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orange and purple flowers
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Two men inspect the base of a large white oak tree.

Giving Thanks to the Great Oak of North Coventry Township

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Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ Urban Forestry Consultants recently visited North Coventry Township in Chester County to inspect a white oak (Quercus alba) known locally as the “Great Oak.” The tree’s owner and the arborist caring for it became concerned about the biological health when many branches on half of the tree failed to leaf out this spring.

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A black and white photo from 1933 of one made handing a large key to another man.

#90YearsofMorris: Opening Day, 1933

Ninety years ago today, the gates of the Morris, the estate formerly known as Compton, swung open to the public for the first time. That week in June 1933, eighteen months after Lydia Morris's death, marked the transition from private estate to public garden amidst great fanfare and publicity.

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A tall tree with bare branches sits on a grassy slope.

In Search of a Methuselah Tree

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Determining when some of the earliest specimens at the Morris were planted requires a bit of sleuthing.

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A light green and white flower with spikey petals growing on a branch.

Plant Names and Provenance: Fothergilla spp.

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Fothergilla spp. are in the witchhazel family, and attract pollinators with the showy stamens of its male flowers. Named for Dr. John Fothergill (1712–1780), an English physician with a thriving medical practice, the Morris hosts a range of these plants including fothergillia ʻMt. Airy’ (F. × intermedia ʻMt. Airy’).

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A black and white photograph of two young children in 1854.

90 Years of Morris: John & Lydia

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Morris Arboretum & Gardens began as Compton, the private estate of the siblings who purchased farmland in 1887 and began planning a garden where art and science would thrive together, and where stewardship would extend to caring for both plants and people.

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Two hands holding mounting tools adhere plant matter onto white board.

A Look Inside the Morris Arboretum Herbarium

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An herbarium is a lot like a library, except instead of books it holds botanical specimens. The Morris Arboretum Herbarium contains more than 25,000 specimens, all of which have been digitized. From pressed orchids to parasitic mistletoe to oak branches with acorns, the Herbarium hosts a diverse array of plants.