During the month of June, Greenwood, SC plays host to the South Carolina Festival of Flowers and I had the privilege of being a guest for the opening weekend of its 50th-anniversary celebration this year. With a whopping forty-four one-of-a-kind topiaries and oodles of garden beds bursting with colorful blossoms, I had a ball enjoying all the eye candy as I popped in and out of charming shops, galleries and eateries along my uptown stroll.
The Festival of Flowers has grown considerably since its humble 1967 garden show beginnings. It now sees an average 81,000 attendees over the course of the month-long festival, and it’s one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s top 20 events.
One of the most popular festival events is the Topiaries & Tastings Wine Walk of opening weekend. Ticket holders pick up their souvenir glass and a map at the kick-off venue and then leisurely stroll past the topiaries as they enjoy wine tastings, appetizers, and live music at numerous local uptown area businesses.
The topiaries (inspired by Walt Disney World’s Flower and Garden Show) are a relatively new addition to the South Carolina Festival of Flowers, and it’s jaw-dropping how much goes into building, irrigating and maintaining the colossal works of art.
Custom metal frames are filled with bladders and then covered in several inches of sphagnum moss and carefully selected flora. A highly intricate irrigation system directs varying amounts of moisture to the different plants within each topiary. Once the topiaries have been put together, regular pruning, fertilizing and maintenance are required to ensure they last throughout the festival and beyond.
It’s a monumental undertaking that starts a year in advance, but the results are stunning!
Visit the South Carolina Festival of Flowers website for details on next year’s event, and check out Greenwood’s Festival of Discovery as well. Reach out to the South Carolina Old 96 District Tourism Commission for help in planning a trip to the area.
Be sure to read my post about South Carolina’s Old 96 District for lots of other ideas on what to do in the area.
Comments & Reviews
Wow! Those pieces look amazing. I need to visit. I wish we had something like this where I live.
These gardens are gorgeous!!! We are down in the Carolinas often. I’ll have to remember to go when this festival is going on and the flowers are in bloom!
This is not only looks beautiful, but fun as well! I’ll certainly have to add it to our travel list!
Wow it is beautiful down in SC this time of year! My friend lives down there we need to make another trip!
I have been to Epcot Flower and Garden show that you are talking about. These topiary pieces look as good as the ones I saw there. I would love to see this.
These are so pretty! I would love to see something like this. Some nature. Some wine. Sounds like a good day to me!
WOw, this is awesome. So many beautiful flower creations. I really need to come for a visit to South Carlina.
This is awesome!!! I would love to visit the Festival of Flowers! Looks like there is so much to see and do!
Wow! This is something I would love to see. I think we might just visit next year for this festival. How beautiful everything is!
Very pretty! I would love to go to a garden festival like this. My daughter is obsessed with flowers and nature so I’m sure she’d love to go too.
these flowers are unreal!! i can’t believe the creativity and ingenuity that goes into something like this!
I love this kind of festivals! They are so creative and flowers always make everything better; I’d love to visit one day, perfect excuse to visit the USA for the first time!
I would love to check out this festival of flowers someday! Everything is so pretty – they really did a good job with the topiaries.
This looks so amazing! I love all the flowers and foliage. It’s absolutely beautiful.
I would love to take the family to the Festival of Flowers. The blooms, foliage, and shapes that they made are all very pretty. My family would love it.
WOW! What a cool event! This reminded me of the Rose Parade every year in California. I think it’s called the Tournament of Roses or something…. I love the shapes in the foliage they made!
Oh wow, how impressive. I love all of these animals! Checking this out would be a blast. I especially adore that elephant.
These are so creative! I would love to see this flower festival. Even my son who was walking by the computer while I was looking at these said he would love to see this. We both love the elephant and the giraffe.
What a beautiful event. Thanks for the suggestion of visiting the tourism commission. I often visit the tourism / visitors website of places we plan to visit for listings of local events. Definitely a great resource.
This flower festival looks and sounds amazing! It kind of reminds me of the Botanical Garden here in Montreal.
I would love to see this festival of flowers. It is absolutely gorgeous and a lot of work went into this, clearly. I am happy that you shared this South Carolina Festival of Flowers event with photos, makes me want to go visit!
I didn’t even know there WAS a festival of flowers and then from the name I thought it would be simple floewrs but these aren’t just flowers they are flower sculptures! How cool! I love the elephant the best. Beautiful.
What an absolutely amazing flower festival! I would love to attend this Greenwood, SC one. That little dog, the monkeys, the elephant fountain – it’s hard to pick a favorite!
Never been to this state yet and the festival of flowers would be something fun to attend. So much detail to take in and enjoy.
This is so impressive! I would love to take the family to this! I would love to see all these flowers, and my son would be impressed with all of the creations. How fun!
I love this! What an amazing festival to go visit.
This would be an awesome festival to attend! I love the flowers growing on inanimate objects like the jeep! Your pictures do the festival justice!
I am amazed at the topiaries! I can only imagine how much work they put in to make it that perfect! I would love to experience this Flower Festival. Hopefully, if I get to a chance to visit South Carolina, it would be during the flower festival. The jeep and the elephant are my top picks!
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to go to this event!!! I adore all the gorgeous floral exhibits and the topiaries!!
Oh and you know I would be at the Topiaries & Tastings Wine Walk!!! I am so in for anything like this!
I’m always amazed at people’s creativity with flowers and shrubs and plants. I have zero green thumb, so this is awesome.. It must have been a great festival.
Beautiful! The topiary and he flowers are so awesome! I love the birdseed feeder with a pot full of succulents. I will bump North Carolina up my bucket list. There are so many things to enjoy there!
This is a flower/nature lover’s paradise! I can’t believe SC is my home state and I didn’t know about this. I am definitely making plans to attend the festival next year. The baby elephant is my favorite.
I want to say something but it is all so cool I am almost at a loss for words! The elephant spraying water and the dog are my favorites. What an incredible experience.
I admire the creativity of the flowers. Everything looks stunning. Would love to see it in person.
What a truly visual feast for the eyes! I love all the different ways they have incorporated the flowers to create art installations – this is definitely a great reason to visit South Carolina. Thanks for putting it on my radar!
Wow! Those topiaries are amazing! I love fresh flowers and a festival like this would be fun for the entire family for sure.
I thought that a flower show is a flower show but those topiaries were really outstanding and so well done. I would love to go to that festival if I am in the south next year.
Wow … what a gorgeous show! The topiaries are just amazing.
Oh my gosh, I love this so much! I love going to Epcot for the Flower and Garden Festival. This reminds me of that on a smaller scale.
I would be in heaven strolling through looking at all of those gorgeous flower creations. People are so talented and I’m over here killing fake plants.
Oh my goodness are these topiaries so cute!! I love gardening and flowers so this is really something I would love to see.
Everything is SO beautiful. I love walking through gardens and seeing beautiful flowers like this!
Wow this show is just beautiful!!! I would love to visit with my family one day!
What a beautiful festival! I wish out flower show was half this stunning!
Okay, how cool is this! I was JUST in South Carolina, so sad I missed this!
Oh, my goodness, how amazing are these creative designs? I would love to go to an event like this. I have to be mindful of my allergies, but it’s worth it lol!
Wow, everything looks so beautiful. I wish I was there in person to take photos and smell all of that lovely landscaping.
I love all the animal topiaries! Of course the Butterfly is my favorite, but no surprise there! I spend a ton of time at The New York Botanical Garden as I live pretty close, it is such a relaxing way to spend the day.
I have a black thumb, so I am always so impressed with what others can do with their plants. There are so many original and adorable ideas at the festival.
I love all of the flowers and greenery in your post!! I would love to go to the Festival in South Carolina one day!!
Oh, wow! This is so beautiful! I just love flowers and to be in a festival this pretty would be a dream come true! Thanks for sharing a glimpse of the displays!
How whimsical is this? I would of love to seen this in person looks so pretty and creative!
This looks like it was amazing! So whimsical! I have to remember this festival next year so I can go visit when the flowers are in bloom.
It’s a beautiful place and I love that you can walk around, enjoy the food and the drinks while you’re looking at the flower displays! They’re all so stunning!
That looks like such a lovely festival! I love seeing what people can come up with. I can barely keep my plants alive.
Wow, that garden is SO beautiful! I love seeing great gardens and landscaping.
This festival looks amazing. My dad lives in South Carolina. I may have to invite him to this for a daddy/daughter date!
I love how creative this is! What a neat thing to be able to go and see.
Wow! This is so amazing. I love seeing unique pieces of art like those.
What a fun little festival! I have no doubt it’s even prettier in person!
OMG THESE PLANT STATUES ARE THE COOLEST! They’re actually giving me some ideas for when my husband and I finally buy a house… Our landscaping is going to be ON POINT. LOL!
What a beautiful display of flowers and topiaries! I enjoyed viewing the photos, and I am sure it would be more awesome to see it in person!
Gosh, I can’t imagine the patience and time it takes to carve all of those designs out. That really is amazing!