Arboretum

Haverford College is committed to providing equal access and strives to maintain a barrier-free environment. We provide a detailed map of the campus with accessible parking and buildings.

Campus Map

An Arboretum is a living museum of trees cultivated for scientific and educational purposes. All 216 acres of campus are a part of the Haverford College Arboretum. The offices of Arboretum staff are located in the Facilities Management Building Complex on the South end of campus.

We have many ways to honor a loved one at the Arboretum. Dedicated benches are available starting at $7,500 and trees can be planted starting at $3,000. There is also the option to adopt a tree on campus for $1,500. For more information please email arbor [at] haverford.edu

We support a wide variety of plant material on campus and have an exceptionally large array of oaks, witch hazels, and holly specimens. Our searchable collection database is viewable to the public.

View collections database

Stay up to date with Arboretum programming and volunteer opportunities by registering for our eNews. We send out monthly updates to our online community.

Register for eNews

Haverford College Arboretum is the oldest planned collegiate landscape in the nation dating back to 1834.

Check out the full history timeline

We at the College recognize that we live and work on Lenape land, and pay respect and honor to the caretakers of this land, from the time of its first human inhabitants until now, and into the future. We seek to maintain and build upon our current and ever-evolving connections with members of Lenape tribes and communities, in recognition of our intertwined histories and with a goal of moving toward the right relationship between the Haverford of today and Lenape peoples.

Join us! Members are the cornerstone of our thriving Arboretum. With your help, we can remain a living laboratory for the campus community, and a vital green oasis for our friends and neighbors. Arboretum outreach, programming, and volunteer activities continue to expand because of our generous members!

Learn about our membership levels

Parking is permitted in only the Visitor Parking Lot on Monday through Friday (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.). Outside of those hours, parking is permitted in other campus lots. The Visitor Lot can be accessed via Woods Road.

Read more about parking

All pets must be kept leashed at all times. Pets are not allowed on the athletic fields. All pet waste must be properly disposed of in a trash can.

Wedding, family, engagement, and portrait photography are permitted, but permission must be obtained. Requests should go through the College of Communications (hcnews [at] haverford.edu) and must be approved at least thirty (30) days prior to the session. Drone photography is not permitted on campus.

We strive to plant a majority of native plant material. Plantings done in the center of campus need to be 70% native with cultivars allowed. Planting done in our natural areas needs to be straight species native.

Read our full plant collection policy

The Arboretum features a wide variety of educational programs. Members receive a $5 discount on programs from the non-member price. All of our programs can be registered for on Eventbrite

Register for programs

Public restrooms can be found on the ground floor of the Whitehead Campus Center during normal business hours. The Lutnick Library is also open from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday to visitors.

We ask that you are respectful while visiting Haverford College Arboretum. This includes:

• No bike riding on the Nature Trail
• Dispose of all waste and litter properly in trash cans or recycle bins
• No climbing on trees (except the climbing tree) or walking in flower beds
• Do not harvest plant material (this includes flowers, leaves, fruit, and seeds)
• Please be respectful of staff/faculty, students, volunteers, other visitors, and the grounds

The Arboretum has seven full-time employees including four horticulturists, a director, a curator, and a program coordinator. We also work closely with the Haverfarm manager and the seven members of the grounds department who care for our turf and athletic fields.

View staff bios and contact information

Sustainable efforts at Haverford are shared between the President’s Office, the Arboretum, the Council on Sustainability and Social Responsibility (CSSR), and the Committee for Environmental Responsibility (CER). We are proud to have many sustainable initiatives on campus and plan to be carbon-neutral by 2033.

Read about our sustainability efforts

Guided tours of the grounds are offered seasonally as a part of our program lineup (price varies). Private tours are also available at $15 a person and must be scheduled according to staff availability (Monday - Friday). Group tours (garden clubs, schools, etc.) of 10+ people are also available at $10 per person and these are typically coordinated with at least three months notice. If you are interested in more information regarding tour opportunities please contact Jennie at jciborowsk [at] haverford.edu

We have horticulture volunteers during the growing season (April - October) every other Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Occasionally there are also volunteer opportunities outside of these times. We are extremely grateful for all the work our volunteers put into the garden and appreciate their service. If you are interested in volunteering, feel free to sign up for a session on Eventbrite and/or fill out our volunteer application.

All wedding rentals are handled through the Administrative Auxiliary Services department. Please contact hc-events [at] haverford.edu with any inquiries.