In 1949, garden designer and writer Elizabeth Lawrence began laying out a garden on a modest lot in Charlotte, NC that would embody her lifelong celebration of Southern horticulture. A graceful refuge that doubled as a living laboratory for her study and appreciation of plants and design, Lawrence's home and garden was a frequent reference and inspiration for her writing for thirty-five years. The property was entered in the National Register of Historic Places in September of 2006.

In 2008 the Wing Haven Foundation purchased the Elizabeth Lawrence property and is now partnering with the Garden Conservancy to honor Lawrence’s educational, environmental, cultural, historical and literary legacy.