The Worrilow Hall Garden displays an extensive collection of viburnums, witch hazels, winter hazels, hornbeams, and oaks. Visitors will find a number of rare shrubs and trees, such as Parrotiopsis (Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana), and Chinese zelkova (Zelkova sinica), seldom seen in most gardens and landscapes.
History
In 1999, Dr. John Frett, professor of landscape horticulture and UDBG’s first director, started a project to establish plantings around Worrilow Hall. The goal was to extend plant collections for teaching purposes.
Kirk Himelick, a former professor of landscape architecture, designed a series of curvilinear mounds and beds that would serve as the project’s backbone. He also created a large central lawn that would later be used for events such as Ag Day and children’s summer camps. A fortuitous municipal construction project provided the soil fill needed to shape the garden, and a donation of plants from Princeton Nursery kicked off the collection.