Garden Practices
Wednesday, October 1st, 2008
Renovating an old garden can be a daunting task. In September of 2006, the Scott Arboretum received an endowment for the gardens of the West House from Barbara and Giles Kemp. For the past three years, the curatorial intern and volunteers have been renovating the garden to create a lovely example of a residential-style landscape with two intimate entertaining spaces. This fall our curator, Andrew Bunting, insisted I pay a visit to the West House to see the evolution the garden has undergone. I was not disappointed.
There are some simple steps to follow when approaching the task of renovating an…
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Friday, September 12th, 2008
Last Thursday we had the 5th annual Crum Creek Clean-up. 38 people helped clean-up the creek and surrounding areas. Tasks included: trash removal, trail maintenance, and invasive and weed removal.
One group spent their time in and around the holly meadow pulling vines off of some of our native deciduous hollies (Ilex verticillata). They also removed several plants of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) that had established themselves in the holly meadow. They ended up with a whole dump truck full of weeds.
Three small groups set out in different directions throughout the trails of the Crum Woods to gather all sorts of trash.
Another…
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Friday, September 5th, 2008
Last week, Swarthmore College and the Scott Arboretum welcomed class of 2012 students to their new home for the next 4 years. While many departments on campus were providing useful information about how to register for e-mail accounts and classes, the Scott Arboretum provided first-year students with houseplants to brighten their new dorm rooms.
After students chose the ideal plant for their light conditions, we helped them repot their plant into a larger pot to expose students to the simple joys of working with nature, getting their hands dirty, and to ensure a healthy start for the new houseplant.
I am sure…
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