For Mother’s Day this year I dreamt of wandering through a beautiful garden with the kids and taking family pictures with a gorgeous, flowery backdrop. We visited De Hart Botanical Garden in Louisburg, but it wasn’t quite what I had in mind. I wish I would have known of Juniper Level Botanic Garden before then because it’s exactly what I wanted!
Juniper Level Botanic Garden is what I picture when I think of a beautifully landscaped and well-manicured garden. There are mulch and gravel walkways leading you through an oasis of flowering shrubs, palm trees, cacti, and tranquil water features. The kids and I enjoyed taking in the the beauty surrounding us, smelling the flowers, and exploring the sunbathing frogs and lizards by the pond.
Welcome Tent and Map
There is a welcome tent setup right near the parking lot, so stop there first to grab a map. This place is huge (28 acres) and there are 5 separate sections so you’ll need a map to make sure you see it all. Turns out we missed a huge section ourselves!
The pathways in the garden are mainly covered in mulch, with some areas of dirt and gravel. I’d say there are some places where you can take the stroller, but for the most part it’s not really stroller friendly.
Shade Garden
We were there in the morning and we visited the shade garden first. I recommend visiting this at the hottest part of the day, because it will help you beat the heat. There are two water features in this area and lots of shade trees and tropical plants. The kids enjoyed this area the most because of the waterfalls.
Unfortunately the gazebo was closed for repair. There is a porch swing up there that I think the kids would have loved swinging on!
Another awesome feature was this bent tree. It had a name but I can’t remember was it was called! It grew this way before the garden was created and it actually dips back into the ground before growing straight up. You can walk under it like a natural archway.
Sun Garden
We ended up getting to the sun garden around noon and it got a little hot then. The kids started complaining so we didn’t stay much longer after that. Definitely start here in the morning if you want to plan your visit better than we did!
The pond had fish swimming in it and the water is clear enough you can see them. Unfortunately we were also surprised by some snakes sunbathing on the rocks! One of the gardeners said they see snakes in the area a lot, so keep an eye out!
Side note: the gardeners here are really friendly and a wealth of knowledge. We had a long conversation with one of them about the different plants and animals on the grounds. Another wanted to make sure we didn’t miss the waterfalls! Such a friendly group of people that obviously love what they do!
Center for Mindfulness and Nonduality
There is a building on the grounds with decks to sit and relax. Upon further investigation on the garden website, it appears to be the Center for Mindfulness and Nonduality, which conducts classes on the premises.
Plant Delights Nursery
Plant Delights Nursery is also located onsite where you can purchase perennials to plant at home. There are lots of greenhouses with 1,600 different plants available for purchase.
Visit the Gardens
You can schedule a visit to Juniper Level Botanic Gardens at any time by filling out the request form. Or you can wait for their eight free annual Garden Days weekends where they are open to the public. Find out more about Garden Days by visiting their website.
If you’re looking for other gardens around the triangle try The JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh or Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham.