McCrory Gardens

About Us

McCrory Gardens is a botanical garden and arboretum, located in Brookings, SD on the campus of South Dakota State University.  In 1965, this 70 acre horticulturally intriguing sanctuary for the soul was established.   

McCrory Gardens has over 25 acres of formal display gardens and 45 acres of arboretum featuring hundreds of different flowers, trees, shrubs and grasses in harmonious settings to display, educate and further the development of new varieties.

Beauty and Science 

Beauty is its own excuse for being. However, the Gardens serve a more practical purpose.

Ongoing research continues to provide new information to the scientific community and the public on the introduction, cultivation and arrangement of native and domesticated plants. The testing and evaluation of new woody plant selections and varieties in the climate of the northern Great Plains, initiated by Dr. N.E. Hansen almost three-quarters of a century ago, remains an integral part of our research mission.

Sustain a Brookings staple rooted in beauty and science with your gift today!