Visit · The Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens
The highest public native plant botanical gardens in eastern North America: more than 12 acres of the southern Appalachians’ flora, open every day.
Est. 19624,118 ft12+ acresDawn to dusk · free
The Botanical Gardens and trails are open every day, sunrise to sunset. The HBS office is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. The Nature Center is closed for repairs through the end of 2026.
01 · About
A living showcase
Nestled at 4,118 feet in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Highlands Botanical Gardens are both a refuge and a living showcase for the extraordinary botanical diversity of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and the surrounding southern Appalachians.
Established in 1962 by botanists Ralph M. Sargent, Henry Wright, Henry R. Totten and others, the gardens have grown to more than 12 acres. Hundreds of labeled plants (ferns, mosses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees) grow in naturalistic woodland, riparian and wetland habitats.
The gardens are a resource for scientific study, habitat restoration and native plant conservation, and for anyone who wants to know the flora of the southern Appalachians a little better.
- Elevation
- 4,118 ft
- Size
- 12+ acres
- Established
- 1962
- Specialty gardens
- Four
02 · Specialty gardens
Four demonstration gardens
Each highlights a distinct theme in southern Appalachian botany and ecology.
01
Appalachian Ethnobotanical Garden
The long relationships between people and native plants, from food and medicine to fiber and ceremony, honoring the Indigenous and Appalachian heritage of this landscape.
02
Moss Garden
A quiet showcase of mosses, liverworts and hornworts, one of the most species-rich and overlooked plant groups in the southern Appalachians.
03
Homeowner’s Demonstration Garden
Practical ideas for native-plant landscaping at home, with regional plants that support pollinators and wildlife.
04
Rock Outcrop Garden
The harsh, specialized conditions of granite rock outcrops, a rare southern Appalachian habitat with plants found nowhere else.
03 · Native plant finder
A native for every spot
Tell us about the light and soil where you garden, and we’ll show you native wildflowers that suit it, from the gardens’ own bloom calendar: more than 15 years of weekly records kept here.
- MonkshoodAconitum uncinatumshade · rich
- ColumbineAquilegia canadensispart-shade, shade · moist
- SpikenardAralia racemosashade · rich
- Hercules clubAralia spinosapart-shade, shade · moist
- Green dragonArisaema dracontiumshade · moist-rich
- Jack-in-the-pulpitArisaema triphyllumshade · moist-rich
- Dutchman’s pipeAristolochia macrophyllashade · moist-rich
- Wild gingerAsarum canadenseshade · moist-rich
- Poke milkweedAsclepias exaltatapart-shade, shade · disturbed
- Heart-leaved asterAster divaricatuspart-shade, shade · rich
- White wild-indigoBaptisia albapart-sun · disturbed
- Wild indigoBaptisia tinctoriapart-shade · disturbed
- SweetshrubCalycanthus floriduspart-shade, shade · moist
- Blue cohoshCaulophyllum thalictroidesshade · moist-rich
- Devil’s bitChamaelirium luteumshade · moist-rich
- TurtleheadChelone cuthbertiisun, part-shade · moist
- Ox-eye daisyChrysanthemum leucanthemumsun · disturbed
- Green & goldChrysogonum virginianumpart-shade, shade · disturbed
- Black cohoshCimicifuga racemosashade · moist-rich
- Carolina spring beautyClaytonia carolinianashade · rich
- Virginia spring beautyClaytonia virginicashade · rich
- Virgin’s bowerClematis virginianapart-shade · disturbed
- Lance-leaved coreopsisCoreopsis lanceolatasun, part-shade · dry
- Silky dogwoodCornus amomumshade · moist-wet
- Flowering dogwoodCornus floridashade · moist
- ToothwortDentaria heterophyllashade · rich
- Squirrel cornDicentra canadensisshade · moist
- Dutchman’s britchesDicentra cucullariashade · moist-rich
- Bleeding-heartDicentra eximiashade · rich
- Yellow mandarinDisporum lanuginosumshade · moist
- Trout-lilyErythronium americanumshade · rich
- Joe-pye weedEupatorium fistulosumshade · moist-rich
- Queen-of-the-meadowEupatorium maculatumpart-shade, shade · moist
- BonesetEupatorium perfoliatumpart-shade · moist-rich
- Wild geraniumGeranium maculatumshade · rich
- Indian physicGillenia trifoliatashade · rich
- Downy rattlesnake plantainGoodyera pubescensshade · moist to dry
- SilverbellHalesia carolinashade · moist
- Liver leafHepatica acutilobashade · moist-rich
- Little brown jugsHexastylis arifoliashade · moist
- Wild gingerHexastylis shuttleworthiishade · moist-rich
- BluetsHoustonia serpyllifoliapart-shade, shade · moist
- HydrangeaHydrangea arborescensshade · rich
- Spotted St. John’s wortHypericum punctatumpart-shade, shade · disturbed
- Crested dwarf irisIris cristatashade · moist-rich
- Dwarf irisIris vernapart-shade · dry-acidic
- Blue flagIris virginicapart-shade · wet
- Sheep laurelKalmia angustifoliapart-shade, shade · moist
- Mountain laurelKalmia latifoliashade · moist
- Blazing starLiatris spicatasun · moist
- Turk’s-cap lilyLilium superbumpart-shade, shade · moist
- Indian tobaccoLobelia inflatasun, part-shade · disturbed
- Great lobeliaLobelia siphiliticasun, part-shade · moist
- White-campionLychnis albasun · disturbed
- Whorled loosestrifeLysimachia quadrifoliasun · moist to dry
- Partridge berryMitchella repensshade · moist to dry
- Bee-balmMonarda didymapart-shade · moist-rich
- SundropsOenothera fruticosapart-shade, shade · dry
- Allegheny spurgePachysandra procumbensshade · rich-alkaline
- Yellow passion-flowerPassiflora luteapart-shade, shade · disturbed
- Tall phloxPhlox carolinasun, shade · disturbed
- Creeping phloxPhlox stoloniferapart-shade, shade · disturbed
- MayapplePodophyllum peltatumshade · moist-rich
- Solomon’s sealPolygonatum biflorumshade · moist
- Mountain mintPycnanthemum montanumsun, part-shade · disturbed
- Meadow beautyRhexia virginicapart-shade · wet
- Purple laurelRhododendron catawbiensesun · dry
- RhododendronRhododendron maximumshade · moist
- Carolina rhododendronRhododendron minusshade · moist
- Pinxter flowerRhododendron nudiflorumshade · moist
- Pink shell azaleaRhododendron vaseyipart-shade, shade · moist to wet
- Clammy azaleaRhododendron viscosumpart-shade · wet
- Swamp roseRosa palustrispart-sun, shade · wet
- Black-eyed susanRudbeckia hirtasun · dry-disturbed
- ConeflowerRudbeckia laciniatapart-shade, shade · moist
- Duck potatoSagittaria latifoliapart-shade · aquatic
- BloodrootSanguinaria canadensisshade · rich-alkaline
- TrumpetsSarracenia flavapart-shade · wet
- Pitcher plantSarracenia purpureapart-shade · wet
- Sweet pitcher plantSarracenia rubrapart-shade · wet
- Fire-pinkSilene virginicashade · dry
- False Solomon’s sealSmilacina racemosashade · moist
- Grass-leaved goldenrodSolidago graminifoliasun · dry
- MeadowsweetSpiraea albapart-shade · wet
- FoamflowerTiarella cordifoliashade · moist-rich
- SpiderwortTradescantia subasperashade · dry
- CranberryVaccinium macrocarponsun · moist to wet
- Green helleboreVeratrum viridepart-sun, shade · moist
- Witch-hobbleViburnum alnifoliumshade · moist
- WithrodViburnum cassinoidespart-shade, shade · moist to wet
- Yellow-rootXanthorhiza simplicissimapart-shade · wet
From the Station’s brochure Flowering Times of Native Wildflowers of the Highlands Plateau (PDF), which also gives each plant’s bloom times. Botanical names are as printed; some have since changed.
04 · Explore
Ways into the gardens
Guides, maps and stories for every kind of visit.
05 · Trails
Gardens & trails
Six main trails and two connectors wind through the gardens and campus, open 365 days a year from dawn to dusk.
Trail rules
- Stay on marked trails
- Do not feed or interact with wildlife
- Do not pick plants
- No firearms
- No fishing, swimming or boating
- No biking
- Keep pets leashed and out of the water, and clean up after them
Trail notes & safety
- The Lindenwood Lake Loop runs alongside Lower Lake Road; take care near traffic.
- Reach the Highlands Plateau Greenway from the Illges Overlook Trail or the southern entrance of Woodland Way.
- The Coker Old Growth Trail has minimal maintenance and steep sections.
- Trail signage is being updated and markers are limited, so plan your route before you set out.
Garden zones
The Highlands Botanical Gardens are the Historic zone of campus; the Landscape and Research zones are used for programming and authorized research.
06 · Resources
Garden & wildlife resources
07 · Help the gardens
Help the gardens grow
Gifts fund plant acquisitions, garden care, volunteer programs and conservation work in the Highlands Botanical Gardens.