Species List
In 2024, Butler University partnered with the Indiana Native Plant Society to design and replant 12 flowerbeds with all Indiana native plantings. The designs created by Coralie Palmer, Elise Hagan, and Sarah Gray pay homage to the history of the space, utilizing the original bed numbering from the 1948 designs, incorporating many of the plant species used in the two previous renditions, and capturing the aesthetic of the 1948 gardens while emphasizing biodiversity and ecological health.
The 2024 flowerbeds were carefully designed to consider cohesion, year-round interest, biodiversity, and interspecies relations. Firstly, to keep the gardens cohesive, a consistent “backbone” of plants can be found in each bed. All flowerbeds offer year-round interest by combining plants that bloom in different seasons. Biodiversity is enhanced by incorporating keystone species and prioritizing variety at the family and genus levels. Lastly, thoughtful plant pairings were made, considering how species thrive together above and below the soil, fostering strong interspecies relationships.
The 13th and final flower bed was designed by Jacob Gretencord, Manager of Grounds and Landscaping, and planted in 2025 thanks to a generous grant from the Indianapolis Garden Club. This bed, partially encircling the beautiful Persephone statue, builds upon the garden aesthetics established in beds 1-12, continues the use of Indiana native plants, and mimics the layered characteristics of native ecosystems.