winghavengardens.org Paid content

What is Wing Haven?

Wing Haven is a historic garden and bird sanctuary in Charlotte, North Carolina, made up of three connected properties on and near Ridgewood Avenue. It is a nonprofit organization, and its stated mission is cultivating sanctuary in nature, environmental stewardship, and the legacy of Southern horticulture.

Its identity comes from two women named Elizabeth who gardened a few houses apart. The property of Elizabeth and Edwin Clarkson is Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, described as a respite for birds and other wildlife. Ten houses down is the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden, the home of an internationally celebrated garden writer, presented as a living laboratory with something in bloom every day of the year. Adjacent to the main garden is the SEED Wildlife & Children's Garden, an outdoor exploration and learning garden for children of all ages.

What you can actually do there

• Visit the gardens, which are open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as an escape from the city.
• Volunteer, which the site frames as a way to take part in the Wing Haven legacy.
• Become a member to support garden maintenance and community programs.
• Attend events, such as member mornings with a curated tour of Elizabeth Lawrence's garden.
• Share memories for the centennial, since Wing Haven is marking 100 years from 1927 to 2027 and is collecting reflections from visitors and volunteers.

Who it suits

A useful next step

Decide which of the three properties matches your interest, then check the visit page for current hours and any event schedule before you go. If you garden, plan around the Elizabeth Lawrence garden; if you have children, start with SEED; if you want birds and quiet, the main sanctuary is the obvious first stop. The official site is Wing Haven.

What can I see or do during a visit to Wing Haven's gardens?

You can tour two historic gardens plus a children's exploration garden, all on the same Charlotte street. Wing Haven's own materials describe the site as combining three properties: Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary (the home of Elizabeth and Edwin Clarkson), the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden ten houses away, and the adjacent SEED Wildlife & Children's Garden. Visiting hours listed are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

What each part offers

• Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary — Presented as a designed refuge for birds and wildlife, so expect a slower, observational visit: watching, sitting, and looking at planting structure rather than a checklist of attractions.
• Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden — The page describes it as a "living laboratory" with a wide plant variety and something in bloom every day of the year, which suits gardeners interested in plant combinations and succession of bloom.
• SEED Wildlife & Children's Garden — An outdoor exploration and learning garden aimed at children of all ages, making the site workable for families rather than only serious horticulture visitors.

Events and seasonal draws

The site lists scheduled programming alongside general admission, including a Member Mornings curated tour of Elizabeth Lawrence's garden and a holiday greenery preorder sale sourced from the Western NC mountains. These change by season, so the specific reason to go in a given month may be an event rather than the grounds alone.

How to choose based on your interest

Wing Haven also invites visitors to contribute memories toward its centennial (1927–2027), so if you have a personal connection to the gardens, that is another way to participate. For comparison, other regional garden destinations include Duke Gardens and [[site:danielstowe botanical garden|Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden]] — confirm their current hours separately.

Next step: check the visit page and event calendar for the week you plan to come, since hours, tours, and which garden areas are accessible can vary by day.

How do I become a member of Wing Haven and what benefits does membership include?

Membership at Wing Haven is handled directly through the organization rather than through a third-party ticketing or membership platform. Start at Wing Haven and use the "MEMBERSHIP" section, which links to a "Become a Member" page; the site also offers a free email newsletter via its Subscribe link if you want updates before committing.

How to join

• Go to the Wing Haven website and open the Membership area.
• Choose the membership level that fits you (individual, household, or supporter levels are typical for a garden nonprofit; the site lists the current options and any online payment or mail-in process).
• Complete the form or follow the instructions provided; you may also be able to join in person during a visit, since the gardens are open Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

What membership generally supports and includes

Wing Haven describes membership as support that helps maintain the gardens and expand community reach. In practice, garden memberships like this usually provide:

• Free or reduced admission to the gardens during open hours.
• Advance notice and sometimes discounted tickets for events and programs.
• Member-only opportunities such as curated tours — the site lists a "Member Mornings–Curated Tour of Elizabeth Lawrence's Garden" as an example.
• A newsletter or email updates about blooms, events, and volunteer needs.

Treat the specific benefit list as something to confirm on the current membership page, since levels and perks can change year to year.

Who it suits

Membership makes sense if you live in or near Charlotte, North Carolina, and expect to visit more than once or twice a year — the three connected properties (Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden, and the SEED Wildlife & Children's Garden) each reward repeat visits, and the Lawrence garden is described as having something in bloom every day. If you are a distant visitor planning a single trip, a day ticket is likely the better fit. If you mainly want to volunteer, the site's Volunteer section is a separate path that does not require membership.

Next step: open the Membership page and compare the levels against how often you would visit and whether you want event access; if you are unsure, subscribe to the email list first and attend a member event or tour to see whether the programming matches your interests.

What volunteer opportunities are available at Wing Haven?

Wing Haven lists volunteering as one of its main ways to get involved, framed as a way to “become a part of the Wing Haven legacy through service.” The site points visitors to a dedicated opportunities page rather than spelling out every role on the homepage. Wing Haven

What the site indicates

• General volunteer interest: There is a clear “View Opportunities” path, so the first step is to see current openings rather than assume a fixed list.
• Garden and sanctuary context: Because Wing Haven is a garden and bird sanctuary with three connected properties — Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden, and the SEED Wildlife & Children’s Garden — volunteer work is likely tied to horticulture, guest experience, children’s programming and events, though specific roles should be confirmed on the opportunities page.
• Events and seasonal needs: The site highlights upcoming events and seasonal sales, which often create short-term volunteer needs such as setup, greeting, or event support.
• Centennial storytelling: Wing Haven is collecting personal reflections for its centennial, which suggests possible volunteer or community-history roles around archives, oral history or visitor engagement.

A practical next step

If you are considering volunteering, visit the opportunities page and look for roles that match your availability and comfort level. A useful decision criterion is whether you want a recurring garden role, a one-day event shift, or a behind-the-scenes task. For a first-time volunteer, a recurring weekly garden shift usually builds more familiarity with the plants and wildlife than a single event, while event volunteering is a lower-commitment way to test the experience.

What upcoming events and programs does Wing Haven host throughout the year?

Wing Haven's event calendar mixes seasonal sales, member-only garden tours and recurring public programming. Based on the site's own listings, the year is anchored by a few recurring types rather than one big festival.

What the site shows as upcoming

• Holiday Greenery Sale – preorders (listed as running September 21 to November 9, 2026): a seasonal fundraiser offering greenery sourced from the Western North Carolina mountains, with preordering before pickup.
• Member Mornings – Curated Tour of Elizabeth Lawrence's Garden (listed for September 25, 2026, 10:00–10:45 a.m.): a short, guided look at the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden, positioned as a member benefit.

The kinds of programs to expect across the year

• Garden visits and self-guided touring of three connected properties: Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden, and the SEED Wildlife & Children's Garden. General visiting hours are listed as Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Curated and themed tours, including the member tour above, which suit people who want interpretation rather than a quiet walk.
• Children's and family programming tied to the SEED garden, described as an outdoor exploration and learning garden for all ages.
• Volunteer sessions and orientation through the volunteer program, which functions as both service and informal training in garden stewardship.
• Membership events and fundraisers, such as the greenery sale, plus the centennial story-gathering project inviting people to submit memories of the gardens ahead of the 1927–2027 centennial.

How to choose what fits

Practical next step: check the events calendar on Wing Haven before you plan a trip, since dated items like the greenery sale and the September member tour sit alongside the standing Wednesday–Saturday hours. If a specific tour matters to you, confirm whether it requires membership, and note that the centennial runs through 2027 — a good window for anniversary-related programs.

How can I share my memories or stories for Wing Haven's centennial celebration?

Wing Haven is collecting personal memories for its Centennial (1927–2027), and the invitation is broad: a single moment or a lifelong connection, from the 1930s or from last summer. The centennial page specifically asks for reflections about the gardens, volunteer experiences, and the legacies of Elizabeth and Eddie Clarkson and Elizabeth Lawrence. You can start at Wing Haven and follow the "Celebrating 100 Years" / "Help Us Tell the Story" prompt.

What they're looking for

• A memory of visiting the garden or bird sanctuary, including sensory details (what was blooming, what birds you saw, who you were with).
• Volunteer stories: roles you held, seasons you served, what changed for you.
• Tributes to the two Elizabeths — Elizabeth Clarkson and Elizabeth Lawrence — or to Eddie Clarkson.
• Historical context: family connections, old photographs, letters, or neighborhood recollections from Ridgewood Avenue in Charlotte.

How to prepare your submission

1. Write 150–500 words in plain prose. Lead with the date or era, then the place (Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden, or the SEED Wildlife & Children's Garden), then the moment.
2. If you have photos, scans, or documents, note them and ask whether the team wants digital copies. Don't mail originals without confirming first.
3. Include your name, email, and your connection (visitor, member, volunteer, neighbor, descendant).
4. Send it through the contact route on the centennial page, or ask at the visitor entrance during open hours (Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.).

A concrete example

A reader who volunteered as a garden docent in the 1990s might write: "I led tours on Saturday mornings in 1994 and learned to identify the resident barred owls by call. One spring a child in my group asked why the dogwood blooms looked like torn paper — that question changed how I taught." That kind of specific, dated detail is more useful to a centennial archive than general praise.

Decision criterion

If you have one vivid memory, send it now rather than waiting for a perfect essay. If you have a larger collection — letters, photos, a journal — contact them first and ask how they'd like it organized, since archival projects often have specific formats and permissions.