Mepkin Abbey Botanical Garden, SC

The Mepkin Abbey Botanical Garden is a natural area and botanical garden on the grounds of Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery near Moncks Corner, South Carolina, at 1098 Mepkin Abbey Road. Except on Mondays, the garden is available to the public every day.

Was there a plantation at Mepkin Abbey?

The name was originally recorded in a 1681 grant to the sons of Sir John Coleton, one of South Carolina's Lords Proprietors. Henry Laurens of Charleston bought the land from one of his relatives in 1762. Laurens established the Mepkin Plantation, which he named after himself.

Is it possible for you to stay in Mepkin Abbey?

"We accommodate about 700 retreat guests each year, and our waiting list is fairly long," says Father Guerric, director of Mepkin's retreat facility. The registration process is streamlined thanks to an online reservation system on the abbey's website. The price is set at a "pay what you like" donation level.

Is Mepkin Abbey dog-friendly?

Self-guided tours of Mepkin Abbey's magnificent Luce Garden beside the Cooper River are available. With your dog, enjoy this tranquil and peaceful abbey. Please keep them on a leash at all times.