Sunken Garden

The Sunken Garden View from Wren Building down the Sunken Garden toward Crim Dell.

Fagus grandifolia Rows of American Beech trees flank both sides of the Sunken Garden.

Lagerstroemia indica An attractive feature of the Crape Myrtle is its mottled, peeling bark.

Buxus sempervirens The sides of the Sunken Garden are lined with Common Boxwood.

Buxus sempervirens The Boxwood were pruned and refreshed in 2007.

Nyssa sylvatica Black gum at its peak fall splendor. Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/

Quercus phellos Willow oak leaves and acorns Bruce K. Kirchoff http://www.uncg.edu/~kirchoff

Quercus nigra Note the shallow lobes on the water oak leaf apex compared to the lack of lobes on the willow oak leaf Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/

The Sunken Garden

Extending west from the Wren Building, the Sunken Garden offers a peaceful space for relaxation and recreation. Its design draws inspiration from eighteenth-century English landscape gardens, which moved away from the formal geometric patterns of Europe toward sweeping lawns that lift the spirit by guiding the eye to a distant natural scene. At William & Mary, that view centers on Crim Dell, a cherished campus landmark preserved to fulfill Thomas Jefferson’s vision that “the College shall forever look upon the country.”

The garden’s initial design was created in the early 1920s by College Architect Charles M. Robinson and was reportedly inspired by Sir Christopher Wren’s plans for the Chelsea Hospital in London. Due to budget constraints, the project was delayed until 1933 when President Chandler announced that a Civilian Conservation Corps camp had been assigned to the College to beautify and improve the grounds. The work was supervised by Richmond landscape architect Charles Gillette and carried out between 1935 and 1936.

As you approach the Sunken Garden from the steps of the Wren Building, you’ll notice two majestic and ancient oaks lining the path: a willow oak (Quercus phellos) to the south and a water oak (Quercus nigra) to the north. These trees are among the oldest on campus. Just southeast of the water oak stands a notable black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), prized for its vibrant fall color and fruit that supports local wildlife.

The Sunken Garden is bordered by common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) hedges, flanked further by rows of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), creating a harmonious and enduring landscape.