Joy and Gordon Patterson Celebrated at Botanical Garden Naming Ceremony

Florida Tech’s iconic and popular Botanical Garden is now the Joy and Gordon Patterson Botanical Garden.

Gordon Patterson, a professor in the School of Arts and Communication, and Joy Patterson, an English instructor in the School of Arts and Communication, made a generous commitment to the health and vitality of the Botanical Garden, and the new name was officially announced at a celebration April 23 in the garden.

In a statement, the Pattersons said gardens have always occupied a special place in their lives.

“Nearly fifty years ago we were married in UCLA’s Mathias Botanical Garden. Our introduction to Florida Tech was a walk beneath these palms. Later, our son grew up playing here,” they said. “Gardens teach us much. They remind us to cherish the fleeting beauty of the present and our responsibility to the future. Life is short no matter how long one lives. It is our hope that this garden will endure as a place of peace and beauty for generations to come.”

Learn more about the Joy and Gordon Patterson Botanical Garden by visiting www.fit.edu/garden/.