The Elizabethan Gardens

What comes to mind when most visitors are asked about the Outer Banks is the sparkling waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the clean sandy beaches, or the historic lighthouses that dot the coast. Few would answer a traditional English garden, but those who venture to Roanoke Island to see The Elizabethan Gardens will not be disappointed.

Each season brings new and exciting discoveries in the gardens. Summer creates gardens bursting with wildflowers along with the sweet smells of roses and gardenias. Fall bathes the paths with the golden beauty of chrysanthemums and the brilliant reds and oranges of deciduous trees. Winter produces varying shades of camellias, happy faced pansies, and hollies boasting their bright red berries. An ancient live oak, believed to be over 400 years old, displays its gnarled magnificence year round.

But spring. Spring is spectacular at the gardens. As nature warms the ground, we are rewarded with massive displays of daffodils and tulips. Azaleas burst with blooms from white to red to purple. Trees wake from their winter naps with a shade of green that can only be described as springtime. Masses of color greet visitors around every turn.

Tucked within the brilliant blooms are benches where visitors can stop to enjoy a favorite vista or to spy on butterflies gracefully circling nearby. A marble statue of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World, reminds us of the colonists who settled, lived and vanished from this spot in 1587. A birdbath named the “Bashful Girl” delights children of all ages.

So while a traditional English garden may not be what visitors think of first when asked about the Outer Banks, those who venture to Roanoke Island, just north of Manteo, to visit The Elizabethan Gardens will be rewarded with the serene beauty offered by the colorful gem.