We Have a T-Rex

Indeed, the Huntsville Botanical Gardens - Dinosaur Uproar does. Along with several other species, a Bonzai Garden, butterfly house, Children's Garden, and more. I'll touch on those in a few, but first, dinos!

I'd been to the gardens a time or two before and remembered it being a nice place. I payed the entry fee, got my map o the gardens, and the dino exhibit map, and was off hunting dinosaurs, well, close to life size sculptures of them anyway. Yes, Jurassic Park quotes were running through my head the whole time.

The typical display was a particular dino in a roped off area, with a description sign, photo op sign, and a humerous warning to stay behind the ropes. The detail in things like the eyes and skin texture was impressive. So was the shear size, or lack there of at times. The feeling you got was like being at a zoo, and seeing the Edmontosaurus felt as natural and proportional as seeing rhino or camel. You had to remind yourself "This is a dinosaur".

Between the displays were the other unique parts of the gardens. There was a zen rock garden, where each rock had a small fountain. Then across the path was Bonzai Garden. Walk into a small fenced area, and you have several Bonzai trees that averaged a couple feet tall, and looked exactly like their multi-story brethren. Insert Austin Powers quotes here.

Then there was the butterfly house. This is not your "let's put a big mesh barn over a pond" kind of thing. Oh no. Try full-on, enclosed, greenhouse building , with a waterfall, ponds, metal scupture chairs, and even butterfly food to entice them to land on you. Add a conga-line of turtles sunning themselves on a log and posing for pictures, and it makes for a few "ahhh" moments.

Outside at the Children's Garden, were a bunch of things for kids to play with and play on. Huge wooden deck chairs sit in the middle of a court of different activities for little ones. There's a Space Garden section with rockets, one of which arcs water over the path. There's a wooden fort, a maze, even a path through some big ribs. There were also places for parents to sit and relax while the kids burned off some energy. This was also true of other areas in the gardens.

I didn't really know what to expect upon hitting the front gate, but I had a good time....and a good hike! Think of it up there with all the walking at a typical theme park. Word to the wise, you're out in the sun too, so sunhats and sunblock are a really good idea.

Speaking of hats, my Kavu Chillba passed the field test with flying colors today. My trusty Aussie hat, that usually gets the nod, earned a break this trip.

Hope you all enjoyed my little summery of Huntsville Botanical Gardens - Dinosaur Uproar. Until next time...