Elizabeth Lawrence Garden

In 1949, garden designer and writer Elizabeth Lawrence began a garden on a modest lot in Charlotte, North Carolina, that would embody her life-long celebration of Southern horticulture. A graceful refuge that doubled as a living laboratory for her study and appreciation of plants and design, Lawrence's garden was a frequent reference and inspiration for her writing. In 2008, the Wing Haven Foundation purchased the garden and manages it today. The Garden Conservancy was granted a conservation easement on the property, placed an intern there for nine months in 2010, supervised creation of a management plan for the garden, and continues to partner with the garden.

TIMELINE

2021
The Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden receives a Garden Conservancy Gardens for Good grant.

2019
The Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden is selected for the Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS), a cooperative documentation program with the National Parks Service, Library of Congress, and the American Society of Landscape Architects.

2012
The garden begins rehabilitating Lawrence's plantings and groups them with new cultivars.

2010
Kathleen Mullen, the ninth Marco Polo Stufano Garden Conservancy Fellow, finishes a nine-month stint at the Lawrence Garden

2009
A management plan for the garden and house is developed in collaboration between the Conservancy and Wing Haven.

2008
Wing Haven Foundation purchases the Elizabeth Lawrence Garden from Lindie Wilson and the Garden Conservancy is granted a conservation easement on the property. Duke University Press publishes the book, Beautiful in All Seasons: Southern Gardening and Beyond with Elizabeth Lawrence, which includes 132 gardening columns by Elizabeth Lawrence, edited by Ann L. Armstrong and Lindie Wilson.

2006
The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

2005
The house and garden are designated as a historic site by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Landmarks Commission and entered into the Archives of American Gardens.

2003
Friends of Elizabeth Lawrence Garden is formed.

1986
Lindie Wilson purchases the Lawrence property and dedicates her life to the study of Lawrence and the preservation of the garden.

1985
Lawrence passes away at the age of 81. During her time living and working at her house and garden, she writes four of her eight books and over 700 columns and articles about gardening for the Charlotte Observer and other publications.

1949
Soon after her publication of "A Southern Garden," garden designer and writer Elizabeth Lawrence purchases a lot on Ridgewood Avenue in the historic district of Charlotte, North Carolina, builds her house and begins to lay out a garden that will embody her lifelong celebration of Southern horticulture for the next 35 years.

For more information, visit winghavengardens.org.