Used by the University's faculty club, this garden provides lawn and trees for large gatherings, as well as intimate gardens for discussion and reflection. The secluded benches are connected by serpentine walks bordered by various roses and bulbs which add a romantic touch, especially popular in Jefferson's day. Outside the garden stands a cast iron capital that once ornamented the annex to the Rotunda. The annex and the Rotunda burned to the ground in 1895. The Rotunda was restored in 1900.
Pomegranate shrubs border the walls, with a large fig in the corner.
The pavilion garden includes Persian lilacs, peonies, and viburnums. The large lawn was initially designed around the McGuffey ash, which succumbed to disease in 1989, more than one hundred and fifty years after it was planted. The shrub borders include amelanchier, cranberry viburnum, and clethra. Many of the trees in this garden, including the umbrella magnolia and the large pecan tree, were planted by the late Dean Ivy F. Lewis, professor of biology from 1915 to 1953. On the middle terrace, blueberries and grape vines serve as a reminder of the utilitarian nature of these gardens.