UNC Charlotte Botanical Garden

From the website:

Begun in 1966 on the newly-established Charlotte campus of the University of North Carolina system, the Botanical Gardens was the brainchild of biology professor Dr. Herbert Hechenbleikner and UNC Charlotte founder, Bonnie E. Cone.

The Gardens were created to serve as a living classroom for biology students and as a horticultural and botanical resource for the campus and greater community. This was a unique beginning, as university botanical gardens usually spring from a formal horticulture or botany department. Despite the absence of those departments, the Gardens founders believed a university campus was not complete without the educational and cultural resource of a thoughtful, managed botanical garden. This vision became possible through the support of members of the Charlotte community, especially Mr. Ralph Van Landingham, and the hard work of Dr. Hechenbleikner and previous Director, Dr. Larry Mellichamp.

The first installment of the Botanical Gardens was the Van Landingham Glen. The Glen was also utilized by the local Rhododendrons Society, creating a unique space in the Charlotte are where students, botanists, and enthusiasts came together to grow a garden. The McMillan Greenhouse had a similarly specific purpose. It was originally constructed so that the Botanical Gardens could hold an Orchid Collection. That Orchid Collection is still thriving in the Greenhouse and even includes some of the original orchids.

Over the last 40+ years the Botanical Gardens have evolved into the special resource that exists today, comprising 10 acres of outdoor gardens, a 4500 sq ft glasshouse with attached workspace, and teaching classroom that also contains a 1200+ book botanical and horticultural library.

The expansion of the Botanical Gardens has been matched by the vision and dedication of their staff. Several underutilized areas have been improved into special collections to showcase unique approaches to gardening. The most recent addition, the Mellichamp Terrace, is an example of combining a love of horticulture, botany, and home gardening.

Please plan to arrive at the McMillan Greenhouse (9090 Craver Rd, Charlotte, NC 28262) 30 min before the tour is scheduled to begin. 

• If you are arriving in a car: Five parking spaces are available adjacent to the McMillan Greenhouse. If those spots are full you will need to park in Visitor Parking in East Deck 1 (there is a charge for parking in this deck).

Let's try to organize some car pools!

Good walking shoes should be worn while visiting the Outdoor Gardens. A steep gravel path leads down from the Greenhouse towards the Glen and Harwood Gardens, each of which also has stairs and dirt paths. Wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers are not recommended in The Harwood Garden. There is a solid surfaced path which leads from one end of The VanLandingham Glen to the other which can  be suitable for power chairs, wheelchairs with assistants and strollers.

Bathrooms and water fountains are not available inside the Greenhouse or Gardens. Restrooms are available in the McEniry Building adjacent to the Greenhouse in the same parking lot. Please plan to arrive early.

Printable maps are available on our website and maps are also located on the Greenhouse door and at every entrance to Gardens. Parking Map & Garden Map are attached as well.

Map and parking.

If you have any questions, please contact Betsy Russell at 803-749-7986.  Please leavef a message if your call is not picked up.