Enhancements to the Arboretum will provide visual inspiration and a teaching resource for students, faculty, alumni, visitors and horticulture enthusiasts throughout the state.
The Arboretum at the University of Illinois offers many opportunities friends of the University to make a tangible and lasting difference in the future of the Urbana-Champaign campus. An expanded Arboretum can provide the setting for transformative learning experiences in the plant sciences, the arts, and landscape design—while simultaneously serving as a welcoming focal point for visitors to the University.
Current plans for the Arboretum are focusing on the expansion of the Welcome Garden. The extension will visually bring the garden closer to visitors as they enter the site and serve as a strong visual indicator to those driving by that the UI Arboretum entrance is ‘here.’ The arboretum staff has completed initial refurbishing of the garden and there are preliminary plans to widen the garden along the walkway from the Noel Welcome Garden to the Hartley Garden. A minor expansion of the garden west toward Lincoln Avenue as an extension of the Noel Welcome Garden is also being considered. The expansion will provide greater visibility from Lincoln Avenue and the adjoining parking lot. The visual impact from these changes is expected to be significant.
Plans for the development of a new Heritage Garden, to be located between the Hartley Garden and Lincoln Avenue, are currently underway. There are also plans for a 4-H and Arboretum Gateway Center (Gateway Center) to be located along the east side of the current parking lot - extending north beyond the current parking lot as noted in the picture.
Close behind the inception of the University of Illinois in 1867 came the dream of building an area of ornamental grounds, orchards and forest plantations for use by the University and the citizens of Illinois. Although the vision for develop these ornamental grounds was present from the early years of the University, it was not until the later part of the 20th century that generous donations from alumni and friends began to bring the ideas of the University’s founders to fruition.
On July 26, 1989, The University accepted a generous bequest from Dr. Miles C. Hartley for the “purpose of establishing and maintaining a flower garden on the Urbana campus at the University of Illinois to have and hold the same absolutely and forever.” Miles Hartley was born in Toulon, Illinois, in 1901 and received five degrees from the University of Illinois. He served as head of the Department of Mathematics at University High School for sixteen years, joining the University of Illinois faculty in 1948, where he served until his retirement in 1962. Construction for the Miles C. Hartley Selections Gardens began in 1992 and was completed by 1994. The Hartley Garden, as it is often referred to, is an official “All American Selection” (AAS) trial center. AAS is the only valid rating system in North America for new seed-grown flower varieties. More than 100 genera of flowering annuals and bedding plants, for both sun and shade, are set out in the garden each spring. The garden is built on two levels, featuring a central sunken garden. This affords protection from the incessant Illinois prairie winds and enhances the viewing opportunities from above.
The next addition to the Arboretum came in 1996, with the construction of the Noel Welcome Garden. Designed to attract and receive visitors, with its pergola, benches, and crabapple hedges, visitors are drawn to the area to discover what lies beyond. The Welcome Garden was developed with a generous gift by Richard and Rosann in honor of their grandchildren.
A project of the Master Gardeners of Champaign County, the Idea Garden operates under the auspices of the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension. This garden was constructed in 1997 with a centrally-located gazebo, surrounded by a picket fence and divided into four quadrants—ornamental, children’s, special projects, and vegetable. A perennial border surrounds the outside of the fence. Visitors stroll through the Garden during peak blooming season, seeing top-perfoming plants and gathering ideas for their own gardens.
Construction of the ponds was made possible through a partnership involving equipment dealers, land-improvement contractors, agribusiness and government agencies. The ponds were constructed within a two week-time period in May 1997. Volunteer labor provided by members of the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association dug the ponds. Earth-moving equipment was donated by Altorfer Inc., Birkey’s Construction Equipment, J. Wright Equipment, Kuntz Equipment and Martin Equipment of Illinois. Fuel to operate equipment came from GROWMARK of Bloomington, IL and its subsidiary, Illini FS of Urbana. Engineering support came from the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Illinois State Geological Survey. This partnership resulted in one of the largest in-kind gifts received by the University in 1998, and was worth about $600,000.
Groundbreaking for the Japan House took place in June 1997. The House is comprised of three rooms, each of which was constructed in Japan, shipped to the University and reassembled by Japanese carpenters. These rooms provide formal, semiformal and informal settings, and showcase furnishings that were provided by the Urusenke Tea School, the premier tea school in Japan. Tranquil gardens surround the House, typical of the Japanese style designed for harmony—tea, dry (raked gravel) and strolling. Donations from individuals and foundations funded the $650,000 Japan House construction. In addition to the Urasenke Foundation, other major benefactors include the Commemorative Association for the Japanese World Exposition, the Friends of World Inc., Fujitsu Film, Inc., Hakubi Kyoto Kimono School, Japan Foundation, Center for Global Partnership, the Japan-Illini Club, Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America Inc., Nihon University, TDK Corp. of America, Teikyo University, Yamanouchi USA Foundation, and the Yanai Rotary Club. Other major donors include Mr. and Mrs. James Bier, Dr. and Mrs. James B. Gillespie, I.C. Gunsalus and family, A. Doyle Moore, Mr. and Mrs. Sabura Muroga, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Myers, Mr. and Mrs. Yoichi Nakane, and Mr. and Mrs. Shozo Sato. James Bier also contributed time and labor to the design and construction of the tea and stroll gardens and ponds and continues to be active with development plans at the Japan House today. A Dedication Celebration for both the Arboretum Ponds and the Japan House took place on June 19, 1998.
