North Carolina has many beautiful public gardens. I am very thankful the land was saved for these and, in a few instances, they were private gardens that were left to the public upon death of the gardener.
The North Carolina Botanical Garden (http://ncbg.unc.edu/) is a beautiful garden located in Chapel Hill and is part of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It has focused on native plants for over forty years.
They have other sites throughout North Carolina with the main display gardens and education center located on Old Mason Farm Road in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The Education Center below is surround with theme gardens and a large ecological preserve with a nature trail.
There is a small nursery to purchase native plants. Here is a Carolina Anole sunning itself on this cloudy day.
Examples of sustainable gardening with native plants surround the main building. There are several large tanks to store rain water from the building’s roofs.
And examples of small plot vegetable gardening.
I love all the sustainable features of the main building: solar panels and all the gutters are connected to large water tanks.
The property is surrounded by an 8 foot fence to keep out deer and there is a poisonous plant garden, a carnivorous plant garden and a sand-hills plant area, too.
Visit their website for more information and other locations throughout the State of North Carolina. It well worth a visit.
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Arthur in the Garden! 
Pingback: A walk around the North Carolina Botanical Gardens. | Arthur in the … | Lavanaut
How great to have a botanical garden focused on native plants, and with a retail nursery.
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I love how the gardens are very natural looking. Nothing is planted in straight lines!
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NICE!
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I think all botanic gardens should be showingthe rest of us the way forward with native plants and water conserving methods. Looks a great resource for North Carolina. Christina
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I can’t believe how much this garden has changed! I earned my psychology Ph.D. at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1997. We spent many days at the garden and I grow a beauty berry in my Seattle garden to remind me of the spectacular specimens they have there.
Thanks for following my blog. It led me to check out yours and reconnect me with the beautiful gardens of North Carolina. I am looking forward to learning about your garden and your recipes look very good.
-Elizabeth
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Yes, they have finally put some money into it to make it an example of sustainable gardening, as well as, a good collection of native NC plants.
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