Atlanta Botanical Gardens Offers VALENTINES IN THE GARDEN Event Today

Celebrate this Valentine's Day by enjoying cocktails, dancing and desserts in the most romantic setting in town - the Atlanta Botanical Garden, where in February fragrant orchids set a romantic mood with an exotic backdrop.

Valentines in the Garden, set for 7 - 11 p.m. tonight, February 14, will feature decadent chocolates and other scrumptious sweets while visitors sip cocktails from cash bars, dance to live entertainment, and explore Orchid Daze: Lasting Impressions by night. The annual exhibition, from February 8 - April 13, highlights thousands of blooms in the Garden's nationally renowned collection of species orchids. This year's theme celebrates three artists who found inspiration in the beauty of landscapes and gardens: Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Gaughin.

"Orchids are such intriguingly odd flowers we wanted to celebrate them through the eyes of artists who, through nature, discovered new ways of seeing and perceiving the world," said Mary Pat Matheson, the Garden's president and CEO. "Hopefully, visitors will revel in their perceptions of fantastic plants, and what better time to celebrate orchids than on Valentine's Day!"

Tickets will be available through ticketalternative.com. For more information, visit atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

The mission of the Atlanta Botanical Garden is to develop and maintain plant collections for display, education, research, conservation, and enjoyment. The Garden is located at 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE and open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $18.95 adults, $12.95 children 3-12, and free for children under three and Garden members (Prices do not include sales tax). For information, visit atlantabotanicalgarden.org or phone 404.876.5859.