The Bullington Center is a public botanical garden that uses its unique natural setting to provide hands-on education in horticulture and other sciences to students, youth clubs and adults.  The Center has an amphitheater, a greenhouse, a 2000-foot nature trail, and individual butterfly, mountain habitat, and perennial border gardens. A shade garden was recently planted using cultivated plants. Currently, a wildflower garden is currently being planted along a new stretch of nature trail. Future plans include a therapy garden and a children's garden. Another key project is to renovate the garage in the main house on the grounds into a classroom that can also be used for seminars and community club use.

Bullington hosts school field trips, classes and workshops. Topics include plant math and seed education and plant-insect interaction for elementary students.  At local schools, students grow winter vegetable gardens and investigate the history, botany, and the role of specific plants in the environment. In a program done jointly with 4-H each year, 5-8 year old youth raise giant pumpkins. The Boys and Girls Club come during the summer months to learn how to grow a vegetable garden. Materials to help teachers with their science curriculum are also available for loan from the Bullington Center, such as weather instruments, compost bins, and grow lights. Adult workshops offered cover such topics as wildflower identification, plant propagation, pruning, and winter vegetable gardening.

The Bullington Center operates through a partnership with the Henderson County Education Foundation, Henderson County Public Schools, Friends of Bullington, and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.  Located on 33 Upper Red Oak Trail, the center's public hours are 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.  School field trips are available other times, arranged by calling 698-6104.  For information about the center, its programs, or upcoming events, visit the Bullington Center web site at www.BullingtonCenter.org .