Beauty, Education and Conservation

Wallace Landscape Associates Inc is excited to announce our newest collaborative endeavor.  Principal Landscape Architect Laura Miller has been chosen to partner with Studio Outside, a Dallas, TX based Landscape Architecture firm, to create a master plan for the renovation of the University’s Botanic Gardens (UDBG).

The University has appointed Studio Outside to lead the master plan process.  Award winning landscape architect Laura Miller of Wallace Landscape Associates Inc was appointed to be part of the Studio Outside team and will be the local landscape architect specializing in plant material and horticulture.

The University of Delaware’s Botanic Gardens is a little know gem and tremendous resource to the community.  With the goal of attracting more visitors and awareness to its facilities, the University has decided to invest in a comprehensive master plan that would encompass the existing 12 gardens on fifteen acres of university land.

The University of Delaware Botanic Gardens began in the late 1950’s with the planting of specimen trees and shrubs around Townsend Hall at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). Over time the gardens were expanded to serve the University of Delaware’s community and the broader public.

In 1992 the name ‘University of Delaware Botanic Gardens’ was adopted and in 2006, the Dean of CANR officially recognized the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens and appointed its first Director, Dr. John Frett. Click here to see map.

The mission of the new UD Botanic Garden’s master plan, in addition to raising awareness, is to increase stewardship and love of the natural and built environment via education.  Education is a vital element of the UD Botanic Garden’s mission. At its core, the Botanic Gardens is a research center, laboratory, and a classroom where students can study plant biology, botany, plant pathology, landscape design, ornamental horticulture, and entomology through observational learning. It also maintains a diverse plant collection that has more than 3,000 species and cultivars of perennials, shrubs, and trees. Focusing on this key goal and developing engaging relevant and innovative range of programs will be vital to the successful master planning process.

In the near future, the Botanic Gardens hopes to expand its plant-based research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) and related fields of study and further grow its educational and informational programs to faculty, students, landscape professionals and the general public.

Laura Miller

Laura Miller, RLA

Laura has over 25 years of experience as a landscape architect creating unique environments in Delaware, southern Chester County and the Main Line. Her ability to integrate cultural and landscape palates as well as her keen awareness of how people use space enable her to create distinctive visually appealing landscapes. Her understanding and love of plant material and ecology play a significant role in her designs and set her apart as a landscape architect. To find out more about Laura click here.