RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – “How wonderful it is to be in the garden, where we can find solace and escape the chaotic world,” said Tony Avent, the founder and proprietor of Juniper Level Botanic Garden. “Gardening is a huge pastime in America; it’s how we connect with the earth.”
Open to the public two weekends every season, Juniper Level’s Fall Open Garden dates are September 16-18 and 23-25. There are no entry fees or reservation requirements. Hours are 8 AM-5 PM Friday and Saturday and 1-5 PM on Sunday.
“Fall is an amazing time, and people start thinking about gardening again as the temperatures drop,” added Avent. “The summer plants peak and the fall plants start to put on their show. It’s really a wonderful juxtaposition.”
Activities for Fall Open Garden include self-guided garden tours with experts nearby to answer your questions, open greenhouses for plant purchases, and Gardening Unplugged – a series of free 15-minute walks and talks with various specialists covering a range of topics each day at 10 AM and 2 PM. Juniper Level Botanic Garden maps are available online (see link below) or at the information tent upon arrival.
“When people get out in the garden, it relieves stress,” said Avent. “We hear from people in high-stress jobs that gardens are critical to their mental health.”
Established in 1986 on a small plot 12 miles south of downtown Raleigh, not-for-profit Juniper Level Botanic Garden has grown into a 28-acre conservation and inspiration garden whose mission is to discover, grow, study, propagate, and share the world’s flora. “Currently, we have just over 28,000 different kinds of plants,” Avent said. “That makes our botanic garden one of the top five collections in the United States.”
The Gardening Unplugged Schedule (meet at the welcome tent – no reservations)
- Fri., Sept. 16, 10 AM – Gardening with Water (Jeremy Schmidt, Grounds and Research Supervisor)
- Fri., Sept. 16, 2 PM – Greenhouses and Cold Frames (Dr. Meghan Fidler, Nursery Manager)
- Sat., Sept. 17, 10 AM – Fall Blooming Bulbs (Zac Hill, Plant Records Specialist/Taxonomist)
- Sat., Sept. 17, 2 PM – Gardening for Birds (Dr. Patrick McMillan, Horticultural Manager)
- Sun., Sept. 18, 2 PM – Fall Garden Maintenance (Jeremy Schmidt, Grounds and Research Supervisor)
- Fri., Sept. 23, 10 AM – Ornamental Grasses (Tony Avent, Proprietor and Founder)
- Fri., Sept. 23, 2 PM – Fall Pollinators (Bill Reynolds, Entomologist, Research Assistant and Field Production)
- Sat., Sept. 24, 10 AM – The Language of Flowers (Dr. Meghan Fidler, Nursery Manager)
- Sat., Sept. 24, 2 PM – Fall Blooming Natives (Dr. Patrick McMillan, Horticultural Manager)
- Sun., Sept. 25, 2 PM – Tree Talk – Just Look Up (Tony Avent, Proprietor and Founder)
Tony and Anita Avent are gifting Juniper Level Botanic Garden to North Carolina State University, one of the top-ranked horticultural science universities in the world. “We set up an endowment through the university,” said Avent. “When fully funded, that will allow Juniper Level Botanic Garden to open full-time as a public garden and sister to NC State’s JC Raulston Arboretum.”
Fundraising efforts for Juniper Level Botanic Garden (Tax ID 56-6000756) operate under the auspices of The Endowment Fund of North Carolina State University, a 501(c)3 non-profit. Donors receive an official receipt for contributions to the fund.
Click here for Open Garden Days
Click here for map of Juniper Level Botanic Garden
Click here to support Juniper Level Botanic Garden
Click here for media archive and photos
Contact:
Chris Hardison
Media Contact
Juniper Level Botanic Garden
ChrisHardison@PlantDelights.com
Robert B Butler
Communications | PR
www.NCPressRelease.org
www.RBButler.com
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