Boston Flora

Tag: Morris Arboretum

  • Friday, May 8, 9:00 am Eastern – Mid-Atlantic Plant Research Conference, Live & Online

    Plants in the mid-Atlantic region, as well as the Northeast, are facing new challenges to their survival, growth, and reproduction due to a variety of threats, including land use change, habitat loss, climate change, and more. Invited speakers will address new research in plant science that can help us understand the challenges at hand in our wetland and coastal regions, including mechanisms of plant resistance and adaptation, and possible solutions.

    Speakers will include:

    Morgan Gostel, Director of Plant Science, Morris Arboretum & Gardens
    LeeAnn Haaf, Director of Estuary Science, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
    Dr. Jay Kelly, Co-Director, Center for Environmental Studies, Raritan Valley Community College
    Erin Lacour, Biologist, John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge
    Patrick Megonigal, Associate Director for Research, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
    Catherine Seavitt, Chair, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Pennsylvania

    The program will be held in person at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens; live virtual attendance is also available. Please indicate ‘In-Person’ or ‘Virtual’ attendance at registration. Lunch is provided to all attendees. Visit https://www.morrisarboretum.org/see-do/events/mid-atlantic-plant-research-conference

  • Thursday, April 23, 10:30 am – 11:45 am Eastern – The Roots of American Botany, Online

    Join the Morris Arboretum & Gardens on April 23 at 10:30 am for a free virtual conversation exploring Philadelphia’s rich botanical legacy through compelling stories of the past!

    Philadelphia is not only the birthplace of America; it is the birthplace of American botany. Widely celebrated as America’s Garden Capital, the city has also played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s understanding of plant sciences.

    During this lively virtual discussion, hear examples of cutting-edge research tools Morris Arboretum & Gardens scientists as well as other members of the University of Pennsylvania research community are using to solve enduring botanical mysteries. Highlights include new research initiatives at Morris, an exploration of the genetics of Penn’s historic Penn Treaty Elm, and collaborative work in plant genetics with the Penn Museum. Register at https://www.morrisarboretum.org/see-do/events/roots-of-american-botany

  • 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

  • Sunday, November 9, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm – Rooted in Place

    Rooted in Place will take place on Sunday, November 9 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Berkshire Waldorf High School in Stockbridge. This year the dynamic symposium invites nature lovers, gardeners, farmers, educators, and environmental stewards to explore the intersection of culture and biodiversity — and how stories, seeds and land connect us all. Lunch is included.

    Keynote Speaker: Abra Lee — Cultivating the Untold Stories of Black Gardeners and Growers
    Horticulturalist, author, and storyteller Abra Lee will headline the symposium with a keynote address that brings to life the often-overlooked history of Black Americans in horticulture. Drawing on her forthcoming book, Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers (Timber Press), Lee will share riveting narratives — from one of the first Black plant shop owners of the Roaring Twenties to a true tale of espionage with roots in the Harlem Renaissance. Lee, a Georgia native with a degree in ornamental horticulture from Auburn University, has made it her mission to unearth and amplify these hidden histories, connecting cultural heritage to ecological legacy.

    Other featured speakers and presenters are K Greene of Hudson Valley Seed Company, Kevin West, whose latest book The Cook’s Garden (Knopf) celebrates the edible joys of homegrown abundance, Sandrine Harris of Emergent Nature, and a screening of Farming While Black,.

    BBG members $85, nonmembers $100. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/rooted-place

  • Wednesday, February 5, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – The Botany of Design, Online

    Using his book Understanding Perennials as a starting point, Bill Cullina tackles the thorny subject of garden design in an innovative way. In this fun and informative Mt. Cuba Center talk, he explores such things as the reasons for big leaves, variegation, red foliage and flowers and ways to create more satisfying designs without breaking the budget. He looks at life beyond the color wheel, and the importance of healthy soil and reveals some of his best horticultural secrets while weaving together aesthetics, psychology, botany, and ecology. Both beginning gardeners and seasoned pros will be able to learn from and enjoy this talk. Bill Cullina is the F. Otto Haas Executive Director of the Morris Arboretum. He is a well-known author, lecturer, and authority on North American native plants. His books include Wildflowers; Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines; Native Ferns, Mosses, and Grasses; and Understanding Perennials.

    This program takes place online on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. $25. Register at https://mtcubacenter.org/event/botany-of-design-online/

    Looking into the rear garden at 3 Bush Road, Kew. Plants included Fatsia japonica, Dicksonia antarctica, Phyllostachys nigra, Musa bajoo and Eriobotrya japonica.
  • Saturday, May 7, 7:00 pm – Public Gardens in Today’s World, Online

    Saturday, May 7, 7:00 pm – Public Gardens in Today’s World, Online

    The New England Botanical Club will hold its next meeting on Saturday, May 7 at 7:00 pm Eastern Time via Zoom. Non-members may register for the meeting access link here. William Cullina will speak on Public Gardens in Today’s World.

    William Cullina is the F. Otto Haas Executive Director of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. For eleven years prior, Bill was at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, as Director of Horticulture and Plant Curator and then as President and CEO. Cullina holds degrees in plant science and psychology; he has been working in public horticulture for 25 years. He has extensive experience in horticultural and forestry research and commercial nursery production, including, I’m sure you will remember, at The New England Wild Flower Society, now the Native Plants Trust.

    A well-known author and recognized authority on North American native plants, Cullina lectures on a variety of subjects to garden and professional groups and writes for popular and technical journals. His books include Wildflowers, Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines, Understanding Orchids, Native Ferns, Mosses, and Grasses, and Understanding Perennials. Bill Cullina will discuss the increasingly critical role that public gardens play in American society. He will consider biophilia: the affinity of human beings for other life forms and what this means for public gardens. He will also reflect on ways that gardens provide accessibility, improve physical and mental health, engage in critical research, and provide space for quiet joy and transcendence.

  • Tuesday, December 3, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Bell’s Woodland: Creating a Native Garden from Disturbed Woodland at Chanticleer Webinar

    Developing a native woodland garden, in suburban areas, comes with specific challenges such as soil degradations and erosion, abundance of invasive exotic plant species, and a need to manage stormwater runoff.

    In his online Ecological Landscape Alliance presentation on December 3 from 12:30 – 1:30, Przemek Walczak will discuss soil restoration, evaluating the effectiveness of different methods for a variety of situations; invasive plant species removal eradication versus suppression; and Hugelculture both as a way of gardening and as a tool for restoring woodland soil by addressing surface runoff and creating specific conditions for plants. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-bells-woodland-creating-a-native-garden-from-disturbed-woodland-at-chanticleer/

    Przemek Walczak is a horticulturist at Chanticleer Garden, his place of employment for the past 22 years. Before that he interned as an arborist at Morris Arboretum of University of Pennsylvania and Winterthur Museum and Garden in Wilmington, Delaware. In Poland, prior to moving to the United States, Continued from previous page Mr. Walczak worked in the Studio for Applied Dendrology at The Center for the Preservation of Historic Landscapes. He lectures and teaches classes on topics such as pruning, native plant gardening, springs wildflowers and ephemerals, ferns, moss gardening, native pollinators, gardening for the birds, aquatic gardening, and woodland and shade gardening. Mr. Walczak graduated from Academy of Life Sciences in Warsaw, Poland as a Master of Economics and Agriculture.

  • Through Monday, October 26 – American Horticultural Society 2015 Online Auction

    The not for profit American Horticultural Society offers one of a kind garden experiences all over the United States on its online auction site, and proceeds support AHS educational programs. This week we are highlighting one auction item a day selected from hundreds of options. For the full list visit http://www.ahs.org/online-auction.

    Today’s item is a visit to the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania hosted by Paul Meyer, The F. Otto Haas Executive Director. Your visit for up to four includes a personalized golf cart tour of the Morris Arboretum and Bloomfield Farm, and refreshments in the garden with Executive Director Paul Meyer, 2014 winner of the American Horticultural Society’s prestigious Liberty Hyde Bailey Award

    The Morris Arboretum’s 92-acre public garden is an ever-changing horticultural display featuring a spectacular collection of rare and mature trees in a Victorian landscape. The Arboretum boasts many exceptional features such as a formal rose garden, a swan pond, open vistas, wetlands, sculptures, garden architecture, and an elegant Fernery — the only restored free-standing fernery in North America. The iconic Out on a Limb canopy walk takes visitors 50 feet up into the treetops for a bird’s eye view of the canopy. Bloomfield Farm is an adjacent, non-public, 74-acre research and support site. Its Horticulture Center is certified as Platinum LEED®, illustrating the Arboretum’s commitment to the highest level of sustainability.

    During your tour, Paul will discuss the origins, development, recent restoration and adaptive reuse of the historic gardens. The Morris Arboretum was founded in 1887 as a private estate, and established in 1932 as an arboretum and public garden. Paul will also focus on his favorite plants in the Arboretum’s living collection, which contains over 12,000 trees and shrubs. He will share insights about the attributes of those species, and how these individual plants became part of the Arboretum’s collection

    Paul Meyer has been the F. Otto Haas Executive Director of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania since 1991, and has played a major role in the restoration of its late-Victorian gardens. He is a leader in the field of plant exploration and evaluation, having completed twelve expeditions to countries including China, Korea, Taiwan, Armenia and the Republic of Georgia. The Arboretum is a year-round destination and the gardens offer four seasons of interest, and is an easy train ride from Boston.

    Conditions/limitations for this item: Tour to be arranged at a mutually agreeable time subject to host’s availability by October 31, 2016; this personalized tour is available only on weekday mornings, afternoons, or early evenings.  Photo by Paul Meyer.

  • Sunday, October 27, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Gore Farm Autumn Fest

    Enjoy a wagon ride, games, live music, stories, and refreshments at Gore Place’s first annual Autumn Fest on Sunday, October 27 from 1 – 4. See their scarecrows! Wear your costume! Recommended for families with children ages up through 10 years old. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free parking. No reservations necessary. $5 per person, all ages, members free. For more information visit www.goreplace.org. The scarecrows below are from the Morris Arboretum’s scarecrow contest, which we think is a great idea!.

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  • Tuesday, March 26, 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm – Japanese Flowering Cherries: A 100 Year-long Love Affair

    Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the planting of the famous flowering cherries surrounding the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC.  Flowering cherries have long been a captivating presence in Japan and throughout the U.S. since their introduction 100 years ago. Although the Tidal Basin plantings seem like a single instance in time, the interest in flowering cherries in the early 1900s was widespread and these plants came into America through a number of different sources. Along with the famous plantings in Washington, there is a long history of growing flowering cherries in Philadelphia. In this Tuesday March 26 lecture in the Weld Hill Research Building at the Arnold Arboretum, Tony Aiello will discuss the introduction of flowering cherries into the U.S. and will focus on their history in Philadelphia. Along with his interest in the history of cultivation of flowering cherries, Mr. Aiello has been using the Arboretum’s cherry collection as a model for preserving our horticultural heritage and at the same time providing best practices of veteran tree care. He has been working with other botanic gardens in the Northeast to identify, propagate, and share rare varieties of flowering cherries.  Free, but registration requested at www.arboretum.harvard.edu.  The speaker is the Gayle E. Maloney Director of Horticulture and Curator, Morris Arboretum, University of Pennsylvania.  Beautiful photo from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

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