At Whisper Mountain, the development and design of our small community of Western North Carolina properties has been a labor of love dedicated to the creation of a lifestyle that makes conservation and preservation a major priority. Our goal has been to not only build an exceptional community of North Carolina mountain homes but also to engage our residents with ways to actively support:

• land conservation
• wildlife preservation
• forest preservation
• conservation of natural resources
• preservation of open space

The Community Garden: A Vision of Mountain Heritage Merged with Green Living

The Whisper Mountain organic community garden sits on the site of what was once a historic farm with an old apple orchard, tobacco barn and a spring-fed stream with views of the adjoining farming valley and long range views of the Black Mountains. Built on the lowest elevation found on the Whisper Mountain property, at 2600 feet, the garden space gets optimal sun exposure and has a longer growing season than the higher elevation homesites. The garden site was also once home to the oldest standing structure in Madison County. So we believe by preserving the old Tobacco barn, the scattered apple trees, the spring and streams still found on the property we also preserve a piece of Appalachian mountain history.

Whisper Mountain residents will be given their own individual plots to maintain at the garden, similar to European-style allotment gardens. There will be restrictions against the use of any inorganic pesticides and standards for the quality of seeds planted in the garden. It has been decades since the garden property was farmed or the land disturbed so the soil is rich, fertile and ripe for planting. We hope to see a wide variety of flowers, fruits and vegetables grown each year to help residents live a more sustainable lifestyle that is in harmony with the land.

Appalachian Mountain Plants Found in the Mountains of North Carolina

Choosing the plants, vegetables and flowers that will grow in the community garden will be based on the land conservation goals of the Whisper Mountain community. A focus on native species, heirloom seeds and high quality starters will help residents reap a beautiful, healthy and delicious harvest. Below are some resources for residents who want to explore gardening on land in Western North Carolina.

Garden Asheville
A social network of the Asheville Citizen Times-local gardeners come together.

The Asheville Botanical Gardens
Visit to learn more about local plants

The North Carolina Arboretum
Offers a variety of botanical and garden classes to help anyone interested in understanding Appalachian mountain plants and the Appalachian mountain climate.