Photo by: Zach Straw
Beverly Knight has always been interested in gardening, inspired by Victorian style nurseries and hidden gardens that she encountered during her routes as a UPS driver. This is where she met Dr. Henry Schroeder, an Evansville OBGYN, and his family who were hybridizers of azaleas. Azalea Path now has the largest collection of Schroeder Azaleas and is often a test site for many hybridizers of Azaleas and Rhododendrons.
Beverly started planting azaleas on her property on the Pike/Gibson line. This is where she took an overgrown forest and magically created a gardener’s piece of art. Azalea Path sits on approximately 80 acres, with 30 acres of landscaped gardens. There are over 4,000 azaleas and flowering trees and plants. Along with her husband, Steve, Beverly has been adding garden features, such as waterfalls, Koi ponds, sculptures, and hidden gardens.
As her garden grew, she would have people drive up to take a peak. What started out as just a group of ladies or garden clubs once a week became 1000 people touring during peak bloom days. Requests starting coming in for weddings, so Steve built a venue to have an outdoor reception area. The venue holds about 200 people. The bar now provides wine, beer, and wine slushies. Now a family business, Azalea Path continues to grow. Look for an indoor venue in the years to come.
For general information about Azalea Path, you may call Beverly at 812-354-3039
For wedding or event information, please call Andra at 812-354-6007.
For other questions, contact Jamie through the Azalea Path Facebook page.
