The impressive Elizabethan Gardens on Roanoke Island have become one of the major attractions on the Outer Banks. The gardens were conceived nearly 50 years ago as a memorial to the Roanoke colonists sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh.
A number of new works such as labyrinths, pleached alleys, and espaliered trees, will be added to the vocabulary of North Carolinians, as the Elizabethan Garden project undertaken by the Garden Club of North Carolina gets under way.
On Roanoke Island, established land claimed by explorers in 1584, an Elizabethan garden has been established. A project of the Garden Club of North Carolina, the garden pays homage to the great garden landscapes of sixteenth century England. It was dedicated in August 1955 for the 368th anniversary of the birth of Virginia Dare.
As the author proposed, the coast contained a treasure trove of treats to sate the interest palate of any visitor. History buffs could have their fill in towns such as New Bern, Memorials such as Kittyhawk and houses such as Tryon Palace. For lovers of the great outdoors, there were the Elizabethan Gardens, Jockey’s Ridge, and Merchants Millpond State Park.