gardens

Native Plant Gardens

Since 1989, the CNC Native Plant Gardens have been a unique repository of grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees native to the state of Georgia. Since its inception, the gardens have grown to almost 3 acres and are home to over 600 native plants. CNC is also involved with the protection, restoration and safeguarding of a variety of plant species in Georgia, many of which are displayed in these gardens. All 3 of the distinct geographic regions of Georgia are represented in terms of plant species, from the coastal plain to the Piedmont to the mountains.

Unity Garden

The Unity Garden at the Chattahoochee Nature Center was established in April 2010 with a generous grant from Kaiser Permanente. The quarter-acre garden has three goals: Production, Donation, and Education.

All of the fresh produce grown in the Unity Garden is donated to the food pantry at North Fulton Community Charities. We deliver fresh vegetables and greens once or twice a week. The Unity Garden produces delicious food year-round and we strive to provide seasonal, healthy food to those who need it the most. To date, we have supplied over 50 tons of fresh produce.

Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly Garden is an impressive collection of both native and non-native plants that are specifically selected to attract butterflies. Non-native plants are used in this garden in order to increase the blooming season and add color. Many plants like Narrow-leafed Sunflowers, Goldenrod, Lantana, Butterfly Weed and Asters, bloom for a very long time and produce plenty of nectar for adult butterflies to feed on. In addition to nectar sources, many host plants have been included to encourage specific butterflies to lay their eggs here. Look for members of the bean family that have been planted for the many Skippers that feed on them as caterpillars including Spicebush for the Spicebush Swallowtail and Passionflower for the Gulf Fritillary.