Stop & Smell the Roses at McGill Rose Garden

If you frequent NoDa hangouts then you've probably passed this inconspicuous rose garden multiple times. Tucked off the side of the road sits a 50-year-old garden started on a former coal and ice yard. To soften the grounds, Helen McGill started planting roses. The garden soon grew and she soon became known as "The Rose Lady." After her death, her husband Henry McGill worked daily in the garden until the age of 99. Today the park is the only park managed by the city and covers 1/3 acres of meandering paths, fountains, benches, sculptures by Charlotte artist Tom Risser, and over a thousand rose bushes in over two hundred varieties, as well as many annuals, perennials and herbs. Wander in, meander the paths and appreciate the beauty that the McGills created!