Transformation
Gardens are always evolving. Here at Knoxville Botanical and Arboretum we are always attuning our horticultural work to optimize plant and ecosystem health, while also imagining new ways to inspire each person who steps onto our grounds. We are pleased to share with you some of the current works of transformation taking place across the property.
Howell House Lawn Beds
The Howell House was built in 1929, and surviving pictures indicate that the bed directly under the front windows of the home was installed at the same time. This makes the garden bed nearly 100 years old! In the post-war period, residential landscaping began to emphasize tighter and neater appearances in the front of the house, such as evergreen shrubs pruned into tidy cubes or hedges. Color and excitement was reserved for the backyard, following a cultural shift that saw families gathering more in the rear of the house rather than on the front porch. The Howell family followed this horticultural trend throughout the 1950's, 1960's, and beyond. The Garden has largely carried this forward to this day and we will preserve the oldest and most iconic Howell foundational plantings that remain in good health while moving forward.
Quad Community Garden Beds
The Garden is proud to have two Community Gardens that serve our community with space for growing, tools, and access to water. This space was temporarily used as additional growing room for gardeners who were on our waitlist to have space in the World Garden. We are excited to share that as of January 2026 an additional 10 in-ground plots have been added to the World Garden next to the Every Child Outdoors and Pollinator Gardens. We will be rehabilitating this area and gardeners will be moving to improved growing locations.
Cut Flower Garden
Cut Flower Garden located around the back of the Howell House will be transforming over the next year and beyond. Over the years this lower level garden was tended by a dedicated Master Gardener volunteer, Karen Attea. This past winter, Creative Director Caitlin Wedekind and Horticulturist Robin Smith have been working alongside Master Gardener Susan Kiss to redesign the space and select plantings for a reimagined cut flower garden. This small space will pack a big punch once it is in full bloom, providing inspiration for home gardens as well as blooms that will appear in arrangements throughout the Garden Gift Shop and at our special events.
Looking for a way to be part of the transformation?