The Arboretum Serves as a Living, Breathing Outdoor Classroom
Undoubtedly, the Arboretum's mature trees, ornamental plants, and variety of gardens look gorgeous in all seasons. Still, most importantly, as one of five arboretums recognized in Spartanburg County, it gives SCC horticulture students a hands-on place to learn.
Located on the SCC Giles Campus, the Arboretum showcases unique gardens, trees, and plants and educates former, current, and future horticulture students. It's also important in the regional horticulture industry, serving as a place for community members to learn about the diversity of hardy plants in the Piedmont region and southeast. Students who have completed this program have gone on to work at prestigious locations like Biltmore Estates and Walt Disney World.
Horticulture Gardens Include:
Asian Garden
Cabeanna Gardena
George & Sissy Stone International Peace Garden
Sally Barre James Plant Zoo
Xeric Garden
HortTube segment with host Jim Putnam and SCC Arboretum Director Kevin Parris
Bi-Annual Plant Sale
Every year, there are two plant sales (one in the fall and one in the spring) at the Horticultre Greenhouses. Tip: Be sure to get there early for the best selection!
All Ornamentals are Now Mapped and Labeled!
Spartanburg Community College Foundation (SCCF) is excited to announce that the project to map and label all ornamental horticulture specimens at the Spartanburg Community College (SCC) Arboretum is finished!
The project utilizes PlantsMap to create an accessible online map of the college’s arboretum, and enable future plantings to replace the $500,000 in ornamental horticulture destroyed by a tornado on October 23, 2017.
This project was made possible by a $5,000 grant from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. Local sources provided a $5,000 match, bringing the total project funding to $10,000.
SCC’s Giles campus is the most diverse arboretum in the Upstate. The SCC Horticulture Department has worked tirelessly to install a variety of gardens and provide students with opportunities to design and create horticultural spaces.
Horticulture classes are held onsite and students develop, plant, and maintain the gardens as part of the curriculum. Through this process, students graduate skilled in ornamental horticulture practices.
Arboretum Events
SCC hosts several events throughout the year celebrating, sharing, and fundraising for the Arboretum, as well as the School of Horticulture and its programs.
