Andersen Horticultural Library Off-campus

Located at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Andersen Horticultural Library (AHL) is a reference library specializing in horticulture, botanical art, plant sciences and natural history. 

In addition to the reference collection, custom-built Nakashima furnishings make this space a welcoming retreat for reading and reflection.

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Visit the Andersen Horticultural Library

Plan your visit

Located in the Leon C. Snyder building at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the Andersen Horticultural Library is open to the public. There is an admission fee for entry to the Arboretum, but it is waived for visitors who come only to research at the library. Get directions to the Arboretum, or view an interactive map of the Arboretum grounds. 

AHL is part of the University of Minnesota Libraries. A reading and reference library; items cannot be checked out.  Search the library's holdings by using the University Libraries' catalog.

To make an appointment to view rare and historic materials, contact the librarian, Kristen Mastel.

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Exhibits

Illustration of green maidenhair ferns

6th Annual Flora & Fauna Illustrata Exhibit

Delight in the world of botanical art during the 6th Annual Flora & Fauna Illustrata exhibit from the Andersen Horticultural Library. Get a glimpse into the process artists use to create exquisite, scientifically accurate representations of the plants and animals found at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. From aeonium to wisteria, experience nature through the eyes of the artist as they capture the beauty and detail of their chosen species.

Through March 1st in the Arboretum Skyway Gallery 
Illustration of blooming violets plant

Petals and Poetry: A Floral Journey Through the Works of Shakespeare

Visit the library and step into the enchanting world of William Shakespeare's flora and fauna, where the playwright's natural surroundings come to life. Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio, delicate blooms and lush foliage that inspired his poetic imagery from the Andersen Horticultural Library will be on display. Explore the enchanting plants and animals that inhabit Shakespeare's plays and echo the rhythms of his verse.

Through March 1st in the Andersen Horticultural Library
Illustration of a Monarch butterfly on milkweed flowers

Flora and Fauna Illustrata

The Flora and Fauna Illustrata [FFI] collection is the Andersen Horticultural Library’s ongoing project to document all the species of plants, animals, insects, and fungi living at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum through scientifically accurate fine art.

The FFI collection is currently made up of over 90 juried two-dimensional works of art donated by over 30 different artists, many of whom are local. This exhibition features selected outstanding works from the FFI collection, from aspens and butterflies to turtles and water lilies, as well as process materials from FFI artists.

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Events

Photograph of person reading to a group of children and their adults

StoryTime

StoryTime with the Andersen Horticultural Library is typically held on the last Friday of each month at 10:30 a.m. We’ll celebrate plants, nature, and foster a love of reading as we explore the library's vast catalog of children’s books. StoryTime is recommended for ages 0-5, but all ages are welcome!

Upcoming StoryTimes:

July 28 | Fireflies
August 25 | Amphibians and Reptiles
September 29 | Harvest Time
October 27 | Creepy Crawlies
November 17 | Weather
December 29 | Aurora Borealis

 

Photograph of an open book on a desk

Friends Book Sale

The Friends of AHL Annual Book Sale will be held October 6-8, 2023 in the MacMillan Auditorium. Become a Friend today to get early access to the sale on Thursday, October 5!

Donations for the 2023 are no longer being accepted. Thank you to all who have donated. We will resume acceptance of items in mid-January for the 2024 Book Sale.

 

Please drop donations off during open hours, or call in advance to schedule time if you are donating a large number of items. If you are unsure if an item will be accepted, please contact us at hortlib@umn.edu.

Hand drawn illustration of a pink and white tree peony

Call for artists

Artists from around the world are invited to show us the best of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s flora and fauna. Information about this joint project with the library, as well as submission information is on the FFI website.

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Collections in the Andersen Horticultural Library

The Library collection is a rich resource for everyone from the weekend gardener planning a perennial border to the professional horticulturist.  

Its collection of nearly 20,000 books and 300 subscriptions to magazines, newsletters, and scientific journals provides information and inspiration.  

Areas of specialization include

  • horticulture,
  • botany,
  • landscape design,
  • botanical illustration,
  • garden crafts,
  • cookbooks, and
  • natural history.  

Included is a children's collection of books for readers of all ages. 

Digitized collections

Andersen Horticultural Library's digitized items are freely available online through the UMedia Archive.

Special research collections

Our special research collections include:

Seed and Nursery Catalogs

One of North America's largest seed and nursery catalog collections with over 76,000 items dating from 1614 to the current year.  More than 8,000 firms are represented.

Rare books and journals

Rare books and journals on horticulture, botany, garden design, botanical art and illustration, trees, birds, flowers, and other natural history subjects from the early 1500s to the present.

Plant Information Online

Plants from hundreds of recent catalogs were listed in the now-retired Plant Information Online. View the Plant Info archive and alternative resources.

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Give to the collection

The Andersen Horticultural Library relies on the generosity of the community to help fund its operations.  Your funds to help us get books, seed and nursery catalogs, and journals unique to our collection. Benefactors ensure our library's ability to educate and inspire.

Make a gift or become a Friend of AHL today.

Explore ways to give

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