East Memphis Living Near the Botanic Garden and Dixon

There is a stretch of East Memphis where Park Avenue and Cherry Road meet, and within a few hundred yards of that corner you can walk through a Japanese garden, look at French Impressionist paintings, play nine or eighteen holes, or circle a lake. The Memphis Botanic Garden and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens sit across the street from each other in the 38117 zip code, and the streets around them have a setting that is hard to find elsewhere in the city. If you are thinking about a home in this part of East Memphis, here is what the area offers.

Two Gardens Across the Street From Each Other

The Memphis Botanic Garden is at 750 Cherry Road and covers 96 acres. Its website counts 30 specialty gardens, among them the Japanese Garden of Tranquility, established in 1965, along with rose, iris, herb, sensory and butterfly gardens and a children's garden called My Big Backyard. Admission is charged, with members admitted free, and hours shift with the season: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during daylight saving time and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in standard time.

The Dixon Gallery and Gardens, at 4339 Park Avenue, is a 17-acre museum and garden founded in 1976 by Margaret and Hugo Dixon. It is marking its 50th anniversary in 2026. General admission is free, parking is free, and it is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 to 5 and Sunday from 1 to 5, with later hours on third Thursdays. It is closed on Mondays.

Audubon Park Next Door

The Botanic Garden is actually one piece of a larger public space. The Audubon Park Historic District takes in 338 acres bounded by Southern Avenue on the north, Park Avenue on the south, Goodlett Street on the west and Perkins on the east. Memphis Heritage notes it was developed between 1949 and about 1960 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 2022.

Inside those boundaries you will find the Links at Audubon golf course, which reopened in August 2024 after a renovation, the Leftwich Tennis Center, Audubon Lake and walking trails. For anyone living on the surrounding streets, that is a lot of open green space that will stay open green space.

What Is on the Calendar This Fall

As of early October 2026, the Botanic Garden's fall plant sale has been extended, with hours listed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on October 5 through 9 and October 12 through 17. Garden Discovery Days are scheduled for October 10, November 14 and December 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., included with admission.

The Dixon has three exhibitions running into the new year. Two opened September 20 and continue through January 10, 2027, both drawn from fifty years of the museum's collection, and a third exhibition runs October 4 through January 3, 2027.

The Garden's summer concert series, Live at the Garden, wrapped up its 2026 season in September at the Radians Amphitheater. If you are considering a home close by, it is fair to ask what concert nights are like for traffic and sound on that particular street. Neighbors are usually the best source. Dates for the Garden's holiday light event had not been posted when this was written, so check the Garden's site for the 2026 schedule.

Shopping and Errands Nearby

Laurelwood Shopping Center on South Grove Park Road is a short drive north, with tenants that include Orvis, J.McLaughlin, Joseph and Restaurant Iris. Farther west on Poplar Avenue near the University of Memphis, Poplar Plaza is anchored by Kroger.

One change worth knowing about: most of the interior stores at Oak Court Mall closed in April 2026. Dillard's remained open, and the owner, Poag Development Group, is redeveloping the property as a mixed-use project with apartments and retail. If you are looking at homes near Poplar and Perkins, it makes sense to follow how that project progresses.

The University of Memphis Park Avenue Campus is also in the area, off Getwell Road south of Park Avenue, and houses athletic practice facilities and research programs.

Practical Notes for Homeowners

Homes on the streets around Park, Cherry, Goodlett and Perkins vary in age and style, and many have been updated over the years while others are close to original. Rather than generalize, I would encourage looking at each house individually: the age of the roof, HVAC and plumbing, how the lot drains, and what has been permitted.

Addresses here are inside the Memphis city limits, which means property owners pay both City of Memphis and Shelby County property taxes. MLGW provides electricity, gas and water on a single bill. The public school district is Memphis-Shelby County Schools, and specific school assignments depend on the address, so verify with the district.

If this corner of East Memphis is on your list, or you already own a home here and have questions about what comes next, I would be glad to help however I can. Call, text or email any time, and we can take it at your pace.

Kelly Day, SRES, SRS, AHWD, PSA, RENE
Multi Million Dollar Club
Broker Lic # 365811
simpliHOM
901-289-9227
855-856-9466
[email protected]
https://memphishouselistings.com