Gloomy garden days, the best kept secret

Most people think of visiting a public garden or park on a picturesque sunny day, right?

Of course, we think every day is the best day to visit! But in particular, overcast days can be a great, yet often overlooked, time to visit the garden. In case you're skeptical, here are a few reasons why a seemingly gloomy, gray day is a visitor's best kept secret:

Beat the Crowds
Because the typical response to a cloudy day is to shy away from outdoor excursions, it often means less crowds in our gardens. Take this opportunity to stroll through the grounds like it's your own secret garden!

Cooler Temps
Generally speaking, clouds act as a "heat shield". Much of the incoming solar radiation from the sun is reflected or absorbed by the clouds, resulting in slightly cooler temperatures.

Optimum Photography Conditions
The even white light of an overcast day is great for outdoor photography. Sunlight is gently diffused by the clouds, eliminating harsh shadows and extreme highlights. If shooting with a standard digital camera, use the "Portrait" setting for great outdoor images.

When is your favorite time to visit the garden? 

What to do with all that summer energy?

Summer's here: It's hot, the days are long, and the kids are full of energy!
Camp and swim clubs provide daytime relief for many during these school-free days, but what to do when the sun starts to set and the kids are still searching for something to do?

Thursdays to the rescue!
Morris Arboretum is open late (until 8:30pm) every Thursday during the summer months. It's a unique opportunity to pack a picnic dinner, bring a blanket, and enjoy the garden in a light that's not typically available to visitors. Kids will love catching fireflies too!

If you're looking for something a bit more high energy, be sure to come down this Thursday, July 18 for Let's Move! Garden Dance Party. The Let's Move! initiative was launched by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, to help solve the challenge of childhood obesity and promote a healthy future. Sounds by Shelly Disc Jockey Services will be on hand to lead the party in fun and engaging games and choreography. Free with admission. 

Love live music? Back by popular demand is our XPN Kids' Corner Concert Series! This year's line-up includes the amazing sounds of Alex & the Kaleidoscope Band, Trout Fishing in America, and The Suzi Shelton Band. For the first time, we are offering advanced online ticketing. Purchasing tickets early saves money and time at the gate on the night of the event. Don't forget your lawn chairs and blankets, although we're sure the family will be too busy dancing to use them!

Click here for more family fun events.
Below: A video clip from our latest Summer Solstice Salsa Party! 

School's out, new interns are in!

Welcome, Morris Arboretum Intern Class of 2014!

On June 17 a new group of nine interns joined Morris Arboretum to participate in our year-long internship program. Welcome, Class of 2014!

Each of the interns will work in a specific area of study at the Arboretum:
Arboriculture, Education, Flora of Pennsylvania, Horticulture, Natural Lands, Plant Protection, Propagation, Rose and Flower, and Urban Forestry.

In addition to their regular duties, interns participate in weekly afternoon seminars, field trips to other gardens and natural areas, as well as staffing the Arboretum Plant Clinic. During the year-long program, the interns are also enrolled and will receive graduate level course credit for “Issues in Arboretum Management I and II” through the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.

This marks the 35th year of the Morris Arboretum Internship Program. The program provides hands on experience and education that prepares interns for careers in public gardens and related fields. To learn more about the Morris Arboretum Internship Program click here.

Spring 'Yard Work'

by Jessamine Finch, Hay Honey Farm Endowed Natural Lands Intern

About once a month or so, the horticulture staff unites for a morning to undertake a large job made much more manageable - and enjoyable - when tackled as a group. This past Tuesday was a “project day” in the natural lands area, under the guidance of Natural Lands Horticulturist, Tracy Beerley. Having labored diligently over the winter months to remove invasive plants from Penn’s Woods and along Paper Mill Run, Tracy was able to select native tree and shrub species to fill these newly emptied spaces. The planting list included sugar maple, red maple, mountain laurel, rhododendron, and winterberry holly. The beautiful weather made for a wonderful day, and we look forward to seeing these plantings thrive and mature in the years to come.  

All work...

....and some fun, too!

Pausing for the little things: One member's insight into birding.

Most people can watch birds from the comfort of their homes.  In fact, according to a 2003 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service birding report, 88% of birders are backyard birders while 22%, or 18 million Americans, take trips away from home for the sole purpose of observing birds. Though birding has been a popular activity for a couple decades, some people are hesitant to go on birding trips due to lack of knowledge about the field. Fortunately, Susan Marshall, birding enthusiast and Morris Arboretum member, agreed to share her insights and tips on birding with us.

Q1. Hi Susan, how did you become interested in birding? Have you been birding for quite a while?

Birding has always been something on the back of my mind. My husband and I would hike, but not stop and take a look at the little things. After we retired, we looked for activities that we could enjoy doing together, so we signed up for birding classes with Ruth Pfeffer, whom I now consider a friend. I really enjoyed it and wanted to continue learning more.  Ruth has been a great teacher and influence. 

Birding has now become a large part of our lives and we incorporate it into our travels.  For example, when in Florida, we visited the Everglades, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and The J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. 

We recently caught sight of the Least Bittern – birding is a great hobby, it’s one of those things you don’t learn completely so it never gets boring.


Q2. What steps do you take to improve your knowledge and recognition of birds?  How do you know when it is the best time to spot birds?



You can approach birding from multiple ways – audio experience, make a life list (though it is not our focus), observe bird behavior, or enjoy birds when out in the woods.
One of the things I enjoy about birding is that it is an excuse to be outside. My husband and I used to have jobs that kept us indoors a lot, and now we can spend much of our time outdoors. It’s helpful when guides point things out and talk about bird behavior.  A friend and I were recently talking about birding as a way of living in the moment while enjoying nature. 

You can catch birds at any location best during migration. Also, after the sun comes up, the insects are buzzing around, attracting birds.

Q3. What have been some of your favorite Morris Arboretum birding trips?  Do you ever submit your photographs to online publications?


My husband and I have shared a few trips; Costa Rica, in particular, was a fabulous experience. We’ve visited three times already. It’s perfect because there are a variety of birds to see and there isn’t a large time zone difference. Magee Marsh in Ohio, with its large concentration of spring warblers, is a wonderful regional spot. Birding has allowed me to visit places I might never have explored otherwise!

Q4. What advice can you provide to a novice birder or someone who is intimidated by lack of bird knowledge?

A good way to learn more about birding is to register for birding trips and walks, get a basic birding field guide, and learn from your guides. Birders are usually very nice and will help you if you have questions. Also, you definitely need a decent pair of binoculars – they make such a difference! Audubon Magazine and the Nature Conservancy have lots of information on birding as well. 

Now that you’ve gained a bit of insight on birding, you might want to explore some of the Morris Arboretum’s birding trip offerings  this spring!
 

Great blue heron pair, building a nest in Florida.

A resplendent quetzal in Costa Rica, flying to its nest with an avocado in its beak for its chicks.
(Morris Arboretum trip)

Prothonotory warbler at Magee Marsh in northern Ohio, a premier birding spot for spring warblers.
(Morris Arboretum trip)

Deep in the Weeds, Photography by Rob Cardillo

If you haven't stopped by the Visitor Center in a while, there is a striking new addition to the Upper Gallery you won't want to miss. Deep in the Weeds is a colorful, vibrant exhibit from Philadelphia photographer, Rob Cardillo.

Like people, plants are prone to mingling. Reaching for the sun, embracing tendrils, crossing stems, they're woven into tapestries of shifting textures and colors. In roadside weed patches, native plant communities and even well-tended garden beds, Rob Cardillo has framed nuanced gestures between twig and leaf, petal and pod, creating layered images with a photosynthetic pulse. Through his lens, we see abstract beauty in the interplay of shapes, color and light, yet the images remain fully grounded and invite us to commune with nature's silent social network.

Rob Cardillo has professionally photographed plants, gardens and the people that tend them for over twenty years.  His work appears regularly in Horticulture, Country Gardens, Organic Gardening, The New York Times and many other magazines, books and advertisements. To see Rob Cardillo’s work visit www.robcardillo.com. 

Deep in the Weeds, photography by Rob Cardillo
On display beginning February 3 -  Opening Reception March 17, 1:00 - 3:00pm
Located in the Upper Gallery at Widener Visitor Center
Free with admission.

The Philly Bees' Stake in Pollination

by Stephanie Wilson, Endowed Plant Protection Intern

This past fall, I have been running around Philadelphia with an insect net in hand, surveying the wild bees (non-honey bees) in Philadelphia. The very fact that you can grow many vegetables and flowers in the city is because wild bees are present and pollinating. But very little is known about these city slickers and how they survive such a rough habitat: pavement instead of bare ground (which they dig nests in), patches of flowers instead of rolling meadows, and competition from non-native bee species that are slipping in through our shipping ports. This is exactly what I am researching as part of a survey of the flora and fauna that the USGS is conducting.

Stephanie Wilson (L) and Bombus impatiens (Common Eastern Bumblebee) pollinating a gentian Gentiana sp. (R)