TRAVEL

What are the best botanical gardens to visit in North Carolina?

Lizmary Evans
Fayetteville Observer

As temperatures warm up and spring ushers in its vibrant blooms, nature enthusiasts should consider packing a picnic and exploring the best botanical gardens North Carolina has to offer.

From the mountains to the coastal plains, this diverse list of gardens offers a unique blend of colorful blooms, serene landscapes and botanical havens for travelers to enjoy.

North Carolina's Botanical Gardens

  • Biltmore Estate (Asheville) — The Biltmore Estate is 8,000 acres of garden landscapes, featuring nature trails throughout the property and a conservatory. The Biltmore house is also a stone’s throw away and the winery offers on-site wine tasting.
  • The Botanical Gardens at Asheville (Asheville) — The 10-acre tract of land is adjacent to UNC at Asheville with a deep history going back to 1959 and is most known for its collection of more than 500 native plants.
  • North Carolina Arboretum (Asheville) — The 434-acre property contains 65 acres of cultivated gardens that feature more than 100 bonsai specimens, more than 10 miles of hiking trails lined with wildflowers and a woodland garden with azaleas.
  • Cape Fear Botanical Garden (Fayetteville) — Established in 1989, Cape Fear Botanical Garden sprawls across 80 acres of natural beauty, nestled between the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek, two miles from downtown Fayetteville.
  • Highlands Biological Station (Highlands) — The Highlands Biological Station is a multi-campus center of Western Carolina University, located minutes from downtown Highlands. With a historic forest and giant Eastern Hemlock trees, guests can wander through picturesque gardens that boast more than 300 years of history.
  • Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden (Belmont) — These gardens are known for having a children’s garden, a conservatory of tropical plants and orchids, walking trails and thematic gardens for guests to enjoy.
  • JC Raulston Arboretum (Raleigh) — With one of the largest and most diverse collections of landscape plants adapted for landscape use, this nationally acclaimed botanic garden is free to the public and open every day of the year.
  • NC Botanical Garden (Chapel Hill) — This location boasts conservation areas with display gardens that highlight North Carolina’s natural beauty and Piedmont natural trails.
  • Reynolda Gardens (Winston-Salem) — Reynolda Gardens is a 134-acre outdoor horticultural oasis open year-round and offers guests scenic walking trails, colorful gardens, greenhouses, woods and even a waterfall.
  • The Sandhills Horticultural Gardens (Pinehurst) — This 32-acre property is open to the public throughout the year and offers a fruit and vegetable garden, succulent garden, and an annual garden that is different each year, designed by students with a new surprise theme.
  • Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden (Kernersville) — This garden is open daily from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year, and features tropical gardens, pattern gardens, patio terrace and courtyard gardens, and a kitchen herb garden.
  • Sarah P Duke Gardens (Durham) —With 55 acres of specialized gardens in the heart of Duke University, these gardens have free admission and consist of four distinct garden areas that feature native plants and terraces.
  • Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden (Greensboro) — Known for its massive annual plantings and bronze sculpture, this 7.5-acre garden is popular for its man-made stream, elegant wedding gazebo and a sensory garden that engages visitors in an interactive landscape experience.
  • Elizabethan Gardens (Manteo) — Seasonal horticultural collections and annual plantings provide the Elizabethan Gardens with a fresh perspective year-round and feature a bronze sculpture of Queen Elizabeth I.
  • Airlie Gardens (Wilmington) — Airlie Garden’s history dates back to the early 1700s and encompasses more than 67 acres of seasonal blooms, mighty live oaks, walking trails and historic structures.
  • Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden (Wilmington) — As the host of the Annual FLYTRAP FROLIC!, the garden seeks to engage the public with unique plants exclusive to a 70-mile radius around Wilmington. A must-visit destination.
  • Wilson Botanical Gardens (Wilson) — The Wilson Botanical Gardens promotes horticultural education targeted to middle and high school youth. It offers hands-on activities that are held outdoors and a STEM garden with five main areas.  

Reporter Lizmary Evans covers growth and development for The Fayetteville Observer. You can reach her at LEvans@gannett.com