On Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Hillsborough Garden Club will hold its Centennial Garden Tour in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The Club, founded in 1925, is celebrating its 100th anniversary by opening thirteen gardens to the public—ten private gardens and three public gardens.
Six private gardens are located on properties at least 100 years old. One property features original garden beds alongside a 180-foot flagstone walkway. There are peonies in this garden that are over 130 years old. Other gardens include a working greenhouse built from old windows, used for overwintering citrus trees and starting seeds for a cutting garden, and a backyard water feature surrounded by perennial plantings.
Gardens on the tour contain family heirloom plants, native and nativar perennials, self-seeding annuals, thousands of bulbs, woody shrubs, and trees. Designs range from perennial and woodland gardens to cottage gardens with kitchen gardens, pergolas, and arbors. Wildlife is active across many properties, including birds, bees, butterflies, rabbits, lizards, frogs, and nocturnal animals.
Visitors will see a wattle fence, an aged storage shed, and a chicken coop known as the “Taj Mahal.” The tour reflects both the gardening history of Hillsborough and its ongoing conservation efforts.
Eleven gardens are located within a three-mile radius of Downtown Hillsborough. Two gardens are a short drive away from St. Marys Road. The Hillsborough Visitors Center at 150 East King Street will serve as the event’s starting location. Visitors can contact the center at 919-732-7741 or email [email protected] for information.
Tickets can be purchased at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/hillsborough-garden-tour–2025. Proceeds will support the Hillsborough Garden Club’s conservation and education programs.
Besides the Garden Tour, the club’s centennial celebrations include several other events. Later in the year, on Sunday, June 22, 2025, the club will sponsor a children’s play called “Queen Flora Saves the Bees” at the Eno River Farmer’s Market Pavilion. The play will have three performances at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m., and it is free and open to everyone.
In the fall, on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the club will host a centennial dinner at Union Grove Farm in Chapel Hill. Bryce Lane, a well-known horticulture educator, will be the keynote speaker. This dinner is by invitation only and open to members and their guests.
Throughout all these events, the Hillsborough Garden Club remains committed to its conservation mission. Members uphold a pledge to protect Earth’s natural resources—air, water, forests, land, and wildlife—and to promote education about environmental stewardship.
