Botanical Gardens
About the Gardens
Immerse yourself in the beauty of our botanical gardens, located in the heart of Tampa, Florida. Spanning over 16 acres, our gardens boast a rich collection of exotic plants from around the world, as well as native flora and fauna that are unique to the region.
Our mission is to promote environmental conservation and education through our programs and events. Stay connected with our community of plant lovers, share your passion for nature, and participate in our initiatives to protect and preserve our precious botanical heritage.
We invite you to embark on a journey of discovery and inspiration at the Botanical Gardens at the University of South Florida. Come explore, learn, and connect with the wonders of the plant world through our website. Welcome to a world of botanical beauty and knowledge!
HISTORY OF THE USF BOTANICAL GARDENS
Yesterday
When the USF Botanical Gardens was established in 1969, the Gardens were little more than disturbed woodlands, Lake Behnke was essentially a marshy wetland, Fowler Avenue was a two-lane road and the surrounding commercial development did not exist. There were few mature trees and very few people knew this small jewel existed. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the Gardens served primarily as a teaching and research facility for the Biology Department at the University and its function as a public garden was non-existent.
Nearly all of the mature trees now found at the Gardens were planted in the early 1970’s. Most of the tropical palms and flowering trees froze in 1977 and again in 1983, but the natives escaped unscathed. Replanting of the tropicals and the addition of other natives has been an ongoing process since the beginning. Our structures also came about in the 1970’s. The greenhouses were moved from a nearby police station to their present location on-site, and the gardens were enclosed by fencing. A concrete block building was created to serve as a potting shed and storage structure.
Today
The Gardens experienced tremendous growth beginning in the 1990s when it was opened to the public. The addition of new structures, demonstration gardens and plant collections began in earnest. Volunteer and membership programs were established as well as the semi-annual plant festivals. These efforts were quite successful, providing funds to hire part-time staff and make improvements to the Gardens' facilities.
The Plant Shop was established in 1994, increasing the visibility of the Gardens and this served to attract many new members and visitors as well as additional funds for the Gardens' development. Plant festivals, Plant Shop sales, and memberships and donations became an important source of revenue.
New visitors from around the world discover the USF Botanical Gardens daily and we have become an important outreach component of USF. What began as a very modest exercise in 1959 has grown into something quite substantial.
Extended Botanical Gardens History
When the USF Botanical Gardens was established in 1969, the Gardens were little more than wilderness, Lake Behnke was small and marsh-like, Fowler Avenue was a two-lane road and the University Mall did not exist. There were no pine trees, only native live oaks and turkey oaks. Very few people knew this small jewel existed. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Gardens served primarily as a teaching and research facility for the Biology Department at the University and was first located near the Police Station.
In the early 1970s, many of the temperate, subtropical and tropical trees and shrubs seen in the Garden today were planted. The greenhouses were moved from near the police station to their present location on site and the Gardens was fenced. A concrete block structure was built to serve as a potting shed and storage structure. This was later remodeled for use as an office building.
During the late 1970s and 1980s, the palm garden was established and the wetland forest and sand scrub beds were planted. The conservatory was built as a venue for classes and workshops and to display flowering specimens from the Garden's plant collections.
The Gardens experienced tremendous growth beginning in the 1990s, with the building of new structures and demonstration gardens. As a result, many new visitors have discovered the USFBG. The Plant Festivals attract plant enthusiasts from around the state to shop for rare and unusual plants. The Gardens serve as an important outreach component of USF. It is a portal the University with an estimated 35,000 visitors annually. Visitors to the Gardens have come from over 70 cities in Florida, 31 states, and 13 countries.
Today, the Gardens are part of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy in the College of Arts & Sciences. It consists of approximately 7 acres of developed gardens connected to an additional 6-9 acres of greenbelt area to the north on the southwest corner of the USF Tampa campus. The Gardens maintains a living collection of over 3,000 taxa of plants and natural habitats including: fruit trees, grasses, begonias, orchids, bromeliads, palms, aroids, gingers, carnivorous plants, cycads, cactus and succulent plants, an herb and scent garden, wetland forest, temperate forest, subtropical shade garden, and Florida upland scrub and sandhill habitats.