We’ll be arriving after lunch in the River Arts District to
spend a couple of hours at the NC Arboretum. It’s a big place, so check out some
of your options at their website. You’ll also have a map in your registration packet
to help you preview your visit. The
Arboretum recently celebrated its 25th anniversary (check out its history here) -- I've seen it expand and develop over the years, and have particularly enjoyed my recent visits as the gardens and trails have matured and expanded. You'll enjoy it!
The containers and plantings around the Education Center are
always a standout and change seasonally.
The Bonsai Exhibition Garden displays native trees of the
Southern Appalachians, and is exceptional, even if you're not that interested in bonsai.
Strolls on the Plants of Promise Garden and the Natural
Garden Trail provide an even better look
at some of the native plants that make the Southern Appalachian such an
exceptionally rich botanical region.
Interested in learning more about native plants of the Southern Appalachians? Join Tim Spira, author of Wildflower and Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachians and Piedmont: a Naturalist’s Guide for a closer
look of some of our native plants and their ecology on one of two scheduled walks along the Natural Garden Trail in the Arboretum. Tim’s a plant
ecologist, botanist, and Clemson University professor (he’s also a great native
plant gardener).
Lisa, Natural Gardening
