Completed in spring 2003, the Secret Garden of the Hintz Family Alumni Center has quickly become a popular respite for alumni and students alike. From class lectures to informal gatherings, the garden location has taken its place among the favorite green spaces on the University Park campus.

The Secret Garden, however, is just one part of a major renovation to the Alumni Center grounds. Two more gardens—the Water and Rainbow gardens—are currently under construction, with two additional gardens—the Obelisk and University House Terrace gardens—planned for future creation.

In September 2003, former Alumni Council member Cathy Rein ’65 Lib made a $100,000 gift to the Alumni Association to fund the Rainbow Garden, located in the southeast corner of the Alumni Center grounds. Framed by a wooden fence, the garden will soon be a horticultural showcase of plants and flowers.

Also under construction is the most complex of the gardens—the Water Garden. The new Water Garden will replace the former cement pond with a more naturalistic pond and stream. The garden will also boast a new limestone bridge named for the late Ridge Riley ’32 Lib, executive director of the Alumni Association from 1946–70. A gift from his daughter, Anne Riley ’64 Lib, a Penn State trustee and former Alumni Association president, supported the creation of Ridge’s Bridge.

Construction of the Alumni Gardens presents a distinctive learning opportunity for current Penn State students. While Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant plans and manages the garden projects, many horticulture and landscape contracting students do the work of installing the gardens. The work of students in creating this living legacy harkens back to the days when students—on the same site—helped to build the President’s House, known today as University House.

With the Rainbow and Water gardens in place by late spring, the Alumni Gardens will be 60 percent complete, leaving only two additional gardens to be funded by benefactors with the vision to complete the picture.

Together, the Hintz Family Alumni Center and the Alumni Gardens—complementing the historic University Park campus core—will compose one of the most beautiful facilities ever to grace a university campus.

Our Alumni Gardens Web cam now offers 24-hour views of the garden construction. Ridge’s Bridge—nearing completion—can now be seen by visiting http://www.alumni.psu.edu/hub/default.htm.