There are more than 50 gardens on the College Park campus, many with a cozy bench where you can soak up the fragrances amid a peaceful environment. Here are just five examples selected by Director of Landscape and Special Services Karen Petroff and Arboretum Outreach Coordinator Meg Smolinski. They represent all corners of the campus and different types of gardens.
The Garden of Reflection and Remembrance and the Listening Garden
These gardens’ location alongside the Memorial Chapel only adds to the sense of serenity that gardens provide. The garden is a blend of native and non-native plants, designed to bring a visual highlight in every season.
Chemistry Courtyard
Located near the heart of campus, the courtyard at the Chemistry Building features ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, and the perfect lawn for an impromptu outdoor class or lunch. Surrounded by buildings on all four sides, it provides a quiet space free of outside intrusions.
Knight Hall Pollinator Garden
This is one of several campus gardens designed to attract and support the pollinators that are crucial to a healthy environment. Located along the east side of Knight Hall, the space offers quiet and solace from spring through fall, but it is especially beautiful during mid-summer when the majority of its plants are in bloom.
Jim Henson Garden at Stamp Student Union
Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog occupy a bench in this garden outside Stamp Student Union, and you can join them any time.
The Karin Lazarus Memorial Pollinator Garden
Located in front of H. J. Patterson Hall, this is another of the campus gardens designed to be especially friendly to pollinators. It is a small oasis for visitors who can relax in the beauty, while also knowing that it is a crucial space that encourages birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
The Clarice Courtyards
The ten interconnected buildings that make up The Clarice provide several secluded courtyards that are perfect for student study and quiet contemplation. These courtyards offer varied views: flowering trees, ornamental grasses, potted plants, and more.
Learn more about the many gardens within the campus-wide arboretum, maintained by FM’s Landscape Services. The campus map can also guide you to a garden convenient to you.