Have you ever thought, “I wish there was a place in Greenville where I could live out my fairy-core dreams?” If so, you’re in luck. Enter: The Rock Quarry Garden. Located inside Cleveland Park, this hidden gem is used for weddings, picnics, and (fairy themed or not) photo shoots. Spoiler alert: This park rocks.
The history
Tucked below street level, the Rock Quarry Garden was converted from an old rock quarry in the 1930s. As the City of Greenville began work on Cleveland park in 1925, the newly formed Greenville Garden Club did what they do best, and started on the garden.
Removing rocks blocking Town Spring, the city’s water source at the time, the club created the “babbling brook,” and used the extra stones to create the bridge. In 1932, they entered the two-acre garden project in a Better Homes and Gardens city beautification contest and came in second place nationally.
The Rock Quarry Garden celebrated its 90th birthday in October 2022.
The flora
With fescue grass (a perennial grass that’s known for being climate-tolerant) in the shade and bermuda grass (a perennial warm-season grass that comes back every year in the proper climate), this park embodies the greenness of Greenville.
As far as the plants are concerned, they try and keep it “simple and basic,” utilizing native plants like azaleas and dogwoods.
Whether you’re there for a wedding or a stroll, its no surprise that the the young at heart 90-year-old Rock Quarry Garden has been called, “The hidden treasure of Greenville.”
