Bluegrass Lane serves as a center for turf, flower and woody landscape plant research, extension and teaching activities for the Horticulture Section of the School of Integrative Plant Science, and other academic units at Cornell. It is conveniently located near the Cornell campus, and managed by the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station.
Contact Information and Directions
Facility Features
- Computer controlled irrigation system
- Containerized plant nursery
- 12 acres protected by an 8-foot-tall deer fence
- Small scale lysimeter plots
Research Highlights
- The Flower Bulb Research Program identifies best performing bulb cultivars of tulips, daffodils, lilies and more, and best practices for managing and planting flower bulbs in the landscape. This program has been conducting flower bulb research in North America for over half a century. Researcher: Bill Miller
- The Annual Flower Trials group conducts garden performance trials of annual and perennial plants, in conjunction with external stakeholders such as breeding and seed companies and the New York greenhouse industry. Cultivars are evaluated throughout the summer, receiving an overall performance score at the end of the season. Researcher: Bill Miller
- Turfgrass, such as lawns, golf courses and athletic fields, are traditionally high maintenance and require large amounts of fertilizer and pesticides. The goal of the research of the Cornell Turfgrass Program is to improve the environmental compatibility and economic feasibility of turfgrass management systems. Researcher: Frank Rossi
- The Urban Horticulture Institute focuses on the propagation and evaluation of hybrid oaks, specifically for stressful urban environments. The institute is also developing protocols for evaluating other trees and shrubs for drought tolerance, and is investigating transplant difficulties in urban trees to help them thrive and green our cities. Researcher: Nina Bassuk
History
The 28-acre site is adjacent to the Robert Trent Jones golf course. Turfgrass research at the site began in 1976, followed by research on the integration of other landscape in 1999. Before the university purchased the property, it was a hayfield owned by a local dairy farm.
