5 best public gardens in North Carolina

Check out these five immaculate public gardens in North Carolina. From Charlotte to Belmont, there are plenty of gardens to explore.

Picture this: It’s springtime in North Carolina. The sun is shining. The birds are chirping. Bees are buzzing, and you’ve finally found the right allergy medicine to prevent you from sneezing approximately 1,000 times the second a single bud forms anywhere in a 10-mile radius of your house. You’re ready to plan the perfect day outdoors, but you aren’t sure where to go, and you don’t have a lot of money to get there.

Thankfully, NC is home to a variety of public gardens, many of which offer free admission for a day filled with exploration and education. From the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens to the impressive array of outdoor areas in Greensboro, take a beat to just relax and enjoy being outside at these gorgeous locations.

Plus, if you pack a picnic at home before you leave, you’ll save money on lunch and you’ll be able to enjoy that sandwich even more while sitting under a blossoming tree with someone you really love.

1. UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens

One of the best things about the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens is that admission is always free. Whether you want to stop and smell the roses in the Susie Harwood Garden, stroll through the Polly Rogers Memorial Sensory Garden, or take some time to reflect in the Asian Garden, you can do so completely free of charge. The only restrictions you’ll need to be mindful of are the hours of operation for each garden.

According to the website, both the Susie Harwood Garden and the Van Landigham Glen are open every day from dawn until dusk. The McMillian Greenhouse, however, is only open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., so you’ll need to plan your trip accordingly. 

On occasion, plant sales and classes are offered at the Botanical Gardens for those of you who want to purchase some beautiful flowers for your home garden, or who simply want to learn about the flora around them. A full calendar of upcoming events can be found here.

For additional information regarding parking at the Botanical Gardens, maps, seasonal highlights, and FAQs, please click here.

Can’t make it to the Botanical Gardens yet but still want to learn about plants in the meantime? Check out the Gardens’ podcast, The Plants We Eat.

UNC Charlotte’s Orchid Curator, Mary Duke, poses with “Rodney,” the McMillian Greenhouse’s Corpse Flower. (Grant Baldwin/CC BY-ND 2.0).

2. North Carolina Botanical Garden

Not to be confused with the last place we highlighted (which has a similar name), the North Carolina Botanical Garden is located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Display gardens at this location are open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. 

Garden etiquette is enforced, so it’s a good idea to read through what you can and can’t do here before planning your trip. For example, e-cigarettes are not allowed in the gardens, and leashed pets are only allowed on the Piedmont Nature Trails.

There are roughly 1,100 acres of conservation and garden areas at the NC Botanical Gardens for you to explore during your trip, which are broken down by habitat area on this helpful map. You’ll also be able to use the map to plot out your path between noted landmarks, such as the Turtle Pond and the Giant Game Board. Other helpful information, like bathroom locations, are marked on the map, so we recommend pulling it up while you’re walking around to make things as convenient as possible.

Upcoming events at the Botanical Gardens can be found here, and a list of current exhibitions can be found here. Want to schedule a guided tour for your visit? Click here. Youth & family programs, adult programs, and school field trips are also available at this location, which you can learn about at this link.

Large metal chess board located at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens at Chapel Hill. (Kevin Oliver/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

3. Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens 

Located in Belmont, the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission fees are as follows:

• Adult: $16.95 +tax
• Senior: (60+) : $14.95 +tax
• Child: (2-12) : $9.95 +tax

Children under the age of two are admitted for free. Additional information regarding the Gardens’ pet policy, maps, and parking can be found here.

If you’re looking for a unique twist on a traditional public garden visit, the Daniel Stowe offers a variety of special events throughout the spring, such as a Moonlight Series Night Experience, a Forest Bathing experience, Birding Walks, plus many others. Check out their event calendar to see if anything strikes your fancy. (Or if you want to earn brownie points for planning a one-of-a-kind first date for your latest Hinge match.)

Encompassing over 30 acres of land, the Daniel Stowe is broken down into several distinct areas, including the Four Seasons Garden, the White Garden, the Lost Hollow Kimbrell Children’s Garden, the William H. Williamson III Conservatory, and more.

Educational programs, summer camps, and field trips are also offered here. Click here to learn about them.

Fountain located in the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. (Robert Nunnally/CC BY 2.0).

4. The North Carolina Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum is situated outside of Asheville in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, which is as scenic as it sounds. Through the end of March, the Arboretum is open daily from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Beginning in April, the Arboretum will be open daily from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. through the end of October. To learn about hours, directions, etc., click here.

There isn’t an admission fee for the Arboretum or its surrounding trails, but you will need to pay a parking fee to gain access to everything. Parking fees are:

• Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $20
• Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $60
• Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $125

Discounts can be found here. Members receive free parking for all trips to the Arboretum.

Looking to explore the Bonsai Exhibition Garden while you’re here? You’ll need to follow the Indoor and Outdoor Display hours to do so, which are:

• Indoor Tropical Bonsai Display
  • November through April; 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily
  • Located in the Baker Visitor Center Greenhouse
• Outdoor Bonsai Exhibition Garden
  • Bonsai on Display Mid May through November; 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily 
  • Garden Open Year Round

The Arboretum’s events and exhibits can be found here, its educational programs can be found here, and you can click this link to learn about the various trails throughout this expansive outdoor area.

5. Greensboro Beautiful

Last but certainly not least, Greensboro Beautiful features a few vibrant areas for you to soak in all of NC’s spring beauty. 

The Bog Garden at Benjamin Park spans “seven acres of natural wetlands” across an elevated boardwalk. Admission is free, and you can spend as many hours as you’d like (between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. in March and April, and from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. May through June) exploring Melvin’s Mountain, Serenity Falls, and other breathtaking destinations. 

If you’re looking for something more traditional and slightly less outdoorsy, Gateway Gardens is also free to explore and features 11 acres of gardens, outdoor classrooms, gathering areas, patios, and more. You can also check out the Greensboro Arboretum and the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden for extra (free!) floral fun. 

Upcoming events, including gardening classes, tree plantings, and litter cleanups can be found here.

Small waterfall located inside the Bog Garden at Benjamin Park. (Melinda Young Stuart/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.