Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens

The Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens are horticultural gardens, with a landscape arboretum, located on Bogue Street on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing, Michigan. The gardens are open to the public daily without charge.The gardens are a popular visitor destination on campus, and have been throughout their history. There have been gardens on campus almost since the founding of the Michigan Agricultural College, which would become Michigan State University. After being moved around because of new buildings being built, the current gardens are located adjacent to the Plant and Soil Science Building, which houses the Department of Horticulture, and its teaching greenhouses.The main features of the gardens are as follows: Amien and Florence M. Carter Annual Garden - more than 1,000 varieties of annuals and helpful student workers! Clarence E. Lewis Landscape Arboretum, founded in 1982 - a working arboretum for landscape students. Frank's Nursery Rose Garden - over 700 rose cultivars. Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden - 55 theme areas plus the Goon Squad. Perennial Garden - 400 species suited for Michigan.HistoryThe very first gardens on campus were the botanical gardens, which were started in 1877 (Beal 252). Before the botanical gardens gained large popularity there was also the Horticultural greenhouse. It was popular for visitors and was said at the time to be the most interesting place on campus (Lyon 204). Before there were designated horticultural gardens, all of the grounds were described as the way Milton pictured Eden: "A happy rural seat of various views." (Lyon 203).