During this field trip, we will visit two unique locations in Northeast Georgia: The Rock Garden in Calhoun and Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden in Summerville.
This Rock Garden, lovingly built by volunteers and inspired by folk art, is a special place behind the Calhoun Seventh-day Adventist Church. Besides the beautiful flowers and plants, the garden features over 50 amazing hand-sculpted buildings. These structures, made from tiny stones, pebbles, shells, broken glass, China, rocks, ceramic tiles, cement, wire, and other materials, are designed to look like their bigger versions. You’ll find little churches, houses, castles, a monastery, and even cathedrals, like a model of Notre Dame in Paris with stained-glass windows.
Paradise Garden is the creative space of Howard Finster, a well-known country preacher who became a folk and visionary artist. The garden started in 1961 and was the main focus of Howard’s work for more than 30 years. Howard’s painting career, which began in 1976 and led to over 46,000 paintings, came from his creative work in Paradise Garden. Today, Howard Finster’s art is displayed in major museums and is loved by art collectors all over the world.
Paradise Garden, which Howard called “one of the World’s greatest Beauty Spots,” has been featured in hundreds of documentaries and many music videos, including REM’s famous “Radio Free Europe” single.
What: Calhoun Rock Garden
Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden
When: Saturday, March 14, 2026. We plan to meet at the Mansell Marta Parking Lot on GA 400 Exit 8 at 07:15am. Planned schedule for the day:
07:30am Leave Mansell Marta Parking Lot
09:00am Arrive at Rock Garden (includes brief pit stop along the way)
10:45am Leave Rock Garden
11:15am Early Lunch at Jeffersons in Summerville
12:15pm Arrive at Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden
03:00pm Leave Paradise Gardens
05:00pm Arrive back at the Mansell Marta Parking Lot
Where: Mansell Park & Ride – In Lot at GA400 Exit 8
Rock Garden, 1411 Rome Rd SW, Calhoun, GA 30701
Jeffersons, 10096 Commerce St, Summerville, GA 30747
Paradise Gardens, 200 N Lewis St, Summerville, GA 30747
Admission: Admission to the Rock Garden is free. Donations are appreciated.
Admission to the Paradise Garden is $15 ($12 for 62+).
Food: We will have lunch at Jefferson’s in Summerville
Photography Tips:
The Rock Garden is an outdoor facility and well lit. Paradise Garden is both an indoor and an outdoor facility. We recommend using a medium range lens (24-70) for overview pictures and a longer focal length or a macro lens for details. Tripods should be unnecessary. Flash and other artificial light is not allowed in the Paradise Garden.
Wolfgang Enneker is hosting this field trip. Contact him at (470) 266-6428 if you have any questions.
Please register at Rock and Paradise Gardens Field Trip so we have a headcount of participants.
Link to upload your pictures from the Rock and Paradise Gardens Field Trip