Reynolda Gardens of Wake Forest University is a natural wonderland in the heart of a city that’s quickly growing up around it. There’s no better season to go than spring.

Reynolda Gardens puts on quite a show every spring. All of its 129 acres burst with life and color.
Reynolda Gardens

The grounds feature several themed gardens, each with different flowers and plants in bloom. In the Blue and Yellow Garden, for instance, native and non-native perennials such as larkspur, cornflower, and aster appear through the season. Hollyhock, astilbe, and iris are among the annuals and perennials beginning to bloom in the Pink and White Garden. And pink and white roses are starting to show in the recently restored West Rose Garden.

Visitors have Richard Joshua Reynolds and Katharine Smith Reynolds to thank for all that natural beauty. The couple developed the 1,067-acre estate that Reynolda Gardens is part of in the early twentieth century. The gardens consist of one-hundred-twenty-five acres of woodlands, fields and wetlands, and a four-acre formal garden with an elegant greenhouse.

Thomas Sears, a Harvard-educated landscape architect based in Philadelphia, drew the plans for the four-acre formal garden under the direction of Katharine Smith Reynolds. The garden, situated between the family home and Reynolda Road, was designed for public use from the beginning.

The greenhouse is a great spot for quiet contemplation. Built in 1913 for private use, it also served as the home of Reynolda Florist, an active business for more than fifty years. Today, it features an educational display of tropical and succulent plants, including an extensive orchid collection. The growing houses support the formal gardens and plant sales, and one wing of the greenhouse has been converted to a classroom.

The Greenhouse Gardens underwent a complete renovation in 1999. The five-year project involved building and restoring walls, walks, fountains, teahouses, and pergolas, all of which have an Italian style that complements other architecture of the estate. The renovation earned awards and recognition from the American Society of Landscape Architects and the National Park Service.
Reynolda Gardens

The renovation also involved new plantings that helped re-create the appearance of the original gardens. Its wide grass lawns, themed gardens, and border plantings with shrubs and perennials were innovative design touches when Sears created the plans at the turn of the twentieth century.

Another good place to experience spring at Reynolda Gardens is the two-acre Fruit, Cut Flower, and Nicer Vegetable Garden. It is set apart from the Greenhouse Gardens by five teahouses, a pergola, and boxwood hedges. The garden showcases modern plant varieties and horticultural techniques. Harvested vegetables are used by volunteers and donated to local food charities.

Reynolda Gardens is open free of charge during daylight hours. The greenhouses are open free of charge from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 336-758-5593 or e-mail questions to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).