America 250 - Sandhills Horticultural Gardens

A Garden Journey Through 1776

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens invite you to explore a small piece of what life in this region may have looked like in 1776鈥攆rom a plant perspective. Early settlers faced the challenge of adapting to the Sandhills鈥� sandy soils and unique ecosystems, quickly learning which crops could sustain life in this environment.

Indigenous communities already possessed deep knowledge of these landscapes, shaping the agricultural and herbal practices that followed. Through this self-guided tour, you鈥檒l discover how plants, ecosystems, and traditional knowledge connect the Sandhills to the Revolutionary Era. Along the way, explore topics such as longleaf pine ecology, cat face trees, native crops, and historic foodways.

We invite you to explore these garden spaces and discover how the plants around you reflect both the past and the present.

 

Garden Map

Illustrated map of the SCC Horticultural Gardens showing a walking tour route with numbered stops including Native American Crops, Grape Arbor, Blueberries, Fig Trees, Longleaf Pine Savannah, Cat Face Tree, Herb and Flower Garden, and Sir Walter Raleigh Historical Style Garden. Paths, water features, buildings like the Ball Garden Visitor Center and Steed Hall, parking, and trail surfaces are also labeled. Printed maps available at Ball Garden Visitor Center.

Printed map available at Ball Garden Visitor Center

Explore the Exhibits

Sir Walter Raleigh Garden

Discover plants linked to early English exploration and settlement, reflecting the agricultural curiosity and global influences that shaped life in early America.

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Cat Face Trees

Discover how pine trees were once tapped for resin in the naval stores industry and why their scars tell a story of early American industry and survival. Each tree still bears the marks of that history.

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Native American Crops

Learn how Indigenous knowledge shaped early agriculture through crops, growing methods, and traditions that continue to influence how we understand the land today.

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The Orchard

Step into the Orchard to discover fruits like blueberries, figs, and muscadine grapes鈥攑lants that connected Indigenous knowledge, early settlers, and everyday life in the Sandhills.

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Pine Savannah

See how the longleaf pine savannah depends on fire to thrive and how this unique ecosystem shaped the Sandhills landscape and its natural balance.

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