Formal Garden
Seasonal Color Changes
Every spring the Oklahoma State campus comes to life during the seasonal color change. The winter plants are replaced with hundreds of plants and flowers from the OSU greenhouses. The first step is our design, which is planned months in advance. During the fall we start looking for the plants that will best fit into the color and textural patterns we have planned. The plants arrive in very tiny plugs, and the greenhouse management team pots them and grows them to be ready to plant in the spring. We spend several days each spring planting the Formal Garden, along with our other seasonal color pots and beds. Daily care is required to keep everything looking lush and colorful.
Landscape Plant List
Common Name: 'Kaleidoscope' Abelia
Botanical Name: Abelia×grandiflora
Common Name: Josephs Coat
Botanical Name: Alternanthera ficoidea
Common Name: Titan™ Pure White Vinca
Botanical Name: Catharanthus roseus
Common Name: Kelos® Fire Orange Celosia
Botanical Name: Celosia argentea
Common Name: Royal Hawaiian® Waikiki Colocasia
Botanical Name: Colocasia esculenta 'Waikiki' PP34615
Common Name: Cardoon
Botanical Name: Cynara cardunculus
Common Name: Silver Falls™ Dichondra
Botanical Name: Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls'
Common Name: Beacon® Orange Impatiens
Botanical Name: Impatiens walleriana 'PAS1377331'
Common Name: Firepower Heavenly Bamboo
Botanical Name: Nandina domestica
Common Name: Fountain Grass
Botanical Name: Pennisetum×'First Knight'
Common Name: Cascadias™ Iceberg
Botanical Name: Petunia×hybrida
Common Name: Vista® Snowdrift Supertunia®
Botanical Name: Petunia×hybrida 'BBTUN04401'
Common Name: Purslane
Botanical Name: Portulaca oleracea 'Balriog'
Common Name: Black Patent Leather Coleus
Botanical Name: Solenstemon scutellarioides
Common Name: Bells of Fire™ Tecoma
Botanical Name: Tecoma stans 'TEC6010916' PP24170
Common Name: 'Westmont' Arborvitae
Botanical Name: Thuja orientalis
Donate a Brick
Oklahoma State University 100 Year Monument & Time Capsule
This granite monument holds two time capsules and is located on the east side of the Formal Gardens. The garden has colorful flowerbeds, dedicated bricks, and benches.
This monument is dedicated to the alumni and students who have attended Oklahoma State University during it's first 100 Years
Dedicated 14 December 1990
This monument houses two time capsules sealed during the Centennial Celebration
One Capsule is to be opened during the University's Sesquicentennial
One Capsule is to be opened during the University's Bicentennial
Designed and built by the OSU Construction Management Society
Formal Garden Plaque for the 1998 Reconstruction
The Formal Gardens had their beginnings in 1947. Mr. Bryan Thompson began remaking the area north of College Avenue (University) in conjunction with the plans for the new Student Union Building. Much of Mr. Thompson's initial work on the Formal Gardens was completed during the 1947 and 1948 school years.
The Formal Gardens were originally located according to the plans for the new Student Union Building. When the building was moved north to avoid conflict with the Chemistry Building (now Paul Miller Journalism and Broadcasting), the result was that the Gardens were constructed off-center with the Union tower.
The resulting asymmetry has been corrected with this restoration. The Gardens before you are the result of a cooperative effort between the Student Government Association and Physical Plant Services in recapturing the essence of the dream. We are thankful to the many donors that have freely given to bring about this restoration.
Student Government Association
Physical Plant Services
October 31, 1998
Oklahoma State University Bicentennial/tricentennial Time Capsule
1976
With strong faith in a glorious future for our Nation and our University, the OSU Bicentennial Minutemen have established a trust fund in this our Country's Bicentennial year in the enclosed time capsule shall be opened and the trust used to insure continued freedom and prosperity for the Oklahoma State University.
2076
