Cape Fear Garden Club hosts planting event ahead of Azalea Festival this week

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — This week is Plant an Azalea Week, with the 78th annual North Carolina Azalea Festival kicking off on Wednesday. 

On Tuesday, New Hanover County Parks and Gardens and the Cape Fear Garden Club held their annual planting event at Airlie Gardens. 

Volunteers and staff planted 100 azalea bushes to celebrate the garden club’s centennial anniversary. 

The planting is made possible by plant azalea cards, which are $15 cards that people can buy at Airlie’s gift shop. 

Janine Powell with New Hanover County Parks and Gardens said volunteers are replenishing azaleas that were damaged during Hurricanes Florence, Matthew, and Isaias. 

“So when the big trees fall, they take out the things that grow underneath them, which includes azaleas, so we’re just making sure that that beautiful collection is around for generations to come,” she said. 

Powell noted you can also participate this week by planting an azalea in your own yard.