The Botanic Garden of Smith College facts for kids
The Botanic Garden of Smith College is a special place on the campus of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, United States. It's like a giant outdoor and indoor museum for plants! You can see many different kinds of trees, bushes, and smaller plants. It also has an amazing collection of plants from warm, tropical places inside its greenhouses, called The Lyman Conservatory. Everyone is welcome to visit and explore this beautiful garden.
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Discovering Smith College's Plant Garden
The Botanic Garden at Smith College is home to a huge variety of plants. Imagine seeing about 10,000 different types of plants all in one place! This includes:
- About 1,200 kinds of trees and shrubs (woody plants).
- Around 2,200 kinds of plants that can survive cold weather (hardy herbaceous plants).
- Over 3,200 kinds of plants that need warm temperatures, found in the greenhouses.
How the Garden Began
The idea for the Botanic Garden started way back in the 1880s. Smith College hired a famous design company, Olmsted, Olmsted and Eliot, to plan the campus. Frederick Law Olmsted, a lead designer, is also known for creating Central Park in New York City.
Olmsted's plan, made in 1893, included winding paths, open grassy areas with special trees, and pretty views over Paradise Pond. He also suggested many different plants, including trees, shrubs, and water plants.
The garden truly began to grow in 1894. That's when William Francis Ganong became the professor of botany and the garden's director. Edward J. Canning also joined as the head gardener that same year. Together, they helped shape the wonderful garden we see today.
The Lyman Conservatory: Greenhouses Full of Life
The Lyman Conservatory is a group of greenhouses built in 1895. These greenhouses cover a large area, about 12,000 square feet! They are filled with over 2,500 types of plants. These plants are used to teach Smith College students about plant science.
The plants in the conservatory come from many different places and climates. They include one of the best collections of tropical, subtropical, and desert plants in the whole country. It's like taking a trip around the world without leaving Massachusetts!
Exploring the Campus Arboretum
The campus arboretum is another big part of the Botanic Garden. It covers 127 acres and is filled with many different kinds of trees and shrubs. It's open every day, and you can visit for free. It's a great place to walk and enjoy nature.
Other Special Gardens to Visit
Besides the main collections, Smith College has several other unique gardens on campus. These include:
- The Rock Garden
- The Japanese Garden
- The Happy Chace '28 Garden
- The Capen Garden
- The Woodland Garden
- The Systematics Garden & Perennial Border
Each of these gardens offers a different experience and showcases various types of plants and designs.
