I'm delighted to have found this lovely garden near downtown Charlotte in early 2005. Elizabeth Barnhill and Eddie Clarkson married in 1927 and built a simple home in the prestigous Myers Park neighborhood, near downtown. Their love of animals and nature led them to build an ever growing garden, which is now a 4-acre site of formal gardens and woodlands, incl. pools, fountains, and bird baths. It is open to the public (currently Su 2-5, Tu 3-5, W 10-noon, and no admission fee) as one of the country's biggest urban bird sanctuaries. Check them out at Wing Haven, 248 Ridgewood Ave, Charlotte, NC 28209, 704-331-0664, winghavengardens.com.