A garden space opportunity exists here in front of the University Center.

Container gardening in front of James Hall.

3. Gardens for the Arts

Character

The garden development within this area will unite the campus arts buildings with the University Center and Student Services facilities. The gardens throughout this area will strive to integrate artwork and public displays into the landscape. Garden development will focus and evolve around art, with placement opportunities at key nodes, pathway junctions, and other appropriate areas within the landscape. Plantings will also support and frame areas for outdoor performances and classroom activities. Simple placement of evergreen hedges as backdrops and exploration of all types of ground covers will be appropriate here.

Recommendations

1. Incorporate collections of shrubs, both evergreen and deciduous, that can be used as hedges and for definition of space. This is necessary to provide settings unique to outdoor sculpture, lectures and performing arts.
2. Incorporate flowering perennial and groundcover "fields" at base of artwork focal points to reduce maintenance as well as provide a unique ground plane treatment appropriate to the specific artwork pieces.
3. Incorporate strategic placement of container gardening at building entrances.
4. Gardens should support art classes which study light, texture, and color in the landscape. Strategic locations of perennials and shrub borders will be important for these classroom activities.
5. Placement of sculptural specimen trees as focal points along walkway and garden spaces will provide interest and character.
6. Thematic gardens should be developed in niches within this landscape zone. Thematic gardens to consider for this area include:
   • Shakespeare's Garden
   • Monet's Flower Garden
   • Sculpture Garden
   • Drama Garden
   • Waterlily Pond Garden
   • White Garden
   • Texture Garden

Maintenance

A moderate level of maintenance is anticipated for this Garden zone. Plants will be selected for their ease of maintenance and durability.

Lawn maintenance is important to this garden, but not critical.

Issues

• Hedges will need close attention for pruning and fertilizing.
• Leaf litter in ground cover beds and around artwork will require cleaning up.
• Lawns under tree areas can be mowed less frequently.
• Container gardens will need close monitoring for water in the summer. These containers should have winter and summer character.
• Irrigation is important for lawn areas in front of buildings.
• "Dirty" trees that stain objects should be evaluated prior to artwork placement.

Plant Palette

Ornamental Trees

Acer palmatum/Japanese Maple
Corylus avellana/Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
Crataegus marshalli/Parsley Hawthorn
Eriobotrya japonica/Loquat
Osmanthus fragrans/Sweet Olive
Eucalyptus cinerea/Silver Dollar Tree

Shrubs for Hedges

Buddleia alternifolia/Butterfly Bush
Illicium floridanum/Starbush
Ilex glabra/Inkberry
Ilex latifolia/Lusterleaf Holly
Podocarpus macrophyllus/Japanese Yew
Camellia sasanqua/Sasanqua Camellia
Hibiscus syricus/Rose of Sharon
Cryptomeria japonica/Japanese Cedar

Ground Covers

Ajuga reptans/Ajuga
Bambusa sasa pygmaea/Dwarf Bamboo
Gardenia jasminoides 'Prostrata'/Dwarf Gardenia
Hemerocallis fulva/Daylilly
Ligularia tussilaginea/Leopard Plant
Vinca major/Vinca