Charlotte keeps one of its prettiest secrets behind a fence on North Davidson Street. The McGill Rose Garden, at 940 N. Davidson St. just outside Uptown and on the edge of the NoDa Arts District, is a public city park where hundreds of rose bushes in more than 200 varieties share winding paths with annuals, perennials and herbs.
The garden began with a simple, generous idea. Henry McGill bought the Avant Fuel and Ice Company in 1950, and his wife Helen, hoping to beautify an industrial plot, started planting rose bushes along the fence line. Over the years more than 500 bushes took root, and on Mother’s Day 1967 the garden opened to the public. Mother’s Day remains a beloved tradition here, when families return year after year to see the roses at their best.
Look closely as you wander and you will find hidden paths, quiet benches made for lingering, and a surprising landmark: a 34-ton coal hopper from the Seaboard Railroad Company, donated in memory of Helen McGill and now a cheerful reminder of the site’s working past. When the company closed in 1976, the garden was sold to the City of Charlotte and became a public park for everyone to enjoy.
Admission is free, and the garden invites a casual stroll, a picnic or a peaceful pause on a favorite bench. Because it sometimes closes for weddings and private events, check its calendar before you go — then come and smell the roses.
Photo: Erika El Photography / McGill Rose Garden
