North Carolina Arboretum

July 1st, 2012 by Jeff

[dropcap style="font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;"] N [/dropcap]estled in the woods of Pisgah National Forest in Asheville, the North Carolina Arboretum is a 434 acre public garden located within the Bent Creek Experimental Forest. Set amid rolling hills just off mile 393 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Arboretum offers more than ten miles of groomed hiking trails that are suitable for all ages. Home to one of the finest, most unique bonsai collections in the United States, the Arboretum has 65 acres of cultivated gardens that are appropriately seasonal. The Arboretum is an affiliate of the University of North Carolina and is a center for conservation, education and research. Information desks at the Baker Exhibit Center or the Education Center have brochures that describe tours, demonstrations, and membership benefits. Or, you can spend a lovely day on the grounds simply enjoying the peace, quiet and beauty away from the drudgery of everyday living. I visited the Arboretum on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 from 8:00am to 11:00am, focusing my attention on the permanent gardens and the Production Greenhouse.

I have been a member of the North Carolina Arboretum for three years and visit every chance I get. Each season has a special allure. I fell in love with the place my first time there and immediately decided I wanted to join. Membership benefits include: free entry, discounts on education programs, gift shops, and the café, member-only events, reciprocal privileges with more than 200 other gardens nationwide, a newsletter and program information. Contributions to the Arboretum Society are tax deductible and support workshops, training for staff, regional plant shows, and enhancements to the gardens.

Sometimes I go to the Arboretum to hike through the forest. Sometimes I will combine a visit with a trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway. No matter the reason for my appearance, I always take time to stroll through the gardens, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells that soothe and relax.

There are 10 permanent garden areas within the grounds, all handicap accessible. Further, there are other cultivated areas of interest found out and about in the trail system. The Arboretum also maintains a permanent collection of art. Look for the pieces throughout the gardens. Below are the featured gardens:

Blue Ridge Court — a central point of the Grand Garden Promenade, featuring a naturally dwarfed American Beech in the center of a garden pool.
Bonsai Exhibition Garden — this garden presents the Arboretum’s extensive bonsai collection in an aesthetically unique landscape.
Heritage Garden — the chimney and stone foundations, and water spring recall features of old homesteads. The garden includes plants used in the regions medicinal herb and craft industries.
Holly Garden — this exhibit shows the variety of plants in the holly genus that can be grown in this region of North Carolina.
Plants of Promise Garden — this 1/2 acre garden at wood’s edge features promising landscape plants appropriate for the Southern Appalachian region. The Arboretum encourages staff to have fun here.
Quilt Garden — a floral representation of a traditional quilt pattern. You will get a bird’s eye view of this garden from a stone overlook.
Stream Garden — planted primarily with native plants, this garden represents a WNC mountain stream and its plant communities.
National Native Azalea Collection — located along the Bent Creek Road, this garden was established to help preserve and protect each of 16 species of azalea native to the United States. Flowering usually occurs mid-April through May.