Jeanine Barone
| Special to USA TODAY 10Best
Florida’s Everglades and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Alabama have plenty of name recognition. But there are myriad other lesser-known verdant landscapes in the Southeast that offer serene sights and sounds as well as nature-based activities. Here are 10 green spaces with treasures aplenty.
Jungle Gardens on Avery Island – Louisiana
Best known for producing Tabasco sauce, Avery Island is also home to 170-acre Jungle Gardens. An array of avian species is attracted to these semi-tropical gardens, most notably snowy egrets that nest here, but also little blue herons and other wading and water birds.
The plant varieties are quite diverse, from the tall red buckeye, a State Champion tree, to an immense collection of bamboo, some soaring more than 50 feet and others bearing colorful stripes. Thousands of camellias dazzle those who stroll on the woodland trail.
Little River Canyon National Preserve – Alabama
Named for the scenic river-carved canyon that’s considered the deepest in the state, this preserve is on the North Alabama Birding Trail, noted for year-round bird-watching opportunities. Numerous species, from yellow-billed cuckoos to white-eyed vireos, can be spotted in the…
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