Chamaecyperis obtusa gracilisA 2009 view of the Phillips Garden, showing the Dwarf Hinoki Cypress (left) at the east entrance.
An early viewThe Phillips Garden, as it appeared in the year 2000.
Lagerstroemia x 'Natchez'The Natchez Crape Myrtle blooms in July and August.
Juniperus horizontalis mintoniBlue Rug Juniper
Pinus mughoExamples of the slow-growing Mugho Pine. The species originates in the high altitudes of the southern and eastern European Alps.
Cedrus libani pendulaWeeping Cedar of Lebanon.
Cornus kousaThe Japanese Dogwood blooms just a little later than the more widely planted American Dogwood. The seedpods shown here in early June have not yet fully matured.
Acer negundo 'Variegatum'Closeup showing seedpods of the variegated Box Elder, taken in early June.
Cunninghamia lanceolataCloseup showing the needles of the China Fir.
Taxodium distichum, Metasquoia glyptostroboidesThe tree on the right is a Dawn Redwood, the progeny of the pair at the foot of the Sunken Garden. The left one is a Bald Cypress. Almost identical as seedlings, the differences between them become more apparent as the trees mature.
Phillips Garden
This garden is sheltered in a nook on the east side of Phi Beta Kappa Hall. It was dedicated in 1990 in memory of Mildred Johannsen Phillips through the generosity of Jesse Choate Phillips '24. A student created the original design of the garden, which has changed over the years.
The garden is dominated by a large Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia x 'Natchez') planted in the southeast corner. Also in the garden are examples of Mugho Pine (Pinus mugho), Weeping Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani pendula), and Blue Rug Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis mintoni). A Dwarf Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyperis obtusa gracilis) graces the east entrance.
Adjacent to the Phillips garden is a grove of Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica). Professor Baldwin was quite taken with Cryptomeria, introducing the first specimen in 1947 and then planting them widely on the College's campus and throughout Williamsburg. He once said, "I like to think of Williamsburg as the Cryptomeria capital of America."
Also in this area, note the Dogwood trees, including a Japanese Dogwood (Cornus kousa); variegated Box Elder (Acer negundo 'Variegatum'); and China Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata).
Along the eastern wall of Phi Betta Kappa Hall stands a pair of trees, one a Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) and one a Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) which is the progeny of the trees near the Sunken Garden. These trees belong to related genera, and are very similar in appearance.