Sunken Garden and Taylor Swift Bench

Hi, I’m Virginia Ezell Briley, and I’m proud to be a cultural ambassador for Nashville Sites. I work at Lipscomb University and am a Nashville native. This stop is part of the Nashville Sites walking tour. To explore more stories, take the full tour on NashvilleSites.org. Now, let’s learn more about the Sunken Garden.

On her Grammy-winning album Folklore, Taylor Swift sings: “Green was the color of the grass where I used to read at Centennial Park.” After moving to Nashville in 2004 at age 14, Swift's memory of reading in the Sunken Garden is now tied to a real place.

Before it became a lyrical landmark, this area was Lily Lake—created for the 1897 Centennial Exposition. It featured a lily-filled pond surrounded by landscaping designed to reflect the classical beauty of the Parthenon and Nashville’s identity as the “Athens of the South.”

In 1922, the site was redesigned as a Japanese Water Garden, incorporating East Asian plants. That version remained until 1949, when the pond was drained and replaced with the floral garden you see today. Framed by stone steps and filled with seasonal flowers and shrubs, the area was officially named the “Sunken Garden” with a marker installed in 1974. It continues to be a popular spot for weddings, photo shoots, and picnics.

In 2023, during Taylor Swift’s three-night return to Nashville for the Eras Tour, Mayor John Cooper declared it “Taylor Swift Homecoming Weekend.” To mark the occasion and recognize Swift’s long-standing ties to the city, a reading bench was installed in the garden. The plaque reads: “Taylor Swift, A bench for you to read on at Centennial Park. Welcome home, Nashville.” Whether you're a Swiftie or just looking for a place to relax, we welcome you to this quiet corner of the park.

Continue following the walking trail as it curves west. Stop at the stop sign before crossing over 27th Ave. Use the crosswalk and watch out for cars. Hit play to listen to the next stop as you walk. As the trail curves back towards the Parthenon and Great Lawn, you’ll see the Children’s Memorial Garden on your right.