The N.C. Cooperative Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers of Brunswick County welcome the public to the annual Brunswick County Botanical Garden open house on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon.
The Brunswick County Botanical Garden is located at 25 Referendum Road, Building N, Bolivia, NC 28422.
The annual Brunswick County Botanical Garden open house is a free event where visitors have the opportunity to explore the 17 themed gardens with docents stationed throughout the gardens to share the purpose of the garden and answer horticultural questions.
New this year, the open house will feature special demonstration and information stations. Visitors can learn about composting, see how to sharpen pruners, discover what to plant this fall,
and pick up a free soil sample kit.
Other stations will explore rain gardens, ways to reduce wildfire risk around the home and what it takes to become an Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteer. Visitors will also get the chance to peek inside the botanical garden shed, see the “Bucket of Doom” demonstration for mosquito control, learn about rain barrels available for purchase, and enjoy refreshments offered by Brunswick County 4-Hers.
Thirty years ago, the Brunswick County Botanical Garden served as a plant identification testing site for the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association’s Certified Plant Professional (CPP) exam. The original plantings were chosen because they were on the CPP’s exam list. They were planted in a row in alphabetical order. While remnants of the garden’s original purpose can still be observed today, the purpose of the Brunswick County Botanical Garden has evolved.
Serving as a demonstration garden, the goal of each area is to be easily replicated in residential landscapes across Brunswick County. Themes like curb appeal, edibles, pollinator, shady native, and sunny native can be found in the garden. There are also gardens featuring a wide variety of azalea and rose cultivars. The garden also boasts unique hardscape, artwork, and accents while featuring some fall decor to celebrate the season.
The Brunswick County Botanical Garden is maintained by N.C. State Cooperative Extension — Brunswick County Center Staff and Master Gardeners℠. Join us for a morning of appreciating the hard work, dedication, and passion donated to the garden.
The Brunswick County Botanical Garden is located at 25 Referendum Road, Building N, Bolivia, NC 28422. The open house will be held Saturday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission is free, and there is no rain date.
Taylor McDaniel is the Consumer Horticulture Agent for N.C. Cooperative Extension in Brunswick County, located at 25 Government Center Drive, Bolivia, NC 28405. They can be reached at Taylor_McDaniel@ncsu.edu.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Brunswick County Botanical Garden offers landscaping inspiration
