Vassar College Arboretum

Vassar College, New York, United States

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Vassar College Arboretum in Poughkeepsie, New York, began its development in 1865 with initial plantings supervised by founder Matthew Vassar on what was once a nearly treeless campus.

Over time, the arboretum grew with contributions from horticulturists and botanists, including Edith A. Roberts who formally initiated it in 1925 along with distinguished landscape architects like Beatrix Farrand who helped expand its design.

The arboretum encompasses over 2,200 trees representing more than 170 species scattered across the expansive 1,000-acre campus, which includes a native plant preserve and a large ecological preserve. It features the second oldest Shakespeare Garden in the United States, established in 1916, showcasing plants mentioned in Shakespeare's works, as well as an outdoor ecological laboratory founded in 1920 dedicated to native plant communities.

The campus grounds combine historical landscape architecture with ongoing conservation and educational efforts, where class tree-planting traditions began in 1868 and continue as a living homage to the college's environmental values. The arboretum is an integral part of the campus's identity, blending aesthetics, history, and environmental stewardship.​