Exploring NC's best gardens

There’s no better way to celebrate spring than by meandering through colorful gardens. Here are some of the best in North Carolina:

The North Carolina Arboretum located just south of Asheville, offers 65 acres of beautifully maintained gardens and hiking and biking trails. The arboretum features a world renowned Bonsai exhibit as well as many native plants and wildflowers.  Admission: $12 per car website

Located on the Duke University campus in Durham the Sarah P. Duke Gardens boast 55 acres of specialized gardens that have captivated the community for over 75 years. It has even been named one of the top 10 public gardens in the U.S. by both "Southern Living" and TripAdvisor.com. Admission: Free website

The Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville is an 80 acre urban forest that contains nature trails, a natural amphitheater, steep ravines sheltering unusual plants, and varied terrain which steps from open pine forest down hardwood slopes to lush riverbank. There's even the Butterfly Stroll, which is full of plants that are irresistible to the colorful critters. Admission: Adults: $10, Children: $5 website

Belmont's Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is just a short drive from Charlotte and has almost 400 acres of land, most of which contains manicured gardens. They also have a conservatory that features tropical plants and orchids.  Admission: Adults: $12.95, Children: $6.95 website

Biltmore Estate's informal and formal gardens are expansive and stunningly beautiful. The Azalea Garden is in its prime from mid-April through the end of May. Hundreds of varieties of Asiatic and hybrid azaleas signal spring's arrival with vibrant blooms. Guests can also admire the drooping purple blooms of Chinese wisteria on the Library Terrace, which was planted in the 1890s. The Rose Garden has more than 250 varietals to enjoy. Other estate blooms include perennials, poppies, snapdragons and so much more. Admission: Included with your Biltmore ticket website

Cox Media Group