Visiting the JC Raulston Arboretum

You know you are in a nice place when even the trash cans are attractive.

A few days ago I visited the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh along with my 3-year-old. It houses an incredible collection of plants, and, as part of the Department of Horticultural Science over at NC State University, it is involved in research of new cultivars and in plant evaluations.  

And think their trash cans are nice?  You should see the restrooms...

As soon as my 3-year-old saw this building, her eyes lit up.  Pointing, she asked, "What that?"  After I explained it was the restroom, she immediately responded, "Me need to pee."

Of course, the arboretum also does have some other attractions other than the trash cans and restrooms (though that was the highlight of the trip for my daughter).  There are a few plants as well...

Being October, there was still a fair amount of late-summer blooms at the gardens.

'Tis the season for Pink Muhly grass (one of my personal favorites in the grass family), and the arboretum did not disappoint with their lush swath.

My 3-year-old also liked the Pink Mulhy grass - it was pink!

The Beautyberry shrubs were full of clusters of their unusual, striking berries.

Callicarpa americana 'Welch's Pink', Callicarpa acuminata

But even with all this color, what really stood out to me at the arboretum were the beautiful trees.

 Lagerstroemia fauriei 'Fantasy'
one of the largest and oldest specimens of  Japanese crepe myrtle outside of Japan

the beautiful smooth bark of the variegated London Plane Tree

The JC Raulston Arboretum houses several collections of trees, including one of the most extensive Redbud (Cercis) tree collections in North America.  I'll bet it is just stunning when they are all in bloom in the springtime!

'Traveller' Weeping Texas Redbud

I love how they let vines grow draped around this  Redbud tree.
(Cercis canadensis 'Flame' with Akebia longeracemosa)

The arboretum also has the only collection of Dwarf Loblolly Pine trees in the world. 

Dwarf Loblolly Pine

This is just a fraction of the plants in the 10-acre arboretum.  I didn't quite make it to all the gardens (I did have a 3-year-old with me, after all), but I hope to go back and see more at another time.  The best part - the arboretum is totally free!  (Though one can purchase a membership for access to classes and other perks, which helps fund the arboretum.)

So if you are ever in the Raleigh area looking for some gardens to enjoy, it is definitely worth it to check out the arboretum.

Even if it is just to use the bathroom!