Juniper Level Botanic Gardens near Raleigh aims to inspire and educate the public

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Offering more than 27,000 different types of plants from all over the world, the Juniper Level Botanic Gardens is open four times a year to educate the public and inspire gardeners.

Tony Avent is the proprietor. He's been gardening since he was about 5 years old.

He opened the garden with his late wife Michelle 37 years ago, and it's continued to grow, as has his love of plants.

"We started out with two acres, we're now up to 28 acres," Avent said. "It's learning something new every day. Nature has the ability to teach us if we open our eyes and open our minds."

Part of the goal of the garden is preservation.

"There are plants that are going extinct all around the world. So, we decided to travel worldwide, bring back the plants back home, and then we wanted to show people how they can use them in the garden and how the gardens can be so much more than most gardens are," Avent said.

The garden is open for a few days once every season. Avent said winter offers something special to visitors.

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"We want to bring people out when the garden is absolutely at its worst, the perennials haven't come up and show them, yes, you can have this beautiful garden even in the dead of winter," he said.

Avent is also hoping to inspire more gardeners.

He said gardening shouldn't be considered work. It should be a way for people to relax and unwind.

"When your garden looks great every day of the year, you've got something to look forward to," Avent said.

In June of 2016, Avent legally gifted the gardens to NC State University.

To keep the garden thriving and to sustain research operations, they've set up an endowment and they ask for donations.

If you want to learn more about the garden, click here.