Originating in Canada about forty million years ago and now found over the northern hemisphere, oaks provide a major backbone for many ecosystems by supplying food, habitat and shade. So in 1983, after a tornado ravaged most of the aging trees on the property, John Fairey began the process of carefully selecting oaks from around the world that would become the foundation of the garden. The breadth and quality of the living oak collection at The John Fairey Garden, presently numbering about 70 species from the genus Quercus, has garnered universal respect, being recognized by such botanical organizations as the International Oak Society. Most of this collection are from Mexico and Texas, with the remainder from other areas of the US, Asia, Europe and Africa. Mexico contains more oak diversity than any other place in the world except China, and continues to be fertile ground for research and collection.