Tryon Palace – Wilderness Garden - The Sociable Adventurer

For one of the most contemplative and ecologically rich spaces on the Tryon Palace grounds, the Wilderness Garden is a real treasure. Set within the Palace’s 16-acre garden complex in downtown New Bern, NC in Craven County, this beautifully natural garden offers a deliberate contrast to the formal parterres elsewhere on the grounds — letting visitors immerse themselves in the kind of 18th-century coastal landscape that early European settlers to North Carolina would have actually encountered. Be sure to check out the YouTube video and pictures below to get a feel for the garden before you go — or to relive the visit after.

A Contrast to the Formal Gardens

The Wilderness Garden offers something genuinely different from the rest of the Tryon Palace garden complex. While the Latham Garden, Green Garden, and other formal gardens reflect the disciplined geometry of 18th-century European garden tradition, the Wilderness Garden was designed as a deliberate counterpoint — a natural, less formal space where the untamed flora of North Carolina takes center stage.

The concept itself is historically grounded. In the 17th- and 18th-century English garden tradition, a “wilderness” was a deliberately less formal section of a great estate’s garden — designed to feel wild and natural while still being thoughtfully composed. The Wilderness Garden at Tryon Palace honors that tradition while reflecting the specific botanical character of the eastern North Carolina coast.

Native Plants and the 18th-Century Coastal Landscape

The garden showcases native plants and trees that would have defined the eastern North Carolina landscape when European settlers arrived in the colonial era. Wildflowers, shrubs, and woodland species fill the space with a more relaxed, organic feel — capturing the diverse beauty of the region’s natural flora and giving visitors a tangible sense of what the original 18th-century landscape around the Palace might have looked like.

The choice to showcase native species is genuinely meaningful. Rather than imported ornamentals, the Wilderness Garden is filled with plants that have been part of the eastern North Carolina ecosystem for centuries — connecting visitors directly to the land’s deeper natural history.

A Living Habitat for Wildlife and Pollinators

Beyond its historical and aesthetic significance, the Wilderness Garden plays an important ecological role. The combination of native plantings, varied habitat structure, and minimal formal maintenance creates a diverse environment for local wildlife and pollinators — supporting songbirds, butterflies, bees, and other species that depend on native flora.

For visitors interested in the broader environmental story of the Tryon Palace garden program, the Wilderness Garden represents one of the most thoughtful intersections of historical authenticity and modern ecological awareness on the grounds.

Designed by Morley Jeffers Williams in the 1950s

The Wilderness Garden is the work of landscape architect Morley Jeffers Williams, who designed the garden in the 1950s as part of the broader Tryon Palace restoration. Williams was one of the most accomplished landscape architects of the mid-20th century, with significant restoration credits also at Mount Vernon and Stratford Hall, and his vision shaped multiple gardens at Tryon Palace — including the Pleached Allée and the Kellenberger Garden.

The Wilderness Garden is maintained in the Colonial Revival style — the broader design ethos that defines the Tryon Palace garden program — capturing both the spirit of 18th-century English wilderness gardens and the specific character of the eastern North Carolina landscape they were meant to evoke.

Good to Know

Style: Colonial Revival “wilderness” garden in the English tradition
Designed by: Morley Jeffers Williams in the 1950s
Featured plantings: Native North Carolina wildflowers, shrubs, and woodland species
Purpose: A natural contrast to the formal gardens, reflecting the 18th-century coastal landscape
Ecological role: A diverse habitat for local wildlife and pollinators
Best for: Garden enthusiasts, native plant lovers, wildlife observers, and visitors looking for a tranquil natural retreat between formal garden tours
Pair with: Our magnificent gardens guide and the list of gardens for a fuller look at the broader Tryon Palace garden complex
Located on the Tryon Palace grounds in downtown New Bern, NC

A Tryon Palace Highlight

The Wilderness Garden is the kind of stop that rewards visitors who appreciate the natural side of a great historic landscape. The thoughtful contrast to the formal gardens elsewhere on the grounds, the rich variety of native North Carolina plants, the living habitat for wildlife and pollinators, the deep connection to the colonial-era coastal landscape, and Morley Jeffers Williams’s Colonial Revival design vision all add up to one of the most quietly meaningful spaces you can visit on the Tryon Palace grounds. Whether you’re a serious garden enthusiast, a native plant lover, or just looking for a peaceful natural moment between formal garden tours, this is one of the most rewarding stops you can make in Craven County.