Martha Springer Botanical Garden

Martha Springer Botanical Garden
325px Entrance to the garden
Type	Botanical garden
Location	Salem, Oregon, United States
Coordinates
Area	1-acre (0.40 ha)
Opened	1988 (1988)
Owned by	Willamette University
Status	Open to the public

File:Martha Springer Botanical Garden - Willamette University.JPG

Mill Race passing the garden

The Martha Springer Botanical Garden is a botanical garden on the campus of Willamette University, located in Salem, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1988, the 1-acre (4,000 m²) garden contains 12 smaller gardens stretched along the Mill Race that bisects the campus.

About

The garden was dedicated in 1988 in honor of Professor Martha Springer, a biologist at the school. Elaine Joines served as the first curator of the garden. The garden's long, narrow site behind the athletic building is divided into 12 smaller gardens, including a butterfly garden, herb garden, alpine rock garden, theme borders, and ethnobotany gardens. Much of the garden contains species native to the state of Oregon. Other plants include pink varieties of Lagerstroemia. The botanical garden lies along the Mill Race that splits the school's campus after leaving the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill site to the east.

Martha Springer Botanical Garden is sometimes referred to as a secret garden since few people are aware of its existence and it is tucked away behind buildings on the campus. Other features of the free garden include benches, a rock fountain, and roses. The 1-acre (4,000 m²) site is used for educating students at the school, and is open to the public.

See also

• List of botanical gardens in the United States

External links

• Willamette page on Martha Springer Botanical Garden