5 Unsuspecting Reasons to Take a Guided Tour of the Morris Arboretum

1. Free Vitamin D

Unlike many of the plants you will see while strolling through the beautiful Morris Arboretum, we as humans do not photosynthesize. However, we do still need a healthy dose of sunlight! Vitamin D is vital for a healthy immune system, strong bones and teeth. So come grab some vitamin D while on one of our regularly scheduled guided tours. They are every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm, and no reservations are necessary.

2.  Keep Your Mind Sharp

Learning new things is a great way to keep your mind sharp and the creative juices flowing. Engaging your brain will help to improve your memory and attitude.

This fall at the Arboretum join the Small Trees for Small Spaces tour. This one-hour guided tour will keep you engrossed by highlighting small trees that make a big impact. Check out the website for specific dates and details. Come learn something new and exercise your brain as you learn from the Arboretum’s knowledgeable guides.  

3.  Escape

Do you ever feel like you want to go on an adventure, but you just don’t have the time? No matter what the reason, we have the perfect remedy for you! Come find solace at the Morris Arboretum. As soon as you pass through the beautiful iron entrance gates, you get the sense that you are no longer in Philadelphia. Take a mini adventure on one of our guided tours through the striking gardens here at the Arboretum. You will learn fascinating history, and get lost in the compelling environment of the Arboretum. Escape your hectic lifestyle for an hour or so and come visit.  

4. Give a Unique Gift

Sometimes giving the gift of an experience is better than any material good. Generally, people are more likely to hold on to a memory of an experience, rather than a peculiar re-gifted garden gnome. Whether you are attending a birthday party, a retirement party, or a holiday event, we have the perfect gift idea for you.

The Arboretum offers group tours of many varieties. Regardless of interest, there is a tour for everyone. The Morris Arboretum offers tour topics such as: Art in the Garden; Japanese Elements; LEED Horticulture Center and Green Roofs Tour; Victorian Garden and many more. Check out our website to see the full list, or contact Lisa Bailey (baileyl@upenn.edu or 215.247.5777 x157) for more information and scheduling.

5. Nature Rx

If you are interested in slowing down, being unreasonably happy or de-stressing, come check out the Morris Arboretum! Nature has been proven to help do all of these things and more. The Morris Arboretum is a great place to come enjoy nature and a guided tour can help you facilitate your visit.

Article contributed by guest Garden Blogger Betsy Thompson.

5 Reasons to Visit Before the Sun Sets on Summer

Photo: Rob Cardillo

 
Summer is winding down but there is still a lot to do in the garden at Morris Arboretum. Here are 5 reasons to visit before the sun sets on summer.

1. The cooling power of trees and bubbling fountains provide a perfect respite of tranquility from the hustle and bustle of the city. It can be as much as 10-15 degrees cooler under the shade of a big tree, and Morris Arboretum has a lot of state champion trees! Learn More
    
2. Patrick Dougherty’s stick sculpture, A Waltz in the Woods lures art lovers and children alike with its seven 25-foot tall twisting towers that you can roam through, or race in and out of. Learn More
    
3. Out on a Limb takes you high up in the treetops on a canopy walk that requires no climbing. Or you can scamper onto the Squirrel Scramble, a hammock-like rope netting and pretend you’re a squirrel peering down from 50 feet up. Learn More
    
4. The Garden Railway presents Art & Architecture with Philadelphia sculptures like Rocky and The Thinker, along with architecture from afar like the Eiffel Tower. And that is just the back drop for model trains zipping in and out of tunnels, through bridges, and under trestles on a quarter mile track. Labor Day weekend is Circus Week at the Garden Railway. Come see the Big Top and the circus trains take over the tracks. Learn More
    
5. Sculpture Scavenger Hunt Open your eyes to art in the garden with the new Sculpture Scavenger Hunt.  Pick up a clue sheet at the Visitor’s Center now through October, and solve 10 riddles to find 10 sculptures, each with a secret code attached.  Guests who decipher the cryptic message will receive a complimentary pack of Play Doh® to create their own work of art. Get the Guide

Our Summer Reading List

Ready to delve into a good book? Morris Arboretum staffers are an enthusiastic group of readers and have offered up some great book suggestions. As a bonus, we're even sharing our favorite spots in the garden to get lost in the pages!

Our Summer Garden Reading List

• American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation by Erik Rutkow
  This fascinating and groundbreaking book tells the remarkable story of the relationship between Americans and their trees across the entire span of our nation's history, perfect for history buffs and nature lovers alike.
  Where to read it: The cozy benches at the Orange Balustrade where you can listen to the sounds of water trickling through the rocks as you turn the pages.
   
• Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees by Dave Goulson
  Goulson, an English scientist with a passion for bees, a wonderful sense of humor and a great knack for making science accessible.
  Where to read it: Lydia's Seat (Adjacent to the Rock Wall). Get lost in this read while watching the bees busy in the Rose Garden.
   
• The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
  A glorious, sweeping novel of desire, ambition, and the thirst for knowledge, from the New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love.
  Where to read it: The benches outside our Victorian glasshouse Fernery, which makes the perfect backdrop for this period story.
   
• The Brother Gardeners: A Generation of Gentlemen Naturalists and the Birth of an Obsession by Andrea Wulf
  Bringing to life the science and adventure of eighteenth-century plant collecting, The Brother Gardeners is the story of how six men created the modern garden and changed the horticultural world in the process. It is a story of a garden revolution that began in America.
  Where to read it: Grab a seat in one of the Adirondack chairs around the swan pond for this fascinating tale.
   
• Chasing the Rose: An Adventure in the Venetian Countryside by Andrea Di Robilant
  What starts out as a lighthearted quest becomes a meaningful journey as di Robilant contemplates the enduring beauty of what is passed down to us in a rose, through both the generosity of nature and the cultivating hand of human beings, who for centuries have embraced and extended the life of this mysterious flower.
  Where to read it: The Rose Garden, of course! Bonus: This book is available for purchase at our Visitor Center Shop.

Weekend Picks: Mom Edition

Photo: Ryan Estes Photography

 

Our Guide to Mother's Day Weekend

This weekend is Mother's Day (aren't you glad we reminded you?) and the garden has much to offer - whether it's a special outing or picking up a gift. Or, maybe mom just needs an afternoon of peace and quiet - in which case we've got the best place to bring the kiddos!

For Moms Who Want to Leisurely Stroll:

• Use our guide to What's in Bloom this May to lead your walk. Stop and smell the abundance of gorgeous flowers and their sweet scents. Get the Bloom Guide
• Our self-guided Sculpture Tour will take you off the beaten path, with a delightful surprise of a brand new sculpture along the way... Get the Tour Guide

 For the Perfect Last-Minute Gift

• You can't go wrong with flowers. Take it up a notch with a live, blooming plant that mom will enjoy for months or years. Shop the Plant Sale
• Did you know our Gift Shop stocks one-of-a-kind, artisan jewelry? And even more locally-made items that are sure to please. Stop by the Gift Shop

What To Do With the Kiddos

• Our new Sculpture Scavenger Hunt is sure to keep them busy all around the garden. Bonus: Kids who complete the activity get a free prize!  Get the Clue Sheet
• Out on a Limb is always a hit, but did you know there's a whole new Adventure Guide that can be completed as part of this garden feature? Check it out or pick up a passport at the Visitor Center

Happy Mother's Day!