Jump to content

Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Edit links
Coordinates: 35°10′05″N 81°03′28″W / 35.1680°N 81.0578°W / 35.1680; -81.0578
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Map
TypeConservancy
Botanical garden
LocationBelmont, North Carolina

Daniel Stowe Conservancy is a conservancy and a botanical garden located on 380 acres (1.5 km2) of meadows, woodlands and lakefront property in Belmont, North Carolina.[1] Founded by Daniel J. Stowe, it includes large manicured gardens, natural surrounding areas, including a woodland trail, fountains, and a conservatory.

History

[edit]

The site has a long history of use by its inhabitants. Originally, Native Americans of the Catawba and Cherokee tribes trapped, fished, hunted and raised families here. Later, the area served as home to early European settlers. In recent years, the garden’s meadowlands have been used as pasture for farm animals, although much of the site is covered by mature deciduous woodlands and pine forest.[citation needed]

The French botanist André Michaux rode and walked across the property in 1795. Michaux found new plants in Gaston County not far from the current garden, including the Bigleaf Magnolia.[citation needed]

The Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens were reserved by Daniel J. Stowe, a retired textile executive from Belmont, in 1991,[2] and construction began in 1997.[3] The garden hosted the opening of 110 acres (0.45 km2) developed on October 9, 1999.[4] The opportunity to join as a founding member ended with 5,297 members.[citation needed] The Daniel Stowe Conservancy adopted its current name on April 17, 2025, as part of a rebranding to a conservancy.[5][6]

Features

[edit]
A colonnade at the Daniel Stowe Conservancy

The property includes 30 acres (120,000 m2) of gardens, 12 fountains, and seven miles total of trails.[7][8] The central building on the property is the Robert Lee Stowe Visitor Pavilion, featuring pale yellow stucco walls fronted by 20 white Tuscan columns and a copper roof.[citation needed]

Gardens at Stowe

[edit]

The Gardens at Stowe were once the central feature of the then-Botanical Garden. The gardens proper includes the Four Seasons Garden[9] and the Lost Hollow Kimbrell Children's Garden.[7]

William H. Williamson III Conservatory

[edit]

The William H. Williamson III Conservatory is a year-round conservatory dedicated to the display of orchids and tropical plants.[10] Opened in 2008,[11] it features a wide range of plants that enable guests to learn about tropical ecosystems around the world. Each winter, the garden presents its Orchid Spectacular.

The conservatory is home to various educational programs.[12] Educational topics vary by the season and by the age group, but most focus on either horticulture and gardening or some aspect of life science or conservation. The series of curriculum-based school programs, specifically designed for kindergarten to fifth-grade levels, meet goals established by the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The garden also offers year-round special events and classes ranging from gardening and landscape to pottery and cooking with herbs.[citation needed]

Other features

[edit]

The Conservancy features a dog park.

Planned features

[edit]

As part of its rebranding in 2025, the Conservancy has announced plans for a series of expansions, including a restaurant and a preschool.[13]

Reception

[edit]

HGTV named it one of the US's "20 Great Gardens", and USA Today proclaimed it one of the nation's top 10 places to "welcome fall with a flourish". In 2024, Vogue named it best 12 botanical gardens in the United States.[14][1]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "National publication ranks N.C. botanical garden as one of the best". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  2. ^ "About Us - Past, Present, Future". Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  3. ^ Gilmer, Maureen (October 4, 2006). "Public gardens have life cycle all their own". Reading Eagle. p. 11. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  4. ^ McCauley, Melissa (March 17, 2021). "Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Now Open to the Public". Go Gaston NC. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  5. ^ "Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden unveils new identity as Daniel Stowe Conservancy, highlighting hundreds of acres of nature". wcnc.com. April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  6. ^ Bowyer, Caroline (April 16, 2025). "Renowned Belmont garden launches rebrand amid new expansion plan". Queen City News. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Fohner, Kara (March 21, 2024). "A look at how Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden plans to grow". eu.gastongazette.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  8. ^ Lackey, Mae (October 24, 2024). "Peep the leaves at home: Here's where you can enjoy fall foliage colors in Charlotte". www.charlotteobserver.com. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  9. ^ Palmer, Allison (April 3, 2025). "April showers bring beautiful flowers: Here's how to make the most of National Garden Month in the Carolinas". Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  10. ^ "Explore the Garden". Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  11. ^ "Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden › North Carolina Science Trail". North Carolina Science Trail › Experience Our Science. March 9, 2023. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  12. ^ "Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden". tools.bgci.org. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  13. ^ Mahoney, Ashley (April 16, 2025). "Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden has a new name and expansion plans". Axios. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  14. ^ Kliest, Nicole (March 21, 2024). "The Best Botanical Gardens in the US". Vogue. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
[edit]

35°10′05″N 81°03′28″W / 35.1680°N 81.0578°W / 35.1680; -81.0578

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Daniel_Stowe_Conservancy&oldid=1286409328"