Growing a Career Through the Urban Forestry Apprenticeship From learning to identify and care for trees to attending national conferences, Matt Walker shares how the Urban Forestry Apprenticeship helped him grow as an arborist, a student, and a steward of the environment. Image Matt Walker working at the base of a young tree. The Urban Forestry Apprenticeship was supposed to last just one year, but two years and a few months later it’s time to reflect on my experience here at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. I’m in awe of the vast wealth of knowledge that was shared with me. Not only am I able to identify trees around me, but I also know how to plant them, how to care for them, and how to manage them in landscapes. I learned how to use mapping and design software, how to use arboricultural equipment like resistance drills, and how to write reports for clients. I attended many educational tree-related conferences and was able to take master-level courses at the University of Pennsylvania in soil science and environmental planning. The encouragement I received from those around me nurtured my passion for trees and the environment. That support came to life through my achievement of becoming an ISA Certified Arborist—an accomplishment made possible by this apprenticeship. With the expertise I gained at Morris, I created the foundational skill set for the rest of my career caring for trees. Image Matt Walker, former Martha S. Miller & Rusty Miller Urban Forestry Apprentice. UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES One of the unique things about this apprenticeship is that it took me to amazing places outside the Morris gates. As a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area, I had the opportunity to see parts of my region I had never seen before from a perspective that not many people get to experience. Some highlights include finding the state champion southern red oak in a city park, teaching students about trees at W.B Saul High School, and peering down George Washington’s outhouse while …

Winter Blooms at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Vince Marrocco, the Gayle E. Maloney Director of Horticulture at the Morris Arboretum & Garden, spoke with Penn Today about vibrant early blooms that defy the cold. Image Winter at Morris Arboretum & Gardens is a unique experience of vibrant early blooms that defy the cold. Despite the chilly weather, plants like wintersweet, witchhazel, and snowdrops bring a splash of color to the landscape. These plants have unique adaptations that allow them to thrive in winter, such as waxy petals that prevent freezing and colors that attract early pollinators. Learn more about these vibrant plants and their fascinating adaptations in the full article on Penn Today  in which Vince Marrocco, the Gayle E. Maloney Director of Horticulture at the Morris Arboretum & Garden, goes into detail about these early blooms. Experience Early Blooms at the Morris Image Witchhazel Tour Saturday, February 8 • 11 am Saturday, February 22 • 11 am Free with general admission Take a tour of one of the largest collections of witchhazels in the country, where an experienced guide will show you the many varieties of these delightful winter beauties that add surprising bursts of color and fragrance to the winter landscape.  Learn More Image Garden Highlights January – March Weekends: 1:00 pm March – December Weekdays: 10:30 am • Weekends: 1:00 pm Free with general admission Our knowledgeable guides will design a tour around the interests of the attendees. Every tour is different so come back as many times as you’d like. Learn More Image Signs of Spring Saturday, March 22 • 10 am Free with general admission Ready to explore the arrival of spring’s beauty? Signs of spring pop up with tree buds, spring ephemerals, early cherries, and dogwoods. This tour uncovers the delight of a new season. Learn More Image Walking with the Seasons Five Mondays, February 3, 17; March 3, 17, 31  • 11 am – 12:30 pm   Members: $25 • Non-members: $30 Join us for a curated set of …

Certificate in Ecological Horticulture Certificate in Ecological Horticulture Image Image     A Systems Approach to Sustainable Land Stewardship    We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new learning opportunity: The Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ Certificate in Ecological Horticulture will offer the opportunity to gain proficiency in creating and maintaining landscapes that are grounded in ecological principles and practice. Geared towards avid home gardeners and landscape professionals looking to develop a deep understanding of sustainable landscape design and management, this classroom and field-based program is a series of 12 courses that are open to the public. The program is self-paced and can be completed in one year of intensive learning or up to several years at a slower pace. What makes this Certificate Program unique?  The Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ Certificate in Ecological Horticulture is unique in our ecological systems-based approach to landscape design and maintenance. Our program approaches each garden as a complex living system, where plants, soil, water, animals, climate, human activity, and other elements interact with and influence each other. In hands-on and classroom instruction, our program teaches design and stewardship strategies that address these relationships holistically rather than focusing on individual components in isolation.  The program will focus on our region here in Southeast Pennsylvania. Drawing from our deep expertise in this region’s ecology, all instruction will speak to our local ecosystems. Here at the Morris we have a long history in the native plants of Pennsylvania — we have literally written THE book on this topic! Instructors in the Certificate Program will include Morris staff members as well as other local professionals that are regionally and nationally acclaimed in ecological horticulture.   What will I gain in completing this program?  Students who complete all required coursework will earn a Certificate in …

Legacy Weeping Hemlock Taken Out by Snowstorm The tree will get a second life on the woodland trail to the Wetland. Image The weeping hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis f. pendula ​​​​​​) that was brought down by the February 13, 2024 snow storm. Photo by Vince Marrocco. This past winter at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens was not very “wintery” by most accounts. Yes, there was some cold and a few snowstorms, but it was  relatively  un-winterlike. However, this was a winter of some discontent. In particular, the biggest discontent was the snowstorm of February 13. This quick-moving storm brought with it about 5 inches of wet snow, but it also brought down the venerable old weeping hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis f. pendula ) near the Morris Pond. This was a legacy tree from the Morris era, most likely purchased by John from Parson & Sons Co. nursery in Flushing, New York. It grew at the Morris Pond almost since the Arboretum’s inception, until that fateful day in February. This tree was remarkable not only for its size and prominence but also because of the unique history it represented. ONCE ABUNDANT Eastern hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ) was once a mainstay of the woodland flora throughout Pennsylvania. These long-lived, majestic conifers thrived across the state and were a significant component of William Penn’s wooded domain. In fact, hemlock trees were such an integral part of the flora throughout Pennsylvania that it was named the official state tree in 1931. Eastern hemlocks thrive in cool moist environments and often grow in dense shade on north facing slopes. They can grow slowly in adverse conditions, or rapidly in the right environment. Historically, this species was abundant in the Wissahickon gorge in cool ravines. The story of our weeping hemlock does not start in Pennsylvania, but along the Lower Hudson River Valley in New York. It was here near the estate of General Joseph Howland that our story begins. Joseph Howland was a well-heeled member of society. His …

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, …