In the middle of the Texas A&M University campus, a new garden of Texas native plants and agriculture awaits, brimming with color and life. Walking through the entryway of Texas A&M’s Leach Teaching Gardens is like being transported to an exotic land. There are fruit trees, cacti, flowers, herbs, and grapevines, surrounded by subtle decorations that proclaim the Aggie spirit. Visitors, students, and faculty, can learn about horticulture, discover energy efficient tips, and host events in the newly opened Gardens.
The construction of The Gardens began in June 2016 and Phase I opened in June 2018, according to The Gardens’ website. Currently the garden only occupies seven acres out of the 27-acre plan, says Joseph Johnson, garden manager. It is located right outside the AgriLife Center, close to Reed Arena.
Former Texas A&M Vice Chancellor and Dean Dr. Mark Hussey helped bring the garden to fruition, says Johnson. The Gardens’ purpose focuses on teaching, research, and outreach.
The Gardens features 21 themed “rooms,” which are marked sections within the garden that harbor specific plants. Each room serves a different purpose to learn from. Some rooms guide visitors on the latest horticulture procedures, while others display native, adaptive plants to use, Johnson explains.
“It’s kind of on a level of a botanical or public garden but it’s very unique in its way, and one [way] being the garden-themed rooms that we have,” Johnson says. Another unique aspect within several of the rooms is the specific student demonstrations. Johnson says he hopes the ideas of the garden will infiltrate throughout Texas A&M’s campus.
One experiment on display at the entrance of the garden is a bioswale. A bioswale is a ditch filled with plants and rocks that filter surface run-off water. The purpose of the experiment is to compare the surface run-off water before and after it runs through the bioswale to see which plants filter best, Johnson says.
Each room also utilizes some kind of energy efficient resource or adaptive structure, Johnson explains. Whether that is a special way to collect rainwater by using a WaterFence or suggesting adaptive plants that don’t require extra maintenance, each room features a common horticulture advancement that betters the plant life around it. Sometimes it’s as simple as adding something like a birdbath to bring in specific birds that eat harmful insects, Johnson says.
The university’s professors and students can utilize rooms for research like those using the energy efficiency features, but these rooms also serve as a learning tool for the community, Johnson explains. The goal for each room is to present an easy, accessible garden plan the everydayman can copy.
“One of the purposes is to make it reasonable for people to come and see, and look at a garden room and say, ‘Ok, I can obtain this or I can do this in my backyard or in my yard at home,’” Johnson says.
Another unique aspect of The Gardens is the heritage garden rooms. One garden is German and Czech and the other is Mexican. The Mexican Heritage Garden is a tribute to Mexican culture. “We want to celebrate the Mexicans because obviously their influence in architecture here in Texas, as well as a lot of plant material we utilize in our landscape, originate from Mexico,” Johnson says. The German and Czech garden also honors the culture and farming of those countries.
Beyond the garden rooms, The Gardens provides the perfect space for someone who likes to be outdoors. Whether hosting a wedding or studying for an exam, the garden offers covered tables and chairs, benches, and a covered pavilion for all a guest’s needs.
Whether you are a student researching for your next project, a guest looking for a place to host your event, or a visitor wanting to learn more information on horticulture, The Gardens has a room for you. Visit www.gardens.tamu.edu for more information on The Gardens’ hours and themed rooms.
