Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Volunteering at the Smithsonian Gardens' Greenhouse

Bulbophyllum unitubum, Orchidaceae

I had an amazing time at the APGA Plant Collections Symposium in November (I'm probably sounding like a broken record at this point, but anyway...), during which I was able to meet the wonderful people who work with the Smithsonian's orchid collections, Sarah Hadean and Tom Mirenda. They were kind enough to allow me to come out and volunteer with them as I was passing through D.C. and I was more than willing to do so!

I'm such a geek. I was so excited to be repotting orchids (pictured in the background) that I took a picture of the cart. Oh well.

I got up early to beat the insane Washington, D.C. traffic and was rewarded with a beautiful, golden morning. Everyone was so welcoming at the greenhouses and Tom was generous with his time and information. It was great to be there again, despite how brief the work was. It turns out the volunteer training for the upcoming orchid exhibition was today, so I ended up spending the afternoon doing that. It was worth it to see the volunteers and how the staff ran their training. It was also great to hear Tom present about orchids (check out the Embreea collaboration between the Digitization Team and the Orchids Team). He was very informative and entertaining, and reminded me so much of the passionate plant people I dearly miss in Raleigh.

(See the photo slideshow above for more details about the trip!)

Bulbophyllum medusae, Orchidaceae

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Exploring Washington, D.C. (again)

Thanks to Couchsurfing and my wonderful host, Matt, I had a comfortable, warm place to rest up before I started my grinding explorations of D.C. On the docket first thing in the morning: riding the Metro to the Library of Congress.

Google Awesome and their really cool panoramas! This is the public entrance to the Library of Congress.

(As always, click above for more photos. I promise they aren't all of architecture. But, D.C. has some nice examples of it. But, I digress.)

As I was about to go into the Library, I noticed there was a protest about GMO labeling on the back steps of the Capitol building. I felt a surge of pride to see people exercising their right to protest.*

Muse of Botany in the Library of Congress

I fell in love with the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress on my last visit to D.C. I took my time reading the quotes on the wall and reading more about the exhibits they had there. I highly recommend visiting the Library next time you're in D.C. I'm very proud that our country's forefathers, including my man Jefferson, had the foresight to found such an institution.

After my jaunt through history, I was back on the hunt for plants. The U.S. Botanic Garden is on the block next to the Capitol Building, which I think is wonderful (it is under the purview Architect of the Capitol, thus under Congress). I wandered through the National Garden, a collection of Mid-Atlantic plants outside that demonstrated the diversity and beauty of the native plants of the area. I ran into the wonderful curator of the USBG, Bill McLaughlin, whom I'd bonded with over the Hawaiian plants in the conservatory during my trip in November. I even met a beautiful golden patch of Solidago plumosa, my topic plant in my Rare Flora of North Carolina class (please, please, please check out my manifesto).

I made my way into the conservatory to see what had been changed out since I'd been in November. The economic plant hall was looking especially decorative for the Christmas season and the rare plants were still looking good. I was especially impressed with the Poinsettia display showcasing the historical cultivars that led to modern-day staples. Excellent signage.

Of course I spent a lot of time perusing the orchid room, reading tags and taking in all of the orchids, big and small. I spent my time taking photos of the Stanhopea on display. Many people walked by me asking questions and commenting on my obvious fixation with the plant. Really, it's really hard not to love the unique, pendulous, waxy, bizarre flowers of the genus. But I digress.

Stanhopea cultivar on display at the U.S. Botanic Garden.

After making my way through the excellent succulent and Hawaiian house, I headed over for a tasty lunch at roti, near George Washington University, and then to the Natural History Museum to take more time in the exhibits (check out the totem poles, guys!). Their photo exhibit honoring the 50 years of the Wilderness Act was incredibly moving. The photos that were chosen were truly stunning and really filled me with a sense of pride in our natural spaces in the U.S., but also frustration at how easy people can overlook such profound beauty.

I didn't get a chance to see the butterflies when I was there in November, so I made a point to get there this trip. I was lucky, since it was a Wednesday the museum was especially slow. I had to pay to get into the Butterfly Pavilion (but it's a small price to pay, considering access to almost 99 percent of the Smithsonian is free!), but I didn't have to wait in line and could spend as much time as I wanted with the beautiful, little creatures. I also hung out with the two young docents in the butterfly enclosure, looking for and identifying butterflies. It was a lot of fun, and I could only pull myself away after an hour with the butterflies. Sadly my camera was dying by this time in the day and the light was harsh, but I was able to capture some of the amazing diversity and behaviors they displayed.

It was a long day and by the end I was worn out, but incredibly satisfied with all I'd been able to experience. I am so very proud to live in a country where we are able to honor such scholastic pursuits, and open and freely share them with anyone who cares to look. What an amazing and priceless gift.

Butterfly hanging out with some yellow Cuphea (I think) in the Smithsonian Butterfly enclosure. This butterfly will spend its entire life in this enclosure, and none of its progeny will have any hope to make it out into the natural world. The Smithsonian is required to destroy all plants removed from the enclosure, according to APHIS sanitation rules. Still, this is an excellent exhibit!

(*I didn't quite agree that GMO labeling is a state issue; but I definitely think that products that contain GMO ingredients, including meats from animals fed with GMO feed, need to be labeled. That would be under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture though. Write your Congressman/woman. Consumers should demand information about what they are purchasing! ANYway.)

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: University of Delaware and Driving to Washington, D.C.

It was sad to say good bye to Barb and the wonderful gardens of Delaware, but I had to keep moving on. I was on my way to Washington, D.C.

Herbaceous Garden at University of Delaware Botanic Gardens.

But before my epic leg down the Delmarva Peninsula, I made arrangements with my dear friend Jason Veil to visit the University of Delaware Botanic Garden and to talk about the curatorial assistantship program there.

How Jason and I met is just another testament to how serendipitous horticulture really is. We met by chance as we rode the final bus back to the parking lot after the Woody Plant Conference at Swarthmore College this summer. I think we were talking about the Longwood Graduate Program when he put the bug in my ear about UDel's plant curation program. Little did I know that chance meeting would lead me back around to the university.

So, fast forward to this morning. I got a few extra minutes of sleep, thankfully, and had enough time to say my last goodbyes to the Stremples. I drove down to the garden, checking in with Jason to make sure we were both still undeterred by the cool, grey drizzle. Nothing keeps plant people out of the garden. Jason met me in the parking lot outside of the botanic garden's office with a parking pass, reminding me of the joys nightmares of university parking. After a brief stop in the office, we headed over to see Dr. Frett before he left for the day.

Next was the tour of the garden. It surrounds the agriculture buildings and abuts the dairy, displaying a menagerie of old landscape favorites from the 70s and 80s. There were some impressive specimens, including a maturing Acer griseum, as well as a few who needed some TLC. Overall, there was an interesting story about the fairly recent history of the grounds and how the collections were rooted in teaching plant ID classes. Throughout Jason's fantastic tour, he answered all of my probing questions, and dealt out a couple of jabs at my anti-invasive species comments. There were also some new additions to the gardens, including an impressive removal of some huge hollies and exciting new plantings going in, per Jason's vision as curator. It reminded me a lot of the J.C. Raulston and I can only imagine what the space will look like as it matures. Planting new plants really is an incredible way to show vision.

I highly recommend getting out to see the garden. Although it may be intimidating being on a college campus, it exists as a teaching tool to all, students and members of the community, local and otherwise! Check out the garden's website to find out about parking and upcoming programs, including their plant sale!

So, after my wonderful tour with Jason (and getting some yummy ice cream made at UDel's creamery), I was off down 301, the interstate that snakes down the Delmarva Peninsula, crosses the Maryland state line and the Chesapeake Bay, makes its way to Anapolis and then Washington, D.C. It was a slow, grey afternoon, but it was an easy, incredibly flat, drive. Very little traffic allowed me to look out at the many farms and new developments coming up (which saddened me because of what is to come after that, as I've seen with the land around Charlotte as I've grown up). The bridge to cross the Chesapeake was amazing, so much longer than I thought it would be, and it was a great place to catch the sunset.

And then the traffic began. But, I was okay with it because the highways were now the organized ones of the south (whoo, crossing the Mason-Dixon line!).

My final thought will be to the people of the southern states: be thankful for your roads and how they are organized. Appreciate the many road signs you have. There are those who do not have them, who live in a place where right lanes just end.

Okay, and my post- post-final thought will be check out these awesome musical people: ilyAIMy.

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Mt. Cuba Center and Longwood Gardens

Woods Path, Mt. Cuba Center

The morning was frigid. Armed with ski gloves, I followed Barb to work, winding down the narrow roads of the Brandywine Valley. We came to the elaborate gate of Mt. Cuba Center, previously the Copeland's Estate and quickly climbed the hill of the approach to the house. A quick glance out the right side revealed a vista across the rolling hills in the Valley and to the left a rock garden in the retaining wall! We parked our cars and Barb led me through a tunnel of Rhododendrons and leaning Oxydendrum arboretum. She said she loved parking there because in the spring the Trillium are beautiful. Sadly, the morning was a cold grey and the Rhododendrons' leaves were looking forlorn in the biting cold.

Barb led me across the sweeping brick front of the du Pont-Copeland's beautiful home and went in the front door! Immediately the wealth of the previous inhabitants was evident: elegant wallpaper, hand-carved staircase and crown moulding, rich carpets and beautiful furniture. Every detail was closely tended to. I was reminded briefly of walking into the Biltmore Estate. After meeting several people, Barb led me into the basement where the plant records department was and then took me for a tour of the three story house. I think my jaw was on the floor the entire time. Just wow. And everyone was so welcoming too.

Yet again, once the house tour was done, we decided to head outside to see the gardens. The winter time is not the best time to see a garden at its best, but that doesn't mean a garden shouldn't be seen. Barb decided to check some areas while we were out there, so we bundled up and headed out. We walked through the formal garden and Barb told me about the upcoming renovations, then through the Trial Garden. If you don't see anything else (well, except the Trilliums), the Trial Gardens are worth the trip. Mt. Cuba Center is on the cutting edge of trialing natives and they have an impressive garden to do it in.

The cold slowed us down and we tried to keep moving, but I couldn't help but stop and look closer. Barb led me down the west slope path to the ponds, where we met one of the area gardeners, who stopped to talk with us a bit. We continued on and came to the area that Barb needed to check. Flags were spread throughout the area, and if you looked even closer, so were metal tags. Almost invisible reminders there were plants dormant there. I took the moment to look around me and take in the cathedral-like atmosphere of the Liriodendron tulipifera towering above the lake, and tried to imagine what the garden would look like in the spring, summer, fall when all of the plants would be active, growing in a great chorus in this great church.

The cold got the best of both of us and we made our way back up to the house; around the ponds, through the meadow, the dogwood path and trillium garden, and then up the woods path. I was most impressed even just seeing the bones of the garden and I can't wait to see the gardens in the full glory of spring.

We took a moment to warm ourselves and then we were out again, this time in a golf cart for a tour of the farther-flung areas of the gardens. Barb took me by several areas, until we ended up at the greenhouse facilities. One of the wonderful ladies there gave us both a tour of the facilities and we both learned a lot. There were the challenges of having to both use and maintain aging facilities, but the facilities themselves were interesting for their historical value. You could easily imagine what the cold storage rooms looked like full of bulbs for forcing and what the benches would look like with plants, immaculately manicured and full of flowers, ready to go up to the house. Facilities for the sake of surrounding yourself with beauty and perfection. What an incredible idea.

~~~

After such a wonderful tour and stimulating discussion over lunch afterwards, I was sad to leave the ladies at Mt. Cuba, but I was off for a tour of the curious boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) collection with the boxwood curator at Longwood Gardens. I eventually made it to the production area of Longwood after getting terribly lost. Again. Barrett was so nice though and was very patient with how late I was.

Once I was there I asked him tons of questions and we eventually made it out to the plots. Much like the Hort Field Lab at N.C. State, the production area was like an in-ground nursery, and the Buxus I'd come to see were planted out in rows, Round-up circles around them and metal tags identifying where they'd come from. Come to find out the Buxus sempervirens out there were cuttings taken from wild plants with desirable traits from countries around the Black Sea, from Albania to Azerbaijan (check out this map to see them!). There were dwarf forms, variegation of every kind (viral, chimeric or otherwise), dark green, light green, open forms, tight forms. A good sampling of the genetic diversity of the species. It was hard to tell they were all the same species sometimes.

So, why does Longwood have these specimens? There are many reasons, and historical value and breeding are the main ones. Longwood Gardens has released many cultivars into the horticultural trade, two of which are boxwoods: 'Longwood' and 'Belleville'. There may be more breeding in the future, so keep your eyes peeled for new releases and between now and then you can see them at the gardens.

 

Okay, okay. So boxwoods may not necessarily be the most stimulating topic, but Barrett had also planned for us to check out the Christmas display. It was obvious in the extravagant trees and decorations in the Conservatories there was every attention to detail, and stunning lights displayed in the giant trees outside were captivating even to adults. There was something new to see at each glance. The stroll through the Conservatories that evening will always stay with me.

Handmade steampunk Cardinal looking proud. The theme of the Christmas was birds.

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Visiting the Tyler Arboretum and John Bartram's Garden

Just because it was a late night doesn't mean I slept in! I was up and out the door bright and early to get over to John Bartram's Garden first thing. Only....I remembered it was Sunday when I pulled into the parking lot, which meant they opened later in the morning. So after I enjoyed the beautiful Philadelphia skyline, I was off to the Tyler Arboretum instead!

A beautiful sunrise for a beautiful day.

I wasn't a fan of driving in the narrow streets of the Philly-area after the nonchalant roads of the Vineyard, but I made it to Tyler safe and sound. The lovely volunteer at the visitor center pointed me to come of the sights, since I knew there was no way to see all 650 acres. I headed off to the old barn to see the herb garden on my way to the champion Sequoiadendron giganteum in the Pinetum. Along my path I was dwarfed by some of the Painter brothers' amazing Cedars and Magnolias. Whoa!

The most amazing part of the whole walk around the natural areas and in the Rhododendron collection was the size of the trees. Finally, the Liriodendron tulipifera were straight, towering giants in the forest and the oaks were stretching to keep up. Everything growing at its best and some old, familiar faces in the mix too. I fell in love with the eastern North American forest again and I'm sure if anyone saw me walking through mumbling to myself, they would have thought I was crazy. Residual Tree Cabin Fever from my time on the Vineyard, I guess. On second thought, maybe not.

But, I knew if I didn't get over to the Bartram's by 1 p.m. that I wouldn't be back in time to head over to see Cat's new (super adorable) house with Barb and Phil, so off I went.

~~~

View of Philadelphia over the Bartram's Garden's meadow.

The Bartram's, if they were still living in their beautiful home, would have one of the best skyline views of the city, even with the industrial buildings on the opposite bank of the Schuylkill River.

So, why was visiting this garden so important? John Bartram is easily the father of American Horticulture and his son William continued his legacy as a premier naturalist and plantsman. Without them, and other southeastern botanists, we wouldn't have nearly as rich a picture of the natural history of the South, the place I proudly call home.

American botanists, old and new, (well, and quite a few folks from Europe) are unsung heroes of American history. They may not seem like they contribute much of anything to American society, because their work doesn't seem as grand as military heroes' and their jobs aren't as glamorous as those of politicians and public figures. But the formal establishment of a working body knowledge of American natural history (because no one was really listening to the Native Americans very well), and their efforts to preserve and conserve the natural heritage of where we founded our new nation, while most were just thinking about building farms, have made them visionaries and champions of the ages. Without them, we would not know nearly as much about the natural wonders we find ourselves surrounded by every day, nor would we be able to appreciate the damage we have done and mourn what we have lost.

Speaking of which, take the Franklin Tree, Franklinia alatamaha. If it weren't for a chance meeting with the Bartrams as they were traveling the bank of the Altamaha River and their fascination with its beauty enough to collect seeds, we would not know this gorgeous, fall-blooming member of the Theaceae today.

So, I'll climb down off my soap box now. In short, I felt visiting Bartram's Garden was a very important pilgrimage to take, to pay homage to these visionary men.

The property itself is very humble. The garden has kept up the buildings, the nursery and kitchen garden, and several other beds. There are some amazing trees, including a Cladrastis kentukea, yellowwood, collected by André Michaux himself, and one of, if not the, oldest Ginkgo biloba in the U.S. Personally, I fell in love with the Platanus occidentalis next to the Taxodium sp. It was a very fine tree, whose bark was so white it glowed. (Cool fun fact for the day: DNA evidence has shown that the genus Nelumbo, which includes the better known sacred lotus, is a close relative of the genus Platanus. Who'd've thought?)

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Morning at the Botanic Garden at Smith College (before driving to Delaware!)

That's right, folks: Western Massachusetts to Delaware.

Into the belly of the beast....or at least the pitcher of a Nepenthes truncata.

(Click above for photos)

But since I'd only been able to walk by all of the botanical treasures at the Lyman Conservatory at Smith College yesterday, I made sure I was up, packed and out the door early the next morning so I could be there when they opened the doors. I think I surprised the visitor center volunteer when I came in so early, as I'm sure a visit to the conservatory isn't most people's idea of the first thing to do on a dreary Saturday morning.

A view into "the Jungle Room" at Smith College.

I made myself at home though, hanging up my coats in the hallway, and immediately delved into the collections, taking my time to savor each detail of each plant. I read tag upon tag, quizzed myself and took hundreds of pictures. It was a great moment of reflection to think back on what I'd seen at other conservatories I'd visited before. I knew I needed to be on the road, but there was so much to see. Each room seemed to hold a thousand more treasures.

But, I knew I was pushing into my long drive to Wilmington, DE, and I eventually had to tear myself away from the succulent house.

In an effort to avoid New York, New Jersey and I-95, in general, I charted my own path down 84, through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and some beautiful mountain areas. Sadly, I could only imagine what beautiful scenery I was passing through, as the low clouds hid most of it.

The weather had not improved during my warm explorations inside. There was a steady drizzle and the shade of the cold, grey of the morning had been passed on to the afternoon. The frustrating roads of Massachusetts gave way to the slightly more sane ones of Connecticut, though I have to say I knew I was in Yankee-land driving through the scary narrow ways of Hartford. Once I was out of the city though, the traffic disappeared and landscape opened up and became more mountainous. I almost forgot I was in Connecticut and I wished so badly to be able to see through the thick blankets of clouds. I could tell there were more hills and mountains, especially in New York and Pennsylvania (which PM2 made me painfully aware of), and the flora shifted, sometimes more natives and sometimes more invasives.

By the time I got past Bethlehem though, it started getting dark. The traffic dramatically picked up and I found myself surrounded by urban sprawl. I quickly found myself eager to be in Delaware. And then my GPS died an hour or so later....eagerness turned to panic.

But, I made it, almost eight hours after leaving Smith College, and Barb and Phil were waiting to welcome me to their home. Whew, what a day!

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Exploring Ledge End, Climbing Mount Holyoke and Touring Smith College

A view of Southampton, MA and the Connecticut River from the top of Mount Holyoke. It was chilly but a nice place to have a morning snack.

(Click above for photos)

It was looking to be another packed day, but since I wasn't terribly pressed I spent a little time to explore Ledge End before I left. It was a gorgeous early morning, crisp with frost and on fire in the sunshine. It was asleep for the season, but the garden had flares of adventure and creativity, much like the folks who tended it. I made my way around the garden and then was on my way to climb a mountain.

It was such a cold morning on the dark side of Mount Holyoke. I was so thankful for my ski gloves, of which I'd gotten more use of in the last couple weeks than the entire time I'd owned them, and my long-necked jacket (the best $12 I'd ever spent). The side of the mountain went straight up from the road that wound to the top of the mountain. The sun made the angle seem even more extreme. But I was bound and determined to climb it. The trail was slow to start to climb and I took the first trail I saw to begin my ascent. Only after halfway up did I realize I'd chosen a precarious deer trail instead of an official one. I eventually met up with a marked trail and completed the final push through a thick stand of Tsuga canadensis, Canadian Hemlocks. The view of the golden valley below was worth every slip. There were trails that ran the top of the range and I headed toward the Summit House, an old hotel on top of the mountain, where I knew I'd meet the road, because I sure as heck wasn't going back down the way I'd come. I met a very kind man and his dog on the porch of the hotel and we chatted about the trees and the Massachusetts winters as we both walked down the road.

My descent was much quicker than I anticipated, but I went ahead and headed to the Botanic Garden at Smith College to see my friend Elaine Chittendon. I was very early so I took the opportunity to take my time and explore the Lyman Plant House, where they had two exhibitions going on: Thesaurus Woolwardiae, Orchid Paintings by Florence Woolward; and Woods of the World. I'm glad I had the time to fully appreciate these high-quality displays. Although I came with no preconceptions, I was thoroughly impressed with the interpretive displays I saw. Smith College should definitely be on your horticultural bucket list.

Elaine with the Cyphostemma juttae, a weird member of the Vitaceae, or grape family.

I pulled myself away from the Camellia Corridor and met up with Elaine. It was so nice to see her and she was so accommodating, fielding all of my questions about the collections and the operations, and horticultural outbursts. She led me through the teaching facilities, introducing me to people along the way, and then through the conservatory for a brief introduction to the collections there, including through the two "genetics" labs. We'd put it off long enough, so we bundled up and it was out to the gardens outside.

The weather had turned grey and cold, but we were not deterred. Apparently the grounds of the college are considered part of the botanic garden, which means Elaine has to go through and keep up with the records for all the plants on campus. Elaine led me through the rock garden, telling me stories as we went, then to beds of red-twigged dogwoods, which we were both a little fuzzy on with the taxonomy. I was impressed with and probably way too excited about the huge tree ring around the historic Metasequoia glyptostroboides. Anyway, Elaine gave me a thorough tour of the campus and showed me quite a few interesting trees across campus, including the Davidia involucrata, Dove tree, which had set seed that year, and a beautiful, huge Platanus occidentalis, sycamore.

Another Google Auto-Awesome, this time of a Sparmannia africana, in the Malvaceae, or hibiscus family.

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Exploring Mount Holyoke College and Amherst College (and a stop at the Hadley Garden Center)

This is a Lycaste deppei, Orchidaceae at Mount Holyoke College's Talcott Greenhouse. I'm not one for bizarre photo-editing effects, but I have to say I was struck by how well this Google Auto-Awesome came out.

(This is a long blog post. I think it's worth a read, but I'm just warning you. Check out the photos by clicking the photo above.)

Just as I expected: it was like Christmas morning.

The weather seemed to break for the day's adventures and allowed the rising sun to light the tops of the Pinus strobus with fire. I remember when Tom told me about Ledge End, with a proud Tom-smirk on his face. He's cleverly named his garden this and I had only the man to give hint to what kind of place it really was. It didn't disappoint in real-life, even with a blanket of snow on the ground and the cloak of winter on. He and his wife, Sandy, have taken advantage of the unique space surrounding their cottage to make a beautiful garden (even if Tom says it's still a work in progress; what garden isn't?).

I headed off first thing in the morning to get my oil changed in South Hadley Falls, where I got to see the falls of the Connecticut River and what black spot looks like on Acer platanoides, Norway Maple.

Talcott Greenhouse

I rushed off to Mount Holyoke College next to check out the famed grounds Tom worked on before he came to the Polly Hill Arboretum. Both Tom and Elaine Chittenden, the manager of living collections at the Botanic Garden at Smith College, told to me say hi to Russ when I visited. I walked over ice and snow on the sidewalk, vaguely aware of where I was going. Thankfully there were campus maps at the bus stops that guided me to where the Talcott Greenhouse was.

The squat complex was nestled next to the stream that flowed through the campus and seemed to glow in the morning light. The headhouse was warm and cozy, and still had the character of a turn-of-the-century potting room with benches along the wall and tiled floors. Branch cuttings of Ilex, holly, and other evergreens were lined up on one of the benches, ready to be bundled up and arranged for the Christmas displays. One of the greenhouse workers told me Russ had stepped out but welcomed me to wander through the houses.

Orchids and other non-hardy plants filled one house, then the succulent house was joined to it, and finally there was a catch-all house at the end of that wing. I'd just made it to the succulent house and had my mind-blowing Senecio-is-in-the-Asteraceae epiphany, when the greenhouse worker came back in and said Russ had come back.

I went out to introduce myself and we chatted about Tom, the greenhouses and the plants at Mt. Holyoke College. I asked him which trees I should see on campus while I was there and he kindly offered to give me a quick tour in the Kubota! We whipped around campus, Russ giving me the highlights and insights, fielding my endless questions. He showed me two Cornus kousa, which were there prior to him coming on at the college and which J.C. Raulston, of N.C. State University fame, had expressed interest in. He pointed out trees, including some newly-planted fastigiate trees by the amphitheater and a large Cornus florida, flowering dogwood, tucked in a warm corner; and talked to me about some of the challenges with some of the trees, including the aging out of many of the Acer saccharum, sugar maple, and the sometimes frustrating management of trees on campus (which isn't a challenge unique to MHC). He also showed me the courtyard outside of the college's president office that Tom used to manage when he was there. It was such a fun (and warm!) tour and it was so kind of Russ to take the time to show me.

We came back to the greenhouses and he talked to me a little more about the collections there and projects that were going on. Some professors utilized the greenhouses, but not as much as one might expect. Despite this, there were tags in every plant, and all the plants were clean and evenly-spaced. The floors were clean and I saw very little insect activity. The day and light were prime for photography and I lost myself with each plant. I learned a lot just from looking at tags. Check out the photos (linked to the photo in the beginning) for more details. There are too many to mention here.

I had to tear myself away around 12:30 so I would have enough time to see the Hadley Garden Center before heading to Amherst College.

~~~

You're probably wondering why a local garden center is on my list of destinations? It's a funny story, actually, and shows what a wonderfully small world horticulture is.

So, it all started when I was sitting in Introduction to Horticulture at N.C. State University in Fall 2009. Bryce Lane was my horticulture professor right out of the box and his animated storytelling inspired us with horticulture lore. He told us of how he got his start in horticulture unloading trucks of plants at the Hadley Garden Center in Hadley, MA, near his native Amherst, MA. He served as a source of passion and inspiration throughout my time at N.C. State and joked I should go visit the garden center some time. Well, fast forward to my aspirations to come to the Polly Hill Arboretum and work with Tom Clark. Bryce had told me about Tom and PHA (although he'd never actually met Tom or been to PHA). Come to find out, Tom had worked at the Hadley Garden Center while he was in high school as well, and it just so happened he met Sandy, his wife, there as well. After this, I just had to see this place. So, I did, and I met the wonderful folks who run it and talked with the wonderful Clivia, who reveled in the wonder of how small the world of horticulture is. And I also bought more plants (a cute little Pinus mugo for my Christmas tree that I'm going to train into bonsai and a little pot of frilly, white cyclamen, because I was wooed by the Christmas offerings).

~~~

Finally, I was off to my last stop at Amherst College to see the Japanese garden Tom had suggested to me.

I parked in downtown Amherst (because, as I should have expected, parking on a college campus is a nightmare) and walked to campus. It was a beautiful afternoon, albeit frigid, for an afternoon walk. I wandered around the buildings to the center green, peeking in between buildings to see if I could see where the garden was. I looked all around and could not see anything reminiscent of a formal garden. But it wasn't all for naught; I discovered a statue of Robert Frost and was reminded that he taught at Amherst College! The college also has a beautiful war memorial circle with an amazing view of the Mt. Holyoke range in the distance.

Since I was lost, I stopped in the Robert Frost Library to get some hot chocolate and some direction. A kind librarian gave me detailed directions for a rather simple jaunt across the quad. Seems I just hadn't looked quite hard enough.

Yūshien from the top of the hill.

When I looked down the hill into what seemed would be a little crevice of a courtyard, there was a frozen mountain scene of wind-whipped pines and weathered rocks. A little sign next to a gate made of woven bamboo give an introduction to what was playing out below, Yūshien. After a rather exciting adventure of following clues, I made my way through the building to where you could enter the courtyard. Along the way I discovered an unlikely, but surprisingly rich past between Japan and Amherst College.

It was a place for quiet reflection and was sheltered from the hubbub of campus and traffic. You could almost imagine you were on the side of a mountain. The plantings were rich with Japanese natives, including Pieris japonica, Japanese Andromeda, and Acer palmatum, Japanese maple. The mix of evergreens and deciduous plants played well together. I was probably most excited about the obvious pruning on the Acer palmatum though. It always seems like people are installing gardens but fail to keep up with proper maintenance, so it is heartening when you see it.

The sun was sinking below the ridge of the mountains as I made my final notes on the landscape. I reminisced in the simplicity of not necessarily having to get up. It was growing colder in the shadow of the building and my haiku were getting strained, however, so I called it a day.

Mountain solitude

Serendipity's embrace

Time in plant and stone

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Traveling to Granbania

The weather may not have been totally inspiring during my trip to South Kingston, RI, but I had a great time catching up and hanging out with Tessa. She is such an awesome horticulturist and cool to hang out with because she's down for anything just for the sake of adventure.

But the fun has to end and we said our goodbyes at the URI Horticulture Club's plant sale. She headed for an exam and I took off for the next exotic locale of Granby, MA.

A Google Map of my winding way from the University of Rhode Island and Granby, MA

It wasn't a horticulturally-inspiring treck, except for the increasing height of the trees on the side of the road and the changing diversity as I tried to ID plants at 45 miles per hour.

I chose to avoid the highways of Rhode Island and Massachusetts because what little driving I've done on mainland New England has helped me form a strong aversion to the chaotic driving style. As a friend of mine told me, you have to have a certain insanity about you and that "using your turn signal is giving information to the enemy." Not my kind of driving conditions.

I pulled into Tom Clark's home's driveway just before night fell in the mountain town. I could only make out the glowing frame of the absolutely adorable house in the dim light and the faint silhouette of a stand of towering Pinus strobus, white pine, beside it. The anticipation of seeing them in the morning reminded me of how it felt the night before Christmas morning.

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Hanging out near Kingston, RI (aka a Summer Town in Winter)

It was a cold, dreary day in Kingston, Rhode Island, as you would expect for this time of year. Not yet the bitter cold of January, but definitely getting grumpy.

East Matunuck State Beach

 

(Click above for photos)

I had to get up super early in the morning to get a parking pass to save my car (and my wallet) from the college parking Nazis. Once I was up I just decided to go post up at Hope Student Center to catch up on some work and get a super reasonably-priced coffee. As the morning zombies filtered in, I realize I blended in, but also didn't. There were people pouring over flash cards and staring blankly at their computers, hopes that the information they needed would beam into their sleep-deprived brains. I was just hanging out. There was only a slight tinge of urgency to my work, but I was spared the future-crushing pressure of being under the academic wire.

Tessa let me know when she was done and we met at the Horridge Greenhouses (here's their blog). I took a quick jaunt through the grounds of the botanical garden to check out the collections. It was a modest offering and came complete with signage! I've really developed a taste for the need to have tags on plants and I was happy to see them (and the Magnolia grandiflora 'Bracken's Brown Beauty').

It was a low-key afternoon and evening exploring southern Rhode Island. Not much was going on and Tessa and I were reminded of the California Dreamin' Mad Libs fiasco that occurred on the way back from the Woody Plant Conference because it was definitely a 'Califonia Dreamin'' day as we were standing on East Matunuck State Beach.

We ended up walking through a forest of Juniperus virginiana that looked like something out of a horror movie and to take the edge off of the experience we contemplated what kind of monster we might encounter. Apparently people with chainsaws were the first thing she thought of. What an irony.

Adventures in the Polly Mobile 2: Going back to college

You can never "go back" to college once you've been to the real world. It is merely an illusion.

But today I felt a slight reversion taking place. After Tessa's mom's generosity of letting me stay at her house and with me off to visit Tessa at URI, I felt like I was back in the insulated world of college life.



The Carey Mansion on Ruggles Road, next to the entrance to the Cliff Walk. Jeez.

 

(Click above for photos.)

Tessa's mom was kind enough to give me another tour of Aquidneck Island from her own perspective and show me the sights she loved the most. I got to see the sea-side cottage Tessa had talked about all summer, get more of the natural and cultural history of the area and hang out with a cool lady all morning.

In the afternoon I was off across the terrible roads of Rhode Island (seriously, watch your tires!) and the Jamestown and Newport Bridges, complete with toll, to crash Tessa's afternoon grounds maintenance class, which was planting trees on campus! I got my parking permit and left my car to take to campus on foot. I blended in with the students because of my age, but I got tons of weird looks because, I would find out later, making eye contact and smiling just isn't done up here. I found Tessa easy enough though and we were off to meet with her class.

After class Tessa and I made some loose plans about what we would do that evening. Taking my stuff up to her dorm room (because I was sleeping on her floor!), eating at the dining hall and hanging out in the library were all on the docket. How much more "college" can that be? Despite how typical the evening plans were for a college student, the experience made me feel the distance between what my time in college was like and where I was now. Oh, how so much has already changed.

We had a great time though! After the tasty dinner (goodness, does URI have a cool dining facility at Hope), Tessa and I made our way to the library because I just had to check it out. We explored the many different collections (they still have newspaper negative readers) and floors, and made some cool discoveries. Of course we hung out in the plant and ecology sections of the stacks and found some fascinating books. It reminded me of how much I love libraries and how much I wished I'd had more time to hang out at D.H. Hill at N.C. State!

The front-page fold out woodblock print of "The Araucaria Avenue at Bicton" from The Manual of Coniferae (1881) by James Veitch and Sons, of the Abies veitchii fame.