Boxerwood Nature Center & Woodland Garden, Lexington, VA. $5/parking for non-members. Boxerwood is a non-profit nature center, operating a 15 acre woodland garden. Originally the private residence of Dr. Robert S. Munger, and his wife, Betty. Dr. Munger who planted numerous notable and unusual trees, many still flourishing today. A local non-profit (Boxerwood Education Association) purchased the property in 1997. Their mission is to educate and inspire people of all ages to be environmentally responsible stewards of the Earth.

They have some very interesting trees, including ones native to Peru, Iran and Asia. There’s lots of pathways to walk, wildflowers and wooden art pieces. There’s a children’s play area that encourages kids to interact with nature and play with the dirt. The whole park was very quiet and peaceful when we visited.

Boxerwood connects to another unique nature establishment called “The Meadow”, a natural burial ground established to honor and promote natural life cycles, enhance and preserve the land as habitat for native flora and fauna, and model the merits and methods of natural end-of-life processes. Apparently, after setting Boxerwood on its own independent path, 2 of the founders decided the community also needed a green burial ground where it would be possible to bury a person in the ground with no embalming, no casket, no vault. I have to admit that I never knew that was something you could do, or that people might want it.

https://boxerwood.org/

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