Gardens of Interest

The Beetle Bailey Garden

This garden planted around the sculpture of Mort Walker’s cartoon character, Beetle Bailey, includes sweetspire, switchgrass, spirea and red daylilies.

Donor: Patrick Farrell

Siberian Iris Garden

This garden features selections of Siberian iris. Cultivars include Caesar’s Brother, Ruffled Velvet and Pink Haze. Other plants include Stoke’s aster, blue sea holly and Early Scout peony, among others.

Donor: David J. Ives

Salvia Garden

This garden features a number of perennial salvias, with varieties including Caradonna, Blue Hill, and Eveline. Other plants include White Swan coneflower, Ruffled Ruby daylily and a selection of Itoh peonies.

Donor: Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity

Peony Garden

This garden features several selections of herbaceous peonies including Monsieur Jules Elie, Krinkled White, Coral and Gold, and High Noon, a yellow-flowering tree peony. Other plants include oakleaf hydrangea and dwarf forsythia.

Donor: Hook Family Foundation

Hardy Geranium Garden

This garden features many selections of hardy geraniums including Gravetye, Rozanne and Nimbus. Other plants include amsonia, artemesia and oakleaf hydrangea.

Donor: Mr. Darden Rhodes

Coneflower Garden

This garden features a variety of coneflowers, creating a beautiful mass of color during the summer. This garden also features white roses, a favorite of Mrs. Skelton. Other plants include golden-leaved spirea, amsonia and nandina.

Donor: Friends and Family of Susie Skelton

Perennial Phlox Garden

This garden features several species of phlox, including, ‘Laura’ and ‘Nicky.’ Sweet William phlox is also featured. Other plants include English roses, pulmonaria and astilbe.

Donor: Peggy Ewing

Alpine Garden

Nestled along the walkway between Hill Hall and Jesse Hall, this garden was created to address drainage challenges in the area. A new retaining wall and dry creek bed help manage stormwater while adding visual interest to the landscape. Featured plants include red twig dogwoods, a variety of ferns, Atlas cedars and quaking aspens, which provide vibrant fall color.

Triangle Floral Display Gardens

The two triangluar beds on the north side of Jesse Hall mirror each other and are anchored by a grouping of Jane magnolias. Along the edges a changing display of annuals provide seasonal color. Plants used are numerous and have previously featured cannas, palms, Mexican petunias, coleus and lantana.

Winter Interest Garden

Located near the Geology Building, just off the northwest corner of Francis Quadrangle, this garden is designed to provide year-round interest, with textures, colors and structural elements that are just as appealing in winter as they are during the peak growing season. Featured plants include red twig dogwoods, limber pines, Japanese red pines and a variety of ornamental grasses.

Rothwell Garden

This long, narrow garden on the northwest end of the Francis Quadrangle showcases a variety of perennials and hardy shrubs. Roses, red hot poker plants, peonies, yarrow, magnolias and many other plants are growing here.

Donor: Mr. and Mrs. G.F. Rothwell IV

Eighth Street Circle Garden

This circular garden at the terminus of Eighth Street features a changing annual display. Each year the garden is planted in spring, summer, and winter to showcase a variety of annuals and tropicals.

Donor: Glen & Myrtle Dossey, Delmar & Reta Ryan, Thelma and Glen Cook

Heflin Memorial Garden

This four-season garden is anchored by a ginkgo tree and two varieties of Japanese maple, with two facing benches creating a space for reflection. The dual triangle-shaped garden features pachysandra ground cover, blue star perennials and Bobo hydrangeas. The garden is the first memorial of its kind within the Missouri School of Journalism complex.

Jefferson Garden

This garden is designed around the plants that Jefferson wrote about and used in his garden in Monticello, including columbine, red buckeye, vitex and vinca. The statue of Jefferson, writing the Declaration of Independence, and his original grave monument serve as the anchor points of the garden.

Donor: Trustees of the Jefferson Club

Marilyn Lacey McMullen Memorial Garden

This is the location, now rededicated, of the first planting of MUBG and still maintains some of the original plantings including white flowering dogwood and red azaleas. Later additions include Bracken’s Brown Beauty southern magnolia and oakleaf hydrangea.

Donor: Larry L. McMullen

Ellis Perennial Garden

This perennial and shrub display on the west side of Ellis Library contains many shade and sun- loving plants. The central grassy area creates a viewing and walking space to study the large collection of plants. Japanese anemone, Stoke’s’ aster, hosta and catmint are just a few of the plants featured here.

Memorial Union Annual Flower Garden

The large bed on either side of the Union arch along Hitt Street is planted with a seasonally changing display of annuals and tropical plants. Winter finds ornamental kale and pansies, while summer is a wild splash of annuals with plants such as castor bean, lantana, petunias and many others.

Native Missouri Tree Collection

This collection of trees, all native to Missouri, displays the diverse flora found in the state. Trees such as sout gum, found in the Ozarks, white fringe tree native to the extreme southern part of the state, sassafras, which grows statewide, pawpaw, a hardy tropical-looking small tree, and hackberry are growing in this garden.

Donor: Allan and Vivian Purdy

Discovery Garden

This garden features medicinal and research plants that have contributed to many of today's medicines and are used by University of Missouri scientists in hybridization programs to improve the yield of field crops such as corn and soybeans. The DNA chromosome-shaped walk down the center is a reminder of the science behind hybridizing techniques. Ginkgos, eastern witch hazel, mint and chamomile can be found planted here.

Donor: Lowell and Marian Miller

Butterfly Garden

Butterflies are the focus of this garden. Any plant that butterflies or their larvae feed on can be found here. Many Missouri natives are included to expand the selection. American beautyberry, butterfly milkweed, coneflower, liatris, asters and goldenrods can all be found planted here.