BOTANICAL GARDEN GETAWAYS

CAPE FEAR BOTANICAL GARDEN Fayetteville

Nestled between the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek, Cape Fear Botanical Garden offers a picturesque floral respite in the military town of Fayetteville.

Loaded with specialty gardens and blooming ornamental plants, the garden is home to camellia, daylily and shade gardens in addition to the Butterfly Stroll and Children’s Garden. Amble along the scenic river trail to take in the water views, participate in a guided tour or relax on the patio overlooking the Cypress Pond. The garden hosts events such as tai chi and yoga, and creates a fairytale backdrop for weddings.

Fayetteville is home to one of the country’s largest military complexes: Fort Bragg. The U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum, located in downtown Fayetteville, showcases the history of this branch of the military. Downtown Fayetteville is walkable and quaint, with shops and restaurants. Stop by Gaston Brewing Company for a local craft brew, then cheer on the Woodpeckers—Fayetteville’s hometown minor league baseball team.

Learn more about Cape Fear Botanical Garden at capefearbg.org.

WILSON BOTANICAL GARDENS Wilson

Not only a pretty place to meander, Wilson Botanical Gardens also seeks to welcome even the youngest botanists. The Children’s Secret Garden is a magical play area with a garden tunnel, rain wall, dinosaur dig and banana split sundae garden. The STEM Garden promotes horticulture education through the use of outdoor classrooms. This part of the garden is divided into four areas, providing students of all ages with hands-on experience with STEM—science, technology, engineering and math—in a unique setting. Divided into four areas, the garden brings each STEM concept to life.

On a breezy day, visitors also flock to Wilson to see the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park—a truly one-of-a-kind experience featuring wind-powered structures made from metal scraps by farm machinery repairman Vollis Simpson. Continue your whimsical adventures over at Imagination Station Science & History Museum, where families can explore interactive science experiments. No visit to Wilson is complete without a stop at Parker’s Barbecue—a local mainstay for more than 75 years.

Learn more about Wilson Botanical Gardens at wilsonbotanicalgarden.org.

Joyce Watkins

23.5 X 35 INCHES

“My work is about fast fashion. I show the workmanship and beauty of the garment in hopes that people will see it afresh and appreciate what goes into making clothes.”

THE ART OF WELL-MADE CLOTHING

Raleigh-based artist Joyce Watkins King sees the beauty and history of garments. King uses a unique printmaking approach in her monoprint, “Electric!,” which she started during her residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She inks clothing sourced from thrift stores—or, in this case, her closet—as if it were a printmaking block. The blouse was then printed in three colors (black, white and blue) onto vibrant pink paper capturing the intricate details of the sheer fabric and features of the shirt. The expressive black gestures around the prints of the shirt bring energy and new life to the garment. Her unique twist on printmaking highlights the beauty of reused clothing, bringing awareness to the art of well-made clothing while also shining a light on fast fashion’s impact on our environment.

View more of her work at jwkingart.com. Her work was included in Fiberart International 2022, and will be installed at the Museum of Art Fort Collins from August 18–October 15, 2023.