As a mega plant Mama I LOVED it here!!! It was so unexpected and serene. There is a beautiful outdoor garden you kind of just walk through and enjoy. It's very shaded some it's still enjoyable on a sunny day. There is so much to see and it's also a great place for some gorgeous photos!! I loved walking through and reading what tree was what. I also really loved their greenhouse that is just a short walk from the gardens. It's not the biggest greenhouse in Charlotte but the size doesn't even matter. It's beautifully set up and spaced out with gorgeous and rare plants. I mean I was really blown away by this entire place. I also loved that they have walking trails on the other side of the gardens. We didn't check those out but I plan to come back soon to go for a nice stroll. I loved it here, it was so peaceful and beautiful. Cannot wait to go back. read more

See all

This college garden has a greenhouse, which is where the dedicated parking is. A small parking lot is designated mostly for people with handicap permits with a few spaces for visitors. Most of the people actually using this parking lot did not appear to fall into either category. The greenhouse is open during limited daytime hours, and across the street lie outdoor gardens. As with many such facilities, they appear to be constructed on uneven terrain that was not amenable to other uses, but they are quite impressive. Regional gardens and a mix of different materials for the path make for a dynamic experience. There is plenty to see, and while I suspect the greenhouse would add more value, the outdoor gardens were not a bad stop. read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Beautiful. Such amazing plants and flowers here. Amazing greenhouses with orchids, tropical plants, desert plants. Even a corpse flower. It was just days away from blooming when I visited. Part of me wishes I had the chance to see it bloom but then my nose thanks me for missing it. They don't call it a corpse flower for nothing. LOL. Anyhow, aside from the greenhouses, there are some outdoor gardens with ample walking trails. An easy place to get lost in for a little bit. If you're lucky like me, you'll run into a student just taking it all in between classes to give you some pointers and directions. But it's also nice to discover things on your own. Like the rememberance stones. A monument to the vicitims of a shooting on campus in 2019. As a part of the UNLV community in Nevada, this is something that speaks to me as we had a shooting of our own less than 5 years later. Take a walk. Take some time to reflect. Most of all, take in the natural beauty of this magical place. read more

See all

April 2024 Spring Break Kayla Beth Fields and I took Saige & Deacon to UNC Botanical Gardens to check out their Gardens and hiking trails. The greenhouses was closed due to meetings- events or I would have bought a new Cactus for my collection!!! This is entirely FREE to enjoy if you are in the area!!! There is free parking also. Located right on the campus off Mallard Creek Road. The kids enjoyed themselves! Saige read the signs for us about the plants, flowers and tree names while Deacon was the trail blazing leader of the group!! Kayla and I were just the pion followers...lol!!! There are a few picnic tables, a pond, a few bridges, a Japanese garden, a pagoda, a memorial rock garden....everything is so lovely!!! read more

See all

Such a peaceful, vibrant place - and it's free to visit! We came on a Friday afternoon and were able to explore the greenhouse as well as the outdoor gardens. We luckily snagged one of the few free parking spaces right next to the greenhouse. Despite it being winter, there was still plenty blooming! We saw witch hazel, camellias, and more. I really enjoyed the different rooms of the greenhouse, including desert plants, orchids, and tropical plants, and learning more about them through the signage. I'm looking forward to returning throughout the year to see what else is in bloom. Tip: Follow them on Instagram for informative plant content, plant sale details, and a peek at what's in bloom! read more

See all

Have you ever wondered if a Corpse Flower (aka Titan Arum) really does live up to its name? The UNCC campus has it's own botanical garden and they were one of the chosen few to receive a Sumatran Corpse Flower back in the 70s! Since then they have been cultivating and caring for these extremely rare flowers (less than 1000 are believed to remain in the wild!) and their even rarer blooms which smell like rotting flesh (and not like Teen Spirit )! I made two visits to experience the opening and the beginning of the full bloom this past wknd and it did NOT disappoint! The staff did a great job accommodating everyone, were super informative, and engaging! But, while Stinker Bell stole the spotlight this wknd, don't forget they also have other amazing sections in the greenhouse to view various types of flora & 10acres to explore across the street from the greenhouses with an Asian Garden and wooded glen! Definitely Charlotte's Secret Garden fit for a (stinky) Queen read more

Maybe because I came in the cold winter months that it could be why I was not impressed by this garden. Didn't seem to have a huge variety of horticulture. The structures were minimally impressive. The trails were some what confusing. No free parking. Not stroller friendly. Completely vacant. Just uninteresting overall. read more

See all

I can't believe I've in Charlotte for as long as I have and this was my first time here. The gravel driveway was steep, so be careful. I have a less than perfect knee, and I took my time coming and going. I'm not sure if there's another entrance. The garden is bigger than expected with plenty of sitting areas to relax and take it all in. We spent about 45 minutes here, but we were hungry, so I'm sure you could make a couple hours out of this space. Everything was beautiful and intentional. I'll be back! read more

See all

Such an awesome place to experience nature, and for free.99! Definitely worth a trip and will go back again. I would allot about 2 hours to experience the gardens, and it's a nice place to take photos. Professional photographers have to register ahead of time, but if you and friends want to go casually, it's walk in! read more

See all

Such a beautiful spot. Loved coming here, I highly recommend! Up kept really well, so gorgeous and lovely to walk around. Has some benches along the way to sit and hang out. Really big area, I was surprised at the size of it all. Would definitely come back here to do work or journal or draw read more

See all

Beautiful place to walk, read, rest, talk, or date day. Peaceful, expansive, colorful, and free. read more

See all

This garden is one of my favorite hidden gems in Charlotte. We love to bring out of town friends and family here. It's free to visit and there's parking across the street. It's not a huge garden, but it's very quiet and peaceful. I actually like this garden more than the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. It's less curated and more natural. One side of it is more trails through the woods. It feels like you're actually in nature rather than in a perfectly curated, manmade garden. If you haven't been, I definitely recommend checking it out. read more

See all

One of my bucket list Botanical Gardens finally done in Charlotte. They are located on the UNC campus, they only have a few parking spaces, so you will have to be patient or park further. We waited in our car until someone left. Don't park illegally, we saw a few tickets on cars. The parking meter guy was serious about his job on a Monday afternoon. We went in Sept so there was still quite a bit in bloom. Start at the McMillan greenhouse, which is closed but there is plenty on the outside to view. Then go across the street to the Gardens. Its self explanatory when you get there, and you will see others walking in the same direction. We spent approx one hour or so, easy stroll, grab a park map. It wasn't crowded, so we jus took our time and strolled. The day was absolutely beautiful, they do have a place for you to donate for the upkeep. I will most definitely visit again when the greenhouse is open and support by purchasing some plants. read more

See all

This is such a beautiful place to spend time in. Stepping into this garden, you feel like you've left the hustle and bustle of the city and stepped into a completely different world. Visiting in the fall makes for an even more beautiful time as you see all the trees in their vibrant fall colors or going through their changing leaves. Those various shades of red, yellow, and orange make the trees seem like they're on fire. Truly a wonder to behold. The trails within the gardens are also really well maintained and make for a excellent quick hike. Really really recommend coming here for a visit :) read more

See all

Went to visit on vacation to NC and looked forward to this garden. Did not disappoint. Really enjoyed read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

So much to see. We only spent a short time in the gardens so we definitely will be back to see the rest. Nice a shady for a hot day.

Super cute little nature path! Well done by the university and kept in excellent condition. Very good location for a quick walk in the woods. read more

See all

It's being able to drive ten minutes down the road and walking these beautiful grounds that reminds me how fortunate I am. The botanical gardens at UNCC is great way to be "one with nature" no matter how long or short your visit happens to be. So if you're driving here, I'd suggest the surface level lot that's adjacent to the parking deck. While you can park in the parking deck, the surface lot is cheaper and you can use ParkMobile to pay. This is only a six minute walk to the gardens, which is a lot better than trying to find a spot closer due to all the permit requirements. If it's the weekend, well that's also a gray area. UNCC's own website says permits are always required, but not enforced on the weekends, UNLESS there's a home football game, then you need a completely different permit. Sounds sketchy to me so I'm not taking chances. The gardens themselves are separated between the Susie Harwood Garden on the left side and the Van Landingham Glen on the right side. The Van Landingham side is more of a 'natural' setting with different species of flowers and greenery perhaps having a it's own section, but more or less left to grow and flourish however it pleases. You'll also find the final resting place of UNCC's Founder, Bonnie Cone, on this side of the gardens. The Susie Harwood Garden is much more of a sculpted vision. It features a picnic area, gazebo overlooking a small pond, an impressive Asian Garden with meticulously cared for shrubbery, and decorative stonework all throughout. If you're looking for a quick, refreshing walk, then the perimeter of this side can be walked in about ten minutes. The gardens are separated by a large gravel path that connects the main entrance to Martin Hall. I like this division as you could spend a whole afternoon here, or just a half hour, depending on how much you'd like to soak in the beauty. Take with you what you brought, and maybe even bring a piece of trash out with you if you see it. It's meant to be enjoyed by everyone! While the parking is sometimes annoying, the tranquility here more than makes up for it. Hell, just take the light rail in and forget parking! read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Had done my maternity shoot there. Had lovely pics. I would recommend others if they want to do photoshoot there. We were ther in the morning around 10 AM. I would recommend going around 9:00 PM read more

we were here kinda off season for a lot of the blooms. It was still a very nice afternoon stroll. The staff were helpful and best of all it was free will donation. Parking was our only issue. It is on campus and it was hard to find a place to park that as not marked for students. read more

The fabulous McMillan Greenhouse @ UNCC Botanical Gardens has six themed collections, eight greenhouse rooms, funky terraces and a courtyard. They show scenes from across the globe & time in their displays and kept us very interested along our visit. The Dinosaur Garden has living fossils and a view into prehistoric vegetation which was most awesome to see! The Carnivorous and Bog collection features native plants that prey on insects, gotta love that! There was a very interesting fellow I spoke with who told me they had a fire in one of the greenhouse a few years ago, the display I was most intrigued with he had created after the fire. I took several pics of that particular part of our visit, it was created with love as you can tell! The McMillan Greenhouse also has collections of Desert Succulents, Economic Plants, amazingly beautiful Orchids, and Tropical Plants. The Tropical Plants collection includes the incredible Titan Arum, and tons of other exotics. The students were giving away tulips they had grown, the pride on their faces was fantastic and so was our visit! read more

See all

First off if your arriving on early on a Saturday you can park at the McMillan greenhouse which is closed due to the pandemic. There is only a few spots available so come early for the parking, however there is plenty of parking with people with disabilities. As we walked up and down the paths we noticed a giant parking lot which looks to be behind the botanical garden. We encountered very few people some we're getting their photos taken that day. Didn't see too many things in bloom for mid June. I'm sure the show stoppers are locked away in the greenhouse. I would allocate 45mins to an hour here especially if you are a fast walker. Think it was about 20 minutes drive from downtown Charlotte with very little traffic. All the gates inside the botanical garden are closed to deter wildlife but the sign says open as well. My favorite thing to do is photograph flowers in bloom especially orchids but unfortunately I didn't get to see any this visit. But you really can't complain when it's free to enter the grounds however they do suggest a donation to help out the garden area. read more

See all

I'll hv to become a meMber b4 the fall plant sale. There must've bn lots o rare n exotic plants on the first day bcuz I see batches of SOLD ones corralled on the side read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - A FULL LOAD from the spring plant sale - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I love botanical gardens. UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens didn't disappoint. My husband and I had a little trouble finding a place to park. We didn't go in the main entrance. We parked in a back parking lot and went in at the Asian Garden. It's a free activity. There is no public restroom though. You can get a brochure that has a map and self guided tour. If you like gardens, this one is worth checking out. It was very lush and green when we went in the summer. read more

See all

This is a not so hidden gem just outside of downtown Charlotte! If you're a fan of gardens, or just want a little nature break, this is a must! It's free to enter, and between the greenhouse and the trails you can spend a good hour or so here. I think you can take dogs on the trails as well, but you may want to confirm that ahead of time. We happened to go when they had a plant sale going on, which was a pleasant surprise and ended up buying a couple plants to take home. read more

Having spent my 4 years at UNCC I absolutely loved stopping by here when I was bored walking around campus and it wasn't late at night. This place has so many different plants. The greenhouse is deep and yet quaint. Honestly if you're going for date I think it's a good place to stroll hand in hand and enjoy the silence of a wooded garden as a break from the campus which is more and more bustling every day. I personally prefer the greenhouse and the review by Paula (who I suspect is actually a greenhouse curator) is very informative on what to do if you don't live on campus or have an on-campus parking pass. The greenhouse alone is in itself arguably the best in the Charlotte area. If you're visiting it's a great idea to stop by! There are multiple individual rooms all roughly categorized by plant type or location. I especially like all the rooms on the very last row down to the tropical rain forest one! It has steps down and a little waterfall area where you can sit at peace as if you were in a real rainforest. The gardens outside have a great relaxing and nature-esque feel. In particular my friends and I have found that it's a great spot for photo-shoots. There are some cool "ornaments" about the garden all mostly in a red color scheme. An Asian saying on a giant upright stone slab, a huge circular gate around a walk way, a cool pagoda overlooking a pond and a cute little bridge. There are occasional nature-watch events for flowers that bloom once in a lifetime as well as multiple plant sales that go on throughout the year. read more

Love the Asian themed garden- found my new lunch spot to unplug from the world. There is a small section to bring your hammock and just read, and tables for a lunch date. read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Might be nicer in spring rather than fall. Though if you happen to be at the UNC Charlotte campus or are a student there, would probably be worth a stop for a peaceful stroll or romantic picnic. If I were a student here, I would say definitely worth a visit or two. As a tourist from Seattle, not really worth a special trip from Uptown Charlotte. read more

I took my parents here while they were in town visiting. It isn't very big, but it is free (donate!) and definitely something cool to see! We got some great photos and were able to see the beginning of a new corpse flower. You can even buy plants to take home. My favorite part was the orchid room, it was beautiful! Tip: There is parking designated just for the garden, but be sure to get a parking pass from the Parking office. read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - Orchid Room - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Went here with a friend for the first time in the spring and loved it. Such a relaxing place to eat lunch and there were even a few couples taking engagement photos. They have a lot of cool art/architectural pieces and parking is free on the weekends! read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Just so beautiful. I even planned my wedding here. The gazebo near the pond can use to be fixed up but besides that we love this garden.

Very nice gardens and greenhouse. Lots of different varieties of plants, some of which you can purchase. Gardens are beautifully landscaped and provide a nice shady place to take a walk. Free to visitors but donations are encouraged. There are only about 5 parking spaces and weekends can be busy. read more

See all

Absolutely gorgeous wooded paths. Small enough to feel comfortable, but just sprawling enough for meandering walks. Go far enough and you'll reach the Asian gardens -- a sort of enclave that includes a gazebo, a koi pond with a small waterfall, and a variety of Asian flowers and trees. The greenhouse is a gem: A spice room, exotic plants you've never seen in your life, entire sets of flytraps and pitcher plants, an orchid room, and even a few of the rare (and gigantic) corpse flowers. (Don't worry -- they only smell when they bloom, and they only bloom once a decade!) Do note that the greenhouse is divided into 2 houses; it can be easy to only explore one, and then leave only halfway through. Every student at UNCC should visit the greenhouse and botanical gardens at least once. I regretted only trying them out for the first time in my senior year. read more

Park with a 4-hour pass across from the greenhouse M-F, obtained from the adjacent campus parking code building. Wonderful, expansive and impressive collection of plants in the clean greenhouses -- from orchids to ferns, oddities, carnivorous plants like pitcher plants and desert plants. A donation is requested, but this jewel of a garden is free. Walk across the street to see the woodland glen (which was full of wildflowers and rhododendrons in April and May), and to the Susie Harwood garden which had paths, ponds, sculpture and bridges. Very peaceful and refreshingly cool in temperature in summer because of all the shade trees. In winter it's warmer since its in a glen protected from wind. Clearly the best botanical garden in the Charlotte metropolitan area. We have a winner! :) read more

See all

Looking for a relaxing, shaded excursion when it is too hot to be out in the sun? Drive on up to UNCC's campus and stroll around the Botanical Gardens and wander around the greenhouse rooms. Easy parking in a garage and plenty of maps at the kiosks near the gated entrances, there are some benches scattered throughout. The greenhouse has rooms with plants in different climates and the tropical room was my favorite with citrus, chocolate, and coffee plants. What more do you need to know? Outdoor and indoor gardens, for free! #charlottesgotalot read more

What we saw was nice in terms of plants, hardscapes, and having nature on a campus. But beware to anyone who needs to use a wheelchair, cane or crutches, as the hilliness will be challenging at best. Nothing on the website's visit planning page gives a heads-up, nor does on-site signage. We planned a small group outing for a birthday, managed to find a back way entrance that was somewhat less treacherous for a wheelchair, but after seeing one garden (with great difficulty) had to leave. read more

UNC CHARLOTTE BOTANICAL GARDENS This is a small botanical garden in the heart of UNC in Charlotte, North Carolina, but it's quite beautiful. So many flowers of different varieties adorn the gardens, with multiple colors canvassed across the grounds. Of course, with this, there comes many flying bugs. Oh well, comes with the territory. Overall, if you're a flower lover, come take a visit to the Botanical Gardens for some peace, tranquility, and relaxation with nature. read more

I don't got to school at UNCC but discovered the gardens because I was looking for something outdoorsy, safe, and active to do while I was visiting the area for work and looking for some true beauty in the middle of stripmall-landia. What a find and worth the effort to find and take the time to relax and enjoy the beauty of a simple walk on a hidden path in a busy campus! Although many plants are not in season (I visited in January, many plants were in hibernation), the botanical gardens, per my interpretation, are designed as series of walking paths that capture natures essence from various perspectives. The effect is calming, relaxing, and purifying, regardless if you're a traveler searching out something different, or a student seeking solace, refuge, or even just a moment of calm in the midst of a hectic class schedule. read more

Great place to unwind during my lunch! Flowers are pretty and the trails are a great workout to get my daily steps in. read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

My husband and I visited this garden while on vacation in April, and were impressed at the work put in. It may have been too early in the year though, as many plants weren't out of hibernation yet. The greenhouse exhibits some amazing pants, just wish we could buy the exotic ones! read more

UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina