Friday, March 12th, 2010
I’ve been lucky the last couple of days to be out of my office and in the collections preparing for the Witch Hazel Family Seminar tour. Hamamelis is one of my favorite groups of woody plants. As I’ve spent more time studying this genera, I have noticed how varied the blooms and even the fragrance of the different cultivars can be. The following are what I think are the most fragrant witch hazels in our collection.
Fragrant planting of Hamamelis vernalis along Sharples Dining Hall. photo credit: R. Maurer
One of the best scents on campus right now is between Sharples Dining Hall…
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Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
As the snow melts and you begin your garden clean-up, I am sure you are reviewing your spring to do list. Plants to be divided or removed, as well as garden holes to be filled with new plants. As you prepare your plant wish list here are three shrubs to consider adding to your garden.
Chaenomeles speciosa 'Cameo' photo credit: R. Maurer
Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Cameo’ a selection of the flowering quince blooms very early in the spring with striking salmon pink flowers. In the Swarthmore area most of the flowering quinces come into flower around the end of March into early April. While…
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Friday, January 22nd, 2010
While the Arboretum was founded over 80 years many of the most fantastic tree specimens at the Arboretum were planted by the early founders of Swarthmore College. On the campus there are nine remaining specimens of the American elm, Ulmus americana which pre-date the Arboretum (founded in 1929). Many of these were class trees in the late 1800’s. One of the finest of these elms resides just outside of the Terry Shane Teaching Garden behind McCabe Library. This elm is the class tree of 1875.
Ulmus americana of the orginal planting in front of Parrish Hall. photo credit: T. Zetterstrom
On December 14th…
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