About Us
The
JC Raulston Arboretum is a nationally acclaimed garden with the most diverse
collection of cold hardy temperate zone plants in the southeastern United States.
As a part of the Department
of Horticultural Science at NC
State University, the Arboretum is primarily a working research and teaching
garden that focuses on the evaluation, selection and display of plant material
gathered from around the world. Plants especially adapted to Piedmont North
Carolina conditions are identified in an effort to find better plants for southern
landscapes.
Additional Information Mission |
The Arboretum is an 8-acre jewel that has been largely built and maintained by NC State University students, faculty, volunteers, and staff. The Arboretum is named in honor of its late director and founder, J. C. Raulston, Ph.D., who founded it in 1976.
Plant collections include over 5,000 total taxa (species and/or cultivars) of annuals, perennials, bulbs, vines, groundcovers, shrubs, and trees from over 50 different countries, which are displayed in a beautiful garden setting.
Arboretum Features
Important plant collections include: Acer (maple), Aesculus (buckeye), Berberis (barberry), Buxus (boxwood), Cercis (redbud), Ilex (holly), Magnolia (magnolia), Mahonia (grapeholly), Nandina (heavenly bamboo), Quercus (oak), Styracaceae (silverbell family), Viburnum (viburnum), Wisteria (wisteria), and conifers (pines, arborvitae, cypress, etc).
Klein-Pringle White Garden – an elegant garden modeled after Sissinghurst in Kent, England. In addition to white flowers, it displays plants with white, variegated and silver foliage set against a dark background of hollies and conifers. Low stone walls help to frame this enclosed outdoor garden room. There is a small garden pool and a small, white Victorian gazebo standing across the stretch of lawn. This garden is generously supported by the Pringle family.
Perennial Border – complete renovation began in the fall of 1999. A spectacular, 300' long, 18' deep marvel of color and texture containing thousands of plants of great diversity. This mosaic of herbaceous perennials, bulbs, small shrubs and ornamental grasses is designed to provide exciting displays of texture, color and form throughout the year.
Finley-Nottingham Rose Garden – generously endowed by the A. E. Finley Foundation, and displays over 120 taxa of Rosa. This garden is an excellent place to view climbers, hybrid teas, and roses of all types both old and new.
Mixed Border – 300' by 15' border highlighting superior plants identified through the Arboretum's evaluation program. The plants in the Mixed Border are woven into a series of vignette gardens, displaying all the elements of a successful garden.
Other Highlights at the Arboretum
Some other areas not to miss when you visit the Arboretum include the Paradise Garden, Annual Trials and Demonstration Area, the Entry Garden, the Lath House, Japanese Garden, and the Mixed Border. Several Model Gardens, including a Townhouse Garden, a Butterfly Garden, a Reading Garden, and Water Gardens, are full of ideas for the home landscape.
Volunteers
The volunteer spirit lies at the core of the JC Raulston Arboretum. There are more than 150 active volunteers that help provide Arboretum tours, special programs, and many other services for the Arboretum.
Get Current JCRA Updates
Subscribe to the Cuttings from the JC Raulston Arboretum and receive updates from the JCRA. Cuttings from the JCRA is a great way to keep up with what is happening at the Arboretum from week to week through frequent e-mail posts from the Arboretum staff.
Visit the Arboretum
The Arboretum is open every day of the year from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (April through October) and 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (November through March) and is located at 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina. The Arboretum will be closed to the public on the first Sunday in May so we may hold our annual Gala in the Garden. For information about our Gala, please visit our Calendar of Events. There is no charge for admission or parking. For more specific information about visiting the Arboretum, please view this Web site's "Visitor Information" section.