Massee Lane Gardens, Botanical garden in Fort Valley, Georgia

Massee Lane Gardens is a botanical garden spanning nine acres with over 1,000 camellia varieties arranged along brick pathways and complemented by rose, daylily, and daffodil sections. The property is divided into different themed areas that each showcase different plant types.

David C. Strother created the camellia plantings in the 1930s on the 160-acre property around his farm house. In 1966 he donated the land to the American Camellia Society, whose headquarters building was completed on the site in 1968 and named in his honor. The T. J. Smith Memorial Greenhouse followed in 1969 and now holds about 200 camellia plants.

The gardens take their name from Massee Lane, the road where David C. Strother's farmhouse stood. They serve as the headquarters of the American Camellia Society, which moved its base here after Strother's 1966 donation. The Annabelle Lundy Fetterman Educational Museum in the visitor center holds a large collection of Boehm porcelain, and a slide show there introduces the camellia plantings.

Wear sturdy shoes since the pathways have different surfaces and gentle slopes throughout the grounds. The site provides plenty of shade from trees, making visits comfortable even during warm weather.

The Annabelle Lundy Fetterman Educational Museum, inside the visitor center, holds a large collection of Boehm porcelain, a contrast to the camellias outdoors. The T. J. Smith Memorial Greenhouse, built in 1969, shelters about 200 camellia plants. A slide show in the visitor center introduces the gardens before a walk.