Rock gardens are designed to evoke the feeling and character of high altitude and tundra environments. Inspired by the alpine garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in England, the Smith College Rock Garden was established in 1897 and renovated in 1937 and 1983. It is one of the oldest rock gardens in the United States. This rock garden, however, is not intended to recreate an alpine scene—it has a shaded area, contains dwarf cultivated selections, and the summer heat and humidity preclude the use of many alpine species. The garden is home to more than 800 different types of alpine, dwarf and woodland plants, making it the most intensively planted area on the Smith campus.