
Wing Haven Garden and Bird Sanctuary
Wing Haven Gardens and Bird Sanctuary is a three acre garden and sanctuary that you can visit with your Charlotte car rental. The garden opened in 1927 around the house of Elizabeth and Edwin Clarkson, which was eventually donated to the Wing Haven Foundation. It is a non-profit organization that is open year-round with a suggested donation of $5 for adults.
Starting with one bird
Growing up, Elizabeth Barnhill would watch her dad grow vegetables in their garden and knew that one day she would do the same. Before moving out to North Carolina to be with her new husband Edwin, she mailed him designs for a home and garden that she wanted. It was a simple, two-story house that would open into the garden. The double-glass doors in the living room could be opened and the piano moved to the terrace for guests. The house was built against a field of mud, but today there are suburbs around the 300 acre lot. The next day, Elizabeth started her garden which is now part of the cultural and natural history of Charlotte, which you can visit with your Charlotte car rental.
Guide to the garden
Wing Haven has been in Charlotte since 1927. All around, it is enclosed by brick walls with areas for vistas, formal gardens, and woodland areas. The plantings are chosen for birds and wildlife, for cover, nesting, food and water. The house is used as the reception area for the garden. In the front garden, you will find a sundial made in England 1705 that keeps perfect time for the latitude. There are a number of different flowers in the front yard that provide food for the birds in the area. The entry for the garden is now what was the driveway, and the walls of the driveway are covered with climbing hydrangea. The Education Building is just inside the entrance, which acts as a meeting place for Wing Haven programs and a place where you can see a short video on the Clarksons and Wing Haven. There are 25 unique places to visit in the garden.
To the birds
One thing that you will find a lot of when you visit with your Charlotte car rental is a lot of birds. If you are lucky, you might see a baby bird trying to fly for the first time. One thing to remember is not to touch the birds. There is also a birdbath on site where you may see some of the birds as well.
Plan your visit
Tours of the garden are available when you visit with your Charlotte car rental. They take place on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings for groups. You can find out about tours by calling ahead and seeing if one is planned. Their hours are Tuesday from 3-5 p.m., Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon, and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. There is a path in the garden as well if tours are not available. All you need to do is follow white arrows with a guidebook. Do not leave the path, pick at the plants, smoke, or litter in the garden. To get here with your Charlotte car rental, you will find the Garden at 248 Ridgewood Avenue, between Selwyn Avenue and Westfield Road in Myers Park. It is easily accessible by the I-85 and the I-77.
When you visit Wing Haven Garden and Bird Sanctuary with your Charlotte car rental, you will find a beautiful garden that has been here since 1927. There are so many different aspects to the garden, you could spends hours exploring.
