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Plan the Ultimate Day Trip to The Blowing Rock

The Blowing Rock is a beautiful Western North Carolina attraction that offers stunning views and unique experiences. You'll find it just outside the charming mountain town of Blowing Rock.

Table of Contents

Blowing Rock is about an hour and forty-five-minute drive from the Charlotte area, Asheville, and Winston-Salem in Western North Carolina . Or, approximately three hours from RDU. When you’re ready to plan a day trip to The Blowing Rock (or even a quick weekend getaway), there are plenty of fun sites nearby. 

We’re sharing our top recommendations of things to do in the area and when to visit below. 

What is The Blowing Rock?

The Blowing Rock is a rock formation of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It sits 3,000 feet above the Johns River Gorge. 

Erosion, gravitational forces, and weathering for over 250 million years formed the mountains into beautiful, unique sights. Rocks that were originally hidden miles deep are now exposed at the top of the mountain. 

Many features of this erosion and pressure can be seen on the face of The Blowing Rock including the striped look and large cracks. The name “The Blowing Rock” comes from a unique phenomenon in which the rock walls create a wind with such force that lightweight objects thrown over the gorge can be returned to you. 

From the top, visitors can see Hawksbill Mountain, Table Rock, Grandfather Mountain, and Mount Mitchell. The views, unique shape, and windy phenomenon all make this natural wonder a must-see in the NC mountains. 

Enjoying ice cream while people watching is a favorite pastime in Blowing Rock. There are plenty of benches around town on which to practice this hobby. Did we mention ice cream? Photo by Todd Bush.

When to Visit The Blowing Rock

The Blowing Rock park is open from 9 am – 5 pm Thursday through Monday. Check the website for any updates . 

Although any time of year is a beautiful time in Blowing Rock, there are certain seasons that are more popular for a visit. Fall is arguably the best season to plan your day trip to The Blowing Rock due to the stunning foliage. The views this time of year cannot be beaten. However, the crowds will be much heavier in the fall for this very reason. October is the busiest tourism month for Blowing Rock followed by July. November typically has the least crowds.  

The scenic views surrounding Blowing Rock have yielded decades of incredible work from artists. Art in the Park is a popular event held on various weekends from May through September (more on this later). If it’s possible to plan your visit around Art in the Park, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful pottery, paintings, and works of local artists.

Another popular event is the Blowing Rock Music Festival, held one weekend in September each year. Locals and tourists flock to the scenic town during this festival for jazz, folk, and soul music. 

shopping in downtown Blowing Rock

Take in the boutiques and unique shops in Blowing Rock.

What to Do in Blowing Rock Downtown

Although seeing The Blowing Rock itself will be your main attraction, there are plenty of other options to fill your time and make the road trip worthwhile! Downtown Blowing Rock hosts many great local businesses that are worthy of a visit. 

Local Spots to Hit Up 

Once you’ve worked up an appetite from hiking, stop by Blowing Rock’s Kilwins for a delicious treat. During the summer months, you might catch a long line out the door for a scoop of cake batter ice cream in a homemade waffle cone, but it’s worth the wait. Grab your sweet treat and snag a spot on one of the benches out front to people watch while you chow down. 

Shopping in downtown Blowing Rock is a popular option. Stores range from unique boutiques to art shops, antiques, and toy shops for the little ones.  Take a stroll down Main Street for all of the town’s most popular shops. If you’re looking for a bargain, head down the road to Tanger Outlets which houses nearly 30 popular name-brand stores such as Levi’s, Coach, and Gap.

Take home a new treasure! Award-winning artists offer arts, crafts, furniture, cutlery and wearables at Art in the Park in Blowing Rock. Stick around for the evening concert to extend your day trip. Dates and details can be found here: blowingrock.com/artinthepark. Photo by Amanda Lugenbell.

Art in the Park 

Created in 1962 by a group of local artists, Art in the Park hosts nearly 100 vendors at each show. Throughout the summer months, artists showcase handcrafted goods such as jewelry, home products, furniture, pottery, paintings, and photographs. 

The event is broken up into six weekends from May to September. Each weekend of Art in the Park draws thousands of visitors. A stroll down Park Avenue during Art in the Park can reveal some stunning works. 

Things to Do Near Blowing Rock 

If you’d rather spend your day outside of downtown Blowing Rock, there are several trendy and unique attractions within a short drive. 

All aboard! Take a trip into yesteryear on a coal-fired steam engine at the Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock. Tell the kids to keep a sharp eye out for bandits!

Tweetsie Railroad

The family-friendly Wild West theme park known as “Tweetsie Railroad” has been entertaining North Carolinians since 1957. The main attraction of the park is the 3-mile train ride aboard a historic locomotive. 

Tweetsie also offers various amusement park rides including: 

  • Ferris Wheel
  • Tilt-a-Whirl
  • Turnpike Cruisers 

Or, if you and your family would like something a bit more relaxing, there are many Tweetsie Railroad attractions that might be more up your alley. Try paying a visit to the Deer Park Zoo, going gold mining, browsing the shops, or attending a show. 

Most families spend around five hours when visiting Tweetsie Railroad . Tickets are $52 for adults and $33 for children ages 3-12. Children under the age of 3 receive free admission. 

People have been defying gravity since 1947 at Mystery Hill in Blowing Rock. While there you can explore three museums and partake in tomahawk throwing.

Mystery Hill 

Ready for something that’s a bit quirky? Mystery Hill is North Carolina’s natural gravitational anomaly. This is one of the most family-friendly activities in Blowing Rock. 

Mystery Hill sits atop land that used to be an apple orchard. Now, the unique attraction includes a museum with one of the largest collections of Native American artifacts, the home of the founder of Appalachian State University, and the ‘Hall of Mystery’ with hands-on science experiments. 

But, the main draw is the natural gravitational anomaly. In this exhibit, water will flow upwards, balls roll uphill, and your mind will be tricked as you try to take just a few steps. Mystery Hill is one of only 19 known gravitational vortexes in the world. 

Mystery Hill is open daily from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm.  

Take a hike! Burn off the ice cream calories with a hike along the Glen Burney Trail in Blowing Rock.

Hike the Glen Burney Trail

If you’d rather spend your day trip to The Blowing Rock outdoors enjoying nature, there are several hiking options nearby. The Glen Burney Trail is one of the most popular. The trail runs right next to downtown Blowing Rock; catch the entrance beside Annie Cannon Gardens. 

The stunning 3.1-mile hike will take you past three beautiful waterfalls. A moderately strenuous hike, the change in elevation is approximately 800 feet from start to finish. It is an out-and-back style trail, so remember if you head down towards the waterfalls, you will eventually have to climb back up. 

Or, simply cruise down the Blue Ridge Parkway taking in the scenic views and stopping at any trails or overlooks along the way. 

Game on! It ain't cornhole, but people say it's fun. You can launch tomahawks at targets at the ax throwing range at Mystery Hill in Blowing Rock.

No matter how you plan to spend your time in Blowing Rock, we know you’ll leave ready to plan your next visit to this beautiful mountain town. Be sure to take a few snapshots during your visit and tag us on social media @carolinatravelr! 

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Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce

Mile of Flowers Garden Tour

garden

June 23, from 9:30am-4pm Tour & Tea: $35 per person

While enjoying a stay at Chetola Resort, take advantage of this self-guided tour of selected private gardens in Blowing Rock, with garden guides available to provide information about plants and flowers. Event check-in is at the Rotary Gazebo in Memorial Park, where participants will receive tour info and a wristband that will gain them entry into the gardens and afternoon tea. A garden boutique will also be available on the tour. All locations are within blocks of each other.

Information: 828.295.0901 [email protected]

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Inquire here!

BRGC Logo JPG file.jpg

Welcome to the

Blowing Rock Garden Club

blowing rock garden tour

We are a member run volunteer organization uniting in the beautification, service, education and celebration of Blowing Rock, NC.

Our first Wildflower BINGO!   event was a great success.  Thanks to all the businesses and individuals who donated their time, talents and treasures to make it possible.

Our Mission

To provide education about environmentally sound gardening practices.

To encourage the preservation of native plants and wildlife.

To promote civic beauty and horticultural improvements thus furthering the recreation and enjoyment of the community’s inhabitants and visitors.

To cooperate with other organizations and groups in furthering the interests of gardening and conservation.

blowing rock garden tour

2023 Workdays

Mondays  5:30 pm Thursdays  8:30 am

Monday Oct 9th workday HAS BEEN CHANGED to Tuesday October 10th @ 5:30

Meet us at Memorial Gardens on Main Street in front of the park. Bring a spade, snippers and a bucket if you have any of that and we'll show you what needs doing!  We work about an hour and all skill levels and abilities are welcome.  Any changes of schedule will be posted here.

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blowing rock garden tour

1. Horse and Carriage Ride through Moses H. Cone Park

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2. Private Boutique Blue Ridge Parkway Full Day Tour

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3. Blue Ridge Parkway (Asheville to Roanoke) Self-Guided Audio Tour

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4. Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Audio Driving Tour

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5. Blue Ridge Parkway: Audio Driving Tour

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6. Blowing Rock Bash Scavenger Hunt

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  • Horse and Carriage Ride through Moses H. Cone Park
  • Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Audio Driving Tour
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15 Best Things To Do In Blowing Rock, North Carolina

This inviting North Carolina community is full of charm.

Leigh Ann Henion is a writer and photographer based in western North Carolina. Her essays and articles have appeared in Washington Post Magazine, Smithsonian, Oxford American, Orion, Preservation, Southern Living, and a variety of other publications. Her debut book – Phenomenal – was published by Penguin Press in March 2015.

blowing rock garden tour

Where To Eat And Drink

Where to stay.

Author Jan Karon is shy to admit that her fictional town of Mitford is based on Blowing Rock, North Carolina, but residents are convinced of the fact. Karon started writing her popular novels when she was living there, and many local attractions (along with the lush Blue Ridge scenery ) make appearances in her heartwarming stories. "Mitford would simply like to be the pause that refreshes," writes the author in At Home in Mitford , her 1994 novel and the first in a series of 14 beloved books set in the fictional town.

Regardless of whether Mitford was born purely of her imagination or based on this particular North Carolina locale, people in Blowing Rock know that, in real life, their town delivers .

Shop for Gifts

Blowing Rock's storybook downtown is lined with fun boutiques, antique stores, galleries, and gift shops. Stroll down Main Street and step into the purple-painted boutique Take Heart to browse for clothing, jewelry, or a sentimental gift for your mom or sister. Neaco , an unexpectedly funky home decor and gift shop, stocks fun barware, wall art, novelty gifts, and home accessories. The glass atrium at the Last Straw lures shoppers in for silk flowers, garden-themed home decor, wind spinners, and fountains. It's also a popular spot to shop for Christmas ornaments and holiday decor.

Stock up on Cabin Decor

If you've been hunting for treasures for your mountain home , a stop at Cabin Fever is mandatory. It's all here, whether you're looking for a cedar-log headboard, home decor featuring black bears and speckled trout, tables topped with tree slices, or antler-shaped lamps. Right next door, the aptly-named Rustic carries hand-crafted furniture, mountain-themed art, vintage finds, pottery, and gifts.

www.facebook.com/cabinfeverbr , rusticnc.square.site , 915 Main St., Blowing Rock, North Carolina 28605

Stop at Blowing Rock's Cultural Corner

Head down to Blowing Rock's "cultural corner" at the far end of Main Street, where the former home of artist Elliott Daingerfield now serves as an exhibit space run by the Blowing Rock Historical Society. Edgewood Cottage displays the work of different high country artists each week, so there is always something new to see (or buy, if you find that perfect photograph, piece of pottery, or painting). The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is right next door and open Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Spend Some Time in the Park

Every summer, locals and tourists alike line up for ice cream from Kilwin's , where a one-scoop order brings a serving that looks like three. In high season, be prepared to wait for your mint chocolate chip; the crowd sometimes spills out onto Main Street. Once you have a waffle cone in hand, it's tradition to vie for a comfy bench in Blowing Rock Memorial Park . Besides serving as a great spot for people-watching, this park is the hub for many events like Art in the Park, live concerts, Winterfest ice sculpting, and the farmers market.

Take the Kids to Tweetsie

This nostalgic, Wild-West theme park is fun for younger kids and a hoot for the adults, too. You can visit Tweetsie Railroad from April to December (the theme park is only open on weekends in off-season months). In October, the historic steam locomotive transforms into the Ghost Train, while Christmas lights and Santa are a major draw in November and December.

tweetsie.com , 300 Tweetsie Railroad Lane, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Mine for Gems

Pan for minerals and fossils at Doc's Rocks Gem Mine, an old-timey outfit on the edge of town. Their knowledgeable staff will send you to sister company McCoy Minerals if you want to have your gems cut and turned into jewelry. Doc's Rocks also has a fascinating store and has expanded into dinosaur-themed mini golf and laser tag.

docsrocks.org , 100 Shoppes on the Parkway Road, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Visit The Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

The Blue Ridge Parkway weaves away from town toward the former country abode of Moses Cone, a textile entrepreneur of the Gilded Age. Located at milepost 294, his 3,500-acre estate has carriage trails that are still frequented by horses, as well as a mansion that's now home to the Southern Highland Craft Guild . In warmer months, wood-carvers and textile artisans take turns providing demonstrations on the front porch of the Colonial-era Revival mansion. Inside, a gift shop features the work of around 150 regional craftspeople.

Ellen Schaller, who manages Moses Cone Manor, believes that all the beautiful scenery surrounding Blowing Rock naturally lends itself to creativity. "Artists get a lot of inspiration from their environment, and then they translate that into their work," she says. "The mountains tend to attract people who appreciate nature, and the spirit of the landscape is in many of the pieces we have here."

Go on a Winery Tour

Historically, Western North Carolina has been known for its fast-running moonshine , but now it's also gaining a new reputation as wine country. There are three wineries within easy driving distance of Blowing Rock: Grandfather Vineyard & Winery , nestled at the base of Grandfather Mountain in nearby Banner Elk; Linville Falls Winery in Newland, where visitors can enjoy events such as live music and "yoga in the vineyard"; and Banner Elk Winery & Villa , also located in the community whose name it shares. Both Grandfather and Linville Falls are family-run wineries. (Grandfather's staff even includes popular "Bordeaux Collie" Casey, as well as a few other vineyard dogs and canine sidekicks.)

Wine and Dine at a Bistro

After an afternoon of wine sampling, you may want to move on to the second portion of "wine and dine." The best way to do exactly that is to make evening reservations at a local favorite restaurant like Bistro Roca . Located in the heart of downtown Blowing Rock, the restaurant serves new American classics, including spins on steak and fish, as well as starters like spreads made with local ingredients like artichoke tapenade or roasted figs with Manchego and Sourwood honey.

bistroroca.com , 143 Wonderland Trail, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Eat at the Inn

Another great dinner spot, The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn offers more of an experience than just a meal. You'll have to book a month ahead of time to ensure you get a table at this cozy restaurant, but the extra planning is well worth it. The menu changes daily, so you're in for a treat whenever you visit. You can also book a room in the country house hotel to stay in beautifully appointed rooms surrounded by wooded scenery.

www.gideonridge.com , 202 Gideon Ridge Rd., Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Grab Lunch at The Speckled Trout

It's hard to miss The Speckled Trout, which lies right at the entrance of town and has an umbrella-covered patio that is often jam-packed. Needless to say, you'll want to make a reservation to get in. The highlight is, of course, the mountain trout, and you can enjoy it crusted in almonds or crackers, smoked, blackened, or palometa-style.

thespeckledtrout.com , 922 Main St., Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Relax in the Spa at Chetola Resort

There are plenty of inexpensive vintage hotels and cabins in town, but if luxury relaxation is what you're after, you can spend the afternoon shooting clays or enjoying the spa offerings at Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock (pictured above). The resort village has all the amenities (and wooded views) you could want from a mountain escape, plus the Chetola Sporting Reserve for sporting activities and Timberlake's Restaurant, where you can order North Carolina mountain trout in a lemon herb sauce after a starter of Southern pimiento cheese or fried oysters.

chetola.com , 185 Chetola Lake Drive, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Admire Mountain Views

A 100-year-old former private residence, Gideon Ridge Inn has 10 comfortably furnished rooms, breathtaking views, and a farm-to-table restaurant. There are plenty of places to drink in the mountain air here, whether you're on the restaurant terrace, sitting around a fire pit, or are lucky enough to get a room with a private porch.

www.gideonridge.com , 202 Gideon Ridge Rd. Blowing Rock, NC, 28605

Stay at an Inn Downtown

The Inn at Ragged Gardens isn't just conveniently located steps from the shops downtown. This beautiful stone manor features 12 tastefully decorated rooms with fireplaces, and many include shared or private balconies. Dinner service is available some nights in the Best Cellar Restaurant, and free concerts on the lawn are a popular event in the summer.

www.ragged-gardens.com , 203 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Venture To Stay at a Vineyard in Banner Elk

Banner Elk Winery & Villa' s accommodations offer high-thread count luxury, but it's their blueberry patch that best reveals traditional High Country character. You're invited to handpick fruit by the gallon, but there's no attendant. Instead, they utilize an honor system that seems like something straight out of the Mitford stories. Just leave your payment in a red mailbox standing near the entrance. To get a taste of local grapes, you can also experience daily tastings and flights with pours of the winery's vintages.

"The High Country has an easy pace of life," says Lisa Koch, property manager at Banner Elk Winery. "It's around 70 degrees when it's sunny. All three wineries in the area have covered porches. Grandfather has a river. We have a lake. People come here for the tastings, sure, but they're really coming to enjoy summer. Life's good in the mountains."

Visitors to Blowing Rock will experience just that (and likely much more) when they set their sights on this High Country treasure. Life is good in the mountains, and it's waiting to welcome you with open arms.

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blowing rock garden tour

Currently home to the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, this historic house was constructed in 1903 for the family of Cicero Miller, owner of Miller General Mercantile. Blowing Rock mayor and civic leader Grover C. Robbins, Sr. and wife Lena, Cicero Miller’s daughter, acquired the home in 1919. Additions to the home were made in 1931, 1941 and 1948. The house has two fireplaces made of local granite as well as clear and wormy chestnut paneling. Currently serving as home to the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, the Miller / Robbins house is also a visitor’s center and is open to the public.

blowing rock garden tour

Today, Memorial Park is a place for Blowing Rock's residents and visitors alike to enjoy the relaxed lifestyle the town has to offer. However, this community staple holds a secret from a time when Blowing Rock was first getting its start as a resort community. Over 125 years ago The Watauga Hotel graced this spot as the first major hotel constructed in Blowing Rock. Built in 1884, the hotel took advantage of the growing tourism industry. Tourists came to escape the industrial life of late 19th century American cities as well as the heat of lower elevations. The Watauga Hotel set a precedent for a significant tourism business in the town. Nestled alongside Blowing Rock’s Memorial park is a small white cottage known as the 1888 Museum. The cottage, which received a Historical Marker in 2012, is one of several that was built in 1888 to provide additional lodging for the Watauga Hotel.

blowing rock garden tour

Nestled alongside Blowing Rock’s Memorial park is a small white cottage known as the 1888 Museum. The cottage is one of several that was built in 1888 to provide additional lodging for the Watauga Hotel. Built in 1884, the hotel was the first to be built in Blowing Rock. The cottages were popular for the peaceful village life they provided. Today, this cottage is the last remaining piece of history from Blowing Rock’s first hotel. Owned by the Town of Blowing Rock and managed by the Blowing Rock Historical Society, the building serves as a museum that emphasizes Blowing Rock's long history of supporting tourism. The museum is open daily, and admission is free.

blowing rock garden tour

Completed in 1900, the Inn at Ragged Gardens is just a few blocks from Blowing Rock’s Main Street. Originally known as the Washburn House, the Inn began as the private residence of A.W. Washburn. The home became a boarding house and has operated as a bed and breakfast for more than a century. With thirteen rooms, an on-site restaurant and wine cellar, this location is a prime example of chestnut bark construction first made popular in Linville by architect Henry Bacon. In addition to its use as a bed and breakfast, the Inn is currently available as an event venue for weddings and large gatherings with information on the website. From May through October the Inn also hosts Music on the Lawn each Friday evening. A variety of bands perform free concerts for the public. These events are sponsored by nonprofit organizations and The Inn at Ragged Gardens welcomes all on Fridays.[5]

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The Randall Memorial Building has changed ownership again, and is now called Cupcrazed Cafe. To access the building, visitors must descend a stairwell from Main Street to a flagstone path that leads to a flagstone patio in front of the Café [4]. In 1907, Reverend William Rutherford Savage, the local Episcopalian priest, opened the site as the Randall Memorial Workshop [1]. The workshop was named for the NC artist, William George Randall (W.G. Randall) [1]. W.G. Randall, born in Burke County, obtained an art degree from UNC Chapel Hill and eventually settled in Blowing Rock, where he fell in love with mountain crafts [1,3]. The Randall Memorial Workshop, once opened, served as a hub for local mountain crafts [2]. The building changed ownership throughout the 20th century until Ann Whatley purchased it in 1990, and she brought it to the attention of local historical societies [1,4]. After Whatley brought the historic significance of the building to the attention of those societies, they submitted it for review to the National Register of Historic Places [1,4]. In 1991, the National Register recognized the Randall Memorial Workshop, the present-day Village Café, as an Historic Building [1,4].

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The Martin House, built in 1870, is the second oldest buildings in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The house was built by Wesley Moore of Bishopville, South Carolina as a private residence but Moore converted the house into a boarding house in the early 1880s. Harry C. Martin and his wife Ida purchased the house in 1891 an continued to operate it as a boarding house, accommodating the growing tourism industry in Blowing Rock. Following the opening of hotels in the late nineteenth century, the owners of the Martin House repurposed the building as a collection of retail shops in the heart of Blowing Rock’s Main Street shopping district.

blowing rock garden tour

Started1919, Hanna’s Oriental Rugs & Gifts has been a fixture of Main Street Blowing Rock shopping, supplying visitors with a large selection of oriental rugs, antiques, porcelain and fine linens. George Hanna built the brick building currently standing at 1123 Main Street soon after the 1923 fire that destroyed much of downtown Blowing Rock. The building was the summer home for Hanna’s rug business and also provided an apartment for the family. The current entrance is on the south side of the shop in the stone building that housed the Yonahlossee theater between the years of 1939 and 1979.

blowing rock garden tour

In 1918 the Church of the Holy Spirit began construction on their new church home on the corner of Chestnut Drive and Main Street. The building was dedicated in 1921 as the Susie Parker Stringfellow Memorial Church, however, after Elliott Daingerfield’s generous gift of his painting “Madonna of the Hills” the name was changed to St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church. St. Mary of the Hills became a parish in 1972 indicating its ability to be self-supporting and maintain a full-time priest. The church houses significant works of art by Elliott Dangerfield, Marjorie Daingerfield Howlett, and Alex Hallmark, as well as beautiful stained-glass windows depicting the life of Christ, hand stitched kneelers, bells that ring on the hour and an organ built by Lively-Fulcher. https://stmaryofthehills.org/about

blowing rock garden tour

Named for Rev. Dr. Jethro Rumple, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Salisbury, Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church was dedicated in 1886 as the Blowing Rock Presbyterian Church. The church was officially organized by Reverend C. A. Munroe of Lenoir on July 17, 1887 and added to the roll of churches with 8 members. Blowing Rock Presbyterian Church began as a small frame structure on this site, however, after being struck by lightning in May 1888 the original building was replaced with the larger stone structure that was completed in 1912. During the first year of construction of the new Church, Dr. Rumple died. His Salisbury Sunday school class donated a stone marker with the inscription ‘Rumple Memorial’ to the Blowing Rock congregation. Inspired by the gesture and appreciative of Dr. Rumple’s tireless work, the Church was officially renamed ‘Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church’ in 1940. (Buxton p132) The large pulpit Bible and pulpit that remain in the existing church today were generously donated by some of Blowing Rock’s “cottagers” to help furnish the original church building. In addition, the church houses the "Rumple Window," a Tiffany style stained glass window which was installed in the choir loft, "In loving memory of Rev. Jethro Rumple, D.D." (Saunders p.48)

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Edgewood Cottage was designed and built as a summer home and studio by Elliott Daingerfield (1859-1932) in 1890. Daingerfield, a renowned American artist, whose works are found in museums across America, built the cottage as his summer home and studio. In 2008, using Daingerfield’s original architectural drawings, which are on display in the cottage, the Blowing Rock Historical Society reconstructed the cottage to its original form, using some of the salvaged original materials. In keeping with the cottage's original purpose, the Historical Society primarily uses the cottage for the Artists in Residence at Edgewood Cottage program which features High Country artists throughout the summer months.

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Established in 2011, Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM) promotes the Arts and Southern Appalachian heritage and history through educational programs, exhibitions, activities, and permanent collections. The museum was made possible by the generosity of donors and opened in 2011. Today, the museum features ten galleries, five of which rotate exhibitions seasonally. These exhibits along with the impressive permanent collections are quickly making BRAHM a "rock star" in the local community of Blowin Rock and a model for other small-town museums.

This Tour is a Walking Tour .

Downtown Blowing Rock Historic Marker Walking Tour

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Description

Explore Blowing Rock’s Historic Marker Program through this downtown walking tour. The tour highlights 10 downtown buildings identified with red oval makers and gives a detailed history for each site, immersing you in each site’s unique story. The Historic Marker Program is a long-term, joint project between The Blowing Rock Historical Society (BRHS) and the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) with the goal of educating the public about the rich history of Blowing Rock while adding distinction to individual homes, commercial buildings and sites of significance. A full list of the Blowing Rock sites that have been given the historic marker designation can be found on the Blowing Rock Historical Society website. https://www.blowingrockhistoricalsociety.com/historicalmarkers

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Peak growing season

Home + Garden

March 30, 2020

blowing rock garden tour

The owners of TimberTop Garden in Blowing Rock take gardening to the extreme.

By Ross Howell Jr.   •   Photographs by Sam Froelich

Google “extreme gardening” and you’ll get some tantalizing results — how to create an organic garden in the Southwestern desert, for example, or how to grow perennials in the Alaskan wild.

But if your search algorithm doesn’t yield the garden Monica Perry has created in Blowing Rock, it really should.

Perry’s magnum opus clings to a five-story section of a precipitous sandstone face of the Johns River Gorge, the site of an old-growth forest and the Johns River headwaters, lying some 3,000 feet below the town.

I’m sitting in the living room at “TimberTop,” Monica and Chip Perry’s home. To my right are large windows overlooking a deck. Window boxes mounted along the railing dazzle with red petunias, gold and magenta cockscombs, sweet-potato vine, and more. At least a dozen hummingbirds dive and flash between feeders placed among the flowers.

Beyond lies the grand, blue expanse of mountains and sky.

Monica Perry comes in her eyes the color of the pale blue view out the windows.

“I didn’t even have time to get the dirt from my fingernails,” she says, holding out the strong hands of a gardener for me to inspect.

blowing rock garden tour

“Oh, I’m a North Carolina mountain girl through and through,” Perry says. Her mother’s people — Scots-Irish, with a great-grandmother who was Tuscarora — were from Little Switzerland, about 45 miles southwest of here. As a young girl, Perry spent time in Mitchell County. But most of her growing up was done in Catawba County. She studied speech language pathology at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, and for 21 years, she worked as a speech therapist.

The house was built in 1946 by J.E. “Ed” Broyhill, the founder of Broyhill Furniture Industries, and his wife, Satie. The first major garden project on the property was initiated while the Broyhills were owners.

As the story’s told, Satie Broyhill was concerned that she might not be invited to join the Blowing Rock Garden Club because, well — she didn’t have a garden.

TimberTop was connected to the road by a wooden platform used to park cars. The Broyhills had the wooden platform removed. Steel beams were installed, over which a concrete pad some 2 feet thick was poured. A hole was left in the concrete to accommodate an old hardwood growing between the house and road.

Topsoil was hauled in, and voilà! Satie had her garden.

blowing rock garden tour

Intervening owners had left the tree growing through its concrete collar when the Perrys bought the house in 2007. Sadly, an arborist called in to examine the old tree’s root system determined it was too far gone and needed to be removed.

Monica found an enormous copper kettle once used to cook apples and had it placed over the hole in the concrete to serve as a planter. We walk by it as we start our garden tour. The kettle is loaded with bright flowers and resonates with the hum of a multitude of happy pollinators flitting about. Along the front of the house, there are big earthen planters with an abundance of flowers. There’s a space of green grass where Monica tells me her Boston terriers like to play.

“It’s gated and fenced, so it’s safe,” she says. She points out the stone pillars of a fence along the road, joined by beautifully styled metal sections.

blowing rock garden tour

“When they were rebuilding the road, they wanted to install those galvanized guardrails you see on the highway,” Perry says. She was able to convince the town to let her install (at her own expense) the attractive fence standing there now.

As we walk onto the road, Perry points out how she also landscaped the mountainside rising nearly vertically opposite the house.

“See the ground cover?” she asks, then tells me she had more than 12,000 pachysandra set along the roadside and up the bank. I ask her to repeat the number, because I can’t believe I heard it correctly.

blowing rock garden tour

In the dappled sunlight by the road are wild geraniums, heartleaf brunnera and native ferns. Perry points out the mossy face of an escarpment above the road. She tells me she had the stone sprayed with three different moss “milkshakes” until the moss finally took. Farther up the rock face we can see wild ginger and Solomon’s seal, shaded by mountain laurel and native buckeye trees.

Now we’re at the place in the road where the story of Monica Perry’s extreme garden begins.

On July 4, 2013, the town of Blowing Rock saw fierce thunderstorms and flash floods, including the section of the two-lane road next to TimberTop.

The road collapsed, sending earth and boulders tumbling into the gorge below. What remained was a gash in the mountainside, tangled with tree roots and debris.

Monica Perry resolved not only to restore it, but to improve it. She hired stonemason David Mason of nearby Todd to begin rehabilitating the mountain. In just over a year’s time, Mason and his crews brought in some 270 tons of concrete and stone to the site. Yes, I asked Perry to repeat that number, too.

blowing rock garden tour

We peer over the edge of the precipice. I’m only able to discern concrete where Perry points it out to me, so cleverly is it formed to simulate original stone. Boulders — some of them cantilevered into the mountain and strengthened with rebar — are placed strategically to support planting areas. Perry tells me about the hidden metal cleats used to secure belaying lines when her gardeners tend some of the more precipitous spaces.

I’m flummoxed by the magnitude of what she’s describing.

“Monica,” I venture, summoning the courage to ask, “was there ever a morning when Chip looked at you over breakfast and asked if you’d completely lost your mind?”

“No,” she answers matter-of-factly, “because he has his cars.”

A Harvard MBA, Chip Perry was the first employee of Autotrader.com and went on to become CEO of the company, which was later sold. He recently retired from another auto-related online company, which he also headed. Chip maintains a private collection of automobiles in Blowing Rock.

We turn from the gorge and walk the length of the house to its other side, where a natural wood lattice overhangs the entrance to a stone path. As we step through, I can see into the forest way below the house. A stream descends the steep incline, crisscrossing in stages, as does the path before us.

blowing rock garden tour

Monica points out the lime-green color of the trim on the house.

“There was quite a discussion about that,” she says, smiling. “It’s my favorite color, and if you have a shady garden spot you want to brighten up, there’s nothing better for it,” she continues.

To settle her point, she directs my attention to a shaded terrace above the path. It’s brightened by lime green creeping Jenny. I nod in agreement.

She tells me when she started planning a path here, there was nothing except a few trees.

“See the maple there?” she asks. She tells me she would crawl — because of the steep incline — to the tree and hang onto it, mapping in her mind’s eye a path down. Now we descend its stone steps to a pleasant stop she calls the Shade Terrace.

The terrace features a handsome stone bench overhung by native witch hazel. Perry shows me the metal support she had added to help the plant withstand winter winds and snows.

blowing rock garden tour

We pause for a moment. She explains that the whole garden — now comprising five stories — was designed in this way.

“I didn’t have a master scheme,” Perry says. “We’d just build a path to somewhere, and then we’d build another.”

We make our way down the path toward the pond, listening to the play of water in the stream. As we near the pond, the surface roils with activity. Perry’s koi are hungry, and they’re making sure she understands.

They’re beautiful fish. Some are bright orange with ink-blue patches, some are orange and white, others are bright gold. There are 20 of them, Perry tells me, each named with monikers like Marilyn, Diamond Jim, Sunshine, Molly Brown, Peepers and Lady Chablis — a platinum-colored fish with pale blue eyes, Perry’s favorite. There are heating rods at the pond’s bottom to ensure it won’t freeze solid in winter.

As we approach a spot just below an area designated the Sunset Terrace, the gorge falls sharply from the pathway, and there is no railing to hold onto. I’m fairly good with heights, but if it’s not vertigo I’m feeling right now, it’s vertigo’s first cousin.

I step back from the edge, focusing on the near-at-hand. I count six tiger swallowtail butterflies perched high on a blossom of Joe-Pye weed overhanging the path. Intoxicated with nectar, the butterflies are oblivious to us. A chorus of other pollinators drone in blossoms on other stalks of the Joe-Pye, and a black swallowtail flicks its wings on a blossom at the very top of the plant.

On various paths, there are cockscombs in a variety of colors, creeping Jenny, black-eyed Susans, and other bright flowers scattered in planting areas by bare rock faces, along with azaleas, “Brass Buckle” Japanese holly, “Lion’s Mane” maples, and buckeye trees. We cross Perry Pass, a cliff of native rock jutting from the face of the gorge — where I’m especially grateful for the newly installed metal-and-rope hand railings — to see the Secret Garden, a secluded little terrace with stone benches and a fire pit overhung by native rock.

We head back toward the house by way of the Path to Nowhere, which is where Perry’s “gazebo” was built.

It was quite a project. Pilings were jackhammered in, building materials lowered by crane and concrete carried down the gorge by hand. It is one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve ever seen, featuring on one side a breathtaking view of the gorge; on the other, a view of the massive, mossy rock face on which the house is built, with native rhododendrons shading a pair of enormous Jack-in-the-pulpits.

blowing rock garden tour

As we near the back deck of the house, we see Anne Calta, Perry’s gardener, and Ryan Visingard, her assistant.

“This wouldn’t be possible without them,” Perry says. “They manage the garden day-to-day and when Chip and I are traveling.”

As I prepare to leave, Perry tells me she’d like to show me a special place. Near the midpoint of the second-level deck of TimberTop are two big chaise lounges.

“We’d make up one of the chaise lounges for my mother when she visited,” Perry says. “She always slept out here. We lost her two years ago.”

She tells me how proud her mother was of what she and Chip had accomplished at the house and garden, and how whenever she was coming to visit, she would ask on the phone, “Do you have my bed made yet?”

I step to the railing. The view where the chaise lounges sit is dizzying: The rock face plummets away from us. The gorge turns sharply toward the house, ending right below where we stand.

I spot what I believe to be a red-tailed hawk veering over the dark green canopy of trees in the gorge. It’s hundreds of feet below, hunting just as its ancestors had when this was the land of the Cherokee. Closer by, I admire the contrast of Perry’s bright flowers with the warm-colored stone walkways of her garden.

Classical Roman religion described an element of landscape called genius loci, a protective “spirit of a place.” As I gaze over the mountains from this vantage, I feel certain such a spirit stands guard here.

Weeks later, I find my thoughts returning to Perry’s garden. Is she taking a respite from spreading mulch to watch cloud shadows drift over the treetops of the Johns River Gorge? Or feeding her beautiful, gluttonous koi in the pond? Is she weeding flowers on a precipice, a belaying rope tied snugly about her waist?

Monica Perry is the person who introduced me to the concept of “extreme gardening.”

And I’m grateful.  SP

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Mile of Flowers Garden Tour

July 11, 2022 @ 9:30 am - 4:00 pm.

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Due to a large construction project within the town of Blowing Rock MILE OF FLOWERS is POSTPONED. Plans are underway for the next Mile of Flowers event, likely in 2025! More information to be announced.

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Blowing Rock Tour of Homes

July 26 @ 9:00 am - 3:00 pm.

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Annual fundraiser for St. Mary of the Hills Church – view décor, architecture, and gardens of some of Blowing Rock’s most notable homes.

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  1. Blowing Rock Tour of Homes

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    The Blowing Rock is a natural wonder that offers stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the legend of a Cherokee lover who leaped from the cliff. Visit this attraction to learn about its history, geology and folklore, and enjoy the scenic trails, gardens and gift shop. The Blowing Rock is a must-see for anyone who loves nature and romance.

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  14. THE 5 BEST Blowing Rock Tours & Excursions

    These places are best for tours in Blowing Rock: Sky Valley Zip Tours; High Gravity Adventures Zip Line & Aerial Park; The Speckled Trout Outfitters; Mountains to Coast Fly Fishing & Shotgun Sports Guide Service; Chetola Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing & Guide Service; See more tours in Blowing Rock on Tripadvisor

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    Located in the heart of downtown Blowing Rock, the restaurant serves new American classics, including spins on steak and fish, as well as starters like spreads made with local ingredients like artichoke tapenade or roasted figs with Manchego and Sourwood honey. bistroroca.com, 143 Wonderland Trail, Blowing Rock, NC 28605.

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    Now we're at the place in the road where the story of Monica Perry's extreme garden begins. On July 4, 2013, the town of Blowing Rock saw fierce thunderstorms and flash floods, including the section of the two-lane road next to TimberTop. The road collapsed, sending earth and boulders tumbling into the gorge below.

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  22. Mile of Flowers Garden Tour

    Venue. Downtown Blowing Rock. 132 Park Avenue. Blowing Rock, NC 28605 United States. Phone. 828-295-7851. View Venue Website. Due to a large construction project within the town of Blowing Rock MILE OF FLOWERS is POSTPONED. We look forward to the next one, likely in 2025!

  23. Blowing Rock Tour of Homes

    Blowing Rock Tour of Homes. ... Annual fundraiser for St. Mary of the Hills Church - view décor, architecture, and gardens of some of Blowing Rock's most notable homes. Add to calendar Google Calendar iCalendar Outlook 365 Outlook Live Details Date: July 26 Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Website: ...