Elegy for the Lebanon Cedar For the last several decades, our majestic cedar of Lebanon trees ( Cedrus libani ) have struggled to survive our changing weather. In 1887, when John and Lydia started their Compton Estate, Lebanon cedar was considered a well-adapted plant for the Philadelphia region and was often planted as a featured specimen. We have had several Lebanon cedars in our collection, but only two remain from the original garden. Image Cedar of Lebanon ( Cedrus libani ) that was once located in between Exuberant Blooms and the Springhouse in the Azalea Meadow. For the last several decades, our majestic cedar of Lebanon trees ( Cedrus libani ) have struggled to survive our changing weather. This evergreen conifer is native to  the  mountainous regions of Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. Young trees grow as strong, upright sentinels. As they age, they develop massive trunks, broad spreading crowns, and distinctive horizontal branching, making them magnificent specimens for parks and arboreta. In 1887, when John and Lydia started their Compton Estate, Lebanon cedar was considered a well-adapted plant for the Philadelphia region and was often planted as a featured specimen. We have had several Lebanon cedars in our collection, but only two remain from the original garden. Lebanon cedars, like many higher elevation conifers, have evolved a survival strategy of markedly slowing their growth and respiration rates during cool nights. This ability allows them to make maximum use of warm daylight temperatures to produce sugars and essentially go dormant during cool nights to conserve energy. This mechanism allows the trees to build up a surplus of stored energy over time. This energy, in the form of sugars, is then used to produce vigorous growth in what would normally be inhospitable environments. This strategy works in a high elevation environment where there are reliable cold nights, but it also predisposes this species to heat stress. When nighttime temperatures are …

A Fresh Vision for the Pennock Flower Walk Compton Horticulturist Jen Monico brings back sunset color theme for historic  Alice & J. Liddon Pennock Flower Walk . If you have visited the Alice & J. Liddon Pennock Flower Walk in the past year or so, you may have noticed a slight difference in the treatment of the center beds. In fall 2023 we decided we wanted to present four seasons of color in this garden, with the vision to increase off-season interest as well as saturate the summer with blooms. We removed all existing plant material and added about 2 inches of compost that was hand-turned into the soil. Into that newly augmented soil we planted over 6,000 pansies in a gradient from deep blue around the center to bright yellow along the outer path. The pop of color looked great throughout the quieter winter months and stepped up in the spring with the arrival of light-yellow narcissus, apricot tulips, and creamy yellow hyacinths.  Image  Pennock Flower Walk transformation from summer to fall. Jen Monico and staff removed the summer display and soil, added compost, turned and smoothed the beds, and planted pansies. Top left: summer display. Top right: removal of the summer display. Bottom left: pansies planted in the refreshed beds. Bottom right: pansies beginning to fill in Image Bright flowers and plants fill the Pennock Flower Walk in the summer. Historically, the Pennock Flower Walk was created with the intention of being filled with a sunset color theme. With the opportunity to design on a fresh planting canvas this year, I brought back that theme and created a cohesive design throughout all four beds. In May we began the daunting task of taking out all of those pansies and installing this new summer sunset planting—full and vibrant with an array of peach, apricot, orange, and a few bright reds, with a foil of purple shades. The show-stopping Aechmea blanchetiana ‘Hawaii’ glows against the airy inflorescence of Calamintha nepeta spp. nepeta and the purples of …

Poppy Profusion: A Sculptural Surprise is Back at the Morris For this year's Bees, Butterflies & Blooms: A Pollinator Paradise exhibition, we are reimagining the 2008 sculptural installation by the late artist Gary G. Miller,  bringing these giant poppies back to delight a new generation of visitors. Image The original giant poppies, Papaver Rubrum Giganteum , designed and installed in 2008 by the late artist Gary G. Miller at Morris Arboretum & Gardens.  In spring 2008, the Morris Arboretum & Gardens burst into bloom with something truly unexpected—300 giant red poppies swaying in the breeze across the Northwestern Meadows. This larger-than-life sculptural installation, titled Papaver Rubrum Giganteum , was created by the late artist Gary G. Miller and became a showstopping highlight of the Morris’s 75th anniversary celebration and the launch of its Always Growing capital campaign. Positioned just inside the Stenton and Northwestern Avenue gates, the field of towering poppies captivated visitors with its surreal scale and vibrant color. Each flower reached nearly ten feet in height, crafted from aluminum sheet stock and painted in shades of red. Engineered to move with the wind, the installation transformed the serene meadow into a kinetic landscape of art and nature. A collaboration with Woodmere Art Museum, Papaver Rubrum Giganteum reflected Miller’s passion for accessibility and public engagement. Known for his large-scale outdoor works—including The Big Nothing , Takeout to Go , Inside/Outside: Celebrating Robert Venturi , and Whirligigs —Miller brought his signature sense of playfulness and conceptual depth to the Morris for its visitors to marvel at and enjoy.   Image Gary G. Miller standing with his poppies in spring 2008 in front of the Pumphouse at Morris Arboretum & Gardens.  For this year's Bees, Butterflies & Blooms: A Pollinator Paradise exhibition, we are reimagining these giant poppies, bringing them back to delight a new generation of visitors. …