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Patterson Garden Arboretum

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Canada - Saskatchewan - Saskatoon

Institution Code: SASP

BGCI Member: No

Patterson Garden Arboretum
Patterson Garden Arboretum

About the Patterson Garden Arboretum

Patterson Gardens Arboretum

The University's Arboretum was established in 1966 and contains one of the most diverse collections of trees, shrubs, and vines in the Prairie Provinces. Species from northern regions of the world as well as historic cultivars developed by pioneer plant breeders are on display. All specimens are labeled with common and scientific names. An invaluable reference for horticulture and botany, the picturesque site is also used for photography, field trips, and strolls.

The Arboretum is located in zone 2b of the hardiness zones of Canada, experiencing a sunny continental climate with cold snowy winters and hot summers. Despite climatic extremes many woody plants thrive here, responding to well-defined seasons and long hours of summer sunshine.

The Arboretum began as a trial site in the 1960s, testing the adaptability of various trees, shrubs and vines to prairie conditions. The site was part of an ambitious prairie-wide experiment Prairie Regional Trials for Woody Ornamentals (PRTWO) coordinated by the Morden Research Station in Manitoba. The Saskatoon component of the experiment is significant as it experiences some of the coldest and hottest weather in the region. Although the PRTWO experiment ended in the year 2000, the arboretum remains a site of experimentation as new species are added annually while the original trees continue to mature.

The collection is curated and maintained by the Horticulture Field Facility of the Department of Plant Sciences, with some assistance from Meewasin Valley Authority.

The Arboretum is named in honour of Dr. Cecil F. Patterson, first head of the Department of Horticulture (now part of the Department of Plant Sciences) at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Patterson served the University for nearly fourty years and was instrumental in bringing horticulture to the people of the region, serving as professor, extension specialist, and plant breeder. One of Dr. Patterson's plum cultivars, 'Patterson Pride', has been planted in the Arboretum.

Patterson Garden Arboretum is a garden attraction of Canada's Garden Route. It is nearby to the campus area and is open to the public throughout the year, free of charge, from sunrise to sunset.

Main Address:
Patterson Garden Arboretum
University of Saskatchewan Department of Plant Sciences
51 Campus Drive
Saskatoon
Saskatchewan S7N OWO Canada

Telephone: (306) 966-5855
Fax: (306) 966-5015
URL: www.usask.ca
Primary Email: jackie.bantle@usask.ca

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: Dr. Yuguang Bai, Professor and Department Head
    Curator's Name: Jackie Bantle, Horticulture Facilities Manager
    Plant Records Officer's Name: Alan Weninger
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 2
    Educational Staff Number:
    Research Staff Number:
    Administration Staff Number:

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: Private: No
    Status: State: No
    Status: Educational: Yes
    Status: Municipal: No
    Status: Satellite: No
    Status: Trust: No
  • Date founded: 1966
  • Physical Data
  • Natural Vegetation Area: Yes
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
    Landscaped Area: Size: 2 Hectares
  • Total Area: 2 Hectares
    Latitude: 52.12856
    Longitude: -106.62153
    Annual Rainfall: 347 mm
    Altitude: 482.00 Metres
  • Locality: Information
  • Locality: Garden Name: Patterson Garden Arboretum
  • Local Address: Department of Plant Sciences 51 Campus Drive University of Saskatchewan S7N 5A8
  • Locality: City: Saskatoon
  • Locality: State: Saskatchewan,Canada

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: No
    Arboretum: Yes
    Arboretum Size: 2
  • Micropropagation/ Tissue Culture Facilities: No
    Seed Bank: No
    Published Plant Catalogue: No
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: Yes
    Friends society: No
    Retail Outlet: Shop: No
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: No
    Disabled access: Yes

Plant Collections

  • Accession Number: 775
  • Special Collections:The Arboretum is an excellent reference collection with both commonly cultivated and rare species.

    The largest family group by species is the rose family (Rosaceae), which includes the familiar horticultural plants rose, potentilla, spiraea, crabapple, hawthorn, plum, cherry, mountainash, and cotoneaster, as well as uncommon genera such as Prinsepia, Sorbaria, and Aronia .

    The second largest group are the pine family (Pinaceae), with pine, spruce, larch, fir, Douglas fir and hemlock. The cypress family (Cupressaceae) is the third largest group, containing mostly species and cultivars of juniper and arborvitae (Thuja). This is followed by the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) and the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) containing maple and buckeye.

    The collection includes many species of oak, birch, walnut, linden, ash, willow, poplar, euonymus, dogwood, currant, and clematis.

    Cultivars and selections are best represented in the lilacs (Syringa), followed by roses and juniper. There are also many cultivars of crabapple, eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and potentilla.
  • Invasive Species Monitoring: Yes
    Invasive Species Policy: No
    ABS Policy: No
    Plant Collection Policy: No

Conservation Programmes

  • Conservation Programme: No
    Medicinal Plant Programme: No
    Ex Situ Conservation Programme: No
    Reintroduction Programme: No

Research Programmes

  • Biotechnology: No
    Plant Breeding: No
    Conservation - Biology: No
    Conservation - Genetics: No
    Data Management Systems and Information Technology: No
    Ecology: No
    Ecosystem Conservation: No
    Education: Yes
    Ethnobotany: No
    Exploration: No
    Floristics: No
    Horticulture: Yes
    Invasive Species Biology and Control: No
    Molecular Genetics: No
    Pollination Biology: No
    Restoration Ecology: No
    Seed/Spore Biology: No
    Systematics and Taxonomy: No
    Sustainability: No
    Pharmacology: No
    Agriculture: No
    Land Restoration: No
    Urban Environments: No

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: No
    Education Signs in Garden: No
    Public Lectures/Talks: No
    Education Booklets/Leaflets: No
    Guided Tours: Yes
    Permanent Public Displays: No
    Special Exhibitions: No
    Courses for School Children: No
    Courses for University/College Students: Yes
    Courses for General Public: No
    Education Programme: No