In 1952, the walled Morrison Garden was built. It still serves as the hub that unifies the Azalea Collection today. Bricks from a schoolhouse located in what is now the Boxwood Collection were used to construct the walls of this garden and impart a sense of timelessness. As the shrubs matured in the 1950s, locals could not resist the colorful spring beacon of the blooms. Their desire to see the plants led to the opening of the U.S. National Arboretum to the public on a seasonal basis on May 3, 1954.