LETTER FROM DAN SHOOK, Executive Director

 “That tree has value!”  Spoken by Mr. Hatcher after a small bobcat scraped the bark off the north side while work was being completed.  Kristin and I visited with Mr. Hatcher recently through meditation and were led to the same tree over thirty years later.  The tree, leaning 20 degrees east, still standing with the scar, has lived a life virtually unnoticed until our visit. It prompts a question I want to reflect on as I look at this single individual in a garden full of life.  What gives Hatcher Garden value?  A second question answered in my office through prayer also in that season was  “Why me?”

 When I began my time at Hatcher Garden ten years ago, I stood just past two brick columns with iron gates, opening into a garden that had a very small voice, a whisper, which I heard on that warm afternoon.  I was a task master and, after a week in the heat, I had a moment to stand up and look at an empty parking lot.  “Lord, I think I have made a mistake” escaped my mouth, also a whisper, “Why me?  The answer came from the Garden and stated simply that, “I need you to listen to the stories!”  So, I stood up and enjoyed every day since, listening to the stories.  In our meditation with Mr. Hatcher, we were led back to the hearth of the Hatcher's and had lunch. Then we were reminded of the origin of the stories and shown a simple truth: Hatcher Garden’s value is in the stories. What are the stories?

 You are a donor and you support this wonderful Garden because you have a story. Your story, like a single tree has value. The scar and the lean show perhaps characters of long suffering and determination. Maybe we are all leaning a little as we grow older. Often unnoticed, your story, sitting alone among so many other stories, may seem lost and unimportant.  Hatcher Garden says different!  Your story matters and as often as I am able as your Executive Director, I walk through the garden and listen to the stories of hurt, anger, grief, and joy.  I place a paver in memory of a loss or a gain.  I patrol, like a hovering spirit, over sacred ground.  And I remember…

Visit Hatcher Garden to bring your story and I can promise you that it is big enough to hold it close to its heart.  I know this because Mr. Hatcher told me so!!!

A Quiet Treasure: Trillium in the Josephine Hatcher Wildflower Garden

Each spring, tucked beneath the canopy of the woodland, a quiet beauty begins to emerge in the Josephine Hatcher Wildflower Garden—trillium.

These delicate native wildflowers are easy to miss if you’re not looking closely, but for those who know where to look, their presence is a sure sign that spring has truly arrived at Hatcher Garden. With their signature three leaves and three petals, trillium bring a simple elegance to the forest floor, blooming in shades of white, soft pink, and deep red.
Trillium are more than just beautiful—they are patient. It can take several years for a trillium plant to mature and bloom, making each flower a small triumph of time and nature working together. Once established, they return year after year, quietly marking the seasons in a way that feels both steady and enduring.

You’ll find them nestled in the Josephine Hatcher Wildflower Garden, a space that reflects her love for native plants and the natural woodland landscape. Here, trillium grow as they would in the wild—undisturbed, thriving in the rich soil and dappled shade.

As you walk through the Garden this spring, we invite you to slow down and take notice. Look a little closer. The trillium may not call attention to themselves, but they offer something special to those who pause long enough to see them.

A gentle reminder as you enjoy them: trillium are sensitive plants and should never be picked or disturbed. Their beauty is meant to be shared, right where they grow.

In their quiet way, trillium embody much of what Hatcher Garden is all about—patience, resilience, and the simple joy of discovering something beautiful when you least expect it.

Hatcher Garden Photography Contest

Once again we are asking for your best panoramic shots of Hatcher Garden for the 2027 Landscapes of Hatcher Garden Calendar. The Grand Prize Winner will have their photograph featured on the cover of the calendar. Click here for more information.

Plan Your Visit

Imagine a place where nature's charm meets the thrill of learning, and stunning scenery provides a sanctuary for wildlife. It exists, right here, beyond the bustle of Spartanburg.

Hatcher Garden has delighted, educated, and inspired visitors for generations. Join us for an event, lend a hand, or just come stroll and unwind. Our gardens are here for you to enjoy from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year, free of charge.

Don’t miss the azaleas as they start to bloom all over the garden with their brilliant colors and sizes. Click here for more information.

save the date

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events at Hatcher Garden.
See the calendar below for more details.

• Spring Plant Sale Preview for Members - Wednesday, April 8

• Spring Plant Sale - Thursday, April 8 - Saturday, April 11

• Fetch a Friend and Strut Your Mutt – Saturday, April 18

• Music in the Garden - Friday, April 24, featuring Sinnerville Saints

• Music in the Garden - Friday, May 1 - featuring Split Rail Band

• Music in the Garden - Friday, May 8 - featuring Remedy 58

• Twilight in the Garden - Thursday, May 14

• High School Arts in the Garden - Saturday, May 23

• Food Truck Festival - Wednesday, June 3

• Discovery Camp - Monday, June 8 thru Thursday June 11, 9:00am - 12Noon

• Art Camp - Monday, June 15 thru Thursday, June 19, 9:00am - 12Noon

• Teen Camp (Trade Training) - Monday, June 22 thru Thursday, June 25, 9:00am - 12Noon

• Fall Plant Sale Preview for Members - Wednesday, September 9

• Fall Plant Sale - Wednesday, September 10 - 12

• Fall For Hatcher - Tuesday, September 22

• Music in the Garden - Friday, October 9, featuring Exit 83

• Music in the Garden - Friday, October 16 - featuring Rick Tobey

• Music in the Garden - Friday, October 23 - featuring Green Grass Cutters

• Santa in the Garden - Saturday, December 5

our newest
Garden space
in the news

Recently our Children’s Garden was featured on the Fox 21 Carolina newscast. Executive Director Dan Shook took the reporter on a tour of the newest completed additions to the Children’s Garden: including the stone sculpture, the “stone lily” and two metal sculptures; the sensory loop; plants that would be of interest to children, like peppermint; and the Alphabet Pathway, which includes Cyrillic (Russian) alphabet letters. You can watch the video below.