The sunny beds flanking the entrance to the Haggerty Education Center have been planted differently this year with a “hot” combination of tropical plants, including Aechmea blanchetiana ‘Hawaii” (Bromeliad), deep red Coleus spp, bright orange Marigolds (Tagetes) and delicate Tassel Flowers (Emilia spp). It makes for a striking arrangement, especially when planted in front of the dark green hedge behind. Visit and see for yourself!
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
Achmea Blanchetiana Hawaii
Achmea Blanchetiana Hawaii
Achmea Blanchetiana Hawaii
This is the Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s Photo Gallery. Click on the title of one of the albums below to open it where you may then browse the pictures. To receive photos regularly, sign up for our weekly email blast by clicking here.
We welcome pictures from all our friends and visitors — send any you would like to see here to webmaster@arboretumfriends.org.
One of those raw and chilly winter days at the Arboretum, so I didn’t linger in the gardens today. Nevertheless, flowers were to be found: a small clump of Galanthus (Snowdrops) and the Edgeworthia chrysantha shrub (Paper Bush) are blooming next to the kitchen door to the Hagerty Education Center. Not to be missed is an absolutely stunning, deep pink, speckled Hellebore flower (Lenten Rose) blooming in the steep bed in front of Matilda’s Cottage.
An interesting bit of mythology associated with Hellebores: The mythological physician Melampus was said to have observed the cathartic effect of Hellebore on goats who browsed the plants. Melampus used the milk of these same goats to cure the daughters of the King of Argos of a divinely inflicted madness, hence Hellebores are sometimes called melampodium.
Misty, chilly and gloomy at the Arboretum and snow is still on the ground. A hawk flew overhead sending small birds scurrying for cover in the shrubs. An evergreen Helleborus foetidus (Stinking Hellebore) behind Matilda’s cottage is getting ready to open its chartreuse flowers. A Tsuga canadensis cv. Detmer’s Weeper (Weeping Canadian Hemlock) in front of Matilda’s cottage is hanging on to its delicate little cones; and the Picea abies cv. Inversa (Weeping Norway Spruce cultivar) in the Four Seasons Garden is showing off a couple of beautifully shingled, large cones, the largest cones of any Spruce.
Prior to Monday’s snowfall, I found the parking lot littered with the interesting and complex seedpods fallen from the nearby Liquidambar styraciflua cv. Slender Silhouette (Columnar American Sweetgum); these round, spiky seed pods make excellent Christmas tree decorations and can be used in dried flower arrangements as well. A Pieris japonica cv. Valley Rose (Japanese Pieris or Andromeda) is covered in tiny, reddish flower buds ready to burst open early in the spring. The delicate, dried flowers of Hakonechloa macra cv. Albostriata (Variegated Japanese Forest Grass) provide subtle winter interest in the gardens. And last, but not least, the “evergreen” yellow leaves on the Ilex glabra cv. Goldmine, perhaps? (Variegated Inkberry Holly) provide a bright, golden spot in an otherwise colorless bed.
There is much to see in a winter garden, you may have to look a bit harder, but your efforts will be rewarded!
Following the weekend’s snowfall, the gardens at the Arboretum are covered in a light blanket of snow. The brilliant red berries of the Ilex verticillata cv.Winter Red (Winterberry Holly) are stunning against the blue of the Spruce behind it. The Quince fruits in the planter at the entrance to the Haggerty Education Center look wonderful with an icing of snow.
The weather held off, just, for our Member New Year’s Party last Saturday. It was an enjoyable program, Melanie Bump presented an interesting and informative program entitled Savory Remembrances in the Books, we were treated to delicious sweet and savory goodies and lovely flower arrangements added to the festive decorations. Marge Hulstrunk and Russell Gatzke worked their magic and came up with some lovely centerpieces. The ten round tables in the room each had dried flower arrangements in the center which were raffled off to lucky attendees. As usual, our wonderful crew of volunteers made sure everything ran smoothly; we couldn’t do it without them!
Here are a few photos of the event: a dried flower arrangement, the food table centerpiece and a look at some of the sweet and savory goodies being enjoyed by our guests.
A Morris County Park Commission staff member dismantles the festive holiday decorations at the Haggerty Education Center (HEC) – Goodbye 2023 and welcome 2024, may it prove to be a good year for all!
A beautiful Hellebore flower (Christmas Rose) blooms in a large planter at the entrance to the HEC and a fragile, delicate-looking Maple (Acer sp.) samara has nestled itself among the foliage of the Chamaecyparis obtusa cv. Kosteri Fast Form (Hinoki False Cypress) tree, also at the entrance to the HEC.
In this last week of 2023, several plants are blooming in the patio between Matilda’s Cottage and the Haggerty Education Center. The delicate, strappy, reddish flowers of Hamamelis vernalis ‘Red Imp’ (Witch Hazel) are beginning their annual show, the Jasminum nudiflorum (Winter Jasmine) on the fence is just beginning to open its lemon yellow flowers and the Edgeworthia chrysantha shrub (Paper Bush) buds are ready to burst into bloom. It’s such a treat to see flowers in the December gardens!
Katharine Boyle visited the Arboretum on December 23rd and sent the following message along with these beautiful pictures:
“The arboretum is such a gift that I enjoy all year round. Thank you and to the staff who each give it so much care. Enclosed are some images from my brief visit yesterday.
Wishing you all and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday! “
The holiday spirit is alive and well in the form of decorations on the various buildings at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum. The Mansion sports a large wreath and evergreen garlands above the main entrance; the Carriage House doors are decorated with a lovely wreath courtesy of the Home Garden Club of Morristown; and the entrance to the Haggerty Education Center is once again displaying the Peace on Earth star and festive garland.
Best wishes from the Friends for a warm, healthy and very Happy Holiday season with family and friends!
Friends’ president, Heather Emelander, along with stylists and garden designers from Somerset, Hunterdon, and Union Counties, collaborated on the creation of two botanical mannequins, photos below.
Naming themselves the Sylvaine Sisters (sisters of the forest), Diane Genco, Elaine Junguenet, Chris Endriss and Heather Emelander named their creations Tatiana (Queen of the Fairies in Midsummer NIght’s Dream) and Diana (Goddess of the Forest). Visit them in the Mansion at the Festival of Trees. For more information call 973 326-7601.
The color yellow was highly visible at the Arboretum today, from the festive and colorful urns decorated with yellow Quince fruits, Beautyberry vines, Magnolia leaves, Holly leaves and yellow berries, to the tiny, delicate yellow flower umbels of Zizia aurea (Golden Alexander) and, believe it or not, a yellow/apricot colored Rosa cv. Auswest Carding Mill (English Shrub Rose). The garden never ceases to amaze!
A brief, but impressive squall greeted me upon arrival at the Arboretum today, blustery, snow whipping around and chilly. A still green fern’s fronds were decorated with tiny flecks of snow and the grasses at the entrance to the carriage house were swaying in the breeze against a snowy background. Surprisingly, a Doublefile viburnum ‘Pink Beauty’ was actually in bloom! I’m not sure what conditions prompted this behavior in late November … At any rate, minutes later the squall had spent itself and the sun reappeared. Mother Nature at her most surprising!
Chilly, rainy and windy at the Arboretum today, but even so, there was beauty to be found. Many white berries adorn the branches of Callicarpa japonica cv. Leucocarpa (White fruited Beautyberry) on a shrub in the upper parking lot. The many bright red berries on Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite” (Winterberry Holly cultivar) are certainly a welcome sight on a cloudy, dreary day. And the purple berries of Callicarpa dichotoma “Issai” (Purple Beautyberry cultivar) are an unexpected and welcome sight.
We are still enjoying some beautiful fall weather and lovely foliage colors. A gorgeous, golden leafed Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum cv. ‘Sango Kaku’) makes quite a statement up against the clear blue November sky. Another Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum cv. ‘Ever Red’, presents its red, lacy foliage like a waterfall close to the small pond in front of Matilda’s cottage. The male cones of the Dawn Redwood tree (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) by the Marsh Meadow deck look stunning against the reddish brown fall color of the deciduous needles.
White and pale orange captured my attention today as I strolled through the various gardens at the Arboretum. A huge, very fragrant flower on the Magnolia grandiflora cv. Edith Bogue (Southern Magnolia Cultivar), the large trumpet shaped flower on a Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet), the spidery white flower on the annual Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower) and the light orange flower on the Campsis radicans (Trumpet Creeper Vine) climbing over the arbor leading into the Haggerty Education Center. Plan to visit soon!
A gorgeous warm, sunny day with clear blue skies and abundant white fluffy clouds floating overhead. The cottage next to the Haggerty Education Center is surrounded by many different plants and flowers. Some of the flowers blooming today: a lacy, light blue Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-Mist), an Oakleaf Hydrangea, a spike of Stachys cv. Summer Romance (Betony) being visited by a pollen covered bee, and a bright yellow Coneflower (Echinacea).
On hand for the day were members of the North American Butterfly Association, as well as Lorette Cheswick, horiculturist and beekeeper, Jim Walker, owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Denville, Gail DiDomenico, a Master Gardener, popular local speaker and plant expert, and members of the Home Garden Club of Morristown. Helping out were Master Gardener volunteers, teen volunteers, and of course, members of the Friends of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.
A new batch of closeups from contributor, Steve Kanan who says, “Relaxing with the macro early Friday evening after a long week. Thank you Frelinghuysen for being there.”
Cloudy and muggy with rain in the forecast. Nevertheless, lots in bloom in the gardens. A sea of Callirhoe involucrata (Purple Poppy Mallow) gently swaying in the breeze, a tall Verbascum thapsus (Common Mullein) blooming against a Blue Spruce in the background, the complex, scented flowers of Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed), the fluffy white flowers of Sambucus canadensis cv. Maxima (American Elderberry) and the tall, feathery, pale yellow flowers of Thalictrum flavum subspec. glaucum (Meadow Rue).
There used to be a set of stairs going up to the patio on the side of the Haggerty Education Center. Several years ago, the patio was renovated, the stairs were eliminated and new railings were installed; there is a handicapped accessible ramp to the patio, as well. The four lamp posts that were on the sides of the steps were left. The following spring, new plantings were installed where the stairs were; at first they really didn’t look like much, but as the plants became established, grew and spread, the area turned into an attractive garden visible as you come up the driveway at the Arboretum.
The plantings are a combination of Prunus laurocerasus cv. Schipkaensis, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’, Hosta sieboldiana cv. Elegans, a lovely purple variegated leaf Iris, a perennial Geranium (Wargrave Pink, perhaps?) and some Columbines. Enjoy the photos.
A bit muggy and cloudy at the Arboretum today, but we are expecting rain. As always, much to see and enjoy, such as the intricate, perfectly round seed head of an Allium flower, the beautiful, but toxic, flowers of a potato plant (Solanum tuberosum, in the Nightshade family) and a stalk of Phlomis tuberosa flowers (Jerusalem Sage, in the Mint family) working their way up the stem in groups of pretty lavender flowers.
