Photo Credit: Muness Castle via Flickr
Located just east of Charlotte, and 30 minutes Southeast of downtown Davidson, the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens are a natural spectacle to see in the area, whether you love flowers or are looking for a beautiful place to go walking. A garden for all seasons, guests can look forward to seeing unique and native blooms all year round. Sitting on 380 acres on the shores of Lake Wylie, the gardens are accompanied by spurting fountains, a tropical plants and orchids conservatory, a visitors pavilion, a garden store and plenty of nature trails for exploring the beautiful lands.
The Gardens
- Four Seasons Garden – This is precisely where you will see that Stowe Botanical Garden is an all season sight of colors and textures.
- Cottage Garden – Here you will be surrounded by exceptional smells that will send you on a nostalgic journey back to grandma’s kitchen.
- Crape Myrtle Grove – This is a stunning spot for reflection and relaxation.
- Canal Garden – Centered around a water feature with two fountains on each end, this football field sized garden has new flowers blooming each season.
- Allee Garden – A favorite among the kids, the tunnel fountain is the center point of this beautiful garden.
- Scroll Garden – This stadium-like circular garden is a tapestry of shapes and textures, and a favorite for the various pollinators during the warmer months.
- The Ribbon Garden – A channel snakes through this garden.
- Serpentine Garden – Winding through the property, different sections are divided by color themes and centered around pools of water make up this beautiful corner of the gardens.
- The Conifer – Traditional manicured evergreens are mixed in with wild conifers in this lovely smelling garden.
Conservatory Wall
Photo Credit: David Hennes via Flickr - Encore Azalea – Come in the fall and witness over 500 different species in bloom. It’s spectacular!
- The West Gardens – Home to the favorite wedding destination, the Nellie Rhyne Stowe White Garden, you’ll always find something white in bloom in this corner of the Stowe Botanical Garden.
- Orchid Conservatory – This is Carolina’s only glass house, and one of the gardens you don’t want to miss on your trip here. It’s has 8,000 square feet of orchids and tropical plants, as well as ever-changing exhibits that are informative and beautiful.
Stowe Botanical Garden Events
While preserving the area’s botanical heritage and giving guests access to the beautiful Lake Wylie, Stowe also hosts many public events throughout the year at which you can enjoy beauty, and learn many interesting horticultural facts. There are guided walks, featured plant vendors, and even organic vegetable gardening days for the kids to get their hands dirty. There will be an Earth Day celebration called EarthFest on April 18th at which free tree saplings will be given away, a seed planting by the Piedmont Culinary Guild will occur, as well as the Land of Nod Tour Bus who will be on site with fun activities for everyone. Check out their events page to see what’s going on all year round.
Whether you’re a horticultural savant or just enjoy natural beauty in any form, a trip to the Stowe Botanical Garden is for you. After a filling breakfast at the Davidson Village Inn, head out to explore the great outdoors!
