Brian Mulligan’s legacy of leadership and volunteerism in the Arboretum stretches over 50 years. He is credited for shaping the vision of the Arboretum plant collection we enjoy today. Nearly every narrator who participated in the oral history project shared a story about Mr. Mulligan, and you can listen to a brief selection here.
Donald Graham, Jr.
Donald Graham, Jr. describes how his father visited Exbury Gardens in England and met Brian Mulligan in the early 1940s. He recruited Mulligan to come to the United States as the Arboretum’s new Director.
Dick Brown
Dick Brown, Director of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, talks about his interest in the Arboretum Director’s job after Brian Mulligan retired. He describes the events around the Arboretum at the time.
Nancy Davidson Short
Former Sunset Editor Nancy Davidson Short describes how she first met Brian Mulligan by bringing him tea at the Arboretum.
Elizabeth Moses
Arboretum Foundation Board Member Elizabeth Moses describes Brian Mulligan and Joe Witt’s hands-on approach to managing the Arboretum and tells how she formed an Arboretum Unit named for Margaret Mulligan.