In keeping with Upstate Forever’s mission to promote sensible growth and protect special places, one of the early visions for Upstate House was to acquire a site that would not only host the demonstration house, but also provide an opportunity to conserve vital open space at the same time.  The inner city properties we acquired feature a lot that is being “recycled” for Upstate House with an adjoining lot – the only virgin property in the Pettigru Historic District -- being dedicated as a publicly available native plant Woodland Garden.  The property also abuts Greenville’s Cleveland Park and provides an auxiliary entrance to the park into the bargain.

Phase one of the Woodland Garden includes clearing the site from decades of abuse – both from dumping of litter and waste, and then perhaps even more critically, the removal of all exotic vegetation that has taken over the site.  Earth Design is developing a master plan for native understory and mid-story plants to reclaim the site beneath the mature canopy of oaks, pines and other forest cover.