Lockerly Arboretum, a botanical garden and historical site serving as a living museum of nature, is two and a half miles away from GCSU’s main campus and a well-loved part of the Milledgeville community.
The arboretum has more than 6,000 species and cultivar plants, trails to walk and the historic house, Rose Hill. Lockerly is what is known as a Level II accredited arboretum through the ArbNet Accreditation Program, which means it has over 100 species or varieties of woody plants. The accreditation also means it has educational programs, staff and a management plan.
“It is a beautiful place,” said Matthew Kuipers, a sophomore environmental science major. “You’re surrounded by trees and beautiful plants around you with informational signs about the trees, so you can learn.”
Kuipers works at the arboretum as a docent, giving tours of Rose Hill every Saturday; the tours are $5 and take about 30 minutes to go through the entire house, which was built in 1852 after it burned down a year earlier. Rose Hill was designed to be the center point of the arboretum when Lockerly was established in 1965.
The tours of Rose Hill are a commonly forgotten part of Lockerly, yet stand as one of the most accessible ways to support the Arboretum.
“On those Saturdays that I’ll work, I will get one tour a day… and I’m there for nine hours,” Kuipers said.
It is free for people to visit the arboretum, but Lockerly workers sell plants once a year to raise money for the arboretum from those who want to support the park they enjoy walking around.
The arboretum also has many opportunities to volunteer. Their “Dirt Diggers” program hosts volunteers on the first and third Wednesday of each month to do work across the arboretum.
“I just like to go on walks through there because it’s a very calming place and I really enjoy the scenery,” said Noah Rodriguez, a sophomore environmental science major.
Many people said they enjoyed the serenity and the peaceful nature of the park, as the pond and walkways serve as a way for students to relax. The arboretum also has educational programs and even a summer camp. But according to the Lockerly website, the “centerpiece” of their outdoor education program is the Woods Museum.
Lockerly’s summer camps teach kids about nature and take in children from first to ninth grade. They offer a hands-on approach to learning and teaching the kids, and college students are happy to have a fun summer job.
“I’m going to be leading the kids through experiments and learning about nature; I’m really excited and proud of myself to be able to do that for them,” Kuipers said.
Students and many visitors walk through the park without noticing its hidden gems. The quiet corners cherished by those who know it best are easy to ignore if someone doesn’t know what they are looking for.
“[My favorite secret spot is] the observation deck in the climax forest. It is located in the back corner of the Arboretum,” said John Jackson, a member of the board of trustees at Lockerly.
According to its website, https://lockerly.org/, Lockerly was founded by E.J. Grassmann to “contribute to the natural beauty, cultural atmosphere and environmental education of his community.”
With 60 years of experience and a board of executives passionate about the park, Lockerly Arboretum stands as a key location in Milledgeville, even making its way onto the Milledgeville version of Monopoly, “Milledgvilleopoly.”
“I am proud that the park is a welcoming place for all of Milledgeville and Baldwin County, where people of all ages and backgrounds can come and enjoy nature,” Jackson said.
