Bucket List Destinations in NC: The North Carolina Arboretum

 

The North Carolina Arboretum is a magical place. Summer blooms and lush greenery, chirping birds and cloud-wrapped mountain peaks in the background set a perfect scene to escape into nature. 

 

 

Tucked away in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, this unique place boasts more than 400 acres of natural beauty with garden upon garden of seasonal plants, an abundance of wildlife, and one of the most extensive bonsai collections in the U.S.  And over it all, a dazzling scent of the flower fields rises. Breathtaking doesn't even begin to cut it. The views will sweep you off your feet.

The North Carolina Arboretum

The idea of creating the arboretum in this area belongs to the landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who in 1898 wished to transform the grounds at the nearby Biltmore Estate into stunning gardens.

But nearly 100 years passed before the General Assembly in 1986 established the arboretum, defining it as a facility of the University of North Carolina. And only in 1989, this place was officially recognized as the North Carolina Arboretum.

 

 

Quilt Garden 

Symmetrically arranged flower beds with their one-of-kind quilt-like design and ever-changing blooms should be on every photographer's bucket list. A dazzling, fragrant blanket of flowers is an art form in itself.  Set against a babbling fountain, the statue of Frederick Law Olmsted and mountain peaks in the background,  this garden mirrors the beauty of its surroundings.

 

 

The garden's 24 squares get transformed into a new quilt pattern with thousands of bright blooms and a consistent pattern every season, so it's never the same experience and worth it to enjoy year after year.

 

 

Grand Promenade

Located in the heart of the gardens, this scenic alley is a tranquil oasis to take a leisurely stroll, simply lounge around, or duck back into one of the hidden paths to further explore the gardens.  The plants curve up above and over benches, providing a nice shade on a hot summer day. Budding flowers and trees fill the air with perfume. The promenade is spacious and faces the mountains at its circular court, managing not to feel stifling and providing beautiful surroundings for visitors to take pictures or simply breathe it all.

 

Every garden path is a portal into a world of its own with the sculptures in the form of a perfume bottle guiding the way. Public art and nature-based sculptures are an integral part of their natural surroundings.

 

 

Framed by neatly-trimmed trees, seasonal blooms, and strings of light overhead, it takes you straight to the Arboretum’s Blue Ridge Court with a beautiful babbling fountain, a larger-than-life sculpture of Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American Landscape Architecture, and scenic views of mountain peaks in the background.

 

 

 

Rocky Cove Railroad

Nestled below the Grand Promenade, Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) outdoor railway. If you have even the slightest interest in trains and miniature towns, this  highly-detailed, scenic display will give you a ton of fun. 

 

 

Trains run only through weekends, 12 noon - 4 p.m. from April through October.

 

 

Making Scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance

Making Scents is a brand-new, indoor interactive exhibit that showcases the plants and flowers behind the world’s iconic perfumes.

 

 

So make sure you stop and smell the flowers. 

 

 

Bonsai Exhibition Garden

Bonsai is the art of growing miniature trees and shrubs in containers using special cultivation techniques. The Arboretum's collection has over 100 bonsai, representing various plants that are traditional to America as well as Asia and Europe. 

 

The exhibit explores this meticulously-nurtured tradition with many iconic species, such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm as well as some plants that are native to the mountains of Western North Carolina.

 

Note that the Bonsai Exhibition Garden has its own working hours and is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

Trails

There are also more than 10 miles of trails that connect to the other area destinations, such as Lake Powhatan and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

 

 

Good To Know: 

- Admission: Free, but there’s a parking fee. We paid $20.00 for a personal vehicle. No charge for pedestrians or bicyclists. 

- Hours: April – October: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m., daily  |  November – March: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., daily
Christmas Day: Closed   |   Baker Exhibit Center: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., daily

- Enjoy the gardens and leave no trace

 

The North Carolina Arboretum: 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC 28806-9315
 

 

 

Leave a Comment North Carolina, Travel