There is seasonal beauty all year long at the Connecticut College Arboretum, and visitors are welcome year-round. Dogs are welcome on a leash. The 750 diverse acres of the Arboretum include the landscaped grounds of the college campus as well as the surrounding plant collections, nature areas and managed landscapes. The three major collections for visitors to visit are the Campus, the Native Plant Collection, and the Caroline Black Garden. More than 200 different species and varieties from all over the world form the basis of the Campus collection with beautiful landscaping surrounding classic buildings, combines with views of the Thames River and Long Island Sound. The 25-acre Native Plant Collection is located on Williams Street and offers easy walking paths, more than 300 kinds of woody plants, and a four-acre pond as well as numerous collections including a conifer collection, a legume collection, a wildflower garden, and much more. Located across from the campus off of Rte. 32, visitors will find the Caroline Black Garden which is an assemblage of the finest species and varieties of trees and shrubs for landscaping. Features include a small stream and pool, unusually mature conifers, the Johnson Holly Collection and Harrison Entry Planting. The Arboretum Association offers educational programs for children and adults throughout the year, an annual photography contest, and many more opportunities for those interested in the natural world.

Tour time: 1.5 hour