CityView Magazine

FEATURE Horticulture The Cape Fear Botanical Garden is a place for music, fun, reflection and, of course, flowers T By Michael Jaenicke here are more than 2,000 varieties of ornamental plants and specialty beds at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, a 77-acre nature haven located at the junction of the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek. Yet no picture, memory or experience is the same for the 54,000 people who annually walk the hallowed grounds of the facility, which has grown into the landscape of Fayetteville's downtown revitalization. Once the All-America City's best kept 'wow,' the Garden has blossomed into one of its finest attractions. "The garden is important, but what we really care about is how people interact with it," said Kensley Edge, director of development marketing. "We understand that people are different and while some my enjoy digging in the dirt, others come here with a totally different perspective. They come here to paint or to listen to music or to get away from their busy and noisy lives. What we offer here is a variety of experiences for children, adults and older people. The beauty of this place is not so much in what is blooming as it is in the flowering of experiences for so many different kinds of people." And that experience changes with the seasons. The transition into summer is nearly completed, and is signaled by the arrival of ducher, perle d'or, penelope, Marie Daly and mutabilis roses. "They perform well without a lot of chemicals," said Carol Fleitz, director of horticulture and facilities. "They are very earthy roses." The color yellow pops from large flowering lotus blossoms, which sway in the water feature in the children's garden. Violet, lavender and deep purple hues radiate from Japanese, Louisiana and Virginia irises that adorn the main lawn and lake area. Also on the marquee are hydrangeas, snapdragons, poppies and peonies, which dot the landscape in luxurious man-made CityViewNC.com | 63

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