Our mission
The mission of SFA gardens is to create an environment where people can:
- expand their knowledge
- explore the natural world
- develop curiosity
- nurture a sense of wonder
- create community connections
- develop inter-relationships
- observe stewardship
- and question what is and imagine what could be.
Our history
It began with a single quarter-acre teaching garden. Established by Dr. David Creech in 1985, this small patch of land near the Agriculture Building originally served as a living classroom for SFA’s horticulture students.
Since then, SFA Gardens has expanded to encompass 128 acres of native plants, trees, display gardens and educational facilities, including:
- Kingham Children’s Garden
- Hinds Park
- Mast Arboretum
- Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden
- Gayla Mize Garden
- Pineywoods Native Plant Center
Today, this small “teaching garden” has blossomed into a regional resource that provides students of all ages an opportunity to connect to nature and learn the trees, plants and flowers of East Texas.