moore farms botanical garden

I am fortunate to live close enough to this wonderful resource to visit often. Moore Farms Botanical Garden is a young garden. What has been accomplished in less than two decades is amazing.The collections of magnolias, South Carolina native plants and southern heritage plants are extensive. The green roof and living wall are always changing and interesting. The roof is used to experiment with plants that will thrive with our high humidity. It is planted with a delightful mix of vegetables, turf grass, bulbs, shrubs, annuals and perennials.Educational classes have been offered several times a month over the last two years. The subjects very greatly but all are garden related. They are wonderfully organized and taught either by the gardens outstanding staff or expert guest speakers.The twice a year plant sale features plants that are not in the market or are hard to find. It is great to find these plants at reasonable prices.I am looking forward to continuing to participate in Moore Farms Botanical Gardens activities. It is a great way to spend a day.

I am so glad I live close enough to Moore Farms that I can visit the garden several times a year. It is beautiful in every season. The classes are fun and informative and the plant sales provide my favorite shopping experience.

New to the Area, Moore Farms provides excellent instructional as well as hands-on classes in a variety of garden /crafts/ home improvements issues. I have attended numerous very reasonably priced classes such as; plant propagation, garland making, and canning just to name a few. The classes are instructed by a combination of professionals from the academic and business world as well as friendly trained Moore Farms staff members. The classes are conducted in an informal setting giving the impression you are in a friend’s living room and are frequently accompanied by a meal, I can always go for a meal. While I can elaborate extensively on the value and significance of the classes, I am most impressed by the commitment that Moore Farms has to the community at large. Sponsoring several charitable events, benefiting the beautification of the city and economic boost to the underprivileged in the Area. I have relocated to Lake City from a large Urban setting and Moore Farms is a must see here, offering a beautiful garden tour, a place to make new friends and obtain the knowledge needed to excel as a gardener. You must visit. Take a look at my FIRST ever fall vegetable garden plantings!

Our guide offered a wonderful private tour for 4 out-of-area visitors. She was very knowledgeable and offered great educational insights to the gardens. She was also very engaging, yet professional and offered a wonderful tour on a very HOT South Carolina day. Thank you for what you have invested and are building in Lake City.

If you want a pretty patrician garden with flowers, ponds, outdoor art, and fancy buildings that can serve a catered meal, this is the place for you.But if you are looking for a true botanical garden, you will be disappointed. The private Moore Farms is still a boutique attraction that has not yet taken the step toward professional management. True gardeners want to be enlightened by unusual plants, properly labeled with Latin names. They want to hear about best practices being used for horticulture, wildlife, and the environment, such as how how birds, butterflies and bees are sustained in the habitat--not how the many dogs on the property prevent deer damage. While it's nice that the wealthy owner has the luxury of indulging her whims from the standpoint of beauty, people involved in horticulture want to see expertise that highlights the local environment with cultivation of novel plantings supported by research and a vision towards long range planning.With its acreage and financial resources, Moore Farms has a lot of potential, but it is not yet being managed as if it wants to be a botanical garden.