In addition to being the object of constant adulation, one of the Grump's foremost pleasures is touring the South's most beautiful gardens. And if you love fall color as much as I do, there is one garden in Kentucky you must see before you die -- Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest.

This special place near the town of Clermont encompasses 14,000 acres. It was the gift to Kentucky (and the rest of us) by whiskey baron Isaac W. Bernheim, who made his fortune producing I.W. Harper whiskey. Just making good whiskey would have been a sufficient life's legacy for the Grump, but Bernheim wanted to leave a living legacy that would, in his words, "further the love for the beautiful in nature."

The photos you see here (like the sugar maple above) are mine.To see much better ones taken by Southern Living photographer Ralphie Anderson (aka the "brain eater'), pick up a copy of the October 2009 issue of Southern Living and turn to "Magnificent Fire of a Southern Fall." You'll also read some typically inspiring prose by me.

The Arboretum is a great place to walk, hike, bike, or tour by car. You won't find a better venue from which to admire the sculptural grace of mature trees in a natural setting. Notable collections include maples, dogwoods, magnolias, conifers, cypresses, hollies, beeches, and buckeyes. You'll also find a slew of other fine trees perfect for the home garden, like this here Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata):

Unenlightened gardeners (of which, thankfully, you are not one) often equate fall color with only colorful leaves. To the Grump, this overlooks a sensational source of fall color -- namely, colorful fruits and berries, which last a lot longer than leaves. One of Bernheim's finest collections is crabapples. Take a gander at this red-fruited one.

Or what about this yellow crab below? I think this one was developed at Bernheim. I'm urging them to name and propagate it. Who wouldn't want this gem in their yard?

Bernheim is not just about trees. There's an elaborate trail system that takes you through prairie gardens and wildflower meadows that teem with native plants and animals. I shot the photo below on a cold and frosty October morning. How I suffer for you, my readers!

Before you leave, be sure to check out the ultra-cool Visitor's Center (below), the first certified Platinum LEED building in Kentucky. Built largely of recycled materials, it captures solar energy, purifies wastewater, and uses geothermal heating and cooling. Notice the way it fits into the landscape. My only suggestion -- add a pair of McDonald's arches.

Got any favorite spots for enjoying fall color or know someone with a magnificent fall garden? Tell Grumpy about it! For more info about Bernheim, visit www.bernheim.org or call (502) 955-8512.

(Note to Bernheim Executive Director Mark Wourms: You know where to send the bourbon.) 

Want Want to know where Southern gardening began? Then do what I'm doing now. Come to Charleston, South Carolina. Many of the iconic plants so essential to our style of gardening first appeared here. Like Southern Indica azaleas, for instance.

Meet Taylor Drayton Nelson and his uber-friendly German shepherd, Isis. Taylor is the latest in a long line of Draytons that have been in South Carolina since pretty much the beginning of time. He's the head honcho at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, just across the Ashley River from Charleston. Magnolia bills itself as the "the South's last romantic garden." I was without female accompaniment, so I can't vouch for the romantic part. But it was here that Southern Indica azaleas (the big azaleas that can grow 6-10 feet tall) first appeared in the mid-1800's. Many of the original azaleas remain and their progeny graces gardens throughout the South.

Swarms of tourists descend upon Magnolia Gardens at the height of the spring bloom, which this year, is right now. The spectacle of azaleas, wisteria, and dogwood flowers reflected in the inky mirror of a cypress pond is breathtaking. I guess that's where the romance comes in. Taylor is working to restore the gardens to their original look, showcasing these plants in a naturalistic setting. He and camellia and azalea guru, Tom Johnson, are also researching the many old camellias and azaleas in the gardens and attempting to identify them from old records, so they can be propagated and saved for future generations. Taylor showed me a weathered, hand-written notebook, well over a century old, that lists many of the plants found at Magnolia. Paging though it is like taking a trip through time.

I first visited Magnolia Plantation and Gardens about 25 years ago while on a trip with my brother down the East Coast to Florida. We were given a tour by the previous owner, the late Drayton Hastie, who passed away a few years ago. Drayton's ashes are entombed in a box inserted about 20 feet up into the trunk of a large live oak. He said from there he could keep an eye on the gardens to see that Taylor did things right.

I think right now he's smiling.

If you love birds, be sure to read "Beauty Takes Flight' in the February issue of Southern Living. It's the story of Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, a beautiful garden specifically designed for birds right in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina. Here are some tricks I learned there to help you, the enlightened bird-watcher, attract these feathered friends to your garden.