Live oak trees lining the promenade in Forsyth Park, Savannah, Georgia

Forsyth Park Features

Forsyth Park Fragrant Garden

One of Savannah's most quietly special spots — a walled sensory garden tucked into the south end of Forsyth Park, designed for scent, touch, and tranquility.

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Written & reviewed by the Forsyth Park Guide editorial team · Updated June 2026 · Independent, on-the-ground Savannah coverage

In short

Forsyth Park Fragrant Garden — formally the Fragrant Garden for the Blind — is a walled formal garden at the south end of Forsyth Park, created in 1963 by the Trustees Garden Club of Savannah to let visitors, especially those with visual impairments, experience plants through scent and touch.

What is the Forsyth Park Fragrant Garden?

The Fragrant Garden for the Blind is a small, enclosed walled garden occupying a quiet corner at the south end of Forsyth Park. Unlike the park's grand central promenade and iconic fountain, the Fragrant Garden is an intimate space — a formal garden with a walled perimeter that creates a sense of shelter and seclusion in the middle of a busy urban park. It was purpose-built not for visual spectacle but for sensory experience: the plantings were chosen for their fragrance and texture, allowing visitors to engage with the garden through smell and touch as much as sight.Historically the garden featured Braille markers identifying individual plant species, making it one of the early examples of accessible public horticulture in the American South. Today it remains a charming and lesser-known feature of Forsyth Park — worth seeking out if you want a moment of calm away from the park's busier central areas. For an overview of everything Forsyth Park offers, see the complete Forsyth Park guide.

History: the 1963 Trustees Garden Club project

The Fragrant Garden was created in 1963 by the Trustees Garden Club of Savannah, one of the city's oldest and most active horticultural organizations. The club took its name from the historic Trustees' Garden — the first public botanical garden in colonial America, established in Savannah in 1733 — and has for decades been involved in preserving and beautifying Savannah's green spaces.The 1963 project reflected a mid-20th-century movement in public parks and botanic gardens to create spaces that were accessible to visitors with visual impairments. The garden was designed so that the experience of visiting did not depend on eyesight: the fragrance of the plantings, the texture of leaves and bark, and the layout of the enclosed space all combined to create a garden that could be meaningfully experienced by touch and smell alone. The addition of Braille plant markers reinforced this inclusive intent, connecting the garden to the wider tradition of tactile and sensory gardens found in botanic institutions across the country.

Sensory experience: scent, texture, and the walled enclosure

The appeal of the Fragrant Garden lies in its plantings and its enclosed character. The walled perimeter captures scent in a way that open parkland cannot — fragrances from flowering shrubs, herbs, and scented groundcovers linger within the enclosure rather than dissipating in the breeze. Visitors with full sight often find themselves slowing down and paying closer attention to plants they might otherwise walk past, precisely because the garden invites a different mode of engagement.The formal layout — typical of the enclosed garden tradition — gives the space a structured, restful quality that contrasts with the more open and informal areas of Forsyth Park. Even when the park beyond the walls is busy with joggers, dog walkers, and families, the Fragrant Garden offers a quieter, more contemplative atmosphere. It is a particularly rewarding stop in spring, when many of the fragrant plantings are at their peak.

Visiting tips: finding and accessing the Fragrant Garden

The Fragrant Garden is at the south end of Forsyth Park, near the café building and the children's playground — not at the fountain end that most visitors head to first. Because it is a relatively small, walled enclosure, it is easy to miss if you are walking the central promenade and turn back before reaching the park's southern boundary.Access to the enclosed garden can be limited at times — the gate may be closed during maintenance, private events, or outside regular hours. There is no admission charge; Forsyth Park is a free public park. It is worth checking for any posted hours or notices at the south end entrance before making a special trip specifically for the garden. For help navigating the full park layout, see the Forsyth Park map guide. If you are planning your visit from elsewhere in Savannah, the directions and location guide has transit, parking, and walking information.

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FAQ

Frequently asked

What is the Fragrant Garden at Forsyth Park?

The Fragrant Garden — formally the Fragrant Garden for the Blind — is a small, enclosed walled garden at the south end of Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia. Created in 1963 by the Trustees Garden Club, it was designed so that visitors, especially those with visual impairments, could experience plants through scent and touch rather than sight alone. Historically it featured Braille markers identifying the plants.

Where is the Fragrant Garden in Forsyth Park?

The Fragrant Garden is located at the southern end of Forsyth Park, near the park's café building and playground area. It is a relatively small, walled enclosure set back from the main promenade — easy to walk past if you don't know to look for it. Consulting the park map near the entrance will help you locate it.

When was the Fragrant Garden built?

The Fragrant Garden for the Blind was created in 1963 by the Trustees Garden Club of Savannah, making it over 60 years old. The club was instrumental in establishing this accessible green space as part of a broader mid-20th-century movement to make public gardens more inclusive.

Is the Fragrant Garden open to the public?

The Fragrant Garden is part of Forsyth Park, which is a public park open daily. However, the walled garden itself can have limited access at certain times and may be closed during special events or maintenance. It is always worth walking to the south end of the park to check — and checking the city's parks page for any closures before your visit.

Location

Where is Forsyth Park?

Forsyth Park is a 30-acre public park at the south end of Savannah's Historic District in Georgia, bordered by Drayton Street, Whitaker Street, West Gaston Street and Park Avenue — about one mile south of River Street. It's free and open daily from sunrise to 10 PM.

Address: Forsyth Park, Drayton St & W Gaston St
Savannah, GA 31401
Hours: Daily · sunrise–10 PM
Entry: Free · no tickets
Coordinates: 32.0686° N, 81.0951° W
Good to know: South end of the Historic District · ~1 mile (20-min walk) from River Street · street parking on the surrounding squares.

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