University of Guelph Arboretum

The University of Guelph Arboretum is an arboretum organized by the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. It was formally established in 1970 by the university and aims to conserve biodiversity and connect people with nature through teaching, research, and community outreach. The space is 165 hectares and is open throughout the year. The arboretum grounds contain 40 collections of woody plants for academic and display purposes, as well as various display gardens, memorial plantings, and facilities. It is visited by approximately 100,000 people annually.

The first collection of woody plants on campus was started by the Ontario Agricultural College in the 1880s. Guelph lies in the corresponding Extreme Minimum Temperature Zone 5b ( 26.1°C to 23°C). Both zones are based on the approach used by the United States Department of Agriculture. The average annual temperature is 7.8 °C, and the average rainfall is 958 mm, with an average of 7 9 rainy days every month. and less than a kilometre from Hanlon Creek. The area's geology features sedimentary rock strata of the Silurian and Devonian ages. As a result of repeated glaciations, the rock is covered by a mantle of loose materials called drift which varies from a few inches to several hundred feet in thick. Surface deposits consist of outwash gravels and sands, dominated by grey brown podzolic soils.

The Arboretum has more than 40 collections of native and introduced species with over 1,700 species of trees and shrubs, as well as many herbaceous species. They are arranged in family groups situated along both flanks of the majority of the Ivey trail. Many of Ontario's native woody plants (including several rare species) are represented here along with their relatives from Europe or Asia. The World of Trees Collection offers a sampling of diversity found in the world's temperate regions, and is meant to display the wide variety of global tree species' evolutionary adaptations over hundreds of millions of years. The native species in the collection are those found historically in this region before the arrival of European settlers. Additionally, the collection contains some naturalized trees species that were brought from Europe and Asia by settlers and have invaded natural areas so as to now be found in many parts of the province.

The Garden Project was initiated in 1995 with the development of the David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden. Two additional cultural and traditional gardens, the Italian Garden and the Edna and Frank C. Miller English Garden, have been developed at the University of Guelph Arboretum. The cultural gardens display classical garden forms. The Arboretum also has environmental demonstration gardens, such as the Gosling Wildlife Gardens, to demonstrate ecologically friendly methods and plant types for use in private home grounds or other landscapes. The six gardens provide food and various habitats for an array of wildlife, and promote positive human nature interaction. Though several gardens have changed thematically and expanded over time, their designs retain an emphasis on approximating the size of urban/suburban backyards, which inspires visitors to attempt similar plantings at their homes. Currently there are six gardens: the Entrance Alvar garden, the Enhanced Lawn garden, the Permaculture garden, the Pollinator garden, the Native Plant garden, and the Collector's garden. The guiding principle of these gardens is to "educate, connect, and inspire visitors".

The Japanese Garden was dedicated to the memory of David Porter in June 1995, by his wife Bobbi Porter. Beyond the bridge is a small reflective teahouse structure designed to hold a tea ceremony called cha no yu. Boxwood hedges circle two gardens: The Nancy and Dr. Anthony Caspers Perennial Gardens, while yew hedges outline the walkway around them Nestled within this hedge are classical statues and garden benches. At the center of the garden is a formal pool with fountain jets, edged by pebble inlaid pavers. Between the central pool and the tall beech hedge, are a ring of boxwood edged flowerbeds containing lavender and sage species, accented by four European hornbeams. Varied topography in this area, which includes a pond, allows for a wide variety of woodland plants to grow here. Spring is an especially nice time to visit Victoria Woods to see many of these spring ephemeral plants blooming. Staying true to the vision of The Arboretum, Architect Raymond Moriyama designed The Arboretum Centre to blend into its surroundings to allow visitors' attention to be drawn to nature.

Opened in 1978, the J. C. Taylor Nature Centre is the site where school children have learned about topics such as maple syrup, insects, pond life, wildlife gardening, feeder birds and forest habitats. Initially it was designed as a sugar shack and equipped with a maple syrup evaporator. It now houses classes and adult workshops. The Harrison Barn resided on Arboretum grounds and was one of the first buildings used by Arboretum staff. In the early 1970s, the barn was demolished to build the Service Centre on its foundation, and was re named in the 1980s in honour of inaugural director, Dr. R. J. Hilton's contributions to The Arboretum.

The Trillium Trail is a 2.0km loop that passes through several plant collections and crosses many other Arboretum trails. This trail encircles the Maple collection, the Rotary Tree Grove, much of the World of Trees collection, the three cultural gardens, and the OAC Centennial Arboretum Centre.

There are workshops available which include topics on owls, mushrooms, shrubs, sketching nature, wildflower photography and garden design.

A popular program is the Wall Custance Memorial Forest tree dedication. Donations are made to commemorate a life by having a tree planted into Memorial Forest.