University of Delaware Botanic Gardens

The University of Delaware Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden located on the university campus in Newark that features multiple themed garden sections. These areas showcase different plant families and growing styles arranged throughout the grounds.

The gardens began in the mid-1960s with the creation of Clark Garden in front of Townsend Hall, named after donor Emily Clark Diffenback. This initial planting area served as the foundation for the broader botanical spaces that developed on campus over time.

The gardens serve as a living classroom where visitors can stroll through plantings arranged by family and growing habit, observing how different species are grouped together. These outdoor spaces support teaching and research activities that happen throughout the year on the university grounds.

The gardens are open daily from sunrise to sunset with no admission fee required. Mowed pathways make walking through the different sections easy and comfortable for all visitors.

A specialized trail features markers that help visitors identify caterpillars and the plants they prefer to eat. This pathway connects to ongoing research efforts that track local butterfly populations across the seasons.