Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Garden

About Us:

The Littlefield Garden was founded in the early 1960s by Lyle E. Littlefield, then Professor of Horticulture. Today the Littlefield Garden is an integral part of the Environmental Horticulture Program. The mission of the facility is to obtain, plant, and evaluate as wide a range as possible of ornamental plants with potential for use in the northern landscape. Over the last four decades, the Littlefield Garden has amassed a collection of over 2,500 woody and herbaceous plants. Major focus collections exist within the overall collection as follows; crabapple varieties, lilacs, rhododendrons, magnolias, and many more smaller species. All plants in the Littlefield Garden receive extensive evaluation for winter hardiness, ornamental characteristics, cultural requirements, and overall potential for the landscape. The extensive collections provide the University community and the public with a valuable resource for the study and observation of a wide variety of ornamental plants.