The Botanic Garden of Smith College is pleased to welcome John Berryhill as its new director. Berryhill has been serving as interim director since January as part of a career at the botanic garden that began over 27 years ago. He brings to this role an in-depth understanding of the botanic garden, a steadfast dedication to its mission and a strong commitment to the partnerships that are at the center of its work.
Berryhill has worked in many different roles during his tenure–as a garden steward tending to the outdoor collections, as an arborist caring for our historic arboretum, and most recently as landscape curator managing the outdoor team and launching several conservation initiatives. These projects and priorities have connected Smith students to the work of the botanic garden community at both a regional and national scale. In the summer of 2022, Berryhill earned a Master of Science from Smith making him the first Smithie to serve as director of the botanic garden. His research focused on mountain magnolia’s vulnerability to climate change, which led to the development of a conservation collection at Smith College. Berryhill has long been a proponent of social and environmental justice as being central to the botanic garden’s work. This priority has led to outreach and collaborations with local Indigenous leadership and conservation organizations, which will help shape the future direction of the Botanic Garden of Smith College.
