Arboretum History
Arboretum History
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.

Plant Collections

Header image: The World of Trees Flying Fish Bridge, 2020

Plant collections are an integral part of The Arboretum – They compose it entirely! Plant collections development at the Arboretum is a long-term effort that is guided by the Arboretum Master Plan and is also constantly growing, shifting, and responding to conditions, uses, and pests or threats. The first collection development plan was established in 1970 and updated in 1986 and again as part of the master plan in 2004. Our collections have grown and changed over time as our context has evolved.

The Arboretum currently has 26 different plant collections. Our plant collections have grown and flourished after decades of planning, preparation and nurturing. These collections were strategically established for teaching, research and aesthetic purposes.

Some of our plant collections include the Oak and Beech Collection, the Birch Family Collection, the Maple Collection, the Dwarf Conifer Collection, the Native Trees of Ontario, the Lilac Collection and much more.

To learn more about the plant collections at The Arboretum, visit the Plant Collections page on The Arboretum’s main website.

A gravel path cuts through a green field. On the far side of the path there is a small group of saplings in front of a well-established forest.

The Honeysuckle Collection near Entrance Road, 1984.

Small willow trees grow on the edge of a pond.

The Willow Collection near the Willow Pond, 1984.

Large conifer trees' branches are coated in snow. The sky behind them is cloudy and grey.

The Conifer Collection, 2005.

A grove of birch trees and their white bark contrasts the green grass around them.

The Birch Family Collection, 2015.

A grove of Rosaceae trees bloom bright pink, magenta, and cream coloured flowers.

The Rosaceae Collection, 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.