FAQs Cooper-Young Garden Walk

Backyard Leisure

Southern Charm

Growing Edibles

What and where is the Cooper-Young Garden Walk?

A self-guided, self-paced tour of 80+ eclectic, private gardens + businesses highlighting urban gardening throughout the vibrant Cooper-Young historic district neighborhood. Visitors will see edibles, chickens, herbs, water features, art, native plants, whimsy, she-sheds, composting, a backyard theatre and imaginative plantings.

Our walk is non-competitive and open to any gardener in Cooper-Young, from the beginner to seasoned gardener. Look for the white garden walk signs in front of open gardens.

What are the times, dates, and cost of the garden walk? Is there a rain date?

The Cooper-Young Garden Walk is 9 am to 4 pm, May 15-16, 2021. Rain or Shine.
Tickets are good for both days.

There are 3 TICKET OPTIONS:

On-line ticket sales: Begin online in January 2021
Snail Mail —Check Payable to: Cooper-Young Garden Club, C/O Bob Morrison, Treasurer, 987 River Breeze Drive,
Memphis TN 38103-8926 (memo line: CYGW TICKETS)
Ticket outlets: (Check only, payable to Cooper-Young Garden Club, memo line: CYGW tickets).
- Stone Soup Cafe, 993 S. Cooper Street
- Urban Earth Nursery, 80 Flicker Street
- CYBA Office, 2120 Young Avenue

TICKET PRICES:

$20 for the weekend (Get entered into a weekly drawing for cool prizes). (Children 14 and under FREE).

Click Here to Purchase Tickets

What about Covid precautions?

We take covid very seriously. To protect our garden hosts, visitors, speakers, and volunteers, we will:

Require everyone to wear masks.
Limit the number of visitors touring a garden at any one time.
Pre-sell limited number garden tickets ahead of time and send map so we don’t have groups at Gazebo.
Have a hand sanitizer station at each secret garden.
No shuttle service this year.

How will I see that many gardens?

Most likely you won’t be able to. No problem. If you focus on seeing the SECRET GARDENS, (showing both front and back gardens), you’ll see amazing gardens, each with different personalities. Plus, you pass the front gardens on your way. Come both days, and see as many as you like. The main thing is to enjoy the experience! When you come back next year, you can see the gardens you missed!

What else will I see?

Garden speakers and demonstrations
Educational Booths
Botanical Art Vendors
Garden raffles
Many kinds of raised beds, a Tower Garden, outdoor showers

Due to covid, we will reduce the number of each available.

Where are the headquarters, restrooms, food, drink, and shuttle located?

Headquarters: Due to covid, we will presell tickets and t-shirts ONLINE. Purchasers will receive the map with ticket purchase.
Food/Beverages: There are 28 award-winning restaurants in the neighborhood, many offering special discounts to visitors.
Transportation: Due to covid, we will not provide shuttles this year. Visitors are encourage to walk, bike, or drive to the gardens.

Where do I park? Can I bring my bike?

There is ample parking along all the streets in the neighborhood.
Yes, The Cooper-Young neighborhood is bike friendly. Park your bike at any of the Ginkgo Leaf bike racks in front of businesses, then walk to the gardens.
You can rent bikes at Revolutions Bike Co-op, 1000 Cooper, at the bike arches.
There are electric scooters/electric bikes around the neighborhood for rent.

Can I bring dogs, strollers, or wheelchairs?

Well-behaved dogs on leashes are permitted ONLY if the garden sign says so. Please respect the homeowner’s request and clean up after your pet. Thank you for understanding.
Not all gardens are conducive to strollers or wheelchairs because of narrow paths or walkways. Check the garden sign for any limitations.

What should I bring with me?

Comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen +/or hat, camera, rain poncho, sunglasses, water bottle, and a notebook and pen to jot down plant names and notes. A cloth bag for handouts, snacks, and purchases.

Fun Historical Facts about the Cooper-Young Neighborhood

ARCHITECTURE:

Named 1 of 10 top neighborhoods by American Planning Association, 2012
1600+ architectural gems (bungalows, Queen Anne, Second Empire, Craftsman, Colonial Revival, and charming, colorful Shotgun houses).
Tree-lined streets, certified level 3 arboretum, with 117 labeled trees in front gardens
Neighborhood Entrance- 150′ steel sculpture trestle celebrating Cooper-Young Architecture
2121 Central Ave. – Site of Piggly Wiggly #21 Store, dated 1925-1945
2166 Central Ave. – Railgarten – site of old Memphis Ice House – newly fashioned into outdoor performance venue, ping pong parlor, ice cream shop and diner.
2169 Central Ave. – Palladio Antiques + Fountains – site of Laukhuff Stained Glass for many years, numerous old parcels now renovated into Memphis largest Antique and Design District.
2304 Central Ave. – Flashback – in 1920 was a chicken hatchery – oldest vintage retail shop in Memphis since 1984 catering to the likes of Bob Dylan etc.
878 S. Cooper – Memphis Drum Shop – site of original Peabody Theatre, now host to internationally known drum and cymbal retail store and largest collection of gongs in US
933 S. Cooper – The House of Mews – oldest, continuous non-profit cat sanctuary in the US
999 S. Cooper – Johnny Cash Historic Marker Statue
1015. S. Cooper – Galloway Church . –(1954) site of 1st performance of Johnny Cash and Tennessee Two
2100 Young – Captain Harris House , circa 1898, steamboat Captain
2152 Young – Goner Records – internationally known vintage record store and recording label. Top 10 Recording Studio in US – Rolling Stone Magazine

ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

187 small businesses, including 45 retail shops
largest antique and design district in Memphis
antique books, vintage clothing, rare vinyl records, custom drum kits
live music
26 restaurants–open air cafes, award winning eateries, diverse cuisine:
- seafood, cajun, farm-to-table, vegan, bbq, Irish pub, breweries, sushi, Mexican fare, soul food, Korean BBQ, bohemian coffee shop, handcrafted cocktails

I am coming from out of town. Where can I find lodging?

Memphis Visitors’ Center
Memphis Airbnb -there are numerous Airbnb’s in the Cooper-Young neighborhood
Memphis Hostel – located right in Cooper-Young Neighborhood

What other attractions are nearby?

Plan to arrive a few days early or stay later to take advantage of the many tourist attractions Memphis has to offer, including the iconic Johnny Cash statue. Be sure to check out MemphisTravel.com for tips on where to visit, eat and learn about fun activities for all ages.

Cooper-Young Business Brochure
Cooper-Young Neighborhood – By Memphis Travel Bureau
Memphis Visitors Bureau for tips on where to eat, visit, stay, and fun activities for all ages.
Memphis Art Project– discover murals /artwork
Memphis Eats – where to eat in Memphis
Johnny Cash Statue – 999 S. Cooper St.
Historically Hip: Your Guide to Cooper-Young, by Katelyn Caughron
Memphis Drum Shop— 878 Cooper Street, world class shop, music museum, gong chamber

How do I get there?

Directions from:

Traveling I-55: Information coming soon
Traveling I-40: Information coming soon.
Bus Routes to Cooper-Young: #2 and #35. Use TransLoc App to plan your route and track real-time bus arrivals.

Distances from: Downtown: 14 minutes, 4.9 miles Airport: 11 minutes, 5.1 miles

Where do the proceeds go?

The Cooper-Young Garden Walk raises money to beautify our community through both the Cooper-Young Garden Club projects and by funding “Block Beautification Grants”. The Cooper-Young Garden Club is a 501(c)3 organization. Your donations are tax deductible.

Your purchase of garden tour and drawing tickets, along with the generous support of our sponsors, make that goal possible.