Miss Sims Garden Botanical Park encompasses five lots between 908 Highland Road and 913 Irving Rd. It is the bequest of Catherine Anville Sims, aka 'The Plant Lady', to the City of Homewood.

The Master Plan serves two goals:

1. To bring Miss Sims’ vision of a teaching garden into focus by reimagining the botanical park as a demonstration garden showcasing best practices in residential landscape design.
2. To address challenges with surrounding development, increased visitation, inadequate stormwater infrastructure and lack of accessibility.

Phase I includes stormwater infrastructure and ADA compliance. Using examples of stormwater best management practices, the City’s engineering staff will be able to use the garden to educate homeowners and professionals about these desirable solutions and compliance with city ordinances.

Phase II focuses on restoring lost botanical treasures guided by Miss Sims’ plant inventory. 

Phase III will bring new and innovative features to enhance the demonstration garden theme, such as greywater recapture, a solar-powered greenhouse, an outdoor kitchen, and an interactive Kindergarden. The goal is to utilize innovation and sustainability in every aspect of the garden’s design and management to demonstrate the future of home landscapes.

NOTABLE GARDEN FEATURES

• Fruit and vegetables free to pick in a series of garden beds registered with the Grow More, Give More Program of the Alabama Cooperative Extension.
• The garden is registered with the Wildlife Conservation Society as Wildlife Habitat.
• The only Ozone Garden in Alabama, installed in 2020 as a Girl Scout Gold Award Project
• A 20-foot-tall fairytale playhouse that will be the center of a new “Kindergarden” in Phase III of the Master Plan.
• A 150-foot-long hidden pictures mural painted by Shawn Fitzwater.
• A Courtyard available to rent for private events, often used to host free community events.
• Native, Heirloom, and Edible plant varieties found throughout the garden.