, and fatsias. Take a moment to pause on the bench and soak in the peaceful trickle of the crane fountain in the pond.