We are always up for a visit to a botanical garden, and the gardens at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did not disappoint. It could be that we visited on a most beautiful spring day with pops of color blooming everywhere, but of all the universities we have driven through, Chapel Hill is high on our list of beautiful campuses.
The botanical gardens are located just off campus, and although they are relatively compact in size (compared to the South Carolina Botanical Gardens at Clemson), they sure did pack a punch. There were so many varieties of herbs and flowers, and it was a pure joy to meander along the paths and take it all in.
We were lucky enough to visit with Will’s parents who came down to North Carolina to meet us. His mom is an avid gardener and plant lover, so it was really fun to take her to a place that we knew she would really enjoy. It was also nice to have 2 additional sets of hands to walk and engage with Little Bird.
We started in the herb garden, which was so interesting with the many types of herbs and descriptions of their uses. We made our way past the poisonous herbs and to the carnivorous plants. We all enjoyed watching the Venus flytraps chomping down on their snacks.
Naturally, the biggest draw for the toddler was the water plants, which took a lot of vigilance to keep little fingers from splashing and playing. However, even Bird was captivated by the hundreds of tadpoles swimming in each garden.
We meandered our way through the rest of the garden, thoroughly enjoying all the signs of spring, and ended our visit in the children’s garden. While there was not a lot to see in this area due to covid and the time of year, Bird still had fun hopping along a tiled walkway and looking at the butterfly statues throughout the garden.
A botanical garden is such a fun and peaceful way to spend a spring morning, and the North Carolina gardens were a real treat. We highly recommend a visit if you find yourself near Chapel Hill.
Nurturing Adventure 