The Board of Directors of McIntire Botanical Garden announced today the approval of a new name for the Garden. While the complete transition will take some time, going forward, the Garden will be known as the ‘Botanical Garden of the Piedmont.’
“Our Board first recognized the need to change the name of the Garden in 2017,” says Jill Trischman-Marks, Executive Director. “The 8.5 acres on which the Garden stands was not a part of the parcel originally given by Paul McIntire to the City of Charlottesville. Rather, it was bought by the city and added to the park in 1972.”
The plan to seek a new name for the Garden that was not tied to any one person or corporation was announced in June. Hundreds of suggestions were received from the community via social media, email, and USPS.
“We were overwhelmed by the amount of time and thought that went into so many of the names suggested,” adds Trischman-Marks. “We have long felt that the greater Charlottesville community supported the idea of our Garden. The engagement in the naming process showed that we are right.”
While a leading contender was ‘Charlottesville Botanical Garden,’ that name is linked to another organization, which is not affiliated with the City of Charlottesville and was not available.
The name “Piedmont” comes from the Italian: Piemonte, meaning ‘foothill.’
“It is fitting that our Garden in Charlottesville is nestled at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains,” says Trischman-Marks. “We are thrilled with the final selection and believe it will lead us into our next phase.”
Created in 2013 through a public private partnership with the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont, formerly known as McIntire Botanical Garden, is a 501c3 organization that is building an urban oasis and community resource for all residents of and visitors to Greater Central Virginia. The Garden will be an admission-free neighborhood hub and a discovery center, celebrating the flora of Central Virginia and offering learning and entertainment opportunities for ALL. Occupying an 8.5-acre space in the northeastern section of McIntire Park, the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont is currently in the design phase, under the direction of the award-winning landscape architects Mikyoung Kim Design and Waterstreet Studio.
