The dream of the gardens.

The Ricks College Horticulture Demonstration Garden was the dream of horticulture instructor Kim Black. In the late 1970's he submitted a proposal to the college requesting 10 acres of land east of the Ezra Taft Benson Building, then the Life Science/Agriculture Building.

He wanted to give practical experience to students in horticulture classes and offer educational demonstrations for the community and the Horticulture industry. 

A living laboratory for class work.

Construction began on the gardens in 1977. The original ten-acre site was primarily pasture land with some cultivated cropland. Since then, the Horticulture Demonstration Gardens have grown to become the largest research and display garden in Eastern Idaho. 

The gardens are constantly changing. Each year a new feature is added. Throughout the years, students in the Landscape Horticulture program have designed, built, and maintained all of the major features. During fall and winter semesters, students in the Advanced Landscape Design class work on designing the new feature.

The addition may be a new gazebo, a reflection pond, or a new foot bridge. Whatever the project, students are responsible for developing the conceptual design image of the new section of the gardens.

During the summer, those plans on paper are transferred into lumber, stone, and plants as the landscape construction class goes to work. Thus, the Horticulture Demonstration Gardens grow, and will continue to expand each year.

The purpose of the Gardens is many.

 Although used by the entire school and surrounding communities, the garden was originally established to facilitate outdoor teaching for the Landscape Horticulture Department at Ricks College. More recently, it has been completely revised and is now the Thomas E Ricks Horticulture Demonstration Gardens, a main focal point of the BYU Idaho Campus.

The entire garden has been designed, constructed, and maintained by faculty, staff and students in the department. Over the years many other campus departments, wards, clubs and community members have used the gardens for many activities. Many students perform service in planting and maintaining the beautiful beds of flowers, shrubs, and trees.

Features

Some features in the garden are water falls and ponds, the "Beaver's Den", a picnic shelter, the "Lion's Court" gazebo reception area, test gardens, fruit tree orchard, flower beds, native garden, and more. Approximately 10 outdoor wedding receptions are held in the garden each summer. Each year more features are added and the garden continues to grow.  The Lions Court and Picnic Pavillion may be reserved for weddings, company parties, and reunions by contacting the BYU Idaho scheduling office at 208 496-2248