Tag: garden

High Summer at the Arboretum

Margery Enes Smith Soaring Waters

The sun beat onto my back as I crossed Park Avenue and into the Arboretum at Penn State. By the time I reached the wetland bridge, I felt thawed from a long morning spent working in a chilly office. I last shared a visit to the Arboretum with you in February, when the gardens lay dormant. In August the gardens hum with life- plants, animals, and insects.

Several construction workers perched on the wall near the Margery Enes Smith Soaring Waters fountain, sharing their lunches away from their jobsite. I took a seat on the bench and snacked on a granola bar, tucking the trash in my pocket before entering the Oasis Garden.

Bird and Pollinator Garden

At this time of year, the Lotus Pool was full of flowers. Several different types of lotuses are planted in the pool, and one looked like the American Lotus. Nelumbo lutea is a member of the water-lily family that grows in still waters and blooms from June through September. According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, it is native to the continental United States. Mississippi State University Extension shares that the roots, leaves, and seeds are edible when properly harvested and prepared. As I’m not inclined to forage from public gardens, I continued my walk.

I passed quickly through the Rose and Fragrance Garden and into the Pollinator and Bird Garden. Glorious native plants shone in the sunlight; a variety of goldenrod species and asters fluttered in the light breeze. I walked in circles for a while, waiting for a seat to open in the Birdhouse, but none came available, and instead I went into Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden.

Cave with Barn Swallow

There were a few families packing up after an event, and I kept my distance and went into the artificial cave. The call of a Barn Swallow echoed in the small, cool space. I found the swallow perched on one of the cave ledges. I thought about Aristotle and this quote from Nichomachean Ethics – “For as one swallow or one day does not make a spring, so one day or a short time does not make a fortunate or happy man.” In this moment, Aristotle was wrong… one swallow makes me a happy woman. I enjoyed the cool cave for a few minutes more and watched the swallow take flight and soar out the entrance.

I stopped to admire the bronze buffalo on my way out of the Children’s Garden. This piece is in honor of the American Buffalo, which once had a range nearly covering the entire continental United States. By the dawn of the 17th century, Bison bison had been hunted to extinction in Pennsylvania and effectively relegated to the American West. This lone buffalo rests as a testament to its ancient range.

Overlook Pavilion

The steps of the Overlook Pavilion were shrouded in vibrant flora. I refilled my water bottle at the water fountain and took a few moments to gaze out over the rolling landscape. According to maps of the Arboretum, this area could eventually be converted into further botanic gardens, but for now is kept as open grasslands and seasonal tailgating.

I followed the path of the Kathryn Bower Smith Strolling Garden, admiring hydrangeas and trying to stay mindful of my time. My lunch break was quickly ending, and I needed to visit one last place in the Arboretum before I returned to my desk.

Poplar Court

The Poplar Court, once my favorite spot to read at the Arboretum, felt sad and empty. Recently, arborists needed to cut down the cultivated Black Poplars. The cultivar kept by the Arboretum are like the Lombardy Poplar, which has an elegant shape but potentially short life cycle. The trees needed to be cut down- while they were declining in beauty, they were becoming increasingly a hazard to visitors. In the shrinking court, I rested on the bench and gave quiet thanks to the trees that remained. Their shade and whispering leaves were a comfort to me in troubled times, and I hoped that the Arboretum could do something to re-imagine the area while keeping the same feeling of the towering trees.

After a few moments, I left the Poplar Court and headed back to work. Unlike the hot sun beating on me at the beginning of my visit, a cool breeze floated by. I took this as a sign of the changing seasons and marking the point on which I needed to prepare for incoming freshmen. For the next few months, there will be more visitors to the Arboretum as students study and relax during the school year. I won’t mind- even when the Arboretum is busy, I can find quiet pockets to slow down and notice the nature all around me.

Midwinter at the Arboretum

Lime-green stalks of bamboo greeted me as I entered the Arboretum at Penn State. This wonderful, ever-changing botanical garden always captures my attention and imagination. Even at midwinter, I enjoy spending my midday break walking among the dormant plants.

I always start with the Oasis Garden. Taking the first left, I wandered through and spun the ice on the Lotus Pool. The walls protected me from the wind as I poked around the plants. Very little was growing here, with most fading away into the mulch. The Rose and Fragrance Garden was more promising. The little buds peeping from the tips of branches signal oncoming Spring. As I finish looping through, a gust of wind shakes the waxy magnolia leaves, causing them to clack like bones.

The walled gardens lead into the Pollinator and Bird Garden. Here the wind gusted, unobstructed by trees or hedges. I pull my shawl closer to my neck and continue to the pond by the Pollinator Plaza. From the top of the willow house, a Song Sparrow calls, spinning around on its perch to watch me. Most other birds are flitting overhead, or on a beeline to the Bird House.

The small wooden building is a relief from the wind. Another visitor is sitting on the porch, so I veer to the back and rest on the bench to watch the feeders. Dark-Eyed Juncos were tumbling over each other as they dig through the mulch for seeds. From the tops of the evergreen trees, a Blue Jay crunched a peanut. After a few minutes, a trio of Black-Capped Chickadees swept in to chase House Finches. I could- and I have- spent hours in this exact spot. Yet with my break ticking to a close, I knew I needed to keep going.

The Pollinator and Bird Garden connects to an esplanade with a giant sundial. The sidewalks border the Children’s Garden. I veered left into the Children’s Garden and entered the faux cave. Cold water dripped from the ceiling, most likely ice melting from the roof. The path carved through the cave, then out and behind the Glass House. Grey and black squirrels danced in the trees overhead as I walked. An employee was tending to the garden, and I stayed out of their way as best as I could.

From the Children’s Garden, I followed the the Strolling Garden path to the Poplar Court. The Black Poplars stretched high into the sky over my head. I wove in and out between the trees, admiring the neon yellow and neon orange lichens. Most appeared to be a species from genus Candelaria. (I’m still waiting for some confirmations on iNaturalist now.) I took as many pictures as I could before I hurried back to work.

Xanthoria parietina (Common Sunburst Lichen)

Even though there were few blooming flowers, the Arboretum is still full of life in winter. From lichens to songbirds, there is a little bit of something for everyone. During my walk, I found a pamphlet rack, which had a booklet on trails in Hartley Wood. As I’ve been walking, I’ve been planning the rest of this year’s adventures… which won’t take me very far at all!