Then and Now – Arboretum History

A concrete building with large windows sits to the right of a large green lawn. Green plants climb up the awning of the building. A forest with tall green trees sits behind the building.

Header image: O.A.C. Centennial Arboretum Centre, Autumn 1998 (photo by Bob Liptrap)

The Arboretum has grown and changed in many ways over the past 50 years. It can be difficult to see these changes especially in plant growth and development from daily or seasonal observation. Below we have selected pictures from the past and present to highlight and celebrate The Arboretum’s extensive growth and development over time.

Aerial view of The Arboretum

An aerial view of a large green area with several roads going through it. There are two forested areas, one in the bottom left of the picture and one in the upper right. The University of Guelph campus buildings can be seen in the top of the picture. — Aerial view of The Arboretum, August 1979.

An aerial view of The Arboretum shows many trees and densely wooded areas. A concrete building can be seen nestled between trees. — Aerial view of The Arboretum, 2020.

The J.C. Taylor Nature Centre

A wooden building with a slanted roof stands in front of a forest. — J.C. Taylor Nature Centre.

A wooden building with a slanted roof sits in front of a large forest of green trees. A wall of stacked stones sits in front of the building. — J.C. Taylor Centre, 2020.

The David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden

A view of a Japanese Garden. A small pond with a fountain sits in the bottom left of the frame. A groomed zen garden lies behind it. Green shrubs and small trees are planted behind the zen garden. The edge of a gazebo is seen in the far left of the picture. — The David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden, 1995.

A small zen garden is surrounded by tree hedges and trees. A small gazebo stands to the left of the garden. A wooden bench is situated underneath the gazebo. — The David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden, 2020.

The World of Trees Trail

A field of brown grass is in the foreground. In the distance, a group of four people walk along a path. A bridge going over a small river can be seen in the background. There are trees in the distance. — A group of people walking along the Trillium Trail, 1991.

A gravel path moves away from the viewer and into the distance over a bridge. The area on both sides of the path is green and filled with tall trees. — The Trillium Trail, 2020.

Staff Style

A group of summer students pose in front of a tree for a picture. Six individuals stand in the back while five sit on the ground in front. All are wearing summer attire and smiling at the camera. — Summer staff, 1978.

A group of Arboretum staff stand spread out in a field in rows. They all are wearing face masks and have their arms raised in the air. A concrete building with large glass windows stands behind them. — Arboretum staff picture, 2020.

Sweet gum tree

A young Sweet Gum tree with bright orange leaves stands in the foreground. Conifer trees in the background tower over the tree. — Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) tree.

A Sweet Gum tree stands tall in front of a backdrop of conifers. The Sweet Gum tree has bright orange leaves. — Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), 2020.

The Edna and Frank C. Miller English Garden

Two gardens shaped in half circles face each other. Each garden has a flower bed in the center and is outlined by rows of small green shrubs. Surrounding the gardens is a dirt path and another row of conifers. Some wooden arbors dot the row of conifers to provide entryway to the area. In the distance, a tall brown brick building can be seen above a forest. — The Edna and Frank C. Miller English Garden, 1998 (photo by Bob Liptrap).

A flower bed is circled by green shrubs. To the right there are two wooden benches facing each other. Tall confiders surround the perimeter of the garden. A wooden arbor provides an entryway to the garden through the wall of conifers. — The English Garden, 2020.

Garden Three of the Gosling Wildlife Gardens

Eight people sit on a picnic table in the background. The picnic table sits on a slab of concrete in the middle of a garden. The garden surrounding them is barren, only soil that has been ploughed for future plantings. — Arboretum staff in Garden Three of the Gosling Wildlife Gardens partway through the installation of the new Native Plants Garden, 2003.

A large green bush grows in front of a wooden fence. At the base of the bush is a long narrow steam surrounded by rocks and reed plants. — Garden Three of the Gosling Wildlife Gardens, 2020.

The land where The Arboretum now grows has been home to plants and animals for thousands of years. It was home to Indigenous peoples before settlers arrived. We recognize the Dish with One Spoon territory, the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Between the Lakes Treaty 3 lands on which the University of Guelph and The Arboretum now sit. We are honoured to work on and care for this land.