Leach Teaching Gardens - Texas A&M University
The Leach Teaching Gardens, also known as The Gardens at Texas A&M University, is a 27-acre (11 ha) master-planned public garden on the West Campus of Texas A&M University. The first phase, a 7-acre (2.8 ha) area which opened in 2018, is a public teaching garden.[1][2] The gardens are located in College Station, Texas, at the corner of Horticulture and Discovery drives.[1] The gardens are situated within the Texas A&M AgriLife complex, close to Reed Arena.[3] The gardens, which are free and open to the public,[4] serve as the "multi-million-dollar centerpiece" of the AgriLife complex[5][6] and function as an outdoor "living classroom" for educational, inspirational, and recreational use.[2][7][6]
History
The concept for The Gardens began in 1998 when the Texas A&M Board of Regents designated White Creek and the surrounding riparian area as "The West Campus Greenway" to protect green space on the growing campus.[2][6] The project was an ambitious plan to transform a 40-acre plot of land on West Campus.[1] The idea was first described by Doug Welsh, a professor and AgriLife Extension horticulturist emeritus.[6] In 2011, Former Vice Chancellor and Dean Dr. Mark Hussey '79 initiated a project to develop the area into a public garden with a purpose focused on teaching, research, and outreach.[2][1][3][8] Visible construction on the first phase began in January 2015, starting with the restoration and stabilization of White Creek.[2] In July 2016, Joseph Johnson was hired as program manager to oversee the construction.[4] The Leach Teaching Gardens, representing Phase I of the project, officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 15, 2018, at 9:30 a.m.[1][8] The gardens are named for lead donors Amy '84 and Tim Leach '82 of Midland, Texas,[9] who also led the fundraising effort for the project.[5] At the opening, Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp called the gardens "transformative of the west campus."[5] Then-university president Michael K. Young noted the project's connection to the university's land-grant history, and Dr. Patrick Stover, vice chancellor for agriculture and life sciences, called it a "source of pride" for both the university and the community.[6] The master plan for the full 27-acre project was initially developed by graduate students from the Texas A&M Landscape Architecture program; this plan was later revised by Rottenberry Wellen Architects and White Oak Studio[2] and overseen by Doug Welsh.[6] Michael Arnold, a professor in the university's Department of Horticultural Sciences, serves as director of The Gardens.[4]
Features
The 7-acre garden is an outdoor classroom focused on teaching and demonstration,[9] including proving that plants can be grown on challenging terrain.[5] Phase I includes 21 themed gardens or "rooms",[3] an outdoor classroom, an event lawn, a demonstration area, a rain garden, Earth-Kind plantings, and a climate-controlled pavilion.[2][10][6] The pavilion is an octagon-shaped structure with a design inspired by historic German dance halls and garden gazebos, which hosts banquets, seminars, and demonstrations.[1] The gardens were designed to feature a plant collection adapted to the local climate, native soil, and irrigated with domestic water.[4] The collection includes over 250 species of plants and more than 300 trees, including eight pecan, eight citrus, 19 fruit trees, and over 143 ornamental trees.[6] The gardens showcase sustainable horticultural practices. Examples include a bioswale at the entrance, which serves as an experiment to test which plants best filter surface run-off water, and a "WaterFence" used for rainwater collection. The themed gardens are designed to be accessible, with the goal of presenting garden plans that visitors can replicate in a home setting.[3] Notable themed gardens include:
Edna Fuchs Memorial Rose Bed[1]
Mexican Heritage Garden (given by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation), which features native plants from Mexico and a hand-carved stone fountain.[1][6]
German and Czech Heritage Gardens[1]
Butterfly and Bee Garden (given by Elizabeth A. '79 and Gary B. Young '77)[1]
Leach Vineyard, which features a comprehensive viticulture exhibit.[6]
Food and Fiber Fields, which features a center-pivot irrigation system.[6]
A "Century Oak II", planted to continue the legacy of the university's main Century Oak.[11]
Mission and programming
The stated mission of The Gardens is "to engage the community in a living teaching environment, encourage curiosity and discovery and develop wonder for the natural world."[7] Programming at the gardens is focused on four core areas:
Education – Focuses on topics such as water conservation, sustainable agriculture, and eco-friendly gardening.[7] University classes may use the gardens to observe wildlife, grow food, or test landscape design techniques.[1]
Wellness – Provides a space for relaxation and mindfulness to improve quality-of-life on campus.[7]
Discovery – Serves as a resource for STEM education and research.[7]
Culture and Community – Hosts seasonal events, cooking classes, and entertainment.[7] Community events have included yoga, wine tastings, and educational classes for children.[10]
Future phases
Future phases of "The Gardens at Texas A&M University" plan to expand the project to 27 acres. Planned additions include a "family/children's garden", a rose garden, a "feed-the-world" themed courtyard, outdoor learning laboratories,[1][2][10] and a recreation of The Grove, an outdoor amphitheater originally located on main campus that hosted concerts, movies, and events.[2][10]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Grand Opening of the Leach Teaching Gardens | Texas A&M Foundation". Texas A&M Foundation. June 15, 2018. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "About Us - The Gardens at Texas A&M University". gardens.tamu.edu. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 3 4 Lovelady, Skye (July 31, 2018). "Not Your Average Classroom: The Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A&M University". Insite Brazos Valley. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 3 4 "Growing a dream into reality: The Gardens at Texas A&M University program manager Joseph Johnson". Nursery Mag. February 16, 2024. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 3 4 "The Leach Teaching Gardens Brighten West Campus at Texas A&M". Texas A&M Today. April 28, 2023 [First posted June 18, 2018]. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Fannin, Blair (July 28, 2018). "The Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A&M University opens". ntxe-news.com. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mission & Values - The Gardens at Texas A&M University". gardens.tamu.edu. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 Sarracino, Jacob (June 5, 2018). "Texas A&M to unveil The Leach Teaching Gardens". www.kbtx.com. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 "Leach Teaching Gardens At Texas A&M University Debuts June 15". stories.tamu.edu. June 13, 2018. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- 1 2 3 4 Bayliss, Karissa (June 29, 2020). "Welcome to The Leach Teaching Gardens". Texas A&M Foundation. Maroon Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- ↑ "Leach Teaching Gardens - The Gardens at Texas A&M University". gardens.tamu.edu. Retrieved 2025-10-29.