Rutgers Gardens Facts for Kids

Helyar Woods

Rutgers Gardens is the official plant garden of Rutgers University. It covers 130 acres and is located in North Brunswick, New Jersey. The gardens offer 60 acres of beautiful plant displays, special gardens, and collections of trees and shrubs. There are also lovely lawns and walking paths. Next to the gardens, you'll find the 70-acre Frank G. Helyar Woods.

Rutgers Gardens is a place for learning and enjoying nature. It aims to be fun and educational for students, teachers, and everyone in the community. The gardens are open all year round, and you don't have to pay to visit. In 2017, it was recognized as an important landmark by the American Society for Horticultural Science.

History of Rutgers Gardens
Amazing Plant Collections
Special Landmarks
Images for kids
See also

History of Rutgers Gardens

The land for Rutgers Gardens was first bought in 1917. Back then, it was called "Horticultural Farm No. 1." It was used to grow peaches for research. However, pretty plant displays also started in the early 1920s.

By 1930, the farm had over 600 types of dahlias and irises. They also tested gladiolus flowers. These displays helped show off new plant types. Around this time, a large collection of over 200 types of shrubs was also planted. This shrub garden is one of the oldest parts of the gardens today. Some of the oldest holly trees were planted in the late 1930s. They were part of a program to create new types of hollies.

In 1936, there were nine main display gardens. The bearded iris garden from that time led to the current Donald B. Lacey Display Garden, built in 1964. Over the years, new plants were added, and new gardens were created. This is how Rutgers Gardens became what it is today.

In the 1990s, Rutgers University thought about selling the gardens for building homes. But a Rutgers professor named Dr. Bruce Hamilton stepped in. In 1993, he took charge of managing and finding money for the gardens. Thanks to his hard work, many generous helpers, and volunteers, the gardens were saved. They are now enjoyed by everyone.

Today, Rutgers Gardens supports itself. It raises money by renting out spaces, holding special events, and through memberships and donations. This money helps maintain the gardens, buy supplies, pay staff, and offer public programs. Every Friday, the gardens host a farmer's market. Local businesses sell things like honey, Hungarian rolls, and dried mangos.

Amazing Plant Collections

Rutgers Gardens has many special plant collections and features. Here are some of them:

American Hollies - This is one of the biggest collections of American Hollies in the United States. It includes special types from Dr. Elwin Orton's breeding program.
Bamboo Forest - A large group of bamboo trees planted in the 1950s. It has a winding path next to a small stream.
Donald B. Lacey Display Garden - This garden shows off unique and colorful annuals (plants that live for one year), tropical plants, herbs, and vegetables.
Ella Quimby Water Conservation Terrace - This area shows plants that can live with little water, also known as drought-tolerant plants. Examples include Amorpha canescens and Juniperus.
Ornamental Tree Collection - This collection features unusual small trees. You can see the state's largest Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) and a very big Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica).
Rhododendron and Azalea Garden - This garden has small trees and plants that cover the ground. It focuses on different types of rhododendrons. The collection started in the 1930s.
Rain Garden - This garden helps the environment. It collects rainwater from a shed roof in a 750-gallon tank. The water then flows through bogs and over a waterfall. This helps clean the water and keeps the garden looking nice all year.
Roy H. De Boer Evergreen Garden (1958) - This garden has beautiful evergreen trees. You can see weeping white pines (Pinus strobus 'Pendula') and many other cedars, pines, spruces, and firs.
Shade Tree Collection - This area has many large shade trees. These include Aesculus, Toona sinensis, and different types of beeches and elms.
Shrub Collection - This garden has many types of lilacs, some dating back to 1927. It also features other shrubs like Buddleia alternifolia. You can also find two special trees here: Magnolia kobus and Magnolia virginiana.
Tribute Gardens - These are like "outdoor rooms" that people can create to honor someone. The Art Rudolph Sun and Shade Garden is like a garden "library." It has patios where you can sit quietly and read. The Edwin J. and Ida M. Otken Memorial Garden is like a "recreation room." It has a mix of shrubs and grasses, a walking area, and two bright-green, oversized Adirondack chairs. These chairs are a popular symbol of Rutgers Gardens.
VSA (Volunteer Supported Agriculture) Garden - This garden is next to the Community Youth Garden. Volunteers grow vegetables using organic methods. This means they don't use chemicals. They rotate crops, use natural mulches, and compost. This helps the soil stay healthy. The vegetables are shared among the volunteers, and some are given to local soup kitchens.

Special Landmarks

Exterior of the log cabin

Log Cabin - The Log Cabin was built in 1936. It was part of a program called the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This program helped people find jobs during the Great Depression. Today, the Log Cabin is used for parties and other events. It looks out over Westons Mill Pond.
Holly House - When you enter Rutgers Gardens, you'll see a historic blue building called Holly House. It's near the American Hollies collection. This building was one of the first structures at Horticultural Farm No. 1. It was built in the early 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This was another public work program during the Great Depression. It was first used to store research materials. Holly House was updated in the 1980s. Now, it's the main office for the Garden Club of New Jersey. It also hosts many classes for people who want to learn more about gardening.