Boston Flora

Tag: Connecticut College Arboretum

  • Thursday & Friday, January 15 & 16 – Seeing the Forest AND the Trees, Live and Online

    Founded in 1990 by Landscape Designer Larry Weaner and NDAL, this annual two-day symposium has a long tradition of celebrating native plants and innovative ecological practice. Presenters reflect the diverse factors that shape our landscapes including landscape architects, landscape designers, horticulturists, ecologists, historians, anthropologists, artists and others. The series offers in-depth explorations of forward-looking and overlooked topics, always seeking to connect theory with practical application. Join us as we continue to connect the dots between ecological restoration, cultural landscape practice, and fine garden design.

    Special Note: For many years, NDAL has deeply appreciated its partnership with Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania and Connecticut College Arboretum in jointly presenting the January Annual Symposium. While NDAL will be solely producing the Symposium from this year onward, we would like to gratefully acknowledge the important role these two institutions and their respective team members have played.

    The 2026 symposium, January 15 and 16, is Seeing the Forest AND the Trees: Designing Landscapes that Integrate Regional Specificity with Global Commonality. Incorporating a region’s indigenous plant communities and ecological processes is at the heart of ecology-based design. But no natural system operates in isolation or is forever immune to change…..especially today where the effects of watershed alteration, soil disturbance, plant globalization, and climate change are at play worldwide. Our Symposium will begin by zooming in on techniques for regionally-specific landscape analysis and design. We will then widen the lens and learn how disturbance, ecological science, and cultural land practices across regions can factor into those processes. Finally, we will explore how an expansive view of landscape art can unify this micro/macro divide in landscapes ranging from expansive to intimate.

    The event takes place at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, but there are virtual options available. Early bird registration savings available through December 10. Register at https://www.ndal.org/2026-annual-symposium

  • Saturday, November 19, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm – SALT Conference: Deconstructing the American Landscape

    Professional landscapers, gardeners, and designers are choosing to use native plants for many reasons — not only because they are beautiful and hardy, but also because they provide essential food and shelter for wildlife and help to maintain a unique sense of place. Join the New England Wild Flower Society and the Connecticut College Arboretum for this day-long conference on Saturday, November 19 from 8:30 – 4 at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut to discuss the demise of the American lawn, the definition of “native,” and the future of native plants in our built landscapes.

    Conference Highlights

    Keynote: The Future of Native Plants in the Built Landscape, Larry Weaner, Principal, Larry Weaner Landscape Associates

    Award: New England Wild Flower Society will present the Regional Impact Award to New Directions in the American Landscape

    Presentations:

    The Evolving American Lawn, Judy Preston, Connecticut Outreach Coordinator, Long Island Sound Study
    Low-maintenance Plants for the Deconstructed Landscape, Dan Jaffe, Horticulturist, New England Wild Flower Society
    Ecological Functions of Native Plants, Claudia West, Author and Ecological Sales Manager, North Creek Nurseries
    Roundtable Discussion: Defining Native, moderated by Mark Richardson, Director of Horticulture, NEWFS

    Registration is $65 before November 1 and $80 thereafter, for NEWFS members, and $75 before November 1 and $90 thereafter for all others. On line registration at www.newenglandwild.org.

  • Thursday, June 9, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Eco-Tour: The Native Plants at Connecticut College Arboretum

    The Connecticut College Arboretum is located in southeastern Connecticut, about 5 miles inland from Long Island Sound. Established in 1931 on 60 acres, today the Arboretum’s diverse 770 acres include the landscaped grounds of the College campus as well as the surrounding plant collections, natural areas and managed landscapes. The forests include a wide range of native trees including oaks, huckleberry, maples, tulip tree, ash, beech, and black birch. Located on the coast, within the Arboretum there are many wetland types, including forested wetlands, bogs and tidal marshes.

    From the outset, 60 acres was aside to create the Connecticut College Arboretum. Twenty acres of the original allotment were dedicated as the Native Plant Collection. Expanding over time, the Native Plant Collection now includes 30 acres of woody plants and wildflowers indigenous to eastern North America, demonstrating the long-standing commitment to native plants at the Arboretum.

    The Native Plant Collection contains 1,021 trees, 1,255 shrubs and 22 woody vines native to eastern North America and hardy in southeastern Connecticut. Accessioned plants are from both wild and cultivated origins. The various species take turns displaying their beauty throughout all the seasons: shadbush in April; dogwood and azaleas in May; mountain laurel in June; giant rhododendron, sourwood and sweet pepperbush in July; brilliant autumn foliage in October; evergreens and conifers year-round.

    Some of the points of interest include:

    The Laurel Walk, a long, sloping trail lined with mountain laurel.
    An oak and hemlock-forested Bolleswood natural area.
    The grassy outdoor theater overlooking the Arboretum Pond.
    Plant collections including: holly, viburnum and azalea.

    The Native Plant Checklist provides more information about the native plants on display.

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance will sponsor a tour on Thursday, June 9 from 10 – noon. Maggie Redfern is the Arboretum Assistant Director, responsible for coordinating the design and implementation of education programs for the College and community. Maggie brings several years of experience in the field of visitor services from the Arnold Arboretum to this position. She also managed a successful grant application and traveling exhibition entitled Palaces for the People: Guastavino and the Art of Structural Tile. Maggie received a certificate in landscape preservation from the Landscape Institute of the Boston Architectural College and a bachelor of architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

    $23 for ELA members, $33 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-spring-splendor-the-native-plants-at-connecticut-college-arboretum/#sthash.GebEKzMM.dpuf

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