Groovin' in the Garden

Last night, nearly 800 people attended the kickoff concert for Groovin’ in the Garden.  The Groovin’ in the Garden jazz concerts are presented by WRTI 90.1FM and are open to members and non-members of the Arboretum.  These popular concerts bring together the beauty of Morris Arboretum, the cool shade of a summer evening and the sounds of an exciting band for all who come.

Maureen Malloy, the jazz on-air personality from WRTI 90.1FM introduces To The Max

To The Max, a multi-faceted jazz group who have played for President Clinton and Governor Rendell, wowed listeners with their smooth jazz and versatile sounds.  Starting with a few instrumental numbers and then adding vocals, To The Max got people up and dancing as the sun set.  The concert was a huge success with everyone having a really great time relaxing with their friends and listening to jazz in Morris Arboretum’s beautiful Azalea Meadow garden.

To The Max drops the beat and shows off their vocal talent

Although this is the fifth year for the Morris Arboretum Summer Concerts, many of last night’s attendees were enjoying their first concert here.  Free beer tasting from 6-7pm, provided by Flourtown Beverage gave visitors a chance to try some different varieties of beer and have some fun, hanging out with friends before the concert got started. 

A number of U Penn students took advantage of the Free Penn Bus Trips program, sponsored by the Hohns Family Fund, designed to introduce Penn students to their official Arboretum.

Don’t miss the last Groovin’ in the Garden jazz concert this summer on July 22 with free beer tasting at 6 and Cintron, a wildly popular Latin Soul band, performing at 7:00.  The Summer Concert Series will wind down with two XPN Kids Corner concerts in August.  Check out Morris Arboretum’s website for more information on upcoming concerts.

Folks enjoying a chance to kick back and relax in the Azalea Meadow.

Morris Arboretum feature in the Philadelphia Business Journal

Read this new article about the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal.

OOAL Birthday Celebration Video

Click on the link below to preview a video about the Out on a Limb Birthday Celebration happening at the Morris Arboretum this saturday.

 

http://www.youtube.com/hillontheavenue#p/a/u/0/k-1hHy_v-pM

Out on a Limb’s first birthday party on July 3rd from 11am-1pm!  Enjoy free birthday cake starting at 12:00 pm, and a giveaway from Bredenbecks Bakery in Chestnut Hill, while supplies last.  

For more details visit: http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/ooal_celebration.shtml

Tree Adventure Featured on Interior Design magazine

Tree Adventure and the wonderful architects at Metcalfe Architecture and Design are praised again in this article in the prominent national publication, Interior Design. Out On a Limb has been an outstanding exhibit here in the last year and has drawn new visitors and members alike in first-class style.  It is hard to believe but Out on a Limb has been open for almost a full year now!  In celebration, we are throwing a birthday party for Out on a Limb this Saturday, July 3rd.  Check out the details here.

Summer Adventure Camp

This summer, we launched our first Summer Adventure Camp here at the Morris Arboretum.  Headed up by our Education Intern, Bekka Schultz, kids ages 6-8 are gathering here to learn more about nature, plants and gardening.  Today, the "Arboretum Adventurers" learned about where our food comes from at a garden plot at Bloomfield Farm and talked about the interactions between people, plants and animals as they built terrariums. 

A better look inside a terrarium where the ideas of ecosystem and habitat are introduced.

Although I was sweating up a storm taking pictures and learning about silly bandz, kids buzzed around, water bottles in hand, unscathed by the heat under a sheltered area here at the Arboretum.  The week has been full of games and activities that have been enjoyed by everyone, infused with educational components consistent with Morris Arboretum's mission that promotes an understanding of the relationship between plants, people and place.

Bekka and Brian introduce an activity where they will paint a flower pot and then learn how to plant, water and take care of plants:

This year's camp, although the first, was completely sold out and judging by what I saw today during my visit, seems like a total success.

For more information on the Summer Adventure Camp and inquiries for the possibility of camp next summer, click here.

Out on a Limb's First Birthday

This last year has been a huge success for Morris Arboretum, in large part because of our exciting new exhibit, Out on a Limb.  If you have never visited, you should take advantage of our late Thursday hours (we are open until 8:30) this summer - a chance to visit the garden in the cooler hours of the evening with the beautiful setting sun.  In celebration of the first birthday of the award winning exhibit, Out on a Limb, here at the Morris Arboretum, you’re invited to Out on a Limb’s first birthday party on July 3rd from 11am-1pm! (Learn more here)

In anticipation of Out on a Limb's first birthday celebration, we made a casting call for our members and visitors who had babies also celebrating their first birthday this July to join us in a photo shoot.  We had many enthusiastic parents wanting to show off their babies on Out on a Limb and everyone had a great time.  The babies were so cute and the shoot was fun for all the parents and staff involved.  Thanks to Nick Kelsh (http://www.nickkelsh.com), photographer and best-selling author, has an exceedingly impressive portfolio of baby pictures for running the shoot (one of which graces the cover of our Seasons magazine, due to reach homes later this month).

Here are a few shots:

Families perched on the Squirrel Scramble as babies looked up for the camera

A great shot by Paul Meyer of the "stroller brigade" along the path at the entrance of Out on a Limb.

Nick Kelsh coaches parents on how to pose with their babies.

Check your mailboxes later this month for the newest issue of Seasons with this great photo - happy birthday to all the babies and to Out on a Limb!

Moonlight & Roses at Morris Arboretum – an Enchanted Evening on a Perfect Summer Night

675 guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at Moonlight & Roses in the glorious Morris Arboretum Rose Garden on a splendid summer evening on Friday, June 11th. 480 guests stayed for dinner, either under the Rose tent, where they danced the night away to the lively sounds of Jellyroll, or under the quieter Moonlight tent where they enjoyed the ambiance of conversation and conviviality.

Revenue from the event was $187,000. This year, proceeds raised from Moonlight & Roses will support the Arboretum’s operating budget and its Summer Concert series, a favorite among garden and music lovers alike. This year’s concert line-up includes four Thursday nights: two jazz concerts in July presented by WRTI 91FM, and two XPN Kids Corner concerts in August presented by University of Pennsylvania’s WXPN 88.5FM.

The honorees of Moonlight & Roses were Bonnie and Peter McCausland. Both Peter and Bonnie have dedicated years of service to the Arboretum as former members of the Advisory Board of Directors, as current members of the Directors’ Guild, as donors and as friends of the Arboretum. Most recently, they have become one of the Arboretum’s newest neighbors as well as partners in preserving the region’s open spaces through their purchase of Erdenheim Farm. Barrett Stewart and Lisa Walker were this year’s Moonlight & Roses co-chairs who worked tirelessly with committee members to make this year’s Moonlight & Roses a success by all measures.

(Left to right)Barrett Stewart joined Peter and Bonnie McCausland, Paul Meyer, the F. Otto Haas Director of the Morris Arboretum, and his wife Debbie Rodgers and Lisa Walker as they welcomed guests to the event. Photo Credit: Susan Scovill

(From left) Nancy Evans, Jon Crane, Susan Crane and Ralph and Natalie Hirshorn were pictured at the event. Photo Credit: Susan Scovill

(From left) Lisa Walker and Barrett Stewart, this year’s Morris Arboretum Moonlight & Roses co-chairs. Photo Credit: Annie Hosfeld