McCrory Gardens and South Dakota Arboretum facts for kids

View from the Rock Garden in early fall.

McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State Arboretum is a special place in Brookings, South Dakota. It's like a huge outdoor museum for plants! Located on the campus of South Dakota State University, it covers about 70 acres. Here, you can explore beautiful gardens and see many different kinds of trees and shrubs.

Discover McCrory Gardens

What is McCrory Gardens?

McCrory Gardens is a botanical garden and an arboretum. A botanical garden is a place where many types of plants are grown. They are used for scientific study, conservation, and display. An arboretum is a specific type of botanical garden. It focuses mainly on trees and shrubs.

The gardens are run by South Dakota State University. They are named after Professor S. A. McCrory. He was the head of the university's horticulture department. He led the department from 1947 until he passed away in 1964.

Exploring the Gardens

McCrory Gardens has over 25 acres of amazing display gardens. You can see hundreds of different flowers, trees, shrubs, and grasses. They are arranged in beautiful ways. These displays help people learn about plants. They also help develop new plant types.

The South Dakota State Arboretum covers 45 acres. It features trees and shrubs that grow well in South Dakota's climate. New types of trees and shrubs are also tested here. This helps scientists see how well they can grow in local conditions.

A Place for Learning and Research

The gardens are not just pretty to look at. They are also important for research. Scientists learn new things about plants here. This information is shared with other scientists and the public. They study how to introduce, grow, and arrange native and garden plants.

Testing new trees and shrubs is a big part of the research. This work started a long time ago. It was begun by Niels Ebbesen Hansen almost 75 years ago. He wanted to find plants that could survive the cold winters of the northern Great Plains. This research continues today.

Supporting the Gardens

McCrory Gardens gets most of its money from donations. People who love plants often become members. They also pay admission fees to visit. Special gifts and money from investments also help. These funds keep the gardens growing and help with important research.

See also

In Spanish: Arboreto de Dakota del Sur y Jardines McCrory para niños