GARDENS

the gardens at fearrington village

A PEACEFUL BLEND OF SOUTHERN CHARM, ENGLISH INSPIRATION, AND NATURAL BEAUTY

Perched on gentle farm land surrounded by historic farm buildings, mature trees, and open pastures, the gardens at Fearrington Village have been an essential part of our story from the very beginning. Co-founders R.B. and Jenny Fitch envisioned a Village Center where guests could slow down, enjoy the landscape, and feel connected to the natural world. Jenny’s love of gardening shaped the property with seasonal blooms, bird-friendly plantings, and inviting pathways designed for wandering.

Inspired by both the small-town charm of their North Carolina roots and the intimate English villages they often visited, the Fitches created a welcoming destination filled with manicured gardens, colorful borders, peaceful courtyards, and open green spaces that flow naturally into the surrounding meadows.

Today, the gardens remain a highlight of the Fearrington experience—an ever-changing tapestry where nature, hospitality, and community thrive together. Whether you’re strolling before dinner, exploring with a morning coffee, or simply enjoying a quiet moment among the flowers, this is a place to breathe deeply and feel at ease.

Jenny's Garden Legacy

A STUDENT OF COLORS, TEXTURES & SCENTS

When The Fearrington House Restaurant opened in 1980, co-founder Jenny Fitch began shaping the gardens that would become one of Fearrington Village’s most beloved features. It started with hundreds of daffodils planted behind the restaurant—and grew into a lifelong vision that still defines the property today.

Everything you see across the Village grounds reflects Jenny’s artistry and passion. The gardens now include over 60 garden beds, connected by brick pathways and sweeping lawns; raised cutting beds used for floral designs throughout the property; a thriving culinary garden; and several active greenhouses. Each space was created with intention, blending beauty, practicality, and a deep respect for the natural landscape.

Fearrington Village is open to visitors throughout the year, and guests are welcome to stroll the gardens at their leisure. Our friendly gardeners—easy to spot in their colorful Fearrington Gardens shirts—are always happy to say hello or answer a question. Please note that some areas may be closed for private events, especially on weekends.

Fearrington is also proud to be recognized as a Certified Bird Friendly Habitat by the New Hope Audubon Society. Migratory and resident birds animate the gardens year-round, adding movement, song, and life to Jenny’s vision. Her love of gardening continues to shape every corner of Fearrington—a living, growing legacy that inspires all who visit.

A woman wearing glasses, a brown jacket, beige skirt, and sneakers stands on a garden path, holding a light-colored bag with greenery and bushes in the background.

explore the gardens

JENNY'S GARDEN AT THE FEARRINGTON HOUSE INN

A SIGNATURE GARDEN OF BEAUTY, HISTORY & INSPIRATION

Nestled beside the Fearrington House Inn, Jenny’s Garden is one of Fearrington Village’s most iconic and picturesque spaces. Conceived by garden-visionary and co-founder Jenny Fitch, this enchanting garden features a distinctive white arbor—crafted by local artisan Frank Childress to Jenny’s exact specifications—and an artistic fountain at its heart, created by sculptor Wayne Trapp, subtly echoing the belted motif of Fearrington’s resident Belted Galloway cows. Originally filled with fragrant roses in Jenny’s time, the garden has evolved into a vibrant display of sun-loving flowers, foliages, and vines that enliven its elegant structure. Each season brings a fresh palette of colors and textures, making it a cherished setting for weddings, quiet contemplation, or simply an afternoon stroll. With its perfect mix of formal design and natural charm, Jenny’s Garden captures the spirit of Fearrington: a place where craftsmanship meets landscape, and tradition meets creativity. It invites visitors to pause, reflect, and immerse themselves in a living portrait of garden artistry.

A brick pathway runs through a garden pergola with white columns and lush green vines, leading to a white picket fence in the distance under bright natural light.

THE KNOT GARDEN AT THE FEARRINGTON HOUSE

The Knot Garden is a striking example of formal garden design inspired by English traditions. This elegant feature, planted in the 1980s by co-founder Jenny Fitch along the east façade of the Fearrington House Restaurant, was born from her admiration for formal European gardens. Planted with a blend of Korean boxwood, yaupon holly, and carissa holly, the knot pattern is meticulously maintained through three annual shearings—ensuring a crisp, sculptural look year-round. The garden serves as a picturesque backdrop for restaurant dinners, wedding ceremonies, and garden strolls alike. Visitors to the Knot Garden will appreciate the peaceful symmetry, the low hedges weaving in and out like an elegant ribbon, and the way this formal layout harmonizes with Fearrington’s surrounding meadows and woodlands. It’s a design highlight that reflects both relaxed Southern charm and refined garden artistry.

COURTYARD GARDEN

At the heart of The Fearrington House Inn lies the tranquil Courtyard Garden—a quiet oasis tucked between the guest rooms of the inn and surrounded by the soft murmur of water. This special space began when co-founders R.B. and Jenny Fitch discovered an old hitching post during their travels, which Jenny transformed into a beautiful fountain focal point for the garden. The Courtyard features four elegantly framed boxwood parterres: Carolina Cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) along the north side and possumhaw (Ilex decidua) on the south. In winter, Jenny’s love of shrubbery with vibrant berries adds color to the seasons. While parts of the garden are reserved for inn guests, the Courtyard welcomes visitors seeking a peaceful place to pause, reflect, and connect with nature.

A black tiered fountain stands in the center of a small square garden bed bordered by green grass and colorful red and green foliage, set in front of a white house with trimmed hedges and paved stone paths.

THE CUTTING GARDEN

Situated along the road behind the Fearrington House Inn, Restaurant & Spa, the Cutting Garden was affectionately nicknamed “Jenny’s Stick Garden” after co-founder Jenny Fitch—because in its early years, if a flower was needed, only the stick remained.

Founded in the 1980s, this vibrant garden bursts into life each spring with daffodils and early-blooming flowers - A quiet bench toward the rear of the Cutting Garden invites visitors to pause and savor the view, while spring-time pollinators and butterflies fill the beds with motion and color.

Today, we have expanded the original cutting garden to include 3 hoop houses lovingly maintained by our Fearrington gardeners and serving as a source of fresh blooms and foliage for the Village: table arrangements, wedding florals, and special events are all supported by their seasonal bounty.

The Cutting Gardens capture the heart of Fearrington’s philosophy—where garden, guest, and community intertwine in an ever-changing tapestry of nature, design, and hospitality.

A lush garden with raised beds filled with various plants and flowers, bordered by a grass path and mulch. Trees and greenery surround the area, with a wooden bench visible in the background under a tree.

THE HERB GARDEN

The Herb Garden at Fearrington was the first dedicated garden area created by
co-founder Jenny Fitch. Today, our chefs and horticultural team cultivate a
rich selection of herbs used directly in the kitchen and restaurants, emphasizing freshness, provenance, and flavor. Executive Chef Paul Gagne explains, “More and more people are interested in where their food comes from, how it’s grown and how it gets from the ground to their plate.” The garden underscores this commitment by growing many of the herbs used in our award-winning dishes, closing the loop between garden and table.

Visitors strolling the grounds of Fearrington can glimpse the Herb Garden’s purposeful
plantings—an inspiring blend of craftsmanship, culinary artistry, and natural beauty.

JENNY'S PARK

A PICTURESQUE 17-ACRE PARK IN FEARRINGTON VILLAGE
Set on former farm fields and framed by the neighborhoods of East and West Camden Park, Jenny’s Park spans approximately 17 acres of natural beauty in Fearrington Village. Designed by landscape architect Chip Calloway, the park features two tranquil ponds connected by a terraced creek, winding figure-eight walking paths, and a meadow of native wildflowers that provide habitat for birds and pollinators. Formerly known as Camden Park was renamed as Jenny’s Park in honor of co-founder Jenny Fitch, whose legacy the space commemorates. Benches scattered throughout invite quiet reflection, while playful concrete sheep sculptures add charm and delight. Whether you’re enjoying a leisurely stroll with a loved one, walking your dog at dawn, or simply seeking scenic views among historic pastures and mature trees, Jenny’s Park is a serene and welcoming destination within Fearrington Village.

Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with houses surrounded by trees, a central pond, and winding walking paths, all set in a lush green landscape.

Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Habitat

A WELCOMING PLACE FOR OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS

Fearrington Village has been recognized as a Certified Bird Friendly Habitat by the New Hope Audubon Society since 2015. This certification celebrates our ongoing commitment to preserving and enhancing the natural environment through the use of native plants, pollinator gardens, and thoughtfully designed water features. Across the Village, you’ll find birdhouses for bluebirds, brown-headed nuthatches, screech owls, and barn owls—each part of a thriving ecosystem that makes Fearrington a welcoming haven for our feathered friends.

A heron stands on a dock by a small wooden structure over water, surrounded by greenery; next to it, two swallows perch on a wooden ledge above string lights, with a blurred wooden background.

Our Bee Program

Fearrington Village launched its honey bee program in 2013 with a local hive and a simple mission: to support nectar flow, strengthen pollinator health, and nurture the land that makes our gardens thrive. What began modestly has grown into a meaningful partnership rooted in stewardship, community, and a shared love of bees. Our beekeeper—herself a former Fearrington bride—approached us about tending several of her hives on the property. Since then, she has caught swarms, expanded the apiary, and helped guide our General Manager, Theresa Chiettini, an enthusiastic amateur beekeeper, in cultivating and caring for Fearrington’s hives. Today, we proudly maintain five thriving colonies on the Village grounds. The honey harvested from these hives is used in our kitchens and is also available for purchase at The Belted Goat Gourmet Shop, offering guests a true taste of Fearrington. Beyond honey, the bee program plays an essential ecological role—supporting pollination, enhancing biodiversity, and contributing to the health and beauty of our gardens. Our bees remind us daily of why caring for the land matters—and why sustainable practices remain central to Fearrington’s mission.

HOURS & LOCATION

The Fearrington House Inn is open Wednesday through Sunday night, with Monday breakfast served to inn guests.
Find us at 240 Market Street, Pittsboro NC 27312 | Call us at 919-542-2121 | Email us at fhouse@fearrington.com.

INSTAGRAM

Tall, purple allium flowers with round blooms stand in a garden with green foliage and trees, while sunlight creates a soft, bright atmosphere in the background.

A field of vibrant red and yellow columbine flowers in bloom, with green foliage and a blurred background of more flowers and a white building.

A white birdhouse with a blue roof is mounted on a post, wrapped with leafy vines. The background is a lush, sunlit garden with green trees and blurred foliage.

Four pink tulips in a garden, with one in sharp focus in the center and the others blurred in the background. Lush green foliage and soft sunlight create a serene outdoor setting.

Sunlight glistens on neatly trimmed, winding green hedges forming a maze pattern in a garden, with grass and trees visible in the background.

A bush with bright pink flowers grows beside a red brick pathway in a garden, with green trees and plants in the background and a white garden ornament partially visible.

A white trellis arch covered in blooming purple wisteria flowers stands over a brick walkway leading to a white French door entrance, surrounded by potted plants and manicured green bushes.