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Visit us Tuesday through Sunday
8:00am to 5:00pm
Rutgers Gardens is closed every Monday
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Greetings, friends.
As we look forward to a calendar full of dynamic events and exciting developments at Rutgers Gardens in 2025, we are also delighted to welcome a new member to the team. Daniel Jacobs, Assistant Director: Greenhouses, will oversee all greenhouse operations affiliated with Rutgers Gardens, including the community and teaching greenhouses on Cook campus. A Rutgers alum, Dan received both a Bachelor of Science degree and an MS degree in Plant Breeding and Genomics from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, where his research focused on the genetic improvement of woody plants. His expertise includes production horticulture, traditional plant breeding, organic vegetable farming, and the instruction of hands-on learning experiences in greenhouse and garden spaces. Dan will coordinate greenhouse operations and the production of plants for Rutgers Gardens as well as university partners and programs. He will lead student experiential learning opportunities, assist in the instruction of plant-related courses, and curate the botanical collection at the Floriculture Greenhouse on campus.
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Dan shares, "I am excited about this new role at the university, and I look forward to helping Rutgers Gardens expand its capabilities in support of student success and community engagement."
Following the deep freeze that recently held New Jersey in an icy grip, we are excitedly looking ahead to another growing season at Rutgers Gardens. It’s never too early to start planning and dreaming about what the gardening year will hold; our team is looking forward to welcoming new and returning students, volunteers, and community partners as the weather warms.
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Daniel Jacobs (SEBS '21, '24),
Rutgers Gardens Assistant Director: Greenhouses
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In the meantime, as we await the start of spring, we have been enjoying a winter art installation in Helyar Woods created by students from Mason Gross School of the Arts. Read on for photos and more information about Chromatic Canopies and for a special invitation to join us for a walking tour led by the student artists!
As always, we are deeply appreciative of the support we receive to continue enhancing Rutgers Gardens as a beautiful green space available to all and hope that, as friends of the Gardens, you will consider renewing your Rutgers Gardens membership this year. If you are not yet a member, please read on to learn more about the Membership Program and how you can further connect with the Gardens in this way. Thank you to each of you for helping Rutgers Gardens to thrive!
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2025 Rutgers Gardens Memberships
are now available!
Please consider renewing or joining as a member today
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Photos of warmer temperatures at Rutgers Gardens by student staff member Aidan Icasiano, who, along with several other students, works hard to maintain areas of Rutgers Gardens in all kinds of weather. Aidan completed the Student Internship Program in summer 2024. | |
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Rutgers Gardens members form a special community of supporters who are passionate about the plant collections, display gardens, natural areas, and unique features found within these 180 acres. Whether you’re a Rutgers alum with treasured memories of reading a book in the Evergreen Garden between classes, a local resident who enjoys the winding trails of Helyar Woods on a crisp day, a longtime visitor who knows every secret nook of the Rhododendron Garden, or a new friend who is eager to see the trees and blooms change each season, we appreciate your willingness to become a Rutgers Gardens member in 2025.
Members make an impact with their gift by strengthening our efforts to care for the thousands of specimens in our plant collections in ecologically sound ways. Memberships help support the Rutgers Gardens Student Internship Program and experiential learning opportunities that further a deeper knowledge of horticulture and sustainable agriculture, both by the university community and the public.
Memberships are renewed annually and are active through December 31, 2025. Your entire membership fee is tax deductible! Join as a member today and you’ll receive these benefits:
- Members enjoy early registration and discounted tickets for our Explore with an Expert series (beginning again this spring), as well as invitations to special members-only programs and seasonal guided tours of Rutgers Gardens throughout the year.
- Your 2025 Rutgers Gardens membership card entitles you to receive special admission privileges and discounts at over 380 public gardens in the American Horticultural Society Garden Network.
- Rutgers Gardens members may rent space in select garden areas as well as the Log Cabin and Alumni Pavilion for private events. Only Rutgers Gardens members and Rutgers university departments are offered this privilege.
- Your membership comes with a voucher for the Rutgers Gardens “Plant of the Year” for 2025 (one plant per household).
This year Rutgers Gardens is offering an Individual Membership for $75 and a Dual Membership for $125 ($75 for the first member and a special price of $50 for the second member in the same household).
Please visit our membership registration site
to renew with a credit card payment.
If you wish to pay by check, or if you have any questions about registration, please email Rutgers Gardens Senior Program Coordinator Moira Keihm at moira.keihm@rutgers.edu to receive a membership form that you can return by mail with your check payment.
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An announcement regarding the plant sale at Rutgers Gardens this year | |
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In recent years, there have been challenges to providing an optimal experience for Spring Plant Sale attendees related to parking, ticketing, accessibility, and crowd flow. As a result, we will be pausing the on-site sale at Rutgers Gardens in 2025 while we continue with our Vision Plan process. One goal of this Vision Plan assessment is to evaluate how we offer safe and enjoyable experiences at the Gardens, including through public events.
There will still be plants for sale in 2025! This year, Rutgers Gardens will return to selling beautiful plants and engaging with neighbors, friends, and the vibrant university community at Rutgers Day, “the ultimate celebration of everything Rutgers.” Rutgers Gardens is pleased to join the fun as part of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
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Please save the date for Saturday, April 26, 2025. Rutgers Day is free, open to the public, and attracts thousands of attendees each year. Our team anticipates that this venue, which provides ample parking and amenities, will help create a successful fundraiser to support the Student Internship Program and the plants and programming at Rutgers Gardens. | |
Welcoming both the Floriculture Greenhouse and our new Assistant Director: Greenhouses Daniel Jacobs into the Rutgers Gardens fold presents a great opportunity for collaboration on Rutgers Day. We’ll bring together the houseplants, figs, succulents, and carnivorous plants typically sold at the Floriculture Greenhouse with the annuals and perennials grown and curated by Rutgers Gardens to ensure a fantastic variety of plants will be available. Don’t forget your wagons and carts to transport your plants to your car! | |
We appreciate that the plant sale hosted on site at Rutgers Gardens has been a cherished community event for many for years. We hope that this pivot in venue ultimately leads to a successful fundraiser to help support Rutgers Gardens and the student interns while allowing our team to share the Rutgers Gardens experience with a growing community. Thank you for your understanding, and stay tuned for other upcoming events at Rutgers Gardens that will offer you opportunities to visit and engage on site. | |
Important outcomes from the Fall 2024 semester experiential learning projects at Rutgers Gardens | |
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In the November newsletter, we introduced you to the recipients of the 2024 Millicent Mercer Johnson Scholarship, which is generously provided each year by the New Jersey Committee of the Garden Club of America. These dedicated students submitted their experiential learning project reports at the end of the Fall 2024 semester. Here are some conclusions drawn from their research and hands-on activities at Rutgers Gardens and on core Cook campus areas that operate under the umbrella of Rutgers Gardens.
Grace Silva
Major: Environmental Engineering
Project: Soil Assessment and Restorative Planting
in the Rain Garden at Rutgers Gardens
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“The Rain Garden at Rutgers Gardens has made significant progress in improving stormwater management and supporting local biodiversity. Through soil analysis, gradient measurement, and strategic plantings, we’ve worked to optimize water retention and filtration, helping to reduce runoff and enhance the ecological function of the garden. The results of our project indicate that the garden’s current design is effective in supporting biodiversity and filtering pollutants. | |
Grace working in the Rain Garden | | |
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With the addition of native plants, such as Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and Crevice Alumroot (Heuchera micrantha), we expect to see improved water retention, soil health, and reduced erosion. The zoning approach has also been successful in matching plant species to specific water and nutrient conditions, ensuring each plant thrives in its designated area. | |
Looking to the future, adding nitrogen-fixing plants and optimizing the gradient could enhance water distribution and plant health. Long-term monitoring of the garden’s soil and plants will be essential to track changes over time and make necessary adjustments during the changing seasons. Overall, this project can serve as a foundation for a resilient and sustainable rain garden that supports effective stormwater management and ecological restoration.” | |
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Marian Hollenbeck
Major: Plant Science
Project: Permaculture Garden Installation at the
Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health
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“Now at the conclusion of phase 1 of my project, I can say that it has heavily influenced my ideas about my future career. After planting an outdoor garden for Harvest Café, I have realized that I can combine my passion for plants and agriculture with my love for food and food service. I can condense the farm-to-table path in a way that connects consumers directly with the way their food is produced in order to educate and increase appreciation for what they are eating.
The biggest challenge I faced was having the motivation and confidence to make progress, but that has actually turned into the most rewarding aspect of my work as well: I am now more confident in my abilities and knowledge, which will help me to make future progress, even as I am still learning.”
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Marian planted and managed the care of the newly redesigned garden outside Harvest Café on the Cook campus of SEBS | |
A Highbush Blueberry plant installed at the Permaculture Garden | |
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Nicole Sensenbach
Major: Environmental Planning
Developing Interpretive Signage to Engage Visitors at Rutgers Gardens
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“Having the opportunity to build upon two previous semesters of interpretive signage research with generous support from the GCA and guidance from my advisor, Maxine Marvosa, was a true delight. In my process to create three interpretive signs for Rutgers Gardens, I conducted historical research, collaborated with other students, went on site visits with Rutgers faculty, gathered printing estimates from design companies, and designed my own custom graphics and layouts. Once the signs are printed and installed this year, I hope visitors enjoy seeing them as much as I did creating them!” | | |
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All signage created by Nicole Sensenbach. Stay tuned to find out when you can see them in-person at Rutgers Gardens! | |
Created by Stayshey Sagastume-Castillo | |
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Join us for a walking tour of Chromatic Canopies: A Student-Created Public Art Installation in Helyar Woods | |
Bundle up and meet us at the Helyar Woods trailhead close to the Log Cabin at Rutgers Gardens on Friday, February 7th. A guided walking tour along the Fern Trail will begin at 3:30pm, with hot beverages and cookies provided inside the Log Cabin from 3pm to 3:20pm.
You'll meet design students from Mason Gross School of the Arts who partnered with Rutgers Gardens to stage Chromatic Canopies. The pieces were designed, fabricated, and installed by students in Chat Travieso’s Fall 2024 Design Practicum class. The installation is a collective effort to help capture the beauty of Helyar Woods and to provide insight into the environment surrounding it.
Limited parking spots will be available in the paved Log Cabin lot, marked as “Event Parking” near Spot #30 on our Visitor Map. Additional unpaved parking is available in marked areas close to the Helyar Woods trailheads.
Exhibited Artists/Designers:
Chloe Anderson, Esteban Arias, Molly Fong, Elisa Gislao, Jake Gorrie, Nicole Machnowski, Branden Mesia, Stayshey Sagastume-Castillo, Ian Sanchez, Hannah Yoon
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Created by Chloe Anderson | |
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