Up On the Roof

Autumn is the loveliest season on the intensive green roof, in the aerial gardener's opinion. The grasses have matured, displaying seed heads that dance in the slightest breeze, held high above tawny foliage. Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low' glows crimson and copper, igniting the roof with fiery splashes. Keen eyed observers may spot standard dwarf iris cultivars blooming, such as citrine 'Prince Pele'. Spiky yuccas sport yellow and green striped foliage, striking a pose even after their September blooms have faded.

Bloomfield Farm Day presents a rare opportunity for the public to view the green roof. Free with admission, the roof will be the backdrop to this fun-filled day celebrating agricultural history, including demonstrations, animals, and live music. The Horticulture Center and historic Springfield Mills will also be open for tours. Find out more on our website.

Article by Louise Clarke, aerial gardener.
Photos by Louise Clarke (top) and Rebekah Armstrong (bottom).

Fall Color Favorites at Morris Arboretum

Autumn is one of the most popular times to visit the Morris Arboretum and visitors enjoy the vibrant display of color throughout the garden. Mid-October is a great time to begin your fall color wanderings through the gardens, returning whenever you can into November.

Be sure to explore some of our visitor and staff favorites:

• From Widener Visitor Center towards Gates Hall, between the small parking lot and the Orange Balustrade you will find Acer palmatum ‘Heptalobum’, one of the most outstanding Japanese maples for red fall color.  Continuing from there toward Gates Hall, you will see the incredible golden foliage of Princeton Gold Chinese witchhazel (Hamamelis mollis ‘Princeton Gold’).

• At the bottom of the Holly Slope, tucked behind the signature katsura-tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum), are several broad-leaved evergreens.  These are Camellia oleifera (tea-oil camellia), with its beautiful white flowers, and Camellia sinensis, the plant from which tea is made, with its small white flowers. 

• Around the corner from the Holly Slope is one of the most interesting plants for fall color, used as a hedge surrounding the Long Fountain, Lindera salicifolia (one of the Asian spicebushes).  This plant colors very late in the fall turning a variety of reds, yellows, and oranges, before the leaves fade to russet and persist through the winter.  

• Downstream from the Swan Pond, along the East Brook are several plants of a native shrub, southern blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum rufidulum) with burgundy-colored leaves and bright blue fruits that are attractive to birds. Behind these stands the majestic Engler beech (Fagus engleriana) with its russet-red fall color and leaves that also persist into winter.

• Surrounding the Engler beech are a number of small trees, including Stewartia pseduocamellia (Japanese stewartia) with beautiful bark, white flowers in June, and rich red-orange fall color; nearby is Parrotia persica (Persian parrotia) a medium-sized tree also with beautiful bark and leaves that start out with deep purple color before turning a mix of yellows, oranges, and reds. 

• Finally, along the path near the Mercury Loggia is a concentration of witchhazels, including Sandra vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis ‘Sandra’), noteworthy for its red fall foliage.

These are just a few of the autumn gems on display at the Arboretum, with many more awaiting your discovery. Take the time to explore the Morris Arboretum this fall – you will probably see some old friends and no doubt discover some new favorites!

Acer palmatum 'Heptalobum'

Camellia sinensis

Fagus engleriana

Hamamelis mollis 'Princeton Gold'

Hamamelis vernalis 'Sandra'

Bald Eagles Spotted at Morris Arboretum

Photo courtesy of Ruth Pfeffer

Bald eagles have been spotted several times during the week of October 7 soaring over the Arboretum's wetlands. Adult bald eagles have dark brown bodies and wings with white heads and tails. Their legs and bills are bright yellow. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white. It takes young birds five years to get attain adult plumage. The bald eagle dwarfs most other raptors, including the turkey vulture and red-tailed hawk. It has a heavy body, large head, long, hooked bill and a 7 to 8 foot wing span. A bald eagle in flight holds its broad wings flat.

Morris Arboretum is sponsoring a trip to the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River to see bald eagles. The eagles feed on fish as they come over the dam. The trip is scheduled for Tuesday, December 11 leaving from the Arboretum at 7:45 am. For more details visit online.morrisarboretum.org/classes or call 215-247-5777 ext. 125.

A Fall Tradition on Display...

A big 'Thank You' to all who came out for our Fall Festival this past weekend!

After a rainy weekend the sun is finally shining on our gardens and the weather is just right to come see a fall tradition at Morris Arboretum... The 5th Annual Scarecrow Walk! More than 30 creative 'crows await you along the Oak Alle. See if you can spot The Lorax or Strawbacca, or Rapunzel with her new straw hairdo. Make sure to snap a photo with these crazy cast of characters and vote for your favorite! The Scarecrow Walk is on display now through October 21. See you in the garden.

Komainu have returned to the Japanese Overlook Garden!

by Robert Gutowski, Director of Public Programs at Morris Arboretum

Komainu have returned to the Japanese Overlook Garden in the English Park. How did they get there and where have they been? This story could begin about 2,500 years ago in India and follow the path of Buddhism and its variants through time and across China, through Korea and into Japan. More recently, John Morris purchased a pair of “Shrine Dogs” in 1912 from the Boston office of Yamanaka & Co., an antique dealer based in Japan with international distribution. The pair came from a Japanese temple in Nara and is dated to about 1700.  John Morris noted “They are certainly very rare in design and condition.” With the guidance of Y. Muto, a consulting Japanese landscape designer and Frank Gould, Head Gardener at Compton, the komainu were placed in the Japanese Overlook Garden as a part of the original design. Their return restores an important sense of place and visual reference points in the core of this very special garden.

Komainu is a Japanese term often literally translated as “Korean-dog” in reference to its origin. Komainu are typically pairs of shrine guardians set along the approach to the temple to ward of evil spirits. They have become iconic figures in Japan. They are distinguished from each other by the open and closed mouths. One often has a horn on its head. Gender is not so clearly distinguished as in their Chinese antecedent, the Foo-lions or dogs. In the 9th century the open mouth figure was referred to as shishi (lion) and the closed mouth figure as komainu (Korean-dog). Over time, the pair was referred to collectively and individually as komainu. The open and closed mouths reference the a-un posture or sound, the “alpha” and “omega” from Sanskrit.

The image above was sent to John Morris from Yamanaka & Co.  prior to their purchase for Compton.

During the Second World War, many of the Asian garden ornaments were removed from the garden.  While several lanterns and other feature have disappeared, the komainu were eventually relocated to the Bloomfield Barn. Their condition was such that a return to the garden setting was not possible. In 2012 replicas were cast of the originals by Campania International, Inc. through the generosity of Peter Cilio and his family. A gift from Christine James and her father to restore the Japanese Overlook Garden included placement of the replicate komainu in the garden where Section Head Kate Deregibus oversaw their installation with staff and stone masons from Joseph Monero & Sons.

The original komainu are now safely displayed in the Horticulture Center at Bloomfield Farm. Horticulture and Facilities staff lifted them into place using teamwork, muscle, ingenuity and a mobile hydraulic jack from the garage. 

If you haven’t been to the Japanese Overlook Garden, it may be time for your return.

Installing the new komainu in the Japanese Overlook Garden

Up On the Roof

Louise Clarke, Aerial Gardener

Tradescantia ohiensis

Ohio spiderwort is an eastern North American perennial that blooms from May through July on the arboretum’s intensive green roof. Remembering this as a shady resident of my mother’s garden, I was skeptical of its performance on a green roof.

Spiderwort has adapted to the roof’s sunny, hot and dry growing conditions with aplomb. Its three-petaled blue flowers last only one day, like miniature daylilies. It receives no special care, other than being cut back in mid-summer after its blooms are spent. With adequate moisture, it may provide a second flush of flowers for fall. In garden beds Tradescantia may grow to 3’, but its stature is reduced on the green roof due to less moisture and leaner soil.

Young Red-winged Blackbird at Morris Arboretum

Tracy Beerley, The McCausland Natural Areas Horticulturist
Colonies of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) arrived at the Morris Arboretum in early Spring. Within the Arboretum the birds are most common in the wetland and floodplain area.

The female spends three to six days building a nest constructed with grasses, sedges, mosses, and lined with mud. A clutch of eggs are incubated by the female and typically hatch in eleven to twelve days, the young birds are ready to fledge the nest two weeks after hatching.

This young fledgling is trying out his legs and wings for the first time. A male red-winged blackbird is watching overhead. You can hear his alarm call as he warns possible predators. The alarm call and nesting in groups are traits that reduce the risk of individual predation by increasing the number of alert and vocal parents.

Femal Red-winged Blackbird. Photo credit: Ruth Pfeffer

Male Red-winged Blackbird. Take note of the distinct red shoulder patch on the male. Photo credit: Ruth Pfeffer