Nature Preserves
Connecting People to Nature
Emily Allen Wildflower Preserve
By Group appointment during Spring Months only
Forsyth County | Garden is 1.5 acres of a 7-acre Conservation Property
Currently the Preserve is open only by appointment for group garden tours from mid-March to mid-April and for a limited number of educational events throughout the year, announced in PLC’s e-newsletter (subscribe here).
To request a group tour or to learn more about volunteer opportunities in the Preserve, please contact Janice Lancaster by email at jlancaster@piedmontland.org or by calling her at 336.691.0088, extension 203.
BY GROUP APPOINTMENT DURING THE SPRING MONTHS
Our group tours are slow guided walks through the preserve’s wooded garden on rolling trails that are covered with leaves. Tours typically run 1.5 hours but can be shorter or longer depending on the group’s interests. Groups with mobility limitations can enjoy tours at our accessible Pollinator and Terrace Gardens. Group garden tours start at $150 for a minimum of 6 people and maximum of 12 people. If your group is over 12 people, it will be split in half with an additional guide at $10 per person over the base of 12 people. All proceeds go directly to stewarding the garden.
For Individual Visits Join Open Garden Days in the Spring
Please stay tuned through Piedmont Land Conservancy’s website and e-newsletter (subscribe here) for other seasonal events and when we announce registration for our Spring Open Garden Days. Open Garden Days are the best way for individuals and small groups to tour the garden ($15/ticket).
The Story of the Garden
Emily used to describe her former yard as “a mess with poison ivy, honeysuckle, and blackberries growing everywhere.” Then over 30 years ago she discovered a Showy Orchid (Galearis spectabilis) struggling to survive within the “mess” and asked a local expert what it was. With this initial discovery Emily began her journey that has transformed her fifth-generation land into a breathtakingly beautiful woodland wildflower garden known as the Emily H. Allen Wildflower Preserve.
Home to 28 of the 35 known eastern North American Trillium, 30 species of ferns, the state and federal species of special concern Oconee Bells (Shortia galacifolia) and many others, the Preserve was permanently protected in 2000 by Emily Allen and her husband O.G through a donated easement. In 2014, Emily’s family donated the Preserve and the residence on site to PLC to be used as an educational resource. This protection ensures that generations to come will be able to enjoy this beautiful woodland garden and learn about native North Carolina wildflowers first-hand. This unique place called for a unique easement which ensures that the garden will be maintained forever by PLC under the guidance of a Preserve Management Committee.
Maintained by Volunteers
The Emily Allen Wildflower Preserve is cared for by a dedicated group of volunteers that range from budding wildflower enthusiasts to seasoned experts. Our Volunteer Workdays are a great way to experience the garden and contribute to maintaining the beauty of this 7-acre preserve. If you are interested in joining the effort to steward this special place, please contact Janice Lancaster by email at jlancaster@piedmontland.org or by calling her at 336.691.0088, extension 203.
“Here is something greater than I am and it’s a legacy that I can pass on to others.”
– Emily Allen
