A student takes time out to relax under the ginkgo tree in Jackson's Garden. A persistently hardy species that features fan-shaped leaves that burst into spectacular golden hues in autumn, the ginkgo is the most distinctive element of the historic gardens.
When Isaac Jackson began to meticulously cultivate a garden on the College grounds in the mid-19th century, one of the exotic pieces he included was a small shrub of a ginkgo tree from Japan.
A persistently hardy species that features fan-shaped leaves that burst into spectacular golden hues in autumn, the ginkgo is considered a living fossil as its origin dates back to the days of dinosaurs.
Nearly two centuries after the ginkgo tree took root on campus, the striking specimen is the most distinctive element of the historic gardens.
The thick, gnarled branches create a perfect study spot for students or an inviting climb for children. Faculty and staff often sit on the bench under the nearly 100-foot tree to take a pause from their day.
The tree was a popular destination after the U.S. presidential election and finals week, offering respite to visitors.
“The tree is special to me because of all the memories it has created,” said Joe Conti, grounds manager. “Hundreds of people, if not more, have taken a cherished photo in front of it. I have taken pictures by it with my children. Sitting on the bench can be a serene moment in an otherwise hectic day. There is a certain calm that is felt when one rests in the presence of nature.”
So how did Jackson, a mathematics and natural philosophy professor (and member of the Class of 1826), branch out to create what is now the oldest garden on an American college campus?
Plans for a garden were originally included in Joseph Ramée’s vision for the College in 1813. But it wasn’t until 1831, when Jackson became a professor at Union and lived on campus, that longtime College president Eliphalet Nott encouraged him to start a garden, presumably to help with his digestive issues.
“In your spare time, you can realize the design and most important, come out with a sound digestion,” Nott reportedly told Jackson, according to material in Special Collections and Archives. The Jackson collection consists of diaries, notebooks and other writings which provide insight into his gardening hobby.
The thick, gnarled branches create a perfect study spot for students or an inviting climb for children. Faculty and staff often sit on the bench under the 200-foot tree to take a pause from their day.
For the next 46 years until his death in 1877, Jackson, in his signature outfit of swallow-tailed blue coat and white trousers, created an impressive garden that defined him. He filled it with a variety of trees, shrubs and lush flowers. His work attracted such high-profile visitors as John J. Audubon and Frederick Law Olmsted.
As one former student wrote of “Captain Jack,” as he was known on campus: “To really know him one must know his garden for in its beauty was portrayed the beauty of his character.”
While the eight acres of Jackson’s Garden continue to be a favorite campus spot for many, it is the ginkgo tree that stands tall.
Sheri Lullo, associate professor of art history, said students in her Arts of Japan class this fall were asked to read about the ideals of the Japanese garden and then take a stroll through Jackson's Garden. Several cited the ginkgo tree for its impressive presence and unique characteristics.
Teagan Steele ’28 said the tree reminded her of the Shinto religion in Japan and the belief that nature can hold kami, or gods.
“If the tree was in a Japanese garden, it would be honored with a tassel around its trunk to signify the presence of kami,” she said.
The ginkgo tree in Jackson's Garden as it appeared in 1931. (Photo provided by Special Collections and Archives)
Vicente del Puerto ’27 believes the ginkgo tree is a metaphor for “an old and wizened man who has stood the test of time.”
And Carter Rousseau ’27 said it was “a great tree to sit on, with many different pockets between the branches and the trunk looking very comfortable. I could also tell that it had been touched by humans a great deal just by seeing how the bark had gotten compressed and almost glossy.”
Conti, the grounds manager, said the tree requires little maintenance. Lower branches are routinely pruned to clear the pathway. The landscape bedding around the base of the tree works to create a protective area.
To ensure the tree’s life, the College in the 1990s installed a tree lightning protection system, which includes a copper cable near the top of the tree that is connected to a ground rod buried in a trench at the base of the trunk. If lightning strikes, this will conduct an electrical charge to the earth where the energy is dispersed.
Connie Schmitz, Union’s landscape specialist for 28 years until she retired in 2021, understands the power of the tree and the emotional hold it has held for the thousands of students, faculty and staff who have stood under it through the decades.
“It’s really a beautiful tree and is special to so many people,” she said.
People continue to comment to her about the tree, even in retirement. She recently went to a pain management doctor who she learned was an alum.
“When we both realized the Union connection, the first thing he mentioned was the gingko tree,” she said.