Dogwood Center

The striking Dogwood Center, clad in pleated metal, was once an old tractor barn used to house high-lift trucks. In 2014 it was redesigned into a 5,000-square-foot events center with beautiful floor-to-ceiling views of our gardens. The project won a national American Architecture Award and is now our most popular wedding and events center.

The northwest side opens to a broad patio leading to two gardens separated by old Howell Nurseries rock walls. One garden includes the Emily Bruner Holly, discovered by Bruner in 1960 at the Swan Bakery, later commercialized, and now a staple in horticulture. The Rita Johnson Garden was created with some of the thousands of plants she once owned. Border perennials and a gazebo make this space charming, especially in the spring. 

The other garden is the Danae Garden, donated by the Knoxville Garden Clubs in 2010. The Mary Nell Johnson perennial border hugs one rock wall. A winding path through perennial flowers leads to large plantings of Danae, also known as Poet’s Laurel, that have been here over fifty years. It was used in ancient Greece and Rome to crown orators, athletes and poets, and more recently for floral arrangements and bridal bouquets. Beyond the laurel is a small lawn and towering China fir trees. 

The southwest side of the events center overlooks the Garden of New Beginnings, a graceful swath of red twig dogwood, maiden grass and tick seed donated by Lane Hays. 

Almost exactly due north of the Dogwood Center, towards the Dogwood parking lot, one can find an Emily Bruner Holly, discovered by Bruner in 1960 at the Swan Bakery, later commercialized, and now a staple in horticulture. We hope to turn this space into a formalized garden in the near future.

From any direction, the Dogwood Center is gracefully framed by foliage. The front gardens, sheltered by their walls and big trees, are beautifully old-fashioned places to enjoy nature.

The Dogwood Center officially opened on August 14, 2015 at a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by over 300 guests and political officials. This 5,000 square-foot structure was renovated from the former Howell Nursery’s cinder block Plot Barn. The building serves as an indoor event space for weddings and special events, complete with an attached patio, landscaped garden space and adjacent parking. For information about renting this facility, please visit our Private Events page.