Guided Tour of Henry Botanic Garden 

The Henry Botanic Garden is a local gem that many of our members have not had the opportunity to visit. It is currently open to its members and tours of the grounds must be booked in advance. So why not join HPS/MAG for a visit. We have booked a private tour this spring when this beautiful wilderness garden is flush with the blooms of Rhododendron and many other spring blooming shrubs and perennials. We will be privileged to have Curator Henry Ortmeyer as our guide.

On this tour, we will explore the diverse American plant collections of Mary Gibson Henry, a plant explorer who travelled the US extensively in the early-to-mid 1900’s. Granite boulder fields throughout the hillside property house mature woody and herbaceous plant species including Mary Henry’s unique wild-collected and hybridized Rhododendron species, and a host of southeastern native flora from the critically endangered Florida Nutmeg (Torreya taxifolia)to the various coastal-plain forms of the Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana).

Features of the garden include a gravel-bedded rock garden, in which plants like Bluestar (Amsonia spp.), False Indigo (Baptisia spp.), and Buckeye (Aesculus spp.) planted in the 1940’s-50’s have continued to propagate themselves and form a diverse hybridized plant palette. Other features like meadows, wooded glens, and a diverse southern garden will be seen along the way as we meander through the gardens on the Henry Foundation’s 46 acres in the heart of spring.

You are invited to bring your own picnic lunch for after the tour. There is an open-sided, covered barn next to the house with tables that can accommodate ~20 people.

This is a hillside garden so please wear appropriate footwear and attire for rugged terrain. Restrooms are available.

This is a Members Only event, but registration is required. $15 per attendee.Maximum number of guests is 30.

Registration opens April 5^th. Registration closes May 15^th.

Click here if you would like to become a member of HPS/MAG before registering for this event.

In the event of light rain, please bring an umbrella. If we have heavy rain, our visit will be held on our Rain Date, Sunday, May 18, 2025.

Address and parking directions will be sent to all registrants in their confirmation email.

Contact: Laura Axel at [email protected]