The North Carolina Botanical Garden, first opened to the public in 1966, is part of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is supported by the State of North Carolina and the Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc.

The Garden's display collections, Piedmont Nature Trails, Coker Arboretum, Mason Farm Biological Reserve and other lands comprise nearly 600 acres. The Garden has established itself as a regional center for research, conservation, and interpretation of plants, particularly those native to the southeastern United States, but also including those with special botanical and human interest.