Patterson Garden Arboretum
South East corner of Preston Ave N. and College Drive
Named in honour of the University of Saskatchewan's first head of Horticulture, Dr. Cecil F. Patterson, Patterson Arboretum hosts an impressive collection of approximately one thousand trees, shrubs and woody vines, with many rare species and historic cultivars. Established in 1966, the arboretum was created to test the hardiness and adaptability of trees and shrubs to the local conditions. Now almost sixty years old, it stands as a testament to the forethought and curiosity of its original founders, a theme that continues today as dozens of species are planted each year.
With a backbone of venerable specimen trees and new plantings in between, the arboretum is a pleasant place to stroll and learn. Visitors frequently notice the Chinese catalpa Catalpa ovata near the front entrance, and a Kentucky coffee tree Gymnocladus dioica in the rows. For seekers of the rare, there are specimens of Rock elm Ulmus thomasii, American smoketree Cotinus obovatus, Needle fir Abies holophylla, and Fernbush Chamaebatiaria millefolium, to name a few.
Written by Alan Weninger, Dept. of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan
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