Arborcrest Gardens — Attraction in Boone

Calling Arborcrest Gardens a “hidden gem” doesn’t even come close to doing it justice. This breathtaking 25 acre garden is less than a mile from downtown Boone, NC.

What contributes to this “hidden gem statue?” The gardens have been curated for 12 years (the original 5 acres for many more), but have only been open to the public for a year or so. Additionally, your visit will be exclusive, because they deliberately limit the number of visitors. You must go to the website and schedule ahead for your visit (which could be instantaneous if few visitors are there at that moment). In short, you not only won’t feel “overrun” here, but you will feel like you are getting a personal tour.

The breadth of plants and plantings is breathtaking. My wife, a gardener to her bones to the point of near druidism, was stopping every few feet to snap a pic of a plant and its carefully placed name card. I am not nearly as prevaricated with plants, but even I found myself catching my breath at several points.

This stunning garden will be a different “visit” every month as some of the 13,000 plants come into bloom at different times. Please do NOT assume you can do this in a day. There are significant elevation changes on the walk – if you are using a motorized wheelchair, make sure it is fully charged!

I am not a “garden” dude, but I am a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien. Add the beauty of the gardens with the elevation changes and you’ll swear you are getting a peek into Rivendell.

My understanding is that this was the vision of one man, who bought the land being eyed by developers at auction and then spend more than a decade turning it into one of the most magical places I’ve ever visited. The staff we met were the most kind, amazing, and generous people I’ve ever met. Please don’t screw that up for the next time I visit by being a jerk!

If you aren’t even a plant person, you’ll be grateful you did and be stunned, surprisingly so, by the beauty. If you are a plant person you’ll be overwhelmed (and joyously so).

They are also ever building and expanding. Get here before too many people...

Dr. Stanley, his wife, and a remarkably small group of dedicated workers have created Arborcrest Gardens, a wonderland of 25 acres on a hillside almost in the middle of Boone. With over 13,000 plants and trees and over 2.5 miles of paths, the Gardens demonstrate an approach to nature that is stunning. Beautifully maintained, gorgeously varied, and intensely colorful, the Gardens provide wonders at every turn. Because of the nature of the work this creation requires, the Gardens are only open on Fridays. You need to reserve a spot for visiting; plan ahead and make a reservation for one of carts, driven by the people who maintain the Gardens the rest of the week - the pride and care they have for the facility is obvious and well placed. The more than 300 foot vertical change in the Gardens will make you appreciate having a cart to ride in! Don’t miss the enclosed garden section at the end of the tour and be amazed by the variety and quality of the vegetables this also produces. This is a lovely spot and we highly...

This place is a "hidden gem" in the High Country, as others have also mentioned. My husband recently brought me here as part of our wedding anniversary celebration. What a nice surprise! I could not believe my eyes when I saw it! I have been to other beautiful gardens here in the US and in Europe, and Arborcrest is just as beautiful in its own unique way! Dr. Stanley and his wife have built something incredible that pictures just don't completely capture. You have to see it in person! We loved that everything is accurately labeled - we spent several hours there taking it all in, and wishing we had brought our lunch and stayed longer! We met Justin and Josh - they were so welcoming and personable. It is obvious that they work hard to help make this garden awesome! We also met Dr. Stanley that day, and he expressed how he loved sharing his garden and wanted others to be able to enjoy it. We appreciate it so much, and we will...