This was my first time visiting Daniel Stowe Conservancy after their rebranding and it was a great experience! It's been at least 5 years since I last visited and I was impressed by the extensive trail network. The children's garden, Lost Hollow, was delightful even for adults! The castle playground was a big hit! You can get a solid walk/hike on the trails and they are well-maintained. Even in the winter, the gardens are nice and relaxing. The orchid conservatory is warm, vibrant, and thriving year-round! I was impressed with the size of their tropical plants - very impressive. It was a nice respite on a chilly December day. We were hoping to grab food at the cafe, but options were limited. Perhaps there are more food options during busier times. Overall, this is a great Charlotte-area day trip and a great place to take out-of-town visitors. read more

What a beautiful venue! Went to jazz show and was able to check out their Christmas lights in the garden afterwards. It was absolutely stunning and the gets you right into the Christmas spirit. The jazz music was amazing as well. They have a cafe you can get coffee, wine or beer and grab and go snacks to enjoy during the show. read more

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First time here and it's pretty amazing. The lights aren't overdone with is something I think sometimes gets overlooked. They are well placed along the path so it's enjoyable. Be careful walking at night as some of the path is not as well lit as others. Definitely a good time. read more

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden - Green light tree - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden was beautiful! I especially loved the Butterfly Bungalow with its huge assortment of colorful butterflies. Such a wonderful experience to see them up close. The rest of the grounds were also amazing; such a wide variety of so many colorful flowers. Couldn't help but take pictures of them. A wonderfully peaceful and relaxing visit. read more

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My visits to the Garden are for jazz events. The outdoor events are lovely in the Spring and Summer months. On my recent visit, the event was held in the Great Hall. The seating is all on the floor at the same level. I realized I should have taken the few remaining seats in the front row to see the artist vs. the other band members. Two food trucks were on site for those who needed a bite. A few vendors sold wares, which I supported. The venue has a small gift shop. They also sell wine, beer, and cider. The Christmas lighting displays in the Garden were beautiful, as always. It was a lovely, relaxed evening to tour the grounds and enjoy the sounds of Alex Bugnon. read more

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A beautiful Botanical Garden located in Belmont NC. You enter thru a beautiful pavilion with local artwork and stained glass. There are restrooms and a gift shop located in the pavilion. You can stroll thru over 30 acres of gardens displaying local plants,a children's area,conservatory and trails to explore. We visited between seasons so most of the spring flowers were finished blooming and the summer plants were just being planted. They were busy at work getting ready for the summer season as the trails were not cut and some of the gardens were closed. There is plenty of parking and you will pay an admission fee. Membership plans are available. Definitely worth a visit when in the Charlotte area . read more

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Beauty around every turn at this lovely garden just 21 miles outside of Charlotte, NC . Hours are rather short so check the website for details. A few too many noisy fountains for my taste because I like to hear the birds. Although you can walk the prairie and the tree lined perimeter which is quieter. Saw our first Summer Tananger of the year and many other species. Really nice hummingbird garden with feeders and plants that attract them too. Plenty of free parking, clean and large restrooms, private events spaces and reasonable admission pricing make this a lovely way to spend the day in nature. read more

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Walked the Duke Kimbrell Trail today. The Duke Kimbrell Trail, formerly known as the Seven Oaks Preserve Trail, is a 2.9-mile natural surface and paved asphalt trail that runs along Lake Wylie. It's the perfect place to connect with nature. Refresh and decompress your mind and spirit. read more

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Came here on a weekend at opening and it wasn't busy, even with the beautiful weather. It was about $31 for 2 adult admission tickets. We stayed for about an hour. Our favorite were the orchids which had their own green house, waterfalls, and beautiful arches filled with greenery. I also loved the fresh smell of the lily and jasmine flowers in the gardens. Wide walking paths, stroller and wheelchair accessible. There are randomly a lot of spaces and great areas not being used which just have overgrown grass.. would love to see this manicured and included in the rest of the gardens! read more

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

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My wife found this garden when we visited Charlotte area. We've been to two other botanical garden so we're able to compare against. After a long winding road to the property the entrance is across the sidewalk in building, about $33 for 2 adults. There is a scavenger sheet at front desk that is a small added activity to find. My fave area was greenhouse w lush greenery. There was 1 water shooting fountain that children were running through but not much else to do here. There is paved pathway goes from back to front, a lot of open green space. Noticed some honey bee trays off the pathway that could be dangerous to children. The scavenger trail sheet was mildy difficult but all can be found if look hard enough. It was okay but the price is slightly high for what is available to view. read more

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This was a beautiful place during the holidays as it offered a lot of light shows and sounds throughout the Christmas spirit, and there was Krampus walking around and they offered food truck and adult beverages, such as adult, hot chocolate, spite tea, and things like that and wine read more

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such a great garden either so many different amenities! it has a little something for everyone and it's not a bad price for what is included! read more

We love visiting the gardens at Christmas time every year for the light display! It is very pretty, lots of lights to look at. Very unique displays and many pretty fountains! Many opportunities for pictures. They also had a couple bonfires to sit by. There is not an official path to take, we just wandered around and assumed we saw everything! It took us about an hour to go through. They have food trucks there that also sell hot chocolate. As far as going indoors when it gets too cold, they had an orchid garden that felt like an indoor rainforest- super cool. In the main building they had model trains and a Christmas house village to look at as well as a gift shop. read more

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I took my mom here to see the Holiday lights. It was a cold, rainy night and a drive thru display would have been better. However, we wanted to do something different. We were promptly greeted and our tickets scanned. It was $38 for the two of us. I thought that was a bit expensive. We walked around the gardens not sure if we were going the correct way. While some light displays were very pretty, there were several areas of darkness in the gardens where there were no lights. This was disappointing. I would think with the amount they are charging they could ensure all the lights are operating correctly. It was our first time and likely our last. read more

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden - Holiday lights - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

I was born in Gaston county, my parents were born in Gaston county and my extended family has lived here for years...yet somehow, I've managed to not visit here until this past Sunday....yes Super Bowl Sunday. I got an invite from Sarah who said she was a member here and we should check out the Orchid display. It's the middle of February, not a lot going on otherwise. I'm not going to repeat what everyone else has written here other than to compare it to the single other Botanical Garden I've been to in Washington, DC. It has the Orchids! All kinds of them and they are absolutely beautiful no matter the time of year. We walked the grounds and I can see the appeal of this place during the growing seasons. I especially liked the closed cover outdoor food area where they have lot's of tables, heat lamps for the cooler temps and the beverage station where you can get your alkie on. Supposedly it turns into a 'beer garden' where they serve a variety of local craft brews. They also will have wine which you can purchase by the glass or bottle if you are thirsty. The gift shop, got to check it out! It's exceptional, a nice variety of hand made local crafts all with a 'natural & nature oriented' spin. You can also purchase wine and beer as well as chilled water and sodas. They have jazz concerts during the season as well as gardening classes and other events. I was not real keen on their web site, the events calendar was not active and it wasn't very easy to negotiate. Maybe it get's better in the season but if they are trying to create attraction to their facility, someone needs to pay attention. It also seemed worn for wear. Needs some paint and repairs around the grounds and I guess because it's a non-profit they have a budget. It's not on the scale of the DC gardens but for Gaston County and the area it's quite unique. It would be cool if they had more offerings in the off season but since it's a Garden, I'm sure it's limited with what you can do indoors which is confined to the Orchid's area. Daniel Stowe was a Belmont Abbey graduate and made his mark as founder of Stowe Yarns and an executive with Pharr Yarns. The history of Gaston county has a long legacy with a common thread tied into the textile industry. When he retired he funded the seed money of $14M and 200 acres. His friends like Hugh McColl of NCNB joined in the fund raising. Easy to get to, plenty of free parking and the annual membership is affordable at $50. The front desk attendant, Katie was very nice and professional, very knowledgeable about the membership options. read more

I've been to a lot of botanical gardens, it was my first time at this one, big open space in the front and back, but the garden itself was smaller. I went end of October and was hoping to see more mums with their scarecrow display. Overall it was okay, it only took us a little over an hour to walk through the whole garden. They did have a big rose competition on display which was interesting. read more

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I've heard many good things about this place for years...so I finally convinced my hubby to do a quick trip to this garden. Well, we went first thing in the morning on a Sunday, and there weren't many people. There weren't any special events going on...and as it turned out, not much in the garden. In fact, we realized that we probably should have picked a better date...possibly at night when they offered more (like food and beer, for instance). Possibly because it was not a great time of the year for it, but there really weren't that many variety of flowers, lush blooms, and such. Again, my imagination probably exceeded what I saw, but all of it was very underwhelming. Even my husband noticed the poor maintenance of various gardens, non-working fountains, etc.etc. Honestly, I was surprised that we had to pay $15 for such a minimal, and poor display of gardens. We've seen better gardens for free in numerous places, so it was kinda unnerving. I was more impressed with the fountain displays...those that were working. I will say, however, that IF properly maintained, and more flowers were abloom, I could have liked it more. Honestly the Canal Garden, with its long line of colorful blocks of bloom was the only one that was worth seeing on the day we were there...though there really wasn't much to it. Also, it was a good layout of various gardens...and I can see how on a special events night, it would be more impressive. At least we got to walk around and enjoy the beginnings of Fall weather. OH...There was some beginnings of this Halloween event sure to come. Some pumpkin displays, including this pumpkin chair and maze. Again, we realized that we probably came on a wrong day. So the place has some potential. We were also able to take some good (ish?) pics...just nothing with amazing flowers or floral gardens. Guess we'll try again in the future...on a better day or night? read more

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So I've lived in Charlotte for 21 years and I'm ashamed to say I hadn't been here before now. First I have yo come back when the flowers are in full bloom. Really enjoyed my visit. Self guided your. Maps are provided and the front desk was very helpful with suggestions. Stopped at the gift shop on the way out which had some cute things. Grabbed a magnet and a mood ring for my daughter. I wish they had magnets with more flowers and plants on them. Overall, a must see. read more

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What a perfect day to tour a botanical garden. Nature, plants, and serenity best describes this place. I absolutely LOVED this facility, if I only lived closer...The staff were friendly, grounds were impeccable and there is a sense of peace and tranquility while exploring the different gardens. As you enter the grounds and your eyes capture the beauty of everything in bloom, you immediately feel the release of stress and tension throughout your body. Your sensory glands immediately kicks into gear. There were lots of blooms and pollinators throughout, which always attracts me to the outdoors and the sounds of nature. The fresh air and beauty of this place does the body good! read more

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I was underwhelmed by the botanical gardens. Perhaps I've been spoiled by visiting grander gardens, or perhaps a late July visit is a bad time to see many flowers in bloom. We went as part of a dog days of summer event for $15 per person admission. It promised live music, dog-themed pop up shops, and food trucks. There was 2 booths and only one was selling dog merch, which wasn't even local. My favorite part was a ~3 mile loop around the perimeter of the gardens, which you can walk without paying admissions to the gardens (parking at the gardens is free). The walk takes you though the woods and along Lake Wylie. Remember bug spray :) read more

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

Bottom Line: A sprawling garden that is probably best visited during peak blooming season. My husband and I spent a Friday afternoon strolling through the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. The property is rather large and the gardens are arranged in vignettes or rooms. As a gardener I really appreciate the enormous undertaking to maintain such a sprawling space between the trees, shrubs, plants, flowers, fountains and hard scaping. For me the ideal botanical garden is full of blooms but of course that really depends on the season. When I visited in early May the blooms were limited to hellebores, irises and a few hydrangeas. I was surprised to still see hellebores in bloom and equally surprised by the early blooming variety of hydrangea. As a gardener in zone 7a I know that gardens aren't always about flowers and I found there was still plenty to appreciate at Daniel Stowe. I enjoyed looking at the various evergreens such as the cool Japanese Umbrellas Tree. I also thought a set of antique light posts were pretty cool. At least I am assuming they are antiques. Of all the various water features I think the Ragan Canal Garden was my favorite. Something about this long and skinny pool just made me want to keep exploring. I particularly liked where it passed through a shrub tunnel, or lack of a better explanation. When I visited most of the fountains were on but not all of them. It was a warm Spring day and I was disappointed that they did not have all of the fountains running at that time of year. Running through the Tunnel Fountain certainly would have been fun and we would not have minded getting a little wet. Another disappointment was the Orchid Conservatory which was closed I believe due to COVID. I would think if the gift shop could be open that they could find a way to safely open the orchid building but I guess that is just me being optimistic. I love a good gift shop but this one seemed pretty nick-nacky to me. We didn't picnic at the gardens but they do allow guests to picnic on the grounds which seems like a nice touch. We toured the gardens for about an hour before deciding we'd had enough sun for the afternoon. Overall this was a nice experience but I bet it would be even better in June or July provided the heat and humidity are tolerable. read more

We took our third grade students in a trip here and the absolutely loved it. The grounds were beautiful and well kept. One student said and I quote it feels like peace and joy. My favorite part was watching the kids get excited when they found something from the scavenger hunt. At the end the kids were able to visit the gift shop. Overall it was an awesome field trip! read more

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Came here for a suprise Mother's Day outing. Music was playing, food trucks were serving, and 2 bars were open so I partaked in a mimosa. Even with a lot of flowers not in bloom yet, the garden is very beautiful. They have movies on the lawn as their most recent event for the summertime. I will be back! read more

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I've heard good things about the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Christmas lights, so I decided to check them out! The gardens were decorated in lovely and very colorful lights throughout. There aren't lights absolutely everywhere, but as you turn and look from the distance the lights make impressive displays. It takes about 20 minutes to stroll and see everything. There's also a small indoor train and model exhibit I was happy with the amount of social distancing you could do while out in the gardens. The tickets are timed, so it felt like the crowds were managed. However, as you're waiting in line to get in it will feel like a lot of people are there. Be warned, if you use Google Maps to navigate to the gardens, you might be directed to a non-entry road to the gardens. I got stuck in a line of about 15 cars that made the same mistake. The actual opening to the gardens will take you to a large parking lot. Also, just as a general statement, this botanical garden is squarely in the middle of nowhere. It's not really close to much else in Charlotte. The roads are lower-speed surface roads, so it will take a little bit of driving to get here! They have a little stall that sells hot chocolates for $3. The hot chocolate is pretty good, but just be sure to have cash on hand to pay for it. It's a nice hand warmer and treat to enjoy as you walk around the grounds. read more

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

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This is a very nice garden, although the time that we went not too much was in bloom and it was very hot and humid. Their butterfly section was especially informative and interesting, although you may have to wait a while due to its popularity. The butterflies were beautiful and it was nice to see them up close and personal. I appreciated that their gift shop sold bottled water which was a must on that humid day. A great place for a nice walk and enjoying your surroundings. They also had a tropical greenhouse section which while smaller was still beautiful. read more

Property grounds are not well kept. I was expecting for this to be a "wow", it was underwhelming. I have neighbors with nicer yards and flowers.. it was super disappointing to book a 2 hour photo session only to find weeds and overgrown beds.. mostly a run down place of the past. 250 dollars wasted, no color , hardly any flowers . Called and spoke to someone and the told me they understand. No one from management called or addressed . read more

We were in need of a festive, Christmas-y activity while visiting Charlotte, so Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden seemed like a great fit. I'm reviewing the gardens just for their Christmas lights, I don't know how they are otherwise, but it'd be nice to check out sometime else. As a location, this place is far. Literally in the middle of nowhere, we were driving through North Carolina, then South Carolina, then North, then South again. Bizzare... I can tell you in the NC, the roads are better. We purchased the tickets in advance, online since they were a tad cheaper. The lights start after 5 pm, so plan accordingly. Bundle up, bring a scarf. They do sell hot drinks on the premises, inside and out. Nice restrooms inside and outside as well, so you're taking care of. Nice X-mas trees near the restrooms, decorated by local kids. Carolers were going strong and the gift shop is big and nice. Festive atmosphere! The lights? Are gorgeous, they have nice displays while you walk the grounds. You get a map, but everything is straight forward. The best X-mas display in Charlotte area, definitely a must thing to do if you live there or visit! It brings that X-mas spirit out, it's cheerful and for a moment you're that little kid again! read more

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I came here at the end of December for the Christmas display. I'm not saying it wasn't nice BUT I've been to much better, more elaborate. There aren't lights absolutely everywhere and when you've been to someplace like Longwood Gardens, you just cannot compare! They did have a nice light show on these trees in front but the music was so low, it was almost not even there. They had some food trucks which were VERY slow and out of most items (we came 30 mins after they opened). I wouldn't go again personally but I'm sure it's nice if that's all you have in the area. read more

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One of my favorite places! Join the bird walk on the first or third Friday of each month at 9am. It's an hour long walk out around the front of the garden and the ponds. The guides are very knowledgeable and there are plenty of birds in the area. The garden itself is a great place to relax with a book and perhaps a glass of wine. You can take a leisurely wine walk to explore the many flowers, plants, and trees. Follow them on Instagram to find out what's coming up on the calendar of events. read more

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Looking for a place to stop and smell the roses this weekend? Then head out to the #danielstowebotanicalgarden ⁣ This sprawling 380acre botanical garden is a great place to spend an afternoon taking in Nature's beauty, whether it's from a rocking chair in their grand veranda or by strolling through the grounds.⁣ ⁣ They ran their #gamrathglass exhibition with impressive larger than life glass installations throughout property earlier this year, so check their website for upcoming special events/exhibitions. ⁣ They also had a separate Butterfly Bungalow that ran through Sept 29th for an additional fee. ⁣ $16 Entrance fee includes entrance to the day & night showings of the #gamrathglass installations. After dark, the sculptures are illuminated! ⁣ read more

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Our visit was after the weather had changed and the frost damaged some of the plants. I'm looking forward to returning in the spring. There was a Wizard of Oz exhibit. It was a little lackluster. read more

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I loved visiting this beautiful botanical garden - the Orchid Conservatory is always my favorite. I went in late March and some of the gardens were not blooming yet. Overall a lovely walk with plenty of birds around. read more

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A most exquisite and beautiful garden. Absolutely beautiful. It's not big enough to spend the whole day, but half will do nicely. There's not food on site, but because there was an event going on, they had some food vendors. They have a lovely gift shop with a wide variety of "pretty things." The orchid house is definitely a highlight. There are fountains, ponds, stone walkways and other interesting sites throughout. I particularly liked the displays of painted doors through the garden. This place is a must see for any gardener. read more

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden - One of many Painted doors on display throughout the garden. - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

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I expected more from the botanical garden as well as the glass flower exhibit. Takes about an hour to see everything if you walk slow. The best part was the greenhouse with all the succulents. There is a beer garden in the greenhouse but it's not open all the time. I recommend going when there is a special exhibit so you get more bang for your buck. Tip: wear bug spray and bring bottled water if you go during the hot months read more

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I go here every Thanksgiving. The plants and scenes are beautiful but the lights and decorations they add for Christmas take it to a whole new level. There are so many activities to do like the children's section, food trucks, s'mores, and hot chocolate. You can do all of these while walking around admiring the trees and lights. Over the years there has been a lot of construction like the children's section is off limits right now. There are also cool mini things like trains, a mini town replica inside, and lights that turns on and off to whatever music is playing. I recommend this place especially when the lights are up before Christmas. read more

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Beautiful way to get into the Christmas spirit. I preordered tickets online and off we went to these beautiful botanical gardens. We enjoyed a crisp winter evening through these beautiful light displays on the gardens. If you're feeling chilly down the walk way there are two locations in the gardens to pickup up hot chocolate (I had mine with a shot of Bailey's) to warm you up. Covid protocols in place and we felt pretty safe. They limited the tickets and We had plenty of space between us and others. I would love to come back in the spring and summer to visit the beautiful gardens that were dormant at the time we went. read more

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We really enjoyed ourselves here! Well worth the 18 bucks we spent. Large property with connecting trails, the orchids and butterfly exhibit were our favorite. Being a warm day it was nice to get a cold beer in the garden and sit down to some checkers (as pictured). If you are on the side of town definitely a fun day for everyone. read more

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I received an invite from a friend to come tag along and check out the Botanical Garden . I must admit I was a bit disappointed. Although the garden was beautiful I gave three stars due to the fact some of fountains were not working. Now I'm not sure but a reason for that and some of the exhibits not being open could possibly be from them just reopening due to being closed due to Covid conditions and shut downs . Also I fell it's a Little outdated . They may need to spice things up a bit here .Don't get wrong it's some things I did enjoy and love here . I'm going to give them another try closer to the holidays when they have the light shows. So I hear that's the best time to go. read more

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Absolutely beautiful grounds, whoever says otherwise stays inside 95% of the time. Worth every penny if you like the outdoors. read more

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Lovely, serene, beautiful and natural area. So many plants, trees and shrubs displayed thoughtfully and with great detail to highlight their natural beauty. The fall decor is very nicely displayed. I highly recommend visiting these beautiful grounds. The store had so many treasures to choose from as well. read more

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