I’m convinced Bonaventure Cemetery is one of the most beautiful places in Savannah, and it’s certainly one of my favorite spots to wander around with my camera. I’ve taken plenty of photos there through the years, and I figured it’s about time I shared a few of my favorites!

Three-photo collage of spring scenes in Bonaventure Cemetery. Photo 01 is a side view of the Marie Barclay Taliaferro Monument, photo 02 is of the Baldwin Angel, and Photo 03 shows a wide angle of live oaks draped in Spanish moss

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Before I start showing off the pretty scenery, I want to share some important tips regarding proper cemetery behavior…

BONAVENTURE CEMETERY ETIQUETTE

  • No alcohol in the cemetery
  • Leave no trace of your presence
  • Leash your pets and clean up after them
  • Don’t allow children to climb atop monuments
  • Admire monuments from afar and don’t enter the lots
  • Maintain a respectable distance from anyone grieving loved ones
  • Use headphones when listening to music so you won’t disturb others
  • Be careful when driving so you won’t damage plants or historic property
Canopy of live oak branches extends over numerous headstones surrounded by blooming pink azaleas in Bonaventure Cemetery

As much as I admire the historic monuments througout the cemetery, the Southern live oaks draped in Spanish moss are my favorite feature of Bonaventure.

The oaks look just as spectacular on an overcast wintry day as they do during the spring when they’re covered with yellow pollen catkins.

After it rains, the resurrection fern springs to life and covers the trees with fluffy green fronds.

Close up of the branch of a live oak laden with thick strands of Spanish moss in Bonaventure Cemetery

How shall we give a person who has never seen live-oaks or gray moss an idea of it?

Solemn avenues of these gigantic trees, with their narrow evergreen leaves, their gnarled, contorted branches feathered with ferns and parasitic plants, and draped with long swaying draperies of this gray, fairy-like moss, impress one singularly. The effect is solemn and unearthly; and the distant tombs, urns, and obelisks gleaming here and there among the shadows make it more impressive.

– Harriett Beecher Stowe, Palmetto-Leaves, printed by Rand, Avery & Co., 1873

The branches of two Southern live oaks in Bonaventure Cemetery reach out as if trying to connect with one another
Spanish moss drapes the long, low branches of a live oak and a mature Magnolia tree in Bonaventure Cemetery
The General Robert H. Anderson (1835 - 1888) monument in Bonaventure Cemetery features a bronze bust of the General atop a granite pedestal
The Herschbach Monument in Bonaventure Cemetery shows a dejected young angel looking as if she has given up on this world
Gnarled live oak covered in Spanish moss and pollen catkins in Bonaventure Cemetery
Long grey strands of Spanish moss hang from live oaks covered in pollen catkins
Side view of the Corinne Eliott Lawton grave in Bonaventure Cemetery shows a woman wearing a long gown, draped so it's falling off her left shoulder. She's seated beside a cross and a small wreath garland rests against one of her knees
Close-up side view of the Corinne Eliott Lawton gravestone in Bonaventure Cemetery shows a woman wearing a long gown sitting beside a cross as a small wreath garland rests against one knee
A strong breeze blows through the Spanish moss in Bonaventure Cemetery

I consider Bonaventure one of the top must-see spots in Savannah and encourage every first-time visitor to take a guided tour.

In fact, it’s the top tour I recommend for anyone visiting the city!

Spring is the most popular time of year to see Bonaventure.

It’s when thousands of people crowd the banks of the Wilmington River to stroll amidst the iconic pink azaleas, purple wisteria, and white dogwood blossoms.

Hundreds of pink blooms cover azalea bushes in the foreground of the Lawton monument. A sign on a crooked wooden post cautions, "Please do not feed the wildlife"
A vine loaded with purple wisteria blooms hangs low to the ground, weighted down by a fresh rainfall, with hundreds of pink azalea blooms visible in the background
Hot pink azaleas and purple wisteria partially obscure an old monument with the words "our mother" visible through the blooms
Hot-pink azaleas mixed with purple wisteria overtake an old monument in Bonaventure Cemetery
The bronze monument of Julia Denise Backus Smith, also known as the Bonaventure Jogger, is surrounded by hundreds of hot piink azaleas
Pink azaleas and trees covered in Spanish moss surround a monument of a man cradling a cross
Pink azaleas surround the monument of a man standing with one hand resting gently on a cross and the other hand holding something close to his chest
Close-up of peach azaleas surrounded by purple wisteria in full bloom
A colorful mix of pink, red, peach, and purple spring blooms in the cemetery
Hundreds of pink and red azaleas bloom in the foreground of the image while Spanish moss blows in a gentle breeze in the background
Pink and red azaleas crowd the ground around an angel monument in Bonaventure Cemetery. Live oaks, white dogwood, and purple wisteria tower over the monument
White cross surrounded by greenery and flowering plants on a foggy morning at Bonaventure
An old wooden sign surrounded by red and pink azaleas points the way to the Conrad Aiken plot in Bonaventure Cemetery
The Lawton monument in Bonaventure Cemetery shrouded in fog with peach-toned azaleas in the background
Close-up of the Lawton monument in Bonaventure Cemetery shrouded in fog with peach-toned azaleas in the background
Peach-colored azaleas intertwined with purple wisteria blooms
Hundreds of peachy pink blossoms cover an azalea bush so completely that the leaves of the plant are barely visible
White cross headstone surrounded by red and pink azaleas
A wooden street sign in Bonaventure Cemetery points in various directions and notes "J Mercer Section B"
Hundreds of pink and red azaleas bloom in the foreground of the image while Spanish moss blows in a gentle breeze in the background
Close-up of bright green needles from a cedar tree with tiny star-like white blooms
The Theus monument surrounded by a sea of greenery and Spanish moss in Bonaventure Cemetery
Low, rectangular headstone in Bonaventure Cemetery surrounded by red azaleas and purple wisteria. Lanky palm trees and pink azaleas are visible in the distance
The monument of a winged angel, seen from behind, as viewed from a low angle through green shrubs. The entire top third of the scene is highlighted by sunlight streaming through Spanish moss
Low angle of the timeworn monument of a woman overlooking a scene of sun-drenched Spanish moss

Related Reading: Learn Which Bonaventure Cemetery Tours I Recommend Most

Famous Graves in the Cemetery

There are many well-known burial sites within the cemetery.

Little Gracie Watson is currently one of the most visited gravesites.

Her sad tale gained notoriety after it become the subject of many ghost tours in Savannah.

Prior to that, the famous Bird Girl statue was the most visited marker in the cemetery. The statue graced the cover of the book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

In fact, the Bird Girl was so popular that the statue had to be relocated to Telfair Academy.

Additional famous burial sites within the cemetery include the Conrad Aiken’s “Cosmos Mariner” plot, Johnny Mercer’s final resting place, and the “Bonaventure Jogger,” aka: Julia Denise Backus Smith.

My favorite locations within the cemetery aren’t always the most popular, but I thought I’d share a few of them with you…

The Baldwin Angel

📍 Section H | One walking path south of Confederate Drive

The Baldwin Angel cradles a scalloped shell bowl and is protected by a curved wall etched with the following Bible quote, “Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” Mark 10:15 (KJV)

B&W close-up of the Baldwin angel. The monument shows a young girl depicted with angel wings and holding a bowl in her outstretched arms. A curved u-shaped stone surround protects the back side of the monument
B&W front-facing view of the Baldwin Angel with a curtain of Spanish moss between the photographer and the monument

The Theus Tomb

📍 Section H | Between Confederate Drive and Greenwich Road

The Theus Tomb is home to Confederate soldier, Thomas Theus, and his wife, Eliza Wilhelmina Theus.

Close-up of the Theus monument in Bonaventure Cemetery surrounded by pink azaleas
The Theus monument in Bonaventure Cemetery surrounded by pink azaleas

Jewish Burial Grounds

📍 Section Q | Sheftall Way

The Jewish section of the cemetery was established in 1909 by members of Congregation Mickve Israel.

It has a separate entry gate, which is located to the right of the cemetery’s main entrance.

Raindrops fall on a burial marker honoring a third of the ashes of 344 cremated souls who were murdered by Nazis during WWII. Rocks are piled atop the headstone and at the foot of the headstone as a sign of respect from the Jewish community
A stone arch marks the entrance to the Jewish section of Bonaventure Cemetery

A Holocaust Memorial marker was added to the Jewish section in 1950.

It’s located at Section Q – 415 and is just a few steps to the right of the arched stone entrance pictured above.

Raindrops fall on a burial marker honoring a third of the ashes of 344 cremated souls who were murdered by Nazis during WWII. Rocks are piled atop the headstone and at the foot of the headstone as a sign of respect from the Jewish community

It honors the victims killed by Nazis during WWII and includes the following inscription:

Here lieth
a third of the ashes of 344
cremated sacred souls,
victims of the Nazis,
including the remains of
Schmul
son of Y’Cheel Szcerkowski
who was killed on the third
of Nison 5705-March 17, 1945
Brought here from Alem,
Hanover, Germany

It’s one of the most solemn areas within the cemetery’s gates.

The rocks placed atop headstones are a Jewish tradition to mark a visit and show respect towards the deceased.

The Lawton Monuments

📍 Section H | Between Greenwich Road and Confederate Drive

The Alexander Lawton monument depicts Jesus standing at the gates of heaven.

If you peer through the gates you’ll see some of the most beautiful trees in the cemetery.

The Wilmington River is also visible just beyond the tree line.

Trees draped in Spanish moss line a dirt road leading to the Lawton monument in Bonaventure Cemetery. The monument is surrounded by pink azaleas
The Alexander Lawton monument depicts a barefoot and robed Jesus standing at the Gate to Heaven
Side view of the Lawton Monument with pink and peach-colored azaleas and live oaks draped in Spanish moss in the background
The front-facing view of the Lawton Monument shows a dejected-looking woman seated beneath a cross, staring ahead with empty white sockets
Close-up of the Lawton Monument shows the face of a woman whose eyes are empty white sockets

Lawton’s daughter, Corrine Eliott Lawton, is buried steps away from her father’s monument.

Her empty white eyes stare blankly ahead and fascinate onlookers who tend to speculate about the reason behind her haunting appearance.

Marie M. Barclay Taliaferro Monument

📍 Section E | Walz Way

I’ve photographed the Taliaferro angel in every season and all types of weather.

This is my favorite monument in the cemetery.

Black & white image of the Marie Barclay Taliaferro angel in Bonaventure Cemetery seen from the side with two cross headstones in the foreground
The Marie Barclay Taliaferro angel in Bonaventure Cemetery seen from the side with two cross headstones visible in the foreground. Pink azaleas and greenery surround the monument
The Marie Barclay Taliaferro angel in Bonaventure Cemetery seen from the side with two cross headstones visible in the foreground. Pink azaleas and greenery surround the monument as raindrops fall from the sky. A single droplet of rain is moments away from dripping off the nose of the statue

She’s so ethereal.

Taliaferro’s life was relatively short, even for someone born in the mid-19th century, and it appeared marred by tragedies.

Of the six children she birthed, only three survived past the age of four.

Three crosses next to her monument mark the burial sites for the three babies she lost.

The Taliaferro Angel monument in Bonaventure Cemetery surrounded by lush greenery and with three crosses at her side

Taliaferro died the day after Valentines Day in 1893, when she was only 34 years old.

As you’re walking around the cemetery, I’d encourage you to take in as many beautiful details as possible.

I find something new to admire each time I visit, like these stunning verdigris doors or the stained glass windows that appear in many of the mausoleums.

Intricate verdigris door details at the entrance to a mausoleum in Bonaventure Cemetery
A beautiful bronze, green, and burgundy stained glass window visible through the verdigris-colored doors of a mausoleum in Bonaventure Cemetery
Two matching metal doors with a brown patina and verdigris-colored decorative window bars at the entrance to a mausoleum in Bonaventure Cemetery

If you have any questions about Bonaventure Cemetery, please let me know in the comments below.

Erin authored the Savannah First-Timer's Guide and loves helping first-time visitors plan their trips. She lives in the artsy Starland District and enjoys exploring Savannah's hidden gems, as well as the nearby SC Lowcountry.