Written + Edited by John Searby, CEO + Executive Director and Caitlin Conner, Marketing + Communications Manager
On April 16, 2025, we publicly announced our rebrand from Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden to Daniel Stowe Conservancy. And what a year it’s been! Our 380-acres have never experienced so much growth in terms of property improvements, community building and events…and we’re not stopping any time soon. From new spaces like the Farmhouse Garden Center and Prairie Castle Playground to the announcement of the return of our beloved Chinese Lanterns exhibit, it seems like exciting opportunities are always around the corner these days at Stowe.
But we couldn’t become the organization we are today without going back to our roots – literally. Our founder, Daniel Stowe, had a vision in the early 90s that this beautiful property in the heart of the Piedmont would serve as an outdoor safe haven to connect our community to nature. In a world increasingly moving toward land development, nature still connects with something deep inside us. By helping all discover their path to nature, we’re achieving Dan Stowe’s vision.
Our growth isn’t slowing down. There will be even more exciting changes and updates in the future, but what will never change is our commitment to inspiring a love of nature and its beauty through unforgettable outdoor experiences. Let’s take the path down memory lane that led us to becoming Daniel Stowe Conservancy.
1989 – The Vision Begins
Retired textile executive, Daniel J. Stowe, reserved nearly 400 acres of property and established funding to research and establish an organization to execute on his vision for the land. Dan discussed his vision and ideas for the land with Bill Steele, his estate planner, and asked Steele to research botanical gardens across the United States and Europe to determine the feasibility of realizing his vision of a world class botanical garden on the banks of Lake Wylie in Belmont, NC.
January 15, 1991
The Daniel Jonathan Stowe Conservancy is formed as a North Carolina nonprofit organization and Bill Steele is named its inaugural Executive Director. The founding board members were: Daniel J. Stowe – Chairman, John L. Fraley – Vice Chairman, James B. Garland – President, Alene Stowe, Catherine P. Carstarphen, and Robert L. Stowe III – Vice Presidents, William L. Steele – Secretary/Treasurer, Catherine S. Pharr, D. Harding Stowe, Rebecca B. Carter, J. Robert Wren, Jr, Richmond H. Stowe, Carolyn B. Branan and Elizabeth G. Wren – trustees.
Environmental Planning and Design of Pittsburgh was chosen to design the future gardens and master planner Geoffrey Rausch began work on the project.
Daniel J. Stowe
May 23, 1991
During Mr. Stowe’s 78th birthday event, he publicly announced his plans for the development of the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. An interim visitor center and surrounding gardens were constructed for the event. This original visitor center is now the Farmhouse Garden Center.
Spring 1992
The Visitor Center and Interim Gardens welcomed its first guests to share the vision for the property and the plans for the gardens with the public.
The interim visitor center is now Farmhouse!
November 1993
The Garden Center and Gift Shop opened to the public in a relocated log cabin structure adjacent to the Visitor Center. This building provided the public an opportunity to speak to staff horticulturists and purchase plants and garden themed gifts for their own gardens. This building is now the home to The Trailhead Store, a popular community coffee shop, café and gathering space that connects the public to all of Stowe’s robust trail system outside of the gardens.
Spring 1994
The garden began its annual spring plant sales as an annual fundraising event providing visitors and members an opportunity to buy many of the same plants that Stowe’s professional team of horticulturists were planting in the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. And speaking of growth we’re excited to bring back the Plant Sale for 2026! Stop by The Gardens on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 to shop hundreds of plants, enjoy horticulture demos and get all the plant tips and tricks from the team that keeps The Gardens beautiful. If you’re a member, we’re also hosting Member Previews on Friday, May 1 and the morning of Saturday, May 2.
Summer 1995
With the masterplan complete, it was unveiled to the public and workers began clearing the site for the Phase One development of the Garden Pavilion and gardens.
November 1996
The organization launched its membership program, boasting 5,297 families and individuals as founding members prior to the opening of the Gardens.
December 1997
With the site for the initial gardens cleared and prepared, Rodgers Builders, project contractor, began construction on the pavilion, support buildings, and hardscape for the botanical gardens.
October 9, 1999 – Grand Opening
With the Phase One construction complete, the public was invited to experience the Robert Lee Stowe Pavilion, Four Seasons Garden, Cottage Garden, Canal Garden and four unique Perennial Gardens for the first time.
Robert Lee Stowe Pavilion
June 15, 2003 – The White Garden
The West Gardens, including the Nellie Rhyne Stowe White Garden opened, hosting the first of hundreds of weddings in this beautiful, intimate garden.
October, 2005
The Garden presented its first national touring exhibit – Dave Rodgers “Big Bugs.”
December, 2005 – Holiday Lights at the Gardens
The garden welcomed its first guests to a holiday light display, beginning a decades long tradition for families across the Charlotte region and beyond.
July 24, 2006
Daniel J. Stowe, the Garden’s founder, dies at age 93.
January 19, 2008 – The Williamson Conservatory
Dedicated to the display of orchids and tropical plants, the William J. Williamson Conservatory opened to the public as the Carolina’s largest glass house at over 10,000 square feet.
Summer, 2014 – ZimSculpt
The Gardens welcomed several sculpture artists from Zimbabwe to not only display their artwork, but also to provide demonstrations of their craft carving serpentine rock into hundreds of works of art for the public. This exhibit was the first of many featuring arts in the gardens and building the organization’s sculpture collection. This popular exhibit returned in 2015, and plans are being made for future ZimSculpt exhibits as well.
Images provided by ZimSculpt.
October 18, 2014 – The Kimbrell Family Lost Hollow Children’s Garden
Designed by New York landscape designer, W. Gary Smith, the Kimbrell Family Lost Hollow Children’s Garden featured more than 3 acres of experiential gardens for kids with a medieval theme that includes a moon keep with a drawbridge, a pond, stone theater and cave for exploration and wonder.
Fall, 2017
The inaugural Chinese Lantern Festival welcomed more than 80,000 guests to the gardens to experience the wonder and beauty of larger-than-life lantern displays featuring nature and cultural themes. We’re so excited to bring Chinese Lanterns back in for Summer 2026!
Summer, 2019
In celebration of the Gardens’ 20th anniversary, glass artist Jason Gamrath’s Grandiflora exhibit brought the beauty of blown glass flowers to Stowe. The exhibition featured dozens of glass sculptures featuring florals including 10-foot orchids, venus flytraps and cattelyas made up of hundreds of pieces of glass. You might recognize his work – his Glass Daffodils blown glass art currently lives in the Williamson Conservatory!
Fall, 2019 – Stickworks
Using minimal tools and a simple technique of bending, interweaving and fastening together sticks, North Carolina artist Patrick Dougherty’s Stickwork exhibit engaged volunteers to create sculptures of nests, cocoons, cones, castles and beehives where visitors could explore and engage in this hands-on exhibit.
Summer, 2023
The Board of Directors of Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens approves a new long-range strategic plan for the organization that includes a revised site masterplan, a review of the organization’s branding and market positioning, and expansion of experiential offerings to place an emphasis on outdoor recreation, education, and experiential learning in addition to the established gardens and related programming.
March 2, 2024 – The Trailhead Store
Re-purposing the original garden store and gift shop log cabin, the Trailhead Store serves as the organization’s front porch providing a community gathering spot featuring coffee, wine, beer, sandwiches, salads, and snacks in a relaxed atmosphere near two beautiful ponds. In conjunction with the opening, more than a mile of new trails connecting the property’s existing trails to the Trailhead Store established hiking, biking and trail running at Stowe as a key feature of the organization.
Spring 2025
Throughout the spring of 2025, several enhancements to the Gardens at Stowe were opened to the public including the Big Leaf Café + Shop, a renovated Garden Pavilion, the Kimbrell Family Adventure Trail, an expanded Meadowwood Walk Trail, and renovated and restored Perennial Gardens.
Big Leaf Café + Shop
April 16, 2025 – The Rebrand
The organization formally rebrands itself Daniel Stowe Conservancy as a part of a larger effort to return to Dan Stowe’s original vision for the property to be a comprehensive outdoor experiential destination. The new name, a return to the organization’s legal name since its founding in 1991 better communicates the organizations broad scope of outdoor offerings across its 380-acre property that include gardens, trails, native prairies, lakeside views and educational opportunities.
May 3, 2025 – The Farmhouse
Re-purposing the original Visitor Center, the Farmhouse Garden Store and Gift Shop was opened to the public adjacent to The Trailhead Store, formally establishing The Village at Stowe. This new retail space provides guests to the property who are not visiting the gardens an opportunity to purchase plants and garden themed gifts in support of the organization.
August 30, 2025 – Prairie Castle Playground
The Prairie Castle Playground was opened to the public to the delight of kids of all ages in the center of the North Carolina native prairie, which is undergoing a significant restoration, serving as the culmination of the expansion of the Kimbrell Family Lost Hollow Children’s Garden & Adventure Trail. Continuing a legacy of giving to children’s experiences at Stowe, board member Pam Warlick and her family provided funding that created this one of a kind, three story, castle themed playground that spurred a renaissance of family memberships and visitors at Daniel Stowe Conservancy.
The Future
The future of Daniel Stowe Conservancy is bright! The new site masterplan, approved in 2023, envisions new gardens, expanded education programs and buildings, miles of new trails for even more outdoor recreation, enhanced food and beverage options, more beautiful spaces for weddings and private events and growth of our arts + culture programming and facilities. With the support of our members, donors and the entire Charlotte region, we will continue to work hard to realize Dan Stowe’s vision – to inspire a love of nature and its beauty through unforgettable outdoor experiences!
