Outer Banks Arboretum and Teaching Garden
by Molly Harrison
I had no idea what to expect when I went off in search of the Outer Banks Arboretum one breezy spring day. I had only heard rumors of the garden's existence, but I wanted to see it for myself, so I took my 18-month-old son to Kill Devil Hills to find it.
What we found there surprised me a little haven of solitude in the heart of Kill Devil Hills, one of the busiest Outer Banks towns. Less than a mile away from bustle of the Bypass was this sanctuary of quiet and calm. Sheltered from the wind, we had a very enjoyable walk along a path lined with many varieties of trees and plants. This garden is planted with native as well as non-native plants that adapt well to the Outer Banks environment without being invasive, so I was curious to see them and imagine what new things I could plant in my yard at home. Walking at a toddler's pace, of course, was part of the adventure. While I admired creamy, luscious camellia blossoms and tried to memorize the names of trees and shrubs I see every day my son dawdled over rocks and bugs and sticks of every shape and sort. He stopped to climb onto every resting bench and picnic table just because it was there. We frequently traipsed off the beaten path so he could stomp in the pine needles and roll around in the mulch. We emerged on the other side of the gardens at Frog Pond, part of the Kill Devil Hills' Aviation Park, and stumbled upon two Canada geese, one sleeping with her head tucked under her wing, the other keeping an eye out for intruders just like us.
We ventured back through the Arboretum and discovered even more paths winding through evergreens behind the Baum Center. On our way out, we explored the Butterfly Garden, with verbena, iceplant, beach grass, sea oats, love grass and other plantings that attract butterflies. The Outer Banks Arboretum and Teaching Garden is a project of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardeners on land owned by Dare County.
The Master Gardeners and Extension Agent Susan Ruiz-Evans had wanted an outdoor classroom for years, but they never had the land for it. In 2000, one of the Master Gardeners had the idea to approach the county about using the land around the Baum Center and Library. The county agreed, as did the Town of Kill Devil Hills, and the Outer Banks Arboretum was born. The Arboretum is primarily managed by the Extension Master Gardeners, all of them volunteers, though the Dunes of Dare Garden Club has adopted the Butterfly Garden. The Master Gardeners not only do the work, but they also raise all the funds for the Arboretum, through yard sales and sales of cookbooks, plants, holiday centerpiece sales and monogrammed brick pavers. The Master Gardeners have some in-kind help from volunteers and the county and town landscaping crews for larger projects, but, impressively, they do most of it themselves.
The Arboretum is a work in progress, and there are many more areas to be developed. For now you can see the Butterfly Garden, the Central Garden and the Dune Garden. Still to come are the Aquatic Garden, Meadow Plantings, Wetland Plantings, the Live Oak Gardens, an Accent Garden, a Horticulture Center and Outdoor Classroom space. Though the full project is a long way from completion, the parts that are finished are well worth visiting. The paths are well-maintained and easily walkable. There are resting benches and picnic tables throughout, making this a wonderful place for a shady picnic. The plants and trees are healthy and well-marked.
The Outer Banks Arboretum is next to the Baum Senior Center on Mustian Street in Kill Devil Hills. The Dare County Library, Kill Devil Hills Town Hall and the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce are also nearby. To get there, turn west on Colington Road and take the first left onto Mustian Street. Park at the Baum Center. For information about the Arboretum or Master Gardener program with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, call (252) 473-4290.
|
