Welcome to

Juniper Level Botanic Garden ​

Home of Plant Delights Nursery and one of the largest and most diverse plant collections in the world.

Our mission

Collect, study, preserve, propagate and share plants for a better world

The mission of Juniper Level Botanic Garden is to promote botanical diversity by assembling the largest collection possible of growable, winter/summer hardy ornamental plants for our region and display them in an aesthetic, sustainably-maintained, healthy garden setting. This philosophy includes obtaining plants from all over the world with a strong emphasis on North American native plants. Plants are obtained through plant exploration, plant breeding, as well as exchange and purchase from other botanic gardens and horticultural experts.

A special place​

Juniper Level Botanic Garden is an 10-acre educational, research, and display garden filled with more than 27,000 taxa of plants, including native perennials, exotic plants, rare delights, and an array of incredible and unusual specimen trees and shrubs you won’t see anywhere else in the world.

The garden was designed using the philosophy of “drifts of one” to house and showcase a diverse collection of ornamental plants in an aesthetic and relaxed setting. Juniper Level Botanic Garden has evolved into one of the largest ex-situ plant collections in the world. The garden is designed for year-round interest with peak season from late April through mid-October.

40

Years since established

27

Thousand different taxa

Become a JLBG garden member

As a garden member you will be helping to support the much-needed increase in staffing and maintenance of the collection and garden as we work towards the public garden transition. You are also increasing our ability to reach and educate the growing numbers of visitors in our rapidly expanding community.

Our History​

JLBG was established in 1986 when Raleigh native Tony Avent and his wife Michelle purchased a 2.2 acre abandoned sandy loam tobacco field in the community of Juniper in Southern Wake County (central North Carolina). 

The garden name originated from “junipers” which used to grow along nearby Juniper Branch. These plants were Chamaecyparis thyoides. The southern term “Level” is used for the flat areas between creeks, hence the community name, Juniper Level.

Timeline

1986​

Breaking ground

Tony and Michelle purchase a home on 2.2 acres, garden construction begins on the Founders Garden. Plant Delights Nursery is established.

1996​

First expansion

The Avents purchase 5.25 acres of adjoining property. This new section becomes Michelle’s Garden.

2001

Second expansion

The Avents purchase another 11 acres of adjacent property for expanded production, research, plant trials, evaluations and woody plant collections.

2008

Third expansion

The Avents purchase 3.66 acres from the estate of the late Eddy Souto. Half of the property is devoted to field production, while the other half becomes the full sun Souto Garden.

2014

Yde Horse Farm purchase

Two acres of the property are dedicated to visitor accommodations, while the remaining four become Avents new home and Anita’s Garden. This brings the size of JLBG to 28 acres.

2017

Crevice garden construction

The 300 feet long habitat for ultra dryland, alkaline-loving plants, is made of nearly 200 tons of recycled concrete and takes 3 years to complete.

Open Garden and Nursery Days

We are open to the public four times a year, two weekends each season.

Open Garden and Nursery Days

We are open to the public four times a year, two weekends each.

Educational resources​

Expand your gardening knowledge by reading our plant articles, watching gardening videos and signing up for classes and events.

The Latest from
The Blog

Our daily garden blog offers a peak into the array of exciting horticultural happenings at JLBG, that most folks aren’t around to see. Occasionally, we share some important news from the industry of even hop up on the soapbox when we feel the need warrants.

Liquidambar styraciflua #2

Our New Gums Make us Smile

We were recently bushhogging an overflow nursery parking area, which is a fallow field, that includes quite a few tree seedlings, primarily Liquidambar styraciflua. During the six-hour mowing exercise, I…

Read More
Ibervillea lindheimeri

Buffalo Gourd

As early July rolls around, our buffalo gourds in the garden are looking like, well, like buffalo gourds. Ibervillea lindheimeri is an odd North American native member of the squash…

Read More
Lychnis senno 'Once in a Vermillion'

A Cool Forest Fire

If you want to create a colorful, fire-like spark in your woodland garden, without endangering your neighbors, there are few plants better than our 2021 introduction, Lychnis senno ‘Once in…

Read More

Colorful Spanish Bayonets

Looking rather spectacular and rather prickly is our native Yucca aloifolia ‘Variegata’. This stunning Southeast US coastal native is rarely offered by nurseries primarily due to the difficulty in taking…

Read More

Woodland Wonder Wild Ginger

We’ve grown literally thousands of wild gingers, both North American and Asian natives. One of the finest plants in the entire collection is our 2000 Davidson County, NC, selection from…

Read More

Mayan Moon

After an initial introduction in 2024 where demand outstripped supply, we should have more xMangave ‘Mayan Moon’ in our Fall 2026 catalog to be released in early August. This amazing…

Read More
Scroll to Top