Christen Hoover

A Visit to the Gardens
by Ariyanna Smith

A gravel path swoops down a steep hill to the main entrance of the Susie Harwood Garden, where a smooth dirt trail replaces the rocky path. A four-foot tall sky blue hydrangea plant in full bloom greets guests at the entrance, luring them further into the garden with its beauty. A patch of pink, heart-shaped flowers look so bright they could be glowing. Metal name tags of the plants jut up from the dark soil; the pink flowers are called Caladiums. From here, the garden turns into a maze of facts and color awaiting discovery.

The gardens are split into three separate sections: The Susie Harwood Garden, The Van Landingham Glen and The McMillan Greenhouse. The Glen is the oldest of the three, founded in 1966 by UNC Charlotte’s founder, Bonnie E. Cone, and Herbert Hechenbleikner, a biology professor. There are tributes to these pioneers inside the woodland. Cone’s ashes are buried within the woods and a small log cabin near the north entrance is dedicated to Hechenbleikner.

Large ferns line the paths in the Glen. Cardinals fly from tree to tree above while squirrels forage on the ground below. Beams of light shine down on the trails, between the canopies of treetops. The area is almost entirely composed of trees and plant species native to the Charlotte region. The striking, violet Rhododendrons are the only exception, which were introduced to The Glen during its formation. There are several hammock stands, benches and picnic tables scattered throughout this garden.
The Harwood Garden is composed of several small exhibits stitched together with rambling flower beds. It is located on the other side of the gravel path. The first major section is the Water Garden which houses aquatic plants nurtured by the expansive pond located in the center of the garden. A Bigleaf Magnolia can be spotted in the area, a rare tree with deep green leaves 10 inches in length. A lean, stone bench rests on an incline above the pond offering a view of the water and the surrounding vegetation. This is one of Director Jeff Gillman’s favorite places in the Gardens.

The soothing swoosh of the waterfall isn’t the only thing that draws him to this spot. Gillman is a horticulturist who is more interested in the people who visit the garden than the plants. He explains that he enjoys watching visitors interact with the gardens and seeing which plants they are attracted to and how they react to certain arrangements. Referring to his favorite areas in the gardens, he says, “there are places where I can sit and see what’s going on. I like to just sit and watch people move through… I really enjoy those places.” His personal mission is to strengthen the relationship between people and plants. According to the gardens’ website, its mission is to “Inspire a love for plants and nature through programming, classes, and botanical displays.” The two goals are certainly compatible. He and his team have come up with a variety of ways to accomplish this mission. He says slyly, “sometimes you have to hide the plant in there, it’s not always about putting it right in front of a person.”

Programming and educational courses are instrumental. Staff members teach courses on a range of topics including native plant studies and gardening for adult learners. For the younger crowd, upcoming events like, “Stories in the Woods” and the “Carnivorous Carnival” intend to spark children’s interest in plants. Social media, along with a regularly updated podcast called “The Plants We Eat,” keep the community engaged on a digital platform.

A narrow wooden bridge connects the Water garden to the third section, the Asian Gardens. The winding dirt path is replaced by square rock slabs embedded in the ground. The cluttered rows of plants and vines disappear beyond the Moon Gate, a circular stone structure. A sign at the entrance of the garden states, “the Asian Gardens are an expression of ancient beliefs about the nature of the world and the human place in this world.” This area mimics the style of Chinese, Japanese and Korean gardens by evoking yin and yang through the use of vegetation, stone and water. Large, grey sculptures made from stacked boulders are juxtaposed with the lively, lime-colored leaves of a Japanese Bonsai tree. Small, tan rocks are crammed together in a meandering pattern to mimic a river running through the display. Harmony is the guiding principle; trees and stones are presented as complementary elements instead of opposites. This portion of the garden is a community favorite.

In the summer months, the number of visitors to the gardens fluctuates without the steady flow of students on campus. Michael Grogan is one of the few people browsing the Harwood garden on this quiet Tuesday afternoon. He spent the majority of his visit snapping photos of the rock sculptures in the Asian Garden. He says his favorite area is the gazebo because, “It allows me to view everything from an elevated vantage point.” This is his first visit to the gardens in 27 years. He attended UNC Charlotte in 1988, but an illness forced him to drop out during his senior year in 1992. He finally returned to school this summer and decided to take a stroll through the gardens in between his classes, curious about how it has changed. He struggles to find the words to explain his feelings, overwhelmed by the growth. He manages to compliment the design of the trails saying, “They make the gardens feel less confined.”

While Grogan reflects on the past, Gillman is across the street in the Greenhouse classroom writing grants to secure the gardens’ future. “Money is the biggest issue,” he says, “We have a very small operating budget.” Fortunately, his staff knows how to do a lot with a little. Two new projects are currently in development. The Polly Rogers Memorial Sensory Garden will be an interactive garden geared toward children with autism. The garden is named after Polly Rogers, a UNC Charlotte student and aspiring special education teacher who died last spring. The second project is the Heritage Trail, a showcase of crops grown in the Carolinas from the pre-European era to present day. The Urban Institute and Dr. Ashli Stokes from the communications studies department are teaming up with the gardens’ staff to create this exhibit. There is no official opening date for either project yet.

The Glen and the Harwood Garden include relics of the university’s past and showcase a burning desire to brighten the future. A trip to the lush gardens is a must for anyone visiting the campus.

Top row (from left to right): St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium), Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa)

Bottom row (from left to right): Black stem hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Nigra’), Double flowered Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’), Brown Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba)

Bigleaf Magnolia Art and Garden Festival 2019

We are pleased to announce the winners of our “Through Butterfly Eyes” Macrophotography and Garden totem contest!

See the full lists at the links below:

Click here to see 2019 Photography Contest Winners

Click here to see 2019 Garden Totem Winners

From left to right: Pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata) , Orange Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Bishop’s Weed (Houttuynia cordata), Horse Mint (Blephilia ciliata), Blanket Flower (Gaillardia), Phlox (Phlox), White Stokes Aster (Stokesia laevis), St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Beginning Monday, May 6, and continuing through Sunday, May 19, space and materials will be available for the UNC Charlotte community and the general public to leave messages, artwork, memories, and prayers on river stones in the Gardens. The materials for creating these remembrance stones will be at the entrance to the Susie Harwood Gardens.

These stones can be left along the edges of the Gardens’ paths.

Edit 5/2: The Gardens and Greenhouses will reopen today, Thursday, May 2, and resume normal operating hours. Thank you to everyone for the outpouring of love and support. We are working on ways to memorialize Riley and Reed. In the meantime, we hope that #NinerNation and the Charlotte community will find solace and healing here in the Gardens.

(Pictured here: a memorial we found by the pond in the Susie Harwood Gardens this morning)

All of us at the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens are heartbroken by yesterday evening’s horrific events. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and also with #NinerNation as we all grieve and process.

The Gardens will be closed today, Wednesday, May 1, along with the rest of the University. All scheduled events through Sunday will be postponed. Continue to check in here for further information on affected hours.

We believe that nature is a great healer, and as soon as we can reopen, we will welcome you all to bring your broken hearts in to be comforted by the beauty and peace of this place.

Top row (from left to right): False indigo Baptisia australis), Blue Star (Amsonia), Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum ‘Sterile’)

Bottom row (from left to right): , Venus Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus x ‘Venus’), Old Copper Azalea (Rhododendron oldhamii), Rhododendron (Rhododendron ‘Haag’s Choice’)

Top row (from left to right): Anthurium (Anthurium pseudospectabile), Chandelier tree (Medenilla cumingii kinabalu), Black pepper (Piper nigrum)

Bottom row (from left to right): Pineapple (Ananas comosus), Goldfish plant (Nematanthus), Begonia incana (Begonia incana)

Top row (from left to right): Rhododendron (Rhododendron ‘Mary Fleming’), Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’), Fullmoon Maple (Acer japonicum)

Bottom row (from left to right): Dwarf flowering almon (Prunus glandulosa ‘rosea plena’), Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii), Rhododendron (Rhododendron ‘Aronimink’)

Top row (from left to right): Camellia ‘Professor Sargent’ (Camellia japonica), Japanese andromeda (Pieries japonica), Plum yew (Cephalotaxus)

Bottom row (from left to right): Lenten rose (Helleborus), Tongue-leaf Butcher’s-broom (Ruscus hypoglossum), Camellia ‘Margery Adams’ (Camellia japonica)