Ithica, New York
Cornell Plantations
The Cornell Plantations cover more than 175 acres around the campus of Cornell University, including: The 25-acre botanical garden features 14 specialty gardens, including herbs, flowers, heritage vegetables, international crops, rock garden plants, rhododendrons, peonies, perennials, ornamental grasses, ground covers, and plants with winter interest.The 150-acre F. R. Newman Arboretum features maples, oaks, crabapples, conifers, dogwoods, nut trees, urban trees, and other species. Specialty gardens in the arboretum include the Zucker Flowering Shrub Collection and the Treman Woodland walk. The rolling hills and valleys, or “bowls,” were carved out by Fall Creek following the retreat of the last glaciers over 10,000 years ago.Plantations also protects and manages over 40 natural areas, with some of the most scenic places in the Finger Lakes Region, such as Beebe Lake and Cascadilla and Fall Creek Gorges, as well as other wetlands, gorges, glens, meadows, bogs, fens, and old-growth forests. These ecologically important areas are available for research, education, hiking, and nature study.The gardens are open 365 days a year from dawn to dusk.Photo: Shade-loving groundcovers, such as hostas and pachysandra, are protected by trees including Cornelian cherry, false cypress, and bigleaf magnolia. [ info ]