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The Atlanta Botanical Garden transports visitors to another universe -- far from the surrounding gridlocked city -- and answers the needs of many urban dwellers. The grounds offer unparalleled inspiration for avid or would-be gardeners; for a peaceful sanctuary, try the Japanese Garden.

In search of something fun and educational for the little ones? Try the Children's Garden, an ideal spot to examine orchids, exotic plants, poison dart frogs and fragrant roses. If a walk in the woods would soothe your soul, stroll through the Storza Woods, where mature hardwoods offer refuge to native plants and animals. Ponds, waterfalls and sculptures share space with formal herb gardens and rock dens.

Tip: For those times when you're lying awake bereft over your bromeliads or perplexed about your perennials, try the Botanical Gardens' 24-hour plant hotline. Leave a message for a master gardener who will call you back after researching your query.

More things to do at the Atlanta Botanical Garden:

Dorothy Fuqua Chapman Conservatory
Poised at the head of the Great Lawn, the conservatory presides over the garden like royalty. A demonstration arbor serves as a fabulous place for gleaning ideas for your home. The climate inside supports the lush tropical gardens and the magnificent orchid collection. Earthy, moist smells pervade the humid air as you amble through magical paths overhung with dripping vegetation. Just when you've had enough humidity, you can enter the Desert House -- still hot, but very dry. Here you can marvel at Old World succulents such as a collection of endangered plants from Madagascar. On your way out, be sure to see the carnivorous plant section as well as the poison dart frogs. By the way, they're not really poisonous.

Children's Garden
Set apart from the main garden and accessed by a footbridge, this whimsical garden delights the young and keeps their caregivers engaged. Misting machines disguised as huge flowers help you stay cool on summer days. The Butterfly Garden teaches kids all about the process of metamorphosis. In the Dinosaurs Garden, they can dig in a giant sandbox for 'fossils' while learning about giants who once roamed this land. The Grandma's Roots section encourages kids to consider the experiences of early settlers to set up their lives in unknown places. They'll learn about plants their ancestors counted on, such as cotton, rose hips and lambs' ears.

The Beehive Meadow explains the fascinating, hierarchical world of bees. Kids can learn the bee waggle dance and watch the highly popular observation hive. The Soggy Bog and Bullfrog Pond tackles conservation as kids ogle bug-eating plants. Walk behind the sparkling waterfall for a special view of the frogs and fish, or check out a three-story tree house equipped with telescopes. Special programs such as storytelling and music occur in the Children's Garden regularly.

Tip: Try to visit the Children's Garden during off times, first thing in the morning or during naptime. Enthusiastic youngsters can overrun the place.

Storza Woods
Within the 30-acre garden, Storza Woods occupies 15 acres of natural woodlands. Some of the only remaining mature hardwoods in the city, the trees provide shelter for plant and animal life. Along a 1.25-mile interpretive trail, learn about the vegetation indigenous to the area. A walk here, especially when the leaves are robust, will prove so peaceful that you won't believe you're in the middle of a busy city.

Japanese Garden
Although the Botanical Gardens offer a tranquil setting, a stop in the Japanese Garden takes you to even deeper levels of serenity. Designed to serve as a garden for contemplation, everything within the diminutive space has a specific symbolic purpose. Be sure to see the moon gate, a popular highlight.

-- Judith Augustine