[Columbia, SC] - Riverbanks Zoo & Garden celebrates its botanical garden's tenth anniversary on June 10.

After breaking ground in 1993, Riverbanks Botanical Garden opened to visitors in the summer of 1995, offering Columbia residents and travelers the opportunity to experience beautiful formal gardens and naturalistic woodland trails running along the Saluda River.

"The gardens have really grown into themselves. We're only just beginning to tap into the resources that these surroundings offer," said Melodie Scott-Leach, Director of Horticulture at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. "Even in just the last two years, the array of educational programs that developed in the Garden is really unparalleled."

Today, Riverbanks Botanical Garden is home to more than 4,200 species of native and exotic plants, providing a 70-acre living classroom for gardeners and non-gardeners alike. In addition to enjoying the exotic plants and flowers, garden guests are as likely to create a hand-painted planting container as they are to go on a bug hunt or learn to cook with herbs. This August, the Garden will host the first-ever Chili Pepper Festival to honor its hottest resident.

Over ten years, the Garden has played host to concert series, weddings, wine tastings and more. This summer, the Garden is keeping the gates open until 9:00pm for First Thursdays in the Garden, a relaxing opportunity for guests to enjoy the gardens by the light of the moon on the first Thursday of every month.

For being a relatively young garden in North America, Riverbanks Botanical Garden has received more than its share of accolades. In 2004 alone, the Garden was named one of the nation's most inspiring gardens by Horticulture Magazine and HGTV rated it one of the 20 best public gardens in America.

This summer, check out our Garden Programs for a complete list of workshops and activities going on in the Garden.