SOUTHERN PINES GARDEN CLUB
Supporting local horticultural education and beautification projects since 1948.
Celebrating 77 Beautiful Years
Among the oldest and most influential garden clubs in the south, we strive to maintain the distinctive beauty of our Sandhills through community beautification and horticultural education projects.
- 2024 PROJECT UPDATE -
Preserving a Historic Graveyard
Woodlawn Cemetery is Hallowed Ground in West Southern Pines
by Elizabeth Norfleet Sugg
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Southern Pines Garden Club
official statement on
NCDOT Traffic Circle Proposal
BACKGROUND
The Southern Pines Garden Club (SPGC) was founded in 1948 by Mrs. Elizabeth "Buffie" Ives with the intent to pursue four objectives: 1. Promote a greater interest in gardening 2. Exchange horticultural experiences of mutual benefit to its members and the community 3. Aid in the protection of native plants, trees, and birds 4. Encourage and support planning and beautification in the public interest. For the past seventy-five years, the club’s commitment to these objectives has remained steadfast. SPGC has contributed time, money, and leadership for numerous projects directly impacting the beauty and appeal of Southern Pines and the surrounding area. The club has a long tradition of fighting to preserve the area’s native trees and historic landscapes, while working to improve neighborhoods and quality of life within the community. Many years ago, SPGC successfully fought to protect the longleaf pines along the length of Midland Road from Southern Pines to Pinehurst after the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NC DOT) announced their plan to cut down the trees as part of the proposal to widen Midland Road.
STATEMENT
The Southern Pines Garden Club (SPGC) supports preserving the magnificent entrance to Pinehurst and the six-acre grove of trees within the existing traffic circle, specifically its iconic longleaf pines. The traffic circle was included in the Village of Pinehurst’s successful nomination as a National Historic Landmark District (only two such districts exist in North Carolina), being described as “the traffic circle at the junction of NC 2, NC 211, and US 15/501... Its circular design continued the historical layout of the village, and it immediately became the primary ornamental gateway to Pinehurst.” There is little debate that the Pinehurst area generates tremendous revenue and recognition for the State of North Carolina. A significant part of its appeal is the landscaping and natural beauty, which should be protected and preserved as a much-valued asset. A critical component of this natural environment is the area’s longleaf pine forest. It is more than a scenic backdrop for challenging tee shots. The longleaf pine is a foundational component of our ecosystem, contributing greatly to North Carolina’s economic wellbeing, and has well-earned its title as our official state tree. According to the National Wildlife Federation, longleaf pines are more resilient to the negative impacts of climate change than other southeastern pines, possessing the ability to withstand severe windstorms, resist pests, tolerate wildfires and drought, and capture carbon pollution from the atmosphere. Continuing to enlarge the gaps in the forest coverage directly threatens the forest’s natural ability to sustain itself and is counter to the goals of numerous state initiatives. For these reasons, the Southern Pines Garden Club believes it is critical to identify a solution for improving traffic flow without sacrificing the elements of the traffic circle which undergird its historical significance, community appeal and positive economic and environmental impact. The current proposal, as presented by the NC DOT, fails the test in each of these areas and is unacceptable. CC: Village of Pinehurst Council Southern Pines Council North Carolina Department of Transportation
SPGC 2024-25 Officers
Southern Pines Garden Club
Mail to: 135 Brookline Drive
Pinehurst, NC 28374