New Bern does its gardening quietly. Led by the example of the professionally pampered Tryon Palace gardens, the town's residents have a yen to make things grow. During the spring explosion of dogwoods and azaleas, a ride through the DeGraffenried neighborhood, about a mile from downtown, is breathtaking. Gardens, both public and private, extend throughout the city and its suburbs. Summertime brings day lilies, dahlias, zinnias, black-eyed Susans and petunias.
Home gardens produce tomatoes, herbs, squash, corn and other favorites.
In fall it seems everyone goes slightly crazy for chrysanthemums. Flowering cabbage and pansies brighten the winter. Besides the downtown historic district, New Bern also has the Ghent and Riverside neighborhoods, both of which carry official historic neighborhood designations. The neighborhood displays an eclectic collection of architectural styles. Riverside, developed at the turn of the 20th century and across town from Ghent, runs between the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks and the Neuse River to Jack Smith Creek.