Looking for blooms? These 6 Triangle gardens are worth the trip

With the weather warming up and springtime around the corner, nows the perfect time to visit some of the Triangle’s “world-class” botanical and flower gardens.

“We’re really considered leaders in the botanical garden world and people should feel lucky that we have them here, and take advantage of them,” said Mark Weathington, director of the JC Raulston Arboretum. “Go and visit them all.”

Each of the big gardens at North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University are free, and each have their “own very unique character and feel and mission,” he said.

Part of the work of a botanical garden is scientific and educational, keeping records and helping to conserve plant species.

Here’s a look at some of the area’s botanical gardens and popular flower parks.

JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh

• Location: 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh
• Amenities: Arboretum, which is part of North Carolina State University’s campus, features many gardens including rose gardens, flower gardens, a Japanese Garden and gardens meant to inspire home gardeners.
• Website: jcra.ncsu.edu
• Admission: Free
• Other notes: This is the 50th anniversary for the arboretum, and several events are planned. Moonlight in the Garden, featuring the garden with beautiful lights in the dark, is held every year in November.

Raleigh Rose Garden

• Location: 301 Pogue St., Raleigh
• Amenities: This is one of three accredited rose gardens in North Carolina, featuring 1,200 roses across 60 rose beds. The garden is also home to Raleigh Little Theatre, which performs at the nearby indoor theaters and the outdoor amphitheater in the garden. The roses tend to bloom in early May through November.
• Website: raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation
• Admission: Free
• Other notes: Parking can get tight with a small lot, but a majority of the parking is along Pogue Street.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham

• Location: 2000 Lewis St., Durham is the temporary entrance during construction
• Amenities: The gardens see its most visitors during the famed cherry blossom blooms, which usually happens in March, but has many features across the 55-acre campus including historic gardens, native gardens and gardens showing the floral diversity of Southeast Asia.
• Website: gardens.duke.edu
• Admission: Free
• Other notes: There is no weekday vehicle parking during construction of the new welcome center, and people are encouraged to take alternative transportation. There is parking available on the weekends.

North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill

• Location: 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill
• Amenities: This University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill garden has more than 1,100 acres of garden and conservation areas, including carnivorous plant collections and habitats featuring the different areas of North Carolina.
• Website: ncbg.unc.edu
• Admission: Free
• Other notes: Coker Arboretum is close and also worth checking out on UNC’s campus.

Juniper Level Botanic Garden in Wake County

• Location: 9241 Sauls Road, Raleigh
• Amenities: This 28-acre campus includes more than 27,000 different types of plants, waterfalls, a plant nursery and some of the world’s rarest plants.
• Website: juniperlevelbotanicgarden.org
• Admission: Free, but there is a $5 fee to park that’s redeemable as a $5 off the purchase of a plant.
• Other notes: This garden is only open to the public during set weekends and require an appointment otherwise.

WRAL Azalea Gardens

• Location: 2619 Western Blvd., Raleigh
• Amenities: This is one of the smaller gardens at 1.5 acres, but there are more than 60 different varieties of azaleas, including native varieties and the popular pink Encore azaleas.
• Website: wralgardens.com
• Admission: Free
• Other notes: This area can be access from Centennial Parkway.

Willing to drive a little further?

These North Carolina gardens are a little beyond the Triangle but can make an excellent day trip.

• Cape Fear Botanical Gardens in Fayetteville; $12 general admission; capefearbg.org
• Greensboro Arboretum in Greensboro; free admission; greensboro-nc.gov/departments/parks-recreation
• Reynolda Gardens in Winston-Salem; free admission; reynolda.org/gardens

Anna Roman

The News & Observer

919-829-4807

Anna Roman is a service journalism reporter for the News & Observer. She has previously covered city government, crime and business for newspapers across North Carolina and received many North Carolina Press Association awards, including first place for investigative reporting.