Featured
Cultural Connection
Ghost Fern and Bloodroot: Plants with Spooky Names
Take a quick tour of spooky names of plants in our collection, which pay tribute to the scary and thrilling traditions around Halloween.
In the News
Botanic Gardens’ Director to Retire
Christopher Dunn led the university’s living museum through changes that made it more focused on mission and impactful beyond the Cornell campus.
News
Library’s ‘plant-based’ exhibit opens Sept. 18 with talk, reception
Emily Detrick, MPS '16, director of horticulture, inspired a new exhibit at Cornell University Library titled “Plant-Based: Botanical Innovations from Paper to Poison.”
Upcoming Events
Event
November 14, 2025:
Guided Mindfulness Meditation with Let's Meditate at the Cornell Botanic Gardens at Brian C. Nevin Welcome Center
All are welcome to join this free, guided meditation session, led by Travis Winter, LCSW, in partnership with Cornell Botanic Gardens and the Nature Rx Initative. This...
Event
December 6, 2025:
Wreaths and Winter Greens at Brian C. Nevin Welcome Center
Join us for a tour of the Mullestein Winter Garden and make an evergreen wreath to take home in this special holiday program. Students in our Learning by Leading program will...
Event
December 19, 2025:
Plants and the Winter Solstice at Brian C. Nevin Welcome Center
As the sun reaches its lowest arc in our sky, signaling the longest night (and shortest daytime) of the year, come join us for a special tour of the Mullestein Winter Garden....
Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' (the Cayuga Nation), members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
Cornell Botanic Gardens embraces and actively works to increase diversity among all the communities with which we engage.
News
Medicinal garden at Onondaga Nation School grows opportunityStudents in the Learning by Leading program engaged extensively with the Onondaga Nation School on native plants and design ideas.
Our Gardens and Natural Areas
We are responsible for the natural beauty of the Cornell University campus including cultivated gardens, an arboretum, and natural areas. Together these comprise one-third of campus, and with off-campus natural areas, a total of 3,600 acres.
What to see in fall
Fall is a magical time with stunning vistas of fall foliage, ripening produce in our vegetable garden, and ornamental grasses and late-blooming flowers.