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A garden walk Research and relaxation in the Rutgers Gardens Archived article from Sep 2, 2002 By Bill Glovin When the magazine, Martha Stewart Living, decided to feature dogwood trees in last May's issue, the story showcased various species from the Rutgers Gardens. "The story was on all dogwoods — all but three of the many pictures were taken here," says Patrick Cullina, associate director of the gardens. "The most important work on revitalizing dogwood trees has occurred right here. It was testament to the diversity of our collection." In the early 1970s, the outbreak of a nasty fungal blight dealt a serious blow to lovers of native dogwoods. Elwin Orton, a horticulture professor and noted plant breeder, culminated 20 years of research by crossing a disease-resistant Asian dogwood with the beloved native species to create the Rutgers hybrid dogwood. The resulting Stellar Series, introduced in 1993, includes one muted pink and five vigorous white hybrids, which are not only disease resistant but also bloom longer than either parent does. "All of these trees are patented and have become very popular and versatile small trees in landscapes throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast," says Cullina. "While this — along with Orton's work in holly breeding and selection — is probably the best example of how Rutgers has made an impact on ornamental plant breeding, a large part of our mission is to help students and faculty, as well as homeowners, the nursery industry and landscape architects, evaluate thousands of species of hybrids, trees, shrubs and flowers. We provide the advantage of allowing them to see how a plant looks after it matures; something you rarely get at a nursery." The gardens also serve as an outdoor laboratory for faculty from other disciplines conducting plant-related research. In the Shade Tree Collection, for example, James Lashomb, an extension specialist in entomology, is studying the cause and effect of bacterial leaf scorch, a devastating bacteria that threatens many oaks. The Rutgers Gardens are located on 50 acres just east of Route 1 at Ryders Lane in New Brunswick. In the 1920s, Cook College Dean Jacob Lipman bought the one-time farmland with the idea of creating outdoor research facilities. Besides the various collections of flowers, shrubs and trees, including one of the largest American holly collections in the world, the property adjoins the 40-acre Helyar Woods and its 1.1 mile nature trail, Weston's Mill Pond, and a Log Cabin and Alumni Pavilion complex that is available for seasonal functions. A walk through the gardens makes it difficult to imagine that in the 1980s the site began to resemble a jungle and was almost sold. The idea, says Cullina, was to swap land with a developer and begin anew elsewhere. He credits Bruce "Doc" Hamilton, an associate professor of landscape architecture and the director of the gardens, with saving the site and becoming its heart and soul. It was Hamilton who convinced administrators that he could turn the property around with a minimum investment and, ultimately, make it largely self-supporting. He recruited a small army of volunteers and student interns to handle the considerable care and maintenance. He also lobbied garden club members and professionals in the horticulture and nursery industries to donate supplies, expertise and financial support. While the success of both initiatives has indeed helped revitalize the grounds, says Cullina, much of the gardens' recovery is due to Hamilton's own toil and sweat and personal commitment. Cullina — articulate, animated and sporting a Boston Red Sox baseball cap — came to Rutgers eight years ago as the only full-time staff member; a second was added a few years later. Prior to his arrival, some collections hadn't been pruned in 15 years and were covered in vines. Many of the areas were impassable; buildings were in decline. Gradually, areas were relandscaped, greenhouses built and sections expanded. Cullina points out that while the gardens are now one of New Jersey's most popular locations for wedding photos and lovers of horticulture, his goal is to make sure noticeable improvements still take place every year. "After athletics, I would argue that no one single Rutgers entity interacts with the public more than we do," says Cullina. "Thousands of people come through here each year to tour our collections, take part in our plants sales or attend special events. We used to mainly host people from Middlesex, Somerset and Mercer counties, but now visitors come from any number of surrounding states. We're proud of our role as Rutgers ambassadors; it's a role we take very seriously." The Rutgers Gardens, located at 112 Ryders Lane, are open daily. There is no admission charge. The gardens also have a Spring Flower Festival on Mother's Day weekend, a Summer Open House during the last weekend in July and a Fall Foliage Festival, which this year will take place Saturday, Oct. 12, and feature tours and a plant sale.
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