On Monday it was announced that Paradise Garden is the recipient of an almost half million dollar private grant from Art Place America

The $445,000 private grant will be used for restoration and programatic needs for the site and is geared toward helping the garden and Chattooga County perform creative placemaking, according to Jordan Poole, director of the Paradise Garden Foundation.

The gardens are open Saturday and Sunday and plans are in the making to open the garden during the week.