Purdue's Jules Janick Horticulture Garden wraps around the Horticulture Building on Marsteller Street with the beauty of a ring wrapping around a finger. But instead of resembling an engagement ring with a single, overwhelming stone, the half-acre gardens look more like costume jewelry, full of sparkling stones bursting in the colors contained in a box of Crayola crayons. And not the 64-crayon box, but the 120-crayon box that holds colors such as purple pizzazz and razzle-dazzle rose. Within the garden are over 1,000 types of plants with names that are just as much fun to say as they are to look at. There are plants named spike speedwell, foxglove, candy lily and sneezewort, to mention a few. But whether it is the petunia or the hairy alumwort, there is a reason each plant has a home in the garden.
According to Dr. Mike Dana, Professor of Horticulture, "The garden exists to support student learning of herbaceous landscape plants. But it provides much more! The garden is used by classes as diverse as Basic Drawing, Entomology and Veterinary Toxicology, to say nothing of the casual use of the garden as a quiet respite from the stress of academia." Photographers come to snap pictures of the plants, and amateur gardeners come looking for ideas to augment their own gardens.
History
Established in 1982, the Jules Janick Horticulture Garden is one of the most visually appealing landscapes on campus. On August 23, 2019, following an extensive re-construction of walkways, seating, boundary screens and plant collection, the teaching garden of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture was dedicated as the Jules Janick Horticulture Garden. Dr. Janick, one of the longest-tenured faculty members at Purdue, was the lead donor for the garden project. Other major contributors were the Amy P. Goldman Foundation, Wild Birds Unlimited, Belgard, Perennials Plus, Robert & Joan Lohrey, SiteOne, Rain Bird, Listerman & Assoc., Spence Nursery and Rose Pest Solutions. Numerous alumni and faculty, both emeritas and current, donated benches.
The central structural element of the garden, the E.C. Stevenson Pavilion, a gift from family and friends of Dr. Stevenson, was retained and enhanced with new casual seating. The pavilion is dedicated to the memory of the Head of the Horticulture Department from 1958-1967. During his tenure "Steve" took the department to new heights of recognition and oversaw the formation of the Landscape Architecture Program. Coincidentally, Dr. Stevenson was Dr. Janick's major professor for his PhD degree research.
Visiting the Jules Janick Horticulture Garden
The garden is located adjacent to the Horticulture Building at Marstellar Street and the Agricultural Mall. It is open for public enjoyment year-round, seven days a week. We invite you to join us in our efforts to ensure that the Jules Janick Horticulture Garden will continue to enrich the mind and spirit. You can become a "Friend of the Gardens" through a tax-deductible contribution to the Purdue Foundation. We'll use your contribution to support the educational programs of the gardens and enhance the plant collections.
For more information, contact:
Colleen Flynn
Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
625 Agriculture Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2010
Voice: (765) 494-1300 FAX: 765-494-0391
Email: flynnck@purdue.edu
