History

Wilmot Botanical Gardens is named for Royal James “Roy” Wilmot who in the 1940s was a horticulturist with the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Florida. Wilmot was an authority on camellias and classified many of the 3,000 known varieties of this flowering shrub, sometimes called “the empress of winter.” Wilmot Garden was once one of the largest publicly owned collection of camellias in the country.

Wilmot was a founding member of the American Camellia Society that was established in 1945 in Macon, GA. He was the first secretary of the society and also it’s first yearbook editor.

Timeline

Royal James Wilmot

1945

Royal James “Roy” Wilmot, a UF horticulturalist and national authority on camellias, serves as a founding member of the American Camellia Society.


Historical Wilmot Gardens

1950

Wilmot dies and friends and colleagues from the United States and abroad donate 300 rare varieties of camellias in his honor to create the Wilmot Memorial Garden at the University of Florida.


Wilmot Gardens in neglect

2006

After devastation from decades of neglect and a serious southern pine beetle infestation, a small group of volunteers led by C. Craig Tisher, MD, then dean of the College of Medicine, and Linda and Bill Luecking, initiate efforts to restore the gardens rather than allow the area to be replaced by another building within the growing academic health science center.


Pergola at Wilmot Botanical Gardens Conference Center

2007

A former office and laboratory building is remodeled to create the Conference Center at Wilmot Botanical Gardens.


2009

Major interior renovation of the Conference Center at the Wilmot Botanical Gardens.


2009

Wilmot Gardens receives its UF Historical Marker on March 20, 2009. The marker, which resides in the central commons near the Hippocratic Garden, details the gardens’ historical significance.


Wilmot Gardens sign

2011

The Wilmot Gardens Consortium is established at the University of Florida, at which time the mission of Wilmot Gardens is expanded to include patient care, research and education.


Therapeutic Horticulture participant

2012

The Therapeutic Horticulture Program at Wilmot Gardens is launched in greenhouse space provided by the Department of Environmental Horticulture near Fifield Hall.


Greenhouse construction

2013

Construction of the Greenhouse at Wilmot Gardens begins thanks to generous gifts from multiple donors.


The Greenhouse at Wilmot Botanical Gardens

2014

Construction of the Greenhouse at Wilmot Gardens is completed and the Therapeutic Horticulture Program relocates to the facility and expands.


Japanese maple

2015

The Japanese Maple Tree Garden, which features a collection of more than 30 rare Japanese maple trees, is created, courtesy of a donation from Dr. and Mrs. Johannes Vieweg.


Chapman Healing Garden construction

2016

Construction of the Chapman Healing Garden is underway, which, when completed, will provide a new outdoor venue for additional therapeutic horticulture activities.


Chapman Healing Garden

2017

Completion of the Chapman Healing Garden boasting the only water feature within Wilmot Gardens.


Tractor trailer with camellias

2018

Initiation of the Camellia Relocation Project involving the transportation from Ocala, Florida, of over 300 camellias from the private collection of Drs. Clarence and Lillian Gordy to the Wilmot Botanical Gardens.


2019

Transition of the official name from the Wilmot Gardens to the Wilmot Botanical Gardens.


Mendenhall Family Camellia Walk

2020

Construction of the Mendenhall Family Camellia Walk, located in the southeast section of the gardens, is completed. This lovely garden was made possible by a generous gift from Drs. William and Nancy Mendenhall in July 2020.


Dr. Tisher holding American Camellia Trail sign

2020

Wilmot Botanical Gardens is accepted as a member of the American Camellia Trail Gardens, a project of the American Camellia Society.


2021

The Gordy Camellia Garden with camellias relocated to Wilmot Botanical Gardens from the former private collection of Clarence and Lillian Gordy of Ocala, Florida.


Bolusky Garden

2023

The Ben and Renee Bolusky Gaden located on the northeast corner of the Wilmot Botanical Gardens is completed. This gift from the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association was dedicated on April 18th, 2023.


2023

Expansion of the Hippocratic Garden with the addition of a bronze bust of Hippocrates sitting atop a four-foot-tall pedestal of Pentelic marble. This statue created by the Athenian sculptor, Vangelis Ilias. of Athens, Greece was made possible by generous donations from a host of donors.