Description
The 15 acres now known as the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont used to be The City of Charlottesville’s leaves and mulch site. A great deal has changed since the cleanup began in 2019. With the removal of kudzu, English ivy, and other invasive plant species, as well as a stream restoration project, natural balance is returning to the area. When this restoration work is completed, The Garden will have mixed hardwood forests, an alluvial forest, a shady meadow, and an early successional woodland.
The Garden is no ordinary botanical garden. Instead of paved walkways between manicured flower beds, visitors walk on a mulch path through a forest of mature trees. Planting choices are not based on aesthetics; instead, they are made to support a healthy, native habitat. Infrastructure is placed with respect for the existing landscape, with seating throughout the area made from downed trees at the site.
Forty tree species, including a rare healthy butternut, and native plants have hosted bird species such as yellow-bellied sapsucker, swamp sparrow, acadian flycatcher, and golden-crowned kinglet. Spring and fall migrations bring in an assortment of warblers, orioles, and other neotropical migrants. Bird and bee houses have been placed in strategic locations, providing safe homes for eastern bluebirds and mason bees. Pollinators, avian and insect alike, work diligently to ensure the next generation of flowers will be ready when they return in spring. Butterfly species commonly seen here include monarch, tiger swallowtail, pearl crescent, and common buckeye.
Notes:
- The Botanical Garden of the Piedmont regularly offers free programing open to the public. Flora and fauna ID walks, sessions for kids from pre-K to high school, and wellness workshops for adults are available. Please visit The Garden’s website for more information.
Wildlife Sightings
Birds Recently Seen at Botanical Garden of the Piedmont (as reported to eBird)
- Turkey Vulture
- Cooper's Hawk
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
- Carolina Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- Brown Creeper
- Carolina Wren
- European Starling
Amenities & Access Considerations
Amenities
- Hiking Trails
- Interpretive Nature Program
- Restrooms
Maps & Directions
Address: 950 Melbourne Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Directions from I-64 and US-29/Monacan Trail Rd., head north on US-29/Monacan Trail Rd. and continue onto US-250 E., take the McIntire Rd/John W. Warner Pkwy, turn left onto McIntire Rd., continue onto John W. Warner Pkwy, turn left onto Melbourne Rd, and the Garden will be on the left in approximately 305 ft. On-street parking is available along Melbourne Rd.
What to Know Before Visiting
The Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail is a network of more than 500 premier wildlife viewing sites across the state. Walk a nature trail, paddle a river, or enjoy a scenic overlook and you’ll soon understand what makes Virginia a premier destination for birding and wildlife viewing.