The Gardens of Southeastern North Carolina in Willard earned the designation of Proven Winners Signature Garden, making it the 11th in the U.S.

"Thanks to the trust and support in Proven Winners [a plant brand] demonstrated by The Gardens of Southeastern North Carolina leadership and staff, wholesale nursery and garden center Johnson Nursery and the gardens’ development team, this new Signature Garden will leverage its conservation goals with its expansion plan to broaden awareness and attendance for those who will enjoy the nature trails, waterways and wooded areas in their future plans," according to a news release.

Josh Miller, Proven Winners landscape manager, stated in the release, “The diverse balance of ornamental horticulture, engaging nature and a healthy calendar of agrotourism events promise to make The Gardens of Southeastern North Carolina a showcase destination for Proven Winners products and gardening ideas."

The Signature Garden certification is awarded to properties that demonstrate a strict set of criteria including high visibility, demographic synergies and a commitment to quality landscape presentation, according to the release. Visitor traffic and revenues are enhanced by improved guest interest, garden tours, additional event opportunities and visitor appreciation, the release stated.

Johnson Nursery was founded in 1981 by David Johnson, who needed a space to see the plants the nursery was growing at maturity. This desire for a display garden led him to establish The Gardens of Southeastern North Carolina on an adjacent property. Now a nonprofit, the gardens’ mission is “to improve lives by cultivating inspiration,” according to the release.

“Being a Gold Key grower for Spring Meadow Nursery, we have all this diversity – more than we could have ever imagined,” Johnson stated in the release. “It really amplifies the need for a garden because we want to know what does well here. We want to be able to speak to our customers knowledgably and tell them why Proven Winners has a better hydrangea. It’s one thing to see a pretty picture and one thing to grow them in a 3-gallon container, but having them in the ground for us is really beneficial. So now we know, and our sales teams know, and our customers can see the end result.”

The new Signature Garden is the fourth in North Carolina along with Creekside Gardens, Pinehurst Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Resort.