About the garden...
The garden was started in 1984 by Horticulture faculty members Robert Lyons and Robert McDuffie. Many people over the years have contributed to the garden: students, faculty, staff, community volunteers, nursery and greenhouse growers, landscapers, and so many more. Many garden components and structures have been designed and built by Hort faculty and students. The current garden, including new construction, covers 5.8 acres. It was renamed the Hahn Horticulture Garden in November 2004 in honor of Peggy L. Hahn, in thanks for the generous gift and bequest for expansion from T. Marshall and Peggy Hahn. The garden features hundreds of species of woody and herbaceous plants from around the world showcased in various features: a multi-acre shade garden, “hot” perennial border, spectrum mixed border, xeriphytic garden, two water features including the Jane Andrews Memorial Stream Garden, Pavilion tent lawn and folly, meadow garden (new in 2008), Peggy Lee Hahn Garden Pavilion (special event facility and staff offices).
Mission of the Garden:
The mission of the Hahn Horticulture Garden is three-fold. 1) As part of the inclusive Virginia Tech community, the HHG provides experiential and service learning opportunities for students as it serves as a living laboratory for instructional faculty and staff, to better serve the landscape, nursery, and public horticulture sectors; 2) we strive to enrich and enlighten both youth and adults of our community and region with diverse educational programs; 3) we apply sustainable horticultural and environmental principles in the acquisition and dynamic display of plants from the world over.
Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.
-Frank Lloyd Wright
Staff:
Dr. Holly Scoggins, Associate Professor, Dept. of Horticulture, and Director since 2002
Stephanie Huckestein, Education and Outreach Coordinator (previously head horticulturist)
Paul Chumbley, Horticulturist
Dabney Blanton, Horticulturist
Dr. Alex Niemiera, woody plants curator
Other staff and helpers includes two summer student interns, various student workers during school year, community volunteers.
Partnership with Master Gardeners: New River Valley Master Gardeners have helped fulfill their volunteer hours helping maintain the garden since 1987; the garden hosts the state Master Gardener College finale picnic complete with a plant sale for attendees. Holly and Stephanie both teach the Master Gardener training courses. Many Master Gardeners in turn are members of the Friends of the Garden.
Undergraduate courses that use the Garden: Herbaceous Landscape Plants I & II, Woody Landscape Plants I & II, Landscape Construction, Landscape Installation and Maintenance, Public Gardens Maintenance & Mgt., Plant Propagation, Small-Scale Design. Other departments/colleges: Entomology, Plant Pathology, Weed Science, Urban Forestry, Crop and Soil Science, Landscape Architecture, Art
Support for operations and maintenance: The Garden is self-sufficient; funding comes from donations to the Friends of the Garden membership program, educational workshops and seminars, special events such as our annual Garden Gala, gifts of plants and supplies from the green industry, revenues from weddings held at the garden, income from the annual plant sale, and outright gifts. Brains and brawn for maintaining, upgrading, and developing garden areas and collections are provided by garden personnel as well as Horticulture students, faculty, and volunteers from the community.
Phone: (540) 231-5970
Mailing address:
Hahn Horticulture Garden
Department of Horticulture, Virginia Tech
301 Saunders Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061
e-mail vtgarden at vt dot edu