Photo Galleries

Sunny, crisp and cool, in the mid-40s with a lovely blue sky. There are signs of winter on the Arboretum grounds now, a patch of snow by the rock garden and a frozen pond near the Alpine Garden.

Now that the leaves have fallen, we can appreciate Mother Nature’s design in the intricate architecture exhibited by the branches of the Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum (Weeping Katsura Tree). This is another one of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s NJ Champion Trees which can be visited near the Mansion.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Misty and foggy at the Arboretum today, but the grounds have been decorated for the holidays, which greatly contributed towards lifting my spirits. Red and green gnomes and some festive tuteurs line the entrance walk to the Haggerty Education Center. A lovely wreath created by the Home Garden Club of Morristown decorates the Carriage House doors, and a kissing ball hangs in front of the Mansion.

The Friends decorated a tree for the Morris County Park Commission’s Festival of Trees. We named our tree Woodland Friends and it’s decorated with birds, flowers, forest creatures, feathers, origami stars and a large owl as a tree topper surveying his domain! Here’s a photo, but please note that our tree can be much better appreciated in person! 

Register to attend the Festival of Trees through the Morris County Park Commission at 973 326-7601.

Pictures courtesy Margery Ennist.

Katharine Boyle sent a group of photos of some of the labyrinth stones at the Arboretum, saying in her email, “Enclosed are some images from my longer jaunt at the arboretum on November 23. I was admiring the beautifully-painted rocks at the labyrinth and photographed the ones that resonated with me. “

Frequent contributor, Katharine Boyle, sent these nice pictures with a brief note: “Enclosed are some images from my short time at the arboretum on November 20. It was quite cold and windy, not ideal for me with my macro lens. But, it made for a few “impressionistic” images.”

It was a cool and cloudy day at the Arboretum. I found an interesting Echinops ritro (Globe Thistle) seed head in the bed by the Scherer Pavillion and a beautiful Euonymus fortunei cv. Variegatus (Wintercreeper Euonymus) climbing up a tree across from the Waterwise Deck; an opened fruit, nestled among the crisp green and white leaves.

A young Beech (Fagus spp) sits under larger trees next to the bus parking area, while stubbornly holding on to its browned leaves. This is a phenomenon known as marcescence, and can be seen in other trees as well, such as Oaks and Hornbeams. The thinking is that retaining leaves until spring could be a means of slowing the decomposition of the leaves (they would rot faster if on the ground) and that dropping them in spring delivers organic material at a time when it is most needed by the growing tree. Isn’t Mother Nature wonderful?

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

An amazingly mild, sunny day in the low 50’s. A large clump of sweet-smelling yellow flowers (probably a Chrysanthemum variety) is still blooming in the perennial gardens and the bees are swarming over this last source of nectar for the season. The Hamamelis vernalis next to the Waterwise Deck is decked out in delicate, strappy yellow flowers and a PJM Rhododendron, also by the Waterwise Deck, is covered in deep red leaves.

Enjoy a visit soon.

The nice warm weather we’ve been enjoying has given way to colder, more seasonal weather with the possibility of a snow shower overnight. In spite of the forecast, color is still to be found on the grounds at the Arboretum. A pretty, red, heart-shaped leaf of Disanthus cercidifolius clinging to the shrub which is in the Witch Hazel family. The vibrant orange leaves of Hamamelis vernalis ‘Red Imp’ (a vernal Witch Hazel cultivar) providing a spot of color next to the Haggerty Education Center.

The fall and winter months are a great time to see different colors, textures, forms, shapes and sizes, as in the combination of a tall green female Juniperus virginiana cv. Corcorcor (Emerald Sentinel Juniper), a shorter Picea pungens cv. Splitrock (Colorado Spruce cultivar) on the right and the softly spreading leaves of a Panicum virgatum cv. Prairie Skies (Switch Grass) in front of both.

Frequent contributor, Steve Kanan, sent these beautiful pictures of Fall’s final fling.

Thanks as always for another beautiful view of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

Fall at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum is beautiful; the trees and shrubs have donned their autumnal colors but with the warm weather we’ve been enjoying, there are still some gorgeous flowers to be found. A yellow, sweetly-scented Rosa ‘The Poet’s Wife’ is blooming in the rose garden and an Aconitum (Monkshood or Wolf’s Bane) is blooming in the Eger Fern Garden. The Gazebo next to the Knot Garden sits amid a host of yellow foliage and fallen leaves. Enjoy a visit soon!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A quiet, overcast day at the Arboretum; the fall foliage still clinging to trees and shrubs is creating beautiful vignettes on the grounds: a long-shot of the misty meadow behind the Mansion, a Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree) in all its yellow glory and a Cornus spp (Dogwood) in full fall red, as well as a columnar Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Silhouette’ (Columnar Sweetgum ‘Silhouette’) framed by a Sugar Maple on the left and a Norway Maple on the right. Sadly, these gorgeous colors won’t last, so make plans to visit soon.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A foggy, misty, mild day, lots of rain drops glistening on leaves and dripping off flowers such as the ones on the Lonicera heckrotii ‘Goldflame’ (Goldflame Honeysuckle) blooming next to the parking lot. The Yucca recurvifolia (Curve Leaf Yucca) blooming next to the Waterwise Deck is magnificent in full bloom next to a yellow-foliaged Cephalotaxus harringtonia cv. Korean Gold (Japanese Plum Yew). Last, but not least, the small, creamy white, fragrant flowers of Heptacodium miconioides (Seven Sons Tree).

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A crisp, clear fall day following yesterday’s rain. The bees were all over the Asters in the Blue Garden in front of Matilda’s Cottage; there’s a pretty Chrysanthemum blooming in the side garden next to Matilda’s and don’t you just love the dark purple leaves outlined in red of the Smoke Bush (Cotinus)?

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Another gorgeous, sunny, fall day with clear blue skies and temperatures in the low 70s. Trees and shrubs are starting to show their lovely autumn colors. The young Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) in front of the mansion is resplendent in orange and gold leaves; the restored meadow behind the mansion is all muted colors, with whole swaths of blooming Monarda punctata (Spotted Bee Balm), a pollinator friendly native; The leaves on a Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ (Hybrid Witch Hazel cultivar) are turning a beautiful, brilliant orange. Fall is fleeting, so be sure to visit soon.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A rainy, blustery and chilly day at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum. The grounds are once again decorated with scarecrows, so plan a visit soon to see all these whimsical creations. Here’s just a small sampling of some of the scarecrows awaiting your visit. Enjoy!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A beautiful early fall day, cool and crisp. A delicate combination of Goldenrod (Solidago spp) and Asters (Aster spp) is blooming happily in the lower garden behind the Haggerty Education Center, the striking reddish flowerheads of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer Bloomstruck’ can be found next to the parking lot and bunches of Autumn Crocus or Naked Ladies (Colchicum) are springing up all over the gardens. Many visitors were out and about enjoying the grounds today.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.