Elizabethan GardensAbout Elizabethan Gardens
The Elizabethan Gardens is a commemorative formal garden on Roanoke Island in Manteo, North Carolina, created in memory of the English settlement attempts of the late 16th century. It is a purpose-built historic-style garden and visitor attraction on the Outer Banks.
The site presents Tudor-era inspired garden design with patterned beds, walking paths, ornamental plantings, and sculptural elements arranged across the garden grounds, covering roughly ten acres. The gardens are noted for formal plantings, seasonal flower displays, and interpretation linking the landscape to the story of the Roanoke colonists.
Developed in the mid-20th century by garden clubs as a memorial to the Lost Colony, the gardens were created to evoke Elizabethan planting styles and to provide public interpretation related to the island’s early English history. Since opening, the site has been maintained as a living garden with ongoing planting and conservation work.
Located in Manteo on Roanoke Island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the gardens lie close to other Roanoke Island attractions and the Manteo waterfront.
- Best time to visit: Best visited in spring and early summer when the formal flower beds and roses are in full bloom. The site is also a calmer alternative to busy Outer Banks beach attractions.
- Founding organization: Operated and maintained by The Garden Club of North Carolina as a living memorial to the early English presence on Roanoke Island.
Nearby Attractions to Elizabethan Gardens
Best Time to Visit Elizabethan Gardens
Spring through early summer is the best time for floral displays; autumn is second-best for cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.
Weather & Climate near Elizabethan Gardens
Elizabethan Gardens's climate is classified as Humid Subtropical - Humid Subtropical climate with hot summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 2°C to 30°C. Abundant rainfall (1313 mm/year), wettest in August.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | - | 2° - 11° | 3° | 111 mm | - | - | 4.6 m/s | - | - |
| February | - | 2° - 11° | 3° | 95 mm | - | - | 4.8 m/s | - | - |
| March | - | 6° - 16° | 11° | 107 mm | - | - | 5.0 m/s | - | - |
| April | - | 9° - 20° | 15° | 85 mm | - | - | 4.8 m/s | - | - |
| May | - | 14° - 24° | 19° | 109 mm | - | - | 4.4 m/s | - | - |
| June | - | 19° - 28° | 23° | 114 mm | - | - | 3.9 m/s | - | - |
| July | - | 22° - 30° | 26° | 139 mm | - | - | 3.7 m/s | - | - |
| August | - | 22° - 30° | 26° | 147 mm | - | - | 3.6 m/s | - | - |
| September | - | 19° - 27° | 23° | 126 mm | - | - | 4.0 m/s | - | - |
| October | - | 13° - 22° | 18° | 98 mm | - | - | 4.0 m/s | - | - |
| November | - | 9° - 18° | 13° | 91 mm | - | - | 4.1 m/s | - | - |
| December | - | 4° - 14° | 7° | 91 mm | - | - | 4.4 m/s | - | - |
How to Get to Elizabethan Gardens
The gardens are in Manteo on Roanoke Island, accessible by car via US-64/NC-12. From the Outer Banks towns (Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills), it’s a short drive across the causeways. Local ferries and island shuttles run seasonally.
Tips for Visiting Elizabethan Gardens
- Arrive early (opening hour) to enjoy the formal gardens before tour buses and school groups arrive.
- Bring binoculars for birding - the gardens are part of a coastal soundscape and attract coastal and migratory species.
- Don't miss the sculptures and small follies tucked along the paths; they reward slow wandering.