The two ponds here were created in 1980 as part of the arboretum's landscape design and are frequently used for research and class instruction. Floyd R. Newman (class of 1912) provided funding for the construction of the ponds, paths, and other features that transformed a former cow pasture into this Arboretum in the 1980's. Look for turtles or fish in the water.Sidetrip: Take a rest on the "Lightwave" bench in the grove along this path, which was designed by two former Cornell architecture students.
Oaks: A Symbol of Wisdom and Strength
Many of the 80 different types of oaks growing at Cornell Botanic Gardens are found on this slope as part of the Schnee Oak Collection. Oaks (the genus Quercus) have 500 known species distributed widely across the Northern Hemisphere. With their large stature and long life, oaks have long been considered sacred and embody wisdom and strength in many cultures. Climate change, invasive species, and deforestation are threatening 30% of oak species worldwide. The genetic material from oaks growing in this arboretum is available for scientists who are developing more resilient varieties to stop the on-going loss of this much-revered tree.Continue up this hill to explore the Oak Collection.Learn more about our oak collection in this two-minute audio narrative.
Newman Meadow and Slim Jim Woods
This long swath of meadow in front of you is only mowed twice per year to reduce fuel use and encourage habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. Take a side trip through the mowed paths to a trail through Slim Jim woods, which leads to the oldest oak in the arboretum at the top of the hill. The woods, featuring tall white pines and a walking path, are bordered with a cultivated planting of trees such as three-flower maple, kousa dogwood, serviceberry, and ‘Bobwhite’ crabapples. Fun Fact: No one knows where the name “Slim Jim” originated.
View of Fall Creek
These steps lead to a pathway through three specialty gardens with a rich diversity of perennials, shrubs, and grasses. Take a moment to view Fall Creek from this overlook. This creek once flowed through the arboretum, sculpting these bowl-shaped hills since the most recent glacier melted away from this area over 15,000 years ago.
Floriculture War Memorial
This sheltered area offers quiet reflection and was aptly chosen to commemorate Cornell students who studied floriculture or ornamental horticulture and lost their lives in service during World Wars I and II. It features boggy areas and running water, and shows ways to use wet areas as attractive landscape features. Look for plants that grow well in the boggy areas around this stream including umbrella magnolia, rhododendrons, Japanese pieris, Western skunk cabbage, and fetterbush.
Treman Woodland Walk
Like the Floriculture War Memorial, this hemlock-shaded streamside garden provides conditions to grow plants that would not grow well elsewhere at Cornell Botanic Gardens. Look for moisture-loving plants, such as marsh marigold, Asian skunk cabbage, and Japanese primroses. Ferns, globeflower, azaleas, umbrella plants, and hostas also grow rampantly along the stream, giving the garden a whimsical, uncultivated atmosphere.Learn more in this two-minute audio narrative.
Zucker Shrub Collection
This area is guaranteed to provide gardening inspiration for your home landscape. Here you can walk through a series of garden “rooms” that display stunning arrangements of shrubs, grasses, and large-statured perennials. Make your way to the opposite end where you will find 18 types of lilacs and 32 types of hydrangeas, about one-third of the hydrangea varieties we grow throughout our gardens. In the United States, using hydrangeas in a wedding bouquet has come to symbolize enduring love.Learn more in this two-minute audio narrative.
Plant Production Facility
The greenhouse and wooden “lath house” comprise our plant production facility. Our greenhouse manager grows many of the plants we display from seeds and cuttings that start here. In the winter, our greenhouses store many plants we display in containers that would not withstand cold temperatures.If you’d like to explore one of our natural areas, the trail adjacent to this building leads to the Fall Creek Valley Loop, one of our guided tours.
Sculpture Garden: Research for Architecture Students
Just as the plants and other natural features in this arboretum are used extensively for research and class instruction, these sculptures were built as a class project in 1961 by architecture students. This experience helped prepare the students for distinguished careers in architecture.Learn more in this two-minute audio narrative.
Allen Trail
The plantings along this trail were made possible by a donation from the family of Leon Ballord Allen, a Cornell graduate who served in World War I. Look for a bench near here in honor of Allen—one of the many benches found throughout the Arboretum that offer spectacular views, often placed to honor loved ones. At the end of the trail, you can continue to explore the Treaman Woodland Walk and Zucker Shrub Collection, or walk back up the road to return to the ponds area.
