90 Years of Morris: John & Lydia 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. Image John and Lydia Morris on the Love Temple steps in the Morris Pond, originally called the Swan Pond, circa 1910. The Morris Pond was constructed circa 1904, while the Love Temple was designed by Ernesto Ermete Gazzeri of Rome, Italy, and installed in 1906. We're kicking off #90YearsofMorris with the siblings that started it all: John Thompson Morris (1847-1915) and Lydia Thompson Morris (1849-1932). 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. From the beginning, John and Lydia shared a vision and actively planned for their estate to become a public garden and educational institution. In 1933, after both siblings had passed, the Morris opened to the public for the first time and their vision came to life. In this series we'll be focusing on what followed the 1933 public opening. You can learn more about the Morrises and the Private Estate Era in our online archives , and in Joyce Munro's article, "The Origins of Morris Arboretum & The Mansion From Which It Bloomed." As part of our 90th anniversary celebration, we’ll be sharing bits of our history every week on social media—follow #90yearsofMorris to get a glimpse into our past with historic photos, documents, blog posts, and more! Courtesy of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Archives Blog Image April 6, …

High-Res Photo Gallery High-Res Photo Gallery Image Click on an image to download a high-res version.  Image Rose Garden  (Credit: Rob Cardillo)   Image Step Fountain (Credit: Rob Cardillo)   Image Pennock Flower Walk (Credit: Julia Lehman)   Image Out on a Limb (Credit: Mark Stehl)   Image Morris Pond (Credit: K. Teller) Image Garden Railway (Credit: Rob Cardillo)   Image Springfield Mills (Credit: Courtesy of the Morris Arboretum)   Image Log Cabin (Credit: Ashley Angel)   Image The Fernery (Credit: Paul W. Meyer)     Image Seven Arches in English Park (Credit: Rob Cardillo)     …

What's in Bloom: November As we all prepare for colder months, many of our plants are doing the same: dropping their leaves, slowing glucose production, and storing excess food in their root systems. Some plants in our gardens are still displaying vibrant fall color, and others have even begun to bloom. I hope you enjoy stumbling upon these plants at the Arboretum and discovering new ones along the way. As we all prepare for colder months, many of our plants are doing the same: dropping their leaves, slowing glucose production, and storing excess food in their root systems. Some plants in our gardens are still displaying vibrant fall color, and others have even begun to bloom. I hope you enjoy stumbling upon these plants at the Arboretum and discovering new ones along the way. Image False holly Osmanthus heterophyllus Native to Japan and Taiwan, this large evergreen shrub has now opened its tiny white flowers that emit an inviting fragrance right outside the Widener Visitor Center and in other areas of the Arboretum.  Osmanthus  can be distinguished from true hollies by their opposite leaf arrangement, while true holly,  Ilex , have leaves that are alternately arranged. Clusters of these small, tubular flowers form in leaf axes, where the leaf meets the twig. Take note of the different leaf shapes that occur on the same shrub. Younger leaves have sharp spines along the leaf margin, but as the leaves mature they become spineless and smooth. Image Stiff dogwood Cornus foemina Near the bridge by the Morris Pond are several of these dogwoods that are now bearing their distinctive, showy blue fruit. Ranging from a light to dark blue, the fruit grow in clusters on bright red stems that really stand out against the foliage. Although these fruits look like berries, they are in fact drupes, with one hard seed rather than many seeds within a fleshy fruit—think of this dogwood’s fruit as more akin to a cherry or an apricot rather than a blueberry. Image American witchhazel …

What's in Bloom: August Welcome to the Morris Arboretum’s first  What’s in Bloom  blog! As this year’s John J. Willaman & Martha Haas Valentine Curatorial Intern, I spend a lot of time in the gardens checking on and appreciating the many plants in our living collection throughout the seasons. Welcome to the Morris Arboretum’s first  What’s in Bloom  blog! As this year’s John J. Willaman & Martha Haas Valentine Curatorial Intern, I spend a lot of time in the gardens checking on and appreciating the many plants in our living collection throughout the seasons. We want to share some of these with all of you, so we’ve curated a monthly blog that highlights current flowering plants and seasonal interest so you can know what to expect and what to look for during your next visit to the Arboretum. We hope this series complements the stunning, expansive views of the Arboretum and encourages you to find the beauty that comes from taking a closer look. Image Surprise lily ( Lycoris squamigera ) You’ll find this lovely late summer bloom dotted throughout the Arboretum, providing some welcome color in the gardens. Native to southern Japan, surprise lilies produce foliage in late spring that dies back in early summer before suddenly sending out a single flowering stalk in August—hence the surprise! You will see lots of these lilies along the paved path towards  Out on a Limb , where clusters of pink under the shade of great trees lead you into the beauty of the Arboretum in late summer.  Image Hollow Joe-Pye weed ( Eutrochium fistulosum ) It’s pollinator season here at the Arboretum, and our butterflies, moths, and bees are swarming around these tall, colorful native plants throughout our gardens. There’s an established cluster of Joe-Pye weed at the Morris Pond, whose seven-foot-tall stalks are topped with clouds of pink flowers. I’d recommend taking a moment to observe all of the beautiful pollinators that flock to these flowers, such as monarch and eastern tiger swallowtail …

Snowflakes vs. Snowdrops: Pendulous Beauties of Early Spring Two similar plant species caught my attention at the Morris this week because of their attractive and early season blooms: Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop) and Leucojum vernum (spring snowflake). ). Often called “harbingers of spring,” both are bulb plants and have nodding flowers, sometimes spotted peeking through snow (hence the common names). Dr. Cynthia Skema is a Botanical Scientist at the Morris Arboretum.  Two similar plant species caught my attention at the Morris this week because of their attractive and early season blooms: Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop) and Leucojum vernum (spring snowflake). Often called “harbingers of spring,” both are bulb plants and have nodding flowers, sometimes spotted peeking through snow (hence the common names). Their mostly white flowers explain their generic names: Galanthus means “milk flower” and Leucojum “white violet,” both from (ancient) Greek. Their physical similarities are no mere coincidence, but instead the products of evolution as the two are related. Leucojum and Galanthus are sister genera in the tribe Galantheae, along with a third genus Acis (Larsen et al., 2010) and they all belong in the plant family Amaryllidaceae, also home to commonly cultivated amaryllis and daffodils. Image Galanthus nivalis flowering at the Morris Arboretum. Image Leucojum vernum flowering at the Morris Arboretum.                           Let’s consider the form of the three genera in tribe Galantheae. The easiest way to tell Galanthus apart from the other two genera is by the three large outer and three small inner tepals (petal-like structures) seen in its flowers, while Leucojum and Acis both have six equal-sized tepals (also three outer and three inner by position). Both Leucojum and Galanthus have markings on their six tepals, while Acis has none. One last characteristic is that Leucojum typically has a hollow scape, while the scape is solid in Galanthus and Acis . If you’re a …

Morris Hidden Gems Our staff shared their favorite hidden gems that visitors might miss on an average visit. Throughout the month of April, we highlighted Morris Arboretum & Gardens hidden gems on social media. Our staff shared their favorite spots that visitors might miss on an average visit, culminating in a guided Hidden Gems Tour on April 26—because with over 92 acres to explore, there's a lot to experience here at the Morris! See staff favorite's below, and visit the Morris Arboretum & Gardens this spring to find your favorite hidden gem!   Image       "I've been enjoying the Shidare Yoshino cherry ( Prunus x yedoensis f. perpendens ) and star magnolia ( Magnolia stellat a) in bloom around the Oak Allée area." – Antoine Smith, Alice & J. Liddon Pennock Jr. Horticulture Apprentice Image “I like the Springhouse because it’s a piece of Morris history that makes me imagine what it would have been like to live on the estate. It’s also in a quiet, tucked away part of the Garden where I can listen to the birds.” – Mellany Armstrong, Communications Coordinator Image     “The Wetlands is one of my favorite places to visit at the Morris! It’s maintained as a natural landscape, and is a fantastic place to see and hear all sorts of wildlife. As a birder, I love checking in to see which birds are stopping by for  the season—it’s where I saw my first indigo bunting last summer. Don't miss out on this Morris gem!” – Megan Nguyen, Education Administrative Assistant Image “My hidden gem is the weeping European beech (Fagus sylvatica f. pendula) across the way from Two Lines sculpture. In the middle of the weeping branches is a dead log that seems out of place at first glance, but it's actually the decaying remains of the original tree. The trees that are around are the rooted layers of the original mother tree. [Despite appearing as separate trunks, all these trees are individual parts of a single organism, sharing a network of interconnected roots underground.] Sitting here …

Celebrate the Beauty of Winter Explore winter wonders with guided tours, wellness walks, discounted admission, and more at the Morris! Explore winter wonders at Morris Arboretum & Gardens! From our extensive witchhazel collection that adds color and fragrance to the landscape, to a specialized tour of our "bare naked trees," February is a wonderful time to visit us in Chestnut Hill.  Check out our inclusion in Redfin's recent blog post,  16 Winter Things to Do in Philly | Redfin , and read on to learn more about what's happening at the Morris this winter.   Image Discounted Admission Through February 29, experience winter wonders with discounted admission at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens: Members:  Free Adults:   $20.00  $12.00 Seniors (65+ years):  $ 18.00  $11.00 Youth (3-17 years):   $10.00  $6.00 Children (Under 3):  Free PennCard (must present ID):  Free Students (must present ID):  $10.00 ACCESS Adults (must present ID):  $2.00 ACCESS Youth (3-17 years):  $2.00 ACCESS Child (Under 3):  Free Retired Military (must have ID):  $10.00 Active Military and Five Family Members supported by Wawa (must have ID):  Free Walk In or Bike In:  $10.00 (Kids $5.00) Get Tickets →   Image Witchhazels The Morris witchhazel collection is one of the largest in the country, adding bursts of color and fragrance across the winter landscape. Some witchhazels are currently in full bloom, and our overall collection is expected to peak by mid-February—visit in the next few weeks to see this exquisite winter beauties! Stay tuned for more information on a Witchhazel Tour . Explore the collection with the Witchhazel Map →   Tours Image Bare Naked Trees Tour Saturday, February 10 & 24 • 11 am Meet at the Welcome Center. Free with general admission. Weather permitting.    Explore the beauty of trees in winter on this guided tour! Without their leaves, deciduous trees reveal a variety of shapes and sculptures to admire. The tour features weeping, round, pyramidal, and vase-shaped trees, and …

Discover Witchhazel Season at Morris Arboretum & Gardens: A Must‑See Winter Bloom Witchhazel season has officially arrived, bringing unexpected bursts of color and fragrance to the winter landscape. If you’re searching for the best place to experience these spectacular cold‑season blooms, Morris Arboretum & Gardens is home to one of the largest and most diverse witchhazel collections in the United States. Witchhazel season has officially arrived, bringing unexpected bursts of color and fragrance to the winter landscape. If you’re searching for the best place to experience these spectacular cold‑season blooms, Morris Arboretum & Gardens is home to one of the largest and most diverse witchhazel collections in the United States. Image Hamamelis x intermedia 'Livia' WHAT MAKES WITCHHAZEL SO SPECIAL Witchhazels ( Hamamelis ) are native to eastern North America, China, and Japan. Gardeners and plant lovers treasure them for their mid‑to-late-winter flowers, which unfurl in shades ranging from pale yellow to fiery orange, deep red, and even purple. Their distinctive ribbon‑like petals and sweetly spiced fragrance make them one of the most captivating winter‑blooming shrubs. The genus name Hamamelis comes from the Greek hama (“at the same time”) and melon (“apple” or “fruit”), referring to the plant’s unusual habit of producing flowers and fruit simultaneously. And if the common name sounds familiar, it’s because witchhazel extract, commonly found in skincare products, is derived from the bark and leaves of the plant. Image Hamamelis mollis 'Princeton Gold' (Princeton Gold Chinese witchhazel) Image Hamamelis vernalis 'Christmas Cheer' VISIT NOW FOR PEAK WITCHHAZEL BLOOM Witchhazels are currently in bloom across the Morris, and we anticipate peak color by mid‑March. Plan a visit over the next several weeks to enjoy these remarkable winter flowers at their best. For a deeper dive into the collection, join one of our guided Witchhazel Tours , where an expert will introduce …