Explore Cheekwood Gardens with Green Speak 07/02/2026
USDA climate zone 7B
Size 55 Acres
Themed Gardens 14
Creekwood Gardens in Nashville, TN
The Estate
One of the first things that I wonder about, when I visit these grand estates is- “how did this family make their fortune ? “. Cheek is not a household name like Du Pont or Ford, so the answer didn’t spring to mind.
Turns out that a product that most of us drink everyday is the answer. The Cheek family introduced a blend of coffee that became the basis of their brand- Maxwell House. When the company was bought out by General Foods (then known as Postum Cereals Company) a fortune fell into their laps. Family members, Leslie Cheek and Mabel Wood, husband and wife, then had plenty of money to build their dream home and they combined their names to form Cheekwood as the title of their new estate in Nashville, TN. This is a very abbreviated history, but outlines the start of the Estate.
The architect Bryant Fleming was hired by the Cheek Family to design not only the house, but the original gardens and furnishings. The year was 1928 and the architect and Cheeks visited the Grand European Estates and gathered ideas and items for their new Mansion. It is set up on a hilltop and has a view of the surrounding hills and woodlands. The gardens sweep up to the base of the great house, which is now mostly shielded from the lower gardens by trees and foliage. From 1929-1932 the house and grounds took shape and the original garden around the home was based on formal Italian Gardens. A Boxwood collection still lives on from that garden and many of the walls, steps and decorations. Over the last 80 years different designers have added the many themed garden areas, to form what is now the overall Cheekwood gardens. They are in construction on a new entry and parking area- which actually maybe done already since I visited in May 2026.
I really loved walking in this part of the garden. It is not the first area one sees when entering Cheekwood Gardens and Estate, and it is set off the “main drag” so to speak. And that is what I enjoyed about it. It has the feeling of the original era and is quiet retreat. It feels like a garden lost in time with no particular need to be showy or grand. A perfect place to explore and to let your mind wander. I would have loved to be a child in this garden, finding secret hiding places and imagining fairytale animals and creatures making their homes in the trees and crevices.
At the back of the home is a reflecting pool complete with statues at each end plus a great view. Now this is pretty showy!
To be a guest in the home must have been a supreme treat! A grand life indeed. Water fountains, ponds, waterfalls and lakes are spread throughout the grounds and are soothing. They are a wonderful place to relax. The day I visited, groups of children were having a wonderful time finding all the water elements and playing by the turtle pond.
Strolling down from the house, a small pond and stream leads down to a series of small lakes, that step down into the forest below. A vast lawn gives a park setting and is the meadow at the center of the garden.
Traveling in Tennessee was such a joy. So many interesting things to see and it is a truly beautiful state. I missed out on delving into the many attractions that involve the music scene there, which is too bad. I will have to go back! But seeing the gardens across the state made up for anything I missed. Here at Cheekwood, the day went by quickly as I explored each area in the huge garden.
The Japanese Garden
Tucked away at the base of the property are two very secluded gardens. The Japanese Garden enshrouded behind a wall of Bamboo is a jewel. Its small footprint makes it even more special. The garden is built around a center area of raked stone with boulders set as islands in the sea of small stones. It is an area of contemplation with a viewing pavilion located much like a home set to view over the ocean.
Populated by weeping dwarf trees, Japanese Maples, grasses and compact junipers contoured along the stones and boulders, the garden sits in a bowl surrounded by the hills, Bamboo, and a garden wall. Its own small green kingdom.
Sculptures in the Woodland
Even farther into the forest is a fairly new section of the garden with sculptures set into a heavily wooded area. I just took a few photos here, but that is not to diminish the experience. The path through the wood is an raised boardwalk giving the area a definite riparian feel. It probably is quite damp in the winter, as the area sits at the base of the overall hillside property. The boardwalk also keeps the artworks separated from visitors to the gardens, for the protection of the art and to mimic the soft barriers of many a museum.
This photo segways well into the wonder and whimsy of the Children’s Garden, where any child will find things to enjoy and be amused by.
Children’s Garden
The path leading down into the garden has a very unique idea along the route. The path begins with a placard with a children’s’ book cover on it and invites visitors to enjoy the rest of the book shown page by page, along the path. I can just imagine the children’s excitement as they run from placard to placard reading the story and sharing their delight with their parents or friends.
What awaits the children at the base of the hill is a fantastical model train set-up with big and small ceramic mushrooms, tunnels to crawl through, tree trunk supports with hanging bridges for the train. Miniature train stations made from bark are found along the train route. There is even a little house with an indoor loop where the train wraps through a crazy and inventive group of fairy houses and forest lanterns. As an adult I still laughed out loud at the funny creations around every corner in this wonderland.
If you have read some of my blogs about travel and travelogue posts, you will know that there is a company that produces these model train set-ups for public and private gardens. Their use of bark, tree trunks, shelf fungus, gourds, acorns and other woodland stuff gives them away. They come in and change up the scenes a couple of times a year and there is a lot of humor included in their creations. At some point I will find out more about the company, but for now I just enjoying seeing what they have made!
The Howe Garden
Named for Cora Howe, this garden area is literally a transported gift from the great lady, well actually her heirs. With the support and fundraising by the Nashville Garden Club all the plants she loved are represented in the garden, or brought from her garden. Tennessee wildflowers, Azaleas, Trout Lilies, Virginia Bluebells, ferns, and a small area of Paw-Paw Trees, are some of the plants here. This native plant garden is a rain garden- a low area that meadow plants and grasses love. Water drains down into the depression of a carved out area lined with gravel and soil. It is verdant green with butterflies, lots of small birds, and I am sure, many frogs. Did you know Tennessee is the home to the greatest variety of Salamanders? From the Great Smokies to the Mississippi River, lush broad leaf trees, Dogwoods, huge Rhododendrons, and a myriad of fruiting plants flourish.
I have started to use single images instead of galleries, because they are easier to see on a Iphone or othe small hand held device. The pictures are really much better on a monitor or large computer screen, but phones are such a common reading tool now, that I want to take that into consideration. You may also notice that there are not a lot of people in the photos. That is not because there are not visitors to the gardens, I just try to pick a quiet moment to get shots or I erase out folks who block a shot. We can have no distractions from theflowers and plants!
This garden was carefully planned and installed but it has the feel of a wild meadow- so natural it is. And so different from the native plant gardens of the West Coast. Summer rains and humidity keep all of this lushness feeling fresh and vibrant. Tennessee is a mild climate with few freezes.
Interactive Area for Children and Adults
This funny little building reminds me of a folly. Estates in England often had a tower, gazebo or building of mysterious purpose out on the grounds. These were know as follies. I am sure there is some purpose for this little house with its many roof angles, but it seems mostly just a source of fun and amusement.
It resides in a section of the gardens dedicated to interactive play and family fun. There are some very funny things here, like this concrete living room set
And a group of spitting duck fountains and one that is skimming
There is also a turtle pond and area for relaxing with some unique benches with wood carved plate shaped insets in their backs
This section of Cheekwood is called the Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, but it seems to have been usurped by the darling train areas- which there are actually now 2 of. I used my poetic license to give it the family interactive area moniker. It seemed a good fit.
Interesting Details
Here are a few last photos showing some nice surprises while touring the garden. This gorgeous ironwork panel was inset into an wall opening above a bench near the side entry of the home. Details like this make visiting these old estates a very special experience. It’s the unexpected along with the overall beauty of the gardens that make a place memorable.
A two height water feature with a fountain at the top level and a dripping wall and pond at the lower level. The sound of the water is very cooling and the Wisteria, when in bloom, would scent the air in and around the upper level arbor. The pendulous purple flowers must be stunning in the Spring against the marble paving.
I am not sure what purpose this column and carved top has. I thought it might be a lantern, but the top has interior walls and metal cross pieces. The internet suggests it may have been a marker for a shrine. If so maybe it needs to be returned?! Its beautiful and thought provoking in the very least. The metal pieces may have supported an arrow or sign marking the shrine? So many works of art have been transported around the world, that they could have a very interesting stories to tell if they could talk.
Caught this bathing beauty in the boxwood garden near the reflecting pool. Naughty girl- do you think she took a dip in the pool? I would have gotten thrown out of the place if I had even put a toe in! Another great find while checking out the nooks and crannies in the oldest part of the garden.
If nothing else I certainly came away from my visit to Cheekwood feeling a sense of fun and discovery. Maybe that’s the idea for visitors and folks that love to garden. The encouragement to add a sense of fun and discovery in their own homes and gardens. Even little things like a colorful plant in a shaded or half hidden spot. Or maybe a wall plaque or garden art piece on a blank wall. I always like the idea of having a comfy seat or bench tucked into the garden or a corner of the patio, just to be able to have a rest outside.
Cheekwood is a big, big place and I hit some of the highlights, but there is a lot more to see and do. Many of the larger gardens I visit have a cafe and gift shop to enjoy plus the home tour could be amazing here. The Travelogue gives you a sense of the place, shows some lovely photos and lets me share a few thoughts on the gardens. It is always fun to do a bit of armchair traveling or think on your next destination for vacation! I hope you have enjoyed the post.
Be sure and leave a comment and any questions you may have about the plants, features or areas that the Travelogue shows. I am happy to interact.
