Sip and View IMAGINARY WORLDS With 'Cocktails in the Garden', at the Atlanta Botanical Garden on Thursdays

Explore the city's most beautiful urban oasis during the cool of summer evenings at Cocktails in the Garden Thursdays during May through September. The Atlanta Botanical Garden's weekly "social irrigation" party also is the only opportunity to experience the fantasy of Imaginary Worlds: A New Kingdom of Plant Giants at night.

Guests enjoy specialty cocktails, live music by the city's popular deejays, and tantalizing cooking demonstrations by the Garden Chef every week from 6 to 10 p.m. While strolling the Garden's gorgeous grounds they'll encounter 28 gigantic living-plant sculptures that make up the summer exhibition of Imaginary Worlds.

The exhibition debuted in 2013 and now, back by popular demand, has been expanded with nine new sculptures. The pieces resemble giant topiaries but actually are works of mosaiculture - the centuries-old horticultural art of using thousands of tiny plants to cover steel forms in a mosaic-like pattern to create a living sculpture. Designed and built by International Mosaiculture of Montreal, the newest fantasy-themed sculptures include four frolicking frogs, three gallivanting gorillas and a pair of ogling orangutans.

Each month during Cocktails in the Garden, these fantasy sculptures are highlighted with themed drinks:

May - "I'll Have What She's Having," Earth Goddess
June - "Go Bananas," Orangutans, Gorillas
July - "Gettin' Fuzzy," Rabbits
August - "Hop To It," Frogs
September - "Fruit Looped," Berries

In addition, cash bars offer an array of other cocktails, beer and wine, and dinner may be purchased at the café. As the only opportunity to stroll the Garden at night -- when romantic sunsets and fragrant blossoms cast an alluring spell - Cocktails in the Garden is both the perfect date night and a fun outing among friends as well.

Admission is $18.95; Garden members admitted free. 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 Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m.-7p.m. (until 10 p.m. Thursdays). Admission is $18.95 adults, $12.95 children 3 - 12, and free to children under three and Garden members. Details: atlantabotanicalgarden.org or phone 404.876.5859.

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