recreation

Alpharetta Arboretums 678-297-2811

The Arboretum at Brooke Street Park 2 Park Plaza Established in 2016, this arboretum features a variety of springtime flowering trees that will delight visitors with vibrant colors. Flowering trees are a staple in landscapes and are used as ornamental and specimen plantings, and they add color to the landscape. Brooke Street Park is a five-acre passive park located just behind Alpharetta’s City Hall.

The Alpharetta Arboretum at Cogburn Road Park 12825 Cogburn Rd. The arboretum showcases a fine collection of mature trees as well as seven unique trees, including oaks, yellowwood, ginkgo, pecan, flowering dogwoods and southern magnolias. It also features a rain barrel demonstration area on the north side. The rainwater collected here is used for watering trees and other plants at the park.

The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park 11925 Wills Road Established in 2008, this arboretum showcases the natural setting and beauty of many native tree species of the Southeastern United States located in Wills Park, Alpharetta’s Downtown Park. Wills Park offers numerous stunning examples of native tree species along a paved walking trail, which winds around and through the park. Many street trees, parking lot trees, border and accent trees have been planted throughout the history of the park including 24 specimens from green ash, elms, and dogwoods, to oak, cherry, persimmon, cottonwood and more. These trees offer an educational perspective on the wide choices of trees suited for planting in our urban landscape. While at Wills Park, visit the Alpharetta Community Garden. Call (678) 575-7643 for a garden tour schedule.

The Alpharetta Arboretum at Webb Bridge Park 4780 Webb Bridge Road This park abounds in natural beauty with trees and flora native to Georgia featuring upland hardwood forest, conifer forest typically found in moist ravines and bottomland. Walk the mile and a half trail through the park and experience “A Walk Through Georgia”, spotting 23 trees that represent all three of Georgia’s geographic regions: the mountains, the Piedmont and the coastal plain.

Sustainability in Alpharetta

The City of Alpharetta offers environmental education classes throughout the year, including classes on recycling, lawn care, and gardening. For more information, email Terry Porter at tporter@alpharetta.ga.us.

Alpharetta’s Wild Side is a program sponsored by the Alpharetta Natural Resources Commission to promote the preservation of green spaces in Alpharetta that support wildlife. A goal of Alpharetta’s Wild Side is for Alpharetta to achieve and maintain certification by the National Wildlife Federation as a Community Wildlife Habitat. The focus of the program is to use native plants as habitats for pollinators and other neighborhoodfriendly animals. For more information, mail alpharettaswildside@gmail.com.