Callaway Gardens opened the doors of the John A. Sibley Horticultural Center for the first time in the spring of 1984 and changed the whole world of horticultural display. Requiring over ten years to plan and over two years to construct, the center is considered to be one of the most advanced horticultural centers in the world. Callaway Gardens first commissioned Robert E. Marvin and Associates of Walterboro, South Carolina to design comprehensive plans for the conservatory greenhouses that the Sibley Center partially replaces.

The Sibley Center, one of a variety of attractions within the gardens, far surpasses its original purposes and expectations. This one-of-a kind center has challenged and changed the focus of the horticultural display, demonstrating that greenhouse facilities can be energy-efficient while dramatically featuring nature at its best.

The Requirements

Plans for the center began during the energy crisis of 1974 and were developed around the concept of energy efficiency. The complex was designed to fulfill the dream of the cofounder of Callaway Gardens, Mrs. Virginia Hand Callaway. Her dream was a horticultural display which explores new ways to use plants for aesthetics in by-passing the usual tropical desert approach and letting art and beauty be the guiding principles.

Working in conjunction with Marvin and Associates was the architectural firm of Craig, Gaulden & Davis (Kirk R. Craig, AIA, principle), of Greenville, South Carolina, structural engineers Geiger Berger and Associates and energy consultant Bruce Anderson.

After visiting many botanical gardens around the country, the Sibley Center design team and members of the Callaway Foundation decided that the last thing the center should this facility to be a showcase, a place that involves people with nature moving them through a world of experiences in a garden that is both inside and outside at the same time.

The Challenge

The challenge of creating a energy-efficient facility was solved through a series of heating a cooling systems working in conjunction with each other.

A silicone-coated fabric roof insulates and protects plants and people from temperature and extremes, while providing a graceful, arched ceiling. The building’s southern exposure and deciduous trees allow for maximum solar gain in winter. An efficient radiant heat system supplements the sun’s rays on cold days. Summer cooling is achieved through shade, ventilation, moving water and misting systems. The fiberglass roof and surrounding trees provide the shade, the folding doors allow for good air circulation. The waterfall and pool along with the misting system reduce the air temperature through evaporative cooling.

The Effect

The Sculpture Garden provides a tranquil outdoor setting with a two-ton Carrera marble sculpture in the midstof plantings of various textures. The high humidity environment here provides the setting behind the waterfall for the fern grotto, featuring ferns, wandering jew and rainbow moss. Designed to create a breathtaking view of large displays of flowering plants, the Floral Conservatory features six major floral themes which change with the seasons. The Outdoor Garden encompasses large lawns and flower beds surrounded by old-fashioned schrub and perrenial borders.

The Result

The wide diversity of exhibits, concerts and receptions attest to the adaptability of the Sibley Center. Its success can be measured in many ways. It has attracted numerous visitors from around the world. Over three million people have visited the center to enjoy its year-round floral beauty and its uniqueness of design.

Congratulations to Robert E. Marvin and Associates for their outstanding work on the Callaway Gardens John A. Sibley Horticultural Center.

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