W. Gordon Belser Arboretum — Attraction in Columbia

This is a wonderful little gem of peace and quiet in downtown Columbia, SC. To avoid disappointment, this is not a manicured garden along the lines of the Riverbanks botanical gardens. I would not travel great distances to visit. But, if you are in the area, I would highly recommend you stop and have a free walk around and speak with the friendly staff on any third Sunday afternoon. On our particular visit, they were handing out free milkweed plants, one of which is in our side garden now. The arboretum can easily be seen and enjoyed without a big...

A very cool place if you love plants! I don't think it's open to the public however as it is a USC property. But it really is well maintained and does an interesting job of taking you through different ecosystems and a mini South Carolina. I really felt like I'd walked from the pine forests up on the ridge down to an...

Nice short walk thru a guided path to view native plants and read about the history of the land. The land was actually donated by a prominent lawyer. Watch out, there are red bugs everywhere. Just keep moving and you won't be affected. If you go during an open house there is education and...