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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

Donate a Brick

The Formal Garden Plaza is one of the most photographed locations on the OSU campus located in front of the Student Union and Library. 
Show your support for the OSU Formal Gardens or pay tribute to a loved one by purchasing a brick in the formal garden plaza.

Oklahoma State University 100 Year Monument & Time Capsule

100 Year Monument Formal Garden

 

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

Formal Garden Story

 

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

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

 

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