Aldridge Gardens is “A Garden of Destiny” on Lorna Road
Tynette Lynch has spent three decades in the hospitality industry, including a stint as former general manager of the Wynfrey Hotel at the Riverchase Galleria.
An avid lover of nature, Lynch’s appreciation of the outdoors has grown even more since she became CEO of Aldridge Gardens at 3530 Lorna Road in September 2013. She supervises a 30-acre garden that has more than 80,000 visitors a year, ranking among the top 10 most visited free attractions in Alabama.
In early June, Aldridge Gardens installed a new fountain on the grounds outside its visitor center/administration office. The new fountain was paid for by founder Eddie Aldridge and is similar to one he has outside his home. A new Aldridge Gardens sign was also erected on Lorna Road, thanks to a grant from the Alabama Tourism Department. The tourism department established an Alabama Gardens Trail this spring, which includes Aldridge Gardens, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and others in Huntsville and Montgomery.
In 2009, Eddie Aldridge wrote a book, titled Garden of Destiny, about the garden’s history and the legacy of his parents, Loren L. and Zeta Aldridge.
On a recent sunny day, Lynch sat down with the Hoover Sun and shared some interesting tidbits about Hoover’s own Garden of Destiny.
Describe the amenities at Aldridge Gardens.
Aldridge Gardens is a beautiful example of art and nature in balance. We are surrounded by nature in its purest form with the gardens, and we have added the beautiful collections of local artists, including the largest collection of Frank Fleming Bronze sculptures available for viewing in one area.
How does Aldridge Gardens compare to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens?
We are a public garden, just as Birmingham Botanical Gardens is, only on a smaller scale. Our historical value, due to Eddie Aldridge, is something no one else can ever capture. We are famous for our Snowflake Hydrangea, which Eddie patented, and we have hundreds of those, along with other native American plants growing here.
What makes Aldridge Gardens such a special place?
We are a one-of-a-kind venue for weddings and special events, located in the heart of Hoover, Alabama. We offer over seven outdoor wedding venues throughout the gardens with an outdoor pavilion and beautiful home to host events in. What makes us special is that we are Aldridge Gardens. That name is internationally renowned.
Do you have visitors from beyond Alabama and surrounding states?
We had over 80,000 visitors to Aldridge Gardens in 2014, with people coming from Japan, India, Korea and other countries. We learn about these visitors from Eddie Aldridge, who sits on a bench in front of the home every Saturday and visits with our visitors. He is the best salesperson for Aldridge Gardens we could have.
How can people support Aldridge Gardens?
We are owned by the city of Hoover, and thankful for the contributions they make to us, and are managed by a nonprofit board of directors. We are a 501(c)(3) organization,and rely on fundraising, personal donations, corporate contributions and memberships as well as in-kind contributions to run beautiful Aldridge Gardens.