Exuberant Tulips: Designing Beds in Shapes of Ferns and Mosses Exuberant Blooms , the Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ annual display featuring eight paisley-shaped beds inspired by Victorian flower bedding, is currently in bloom with tulips that sprawl across the landscape in loops and curls. But there’s more than meets the eye. Exuberant Blooms , the Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ annual display featuring eight paisley-shaped beds inspired by Victorian flower bedding, is currently in bloom with tulips that sprawl across the landscape in loops and curls. But there’s more than meets the eye: When viewed from above, these plantings depict the shapes of ferns, liverworts, and other plants. The European aristocracy of the Victorian era was enamored with unique plants including ferns, which were often the object of collectors’ desire. Now, I could tell you more about how the Victorians inspired me to plant the tulips in these shapes that they would’ve found fashionable in 2025, but really, I just wanted an excuse to show off some underappreciated and often unnoticed Image Exuberant Blooms tulips planted in shapes of other plants: 1 silver moss ( Bryum argenteum ), 2 bug-on-a-stick moss ( Buxbaumia viridis ), 3 resurrection plant ( Selaginella lepidophylla ), 4 umbrella liverwort ( Marchantia polymorpha ), 5 curly grass fern ( Schizaea pusilla ), 6 general fern fronds, 7 handbell moss ( Gemmabryum caespiticium ), 8 stairstep moss ( Hylocomium splendens ). Image Tulipa ‘Lalibela’ in bed 6. Image Tulipa ‘Big Apricot’ in bed 3   In bed 3 (see photo above) you can find a trio of curls representing the unfurling stems of the resurrection plant ( Selaginella lepidophylla ). These fascinating plants can survive near-complete desiccation, going months or even years without any water, only to uncurl after just a few hours of rehydrating. In bed 5, tulips fashion possibly the largest-ever artistic rendering of a curly grass fern ( Schizaea pusilla ). You can search for this rare little …

Exuberant Blooms Exuberant Blooms Image Image Exuberant Blooms , our annual modern take on Victorian flower carpets, gets even HOTTER this summer with eight beds of bigger, bolder, brighter, and more beautiful flowers! Spread over more than a quarter acre of open garden, the large paisley-shaped floral “islands” contain more than 10,000 plants with heights ranging from 8 inches to 8 feet. To complement this year's pollinator theme, our horticulturists designed a plant palette that displays a wide range of flower shapes and colors, filled with annual and tropical plants showing off vibrant oranges, pinks, reds, and purple. And while there will be new and interesting foliage for visitors to admire (and hummingbirds and birds to enjoy!), we are also bringing back many of your plant favorites from last year.   Image Image Image Image Image Image 1 / PREV NEXT … Exuberant Blooms …

Saving Campus Trees In 2024, the Morris Urban Forestry Consultant team began removing stem girdling roots (SGRs) that were hindering the growth of trees on Penn’s campus. SGRs are a threat to urban tree health, and by using Arc GIS mapping software they are able to track and prune these trees, saving them from decline.  Image Stem girdling roots can cut off the sap flow to the tree and eventually cause the tree to decline. Shown here is a campus Zelkova ( Zelkova Serrata ).  The Morris Arboretum & Gardens'  Urban Forestry Consultant team (MAUF) works closely with the Office of the University Architect and Operations & Maintenance departments in Facilities and Real Estate Services at the University of Pennsylvania to manage the 6,800 trees on campus. This includes assessing the condition of trees every year, improving management practices, and updating standards to ensure high quality tree care at all life stages.  In 2024, the Morris team began removing stem girdling roots (SGRs) that were hindering the growth of trees on Penn’s campus. SGRs are a threat to urban tree health, and by using Arc GIS mapping software we are able to track trees with SGRs and monitor them over time.  A tree may be girdled when a root grows in a position that crosses or wraps around the trunk. As the tree trunk grows and enlarges annually, the offending roots can gradually girdle or choke the flow of water and nutrients. This makes SGRs a primary cause of tree decline in built landscapes.  Image A map of girdling root remediation on campus. 110 trees received treatment this year.  Pruning girdling roots is a specialized task performed by arborists. It involves understanding the complex root systems of trees and how they interact with the surrounding environment. It also requires a keen eye and delicate touch to identify where the cut should take place, how deep a cut is necessary, and how many roots should be removed at one time. The objective is to remove as many as feasible without …

Membership Membership Image Memberships Made For You We are thrilled to introduce our revamped Membership Program! Join or Renew Today → The Morris is proud to offer streamlined membership packages that maximize convenience and flexibility at all levels. Choosing to join at the Supporter, Patron, and Benefactor levels also offer expansive benefits along with the pride of supporting the Morris’s mission as philanthropic members. Image Click image to download larger version.     Membership Levels Individual Admits 1 named member with options to purchase up to 4 Youth add-ons (ages 3 – 17): Purchase • Give a Gift of Membership Individual: $75  Individual + 1 Youth: $87     Individual + 2 Youth: $99    Individual + 3 Youth: $111 Individual + 4 Youth: $123 *see additional benefits listed on chart above Friends & Family Admits 2 people with options to purchase up to 4 Youth add-ons (ages 3 – 17): Purchase • Give a Gift of Membership Friends & Family: $125 Friends & Family + 1 Youth: $137 Friends & Family + 2 Youth: $149 Friends & Family + 3 Youth: $161 Friends & Family + 4 Youth: $173 *see additional benefits listed on chart above Supporter Admits 4 people with options to purchase up to 4 Youth add-ons (ages 3 – 17): Purchase • Give a Gift of Membership Supporter: $250 Supporter + 1 Youth: $262 Supporter + 2 Youth: $274 Supporter + 3 Youth: $286 Supporter + 4 Youth: $298 *see additional benefits listed on chart above Patron Admits 6 people with options to purchase up to 4 Youth add-ons (ages 3 – 17): Purchase • Give a Gift of Membership Patron: $750 Patron + 1 Youth: $762 Patron + 2 Youth: 774 Patron + 3 Youth: $786 Patron + 4 Youth: $798 *see additional benefits listed on chart above Benefactor Admits 6 people with options to purchase up to 4 Youth add-ons (ages 3 – 17): Purchase • Give a Gift of Membership Benefactor: $1,500 Benefactor + 1 Youth: $1,512 Benefactor + 2 Youth: 1,524 Benefactor + 3 Youth: $1,536 Benefactor + 4 Youth: $1,548 *see additional benefits listed …

Garden Railway Garden Railway Image Image Garden Railway: World Pollinators May 23 - September 30 The Morris Arboretum & Garden's beloved Garden Railway is back, and this year it's buzzing with excitement! Get ready for Garden Railway: World Pollinators , part of our new summer-long exhibition, Bees, Butterflies & Blooms: A Pollinator Paradise . Enjoy miniature trains as they speed along a third of a mile of track and weave through a landscape dotted with spectacular sculptures of pollinators from around the globe, each crafted with incredible detail using natural materials like bark, leaves, twigs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds, and resin. But that's not all! Alongside bees and butterflies, you'll discover lesser-known pollinators like geckos, lemurs, and possums, all beautifully represented. About the Garden Railway Visitors of all ages will be wowed by a third of a mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with fifteen different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under!), and bustling model trains, all set in the lovely garden of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. The display and buildings are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with miniature rivers. Each building, while an exact replica of the original, is unique in its design. Philadelphia-area landmarks such as a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall are made using pine cone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts. Image The Garden Railway is supported, in part, through the generosity of Gwen and Ed Asplundh and by a gift given in memory of Joe Shuttleworth. “Gwen and I are very pleased to support the wonderful Garden Railway. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved trains large and small. For years, I had a large train layout in my basement. There is something very special about an …

Wedding Rates Wedding Rates Image Full Wedding Rental Rates 2025 June Friday:  SOLD OUT Saturday:  SOLD OUT Sunday: $4,400 July Friday: $3,200 Saturday: SOLD OUT Sunday: $2,900 August Friday: $3,500 Saturday: SOLD OUT Sunday: SOLD OUT September* Friday:  SOLD OUT Saturday:  SOLD OUT Sunday: $4,900 *For Labor Day weekend, Saturday rates will apply on Sunday and Sunday rates will apply on Monday. October Friday: $5,500 Saturday: SOLD OUT Sunday: $4,800 November* Friday:  SOLD OUT Saturday: SOLD OUT Sunday:  SOLD OUT *First weekend in November only. 2026 April Friday: $3,500 Saturday: $4,500 Sunday: $3,100 May* Friday: $5,900 Saturday: $7,000 Sunday: $5,300 *For Memorial Day weekend, Saturday rates will apply on Sunday and Sunday rates will apply on Monday. June Friday: $6,000 Saturday:  SOLD OUT Sunday: $5,600 July Friday: $3,400 Saturday: $4,100 Sunday: $2,900 August Friday: $4,400 Saturday: $5,100 Sunday: $3,800 September* Friday: $6,000 Saturday:  SOLD OUT Sunday: $5,600 *For Labor Day weekend, Saturday rates will apply on Sunday and Sunday rates will apply on Monday. October Friday: $5,900 Saturday: $7,000 Sunday: $5,400 November* Friday:  SOLD OUT Saturday: SOLD OUT Sunday:  SOLD OUT *First weekend in November only. Weekday Weddings Monday – Thursday: $2,600 Weekday weddings offer the same amenities as our weekend weddings with a time frame of 6 pm – 10 pm. Ceremony Only Garden Ceremony Locations | Rate: $1,400 Rose Garden or Pennock Garden | Rate: $1,700 Micro Ceremony  Various Garden Locations | Rate: $1,200 For more information, contact Rentals and Information at 215.247.5777 x158 or email  rentals@morrisarboretum.org . … Wedding …