Island Ford CRNRA Park Front Entrance Native Plant Gardens  8850 Roberts Dr, Sandy Springs

If you are in the neighborhood of CRNRA’s Island Ford Park, take a short stroll from the front parking area to the Park’s Front Entrance Native Gardens. The gardens flank the car entrance/exit and the center “island.”

The gardens welcome you to explore more about this beautiful park located in the heart of Sandy Springs and to learn more about some of the flora native to our beloved Georgia. They are comprised of only native plants with cool and colorful “common” names like boneset, rattlesnake master, golden aster, Georgia basil, mountain mint, green and gold, Georgia aster, blue mist flower, and river oats – just to name a few! Oh, and by the way, that beautifully structured tree in the center island goes by the majestic name of Grancy Greybeard—a shout-out to its spring-time white feathery fringe-like blooms. Even the garden mulch is direct from local CRNRA trees.

These beauties are full of fauna, too. You might see hundreds of bumble bees on the mountain mint, asters or boneset during the late summer; catch some swallowtail or fritillaries floating amongst the green and golds, the asters or the rattlesnake masters during September; eye a skink or a gecko shyly maneuvering along the snake fence playing hide and seek; or applaud a visiting bluebird or robin flipping the leaves as they seek out their babies’ next meals.

The gardens were conceptualized by two CRNRA Rangers and are lovingly tended by volunteers of CRNRA, the CNPC, and the North Fulton Master Gardeners. Though they are quiet, unassuming introverts—these little gardens will WOW! all your senses four seasons a year—just look how stunning they are even on the cusp of winter! —Christine Williams, Project Chair