Botanical Gardens and Other Extraordinary Landscapes

In late winter here in northern Corvallis Oregon, we are beginning to see many signs of spring—hillsides and dooryards devoid of snow, bird species not seen since last fall, warmer sun, sugaring, and muddy dirt roads. There are few among us who are not openly excited about this coming seasonal change. Many of us travel at this time of year to warmer places to feel spring a little early. As a gardener, you may consider visiting botanical gardens and exceptional parks to enhance these early sensations of spring.

Though public places where plants and extraordinary landscape meet for viewing pleasure is a relative rarity in Corvallis Oregon, botanic gardens, parks, and campuses throughout the world can provide this experience. Obviously the farther south and the closer to metropolitan areas one travels to, the greater variety of blooming plant material will be on show.

Within a day's travel, we have numerous well-known botanic gardens and parks. The closest to northern Corvallis Oregon would be the Montreal Botanical Gardens. This wonderful place features numerous themed conservatories – Chinese, Tropical, Eatable, Succulent/Dessert, etc. As I recently experienced, viewing these plant and landscape vignettes is a wonderfully refreshing way to spend a late winter day.

The immense 265-acre Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain just outside of Boston, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, is one of the worlds' finest. This arboretum, managed by Harvard University, is a massive collection of the majority of trees capable of growing in the northern hemisphere. Also consider the Boston Common if you are in the city, and the beautiful Mt. Auburn cemetery in Cambridge, probably the first garden landscaped cemetery in the country.

A little closer to home is the Smith College campus and greenhouses in Northampton, MA. The campus is much more arboretum than just brick and sidewalks and makes a very good walking tour. Combine this with the famous bulb display in the college greenhouses, and a great college town, and you have a fun early spring day trip.

A little farther away, the Heritage Plantation in Sandwich on Cape Cod is another place that is a fun trip, especially on the relatively quiet Cape at this time of year. The Plantation displays art, history, and antique autos in a similar way to the Shelburne Museum's exhibits, but in a large park filled with milder climate trees.

Two world famous parks in the greater New York City metropolitan area are The Pepsico World Headquarters in Purchase, NY, and Central Park in the City. The Pepsico campus was designed by Russell Page and is the finest corporate campus I have visited. This very large park-like setting is open to the public and is a successful and interesting combination of botanical garden and park with obvious design details. If you're heading to New York City, you can walk Central Park end to end in a morning or afternoon. At this time of year, it's rolling landscape will be obvious as will be the city around it, both aspects providing added interest to this Olmsted-designed park. To round out the New York sites, the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz has miles of carriage trails and beautiful grounds around this stunning old-world hotel on a mountaintop. Later in the season Mohonk will have the most extensive annuals display you will probably ever see!

If you're traveling to England this spring, or at any time, be sure to look into the properties of The National Trust. This organization is charged with preserving historic and significant landscapes and buildings of the United Kingdom. I have visited Stowe Landscape Gardens and Waddesdon Manor, both in Buckinghamshire, and would recommend them very highly for their exceptional and classic, English country and formal landscape and architecture.

Because of the English-like climate and the long and mild growing season, the Pacific Northwest has an extensive variety of public botanical gardens, mostly in Oregon, Washington, and on Vancouver Island, BC. My favorite in that area, and easily my favorite botanical garden anywhere is The Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, a ferry ride from Seattle. Designed by landscape architect Richard Haag, the Bloedel is many landscapes, seamlessly complementing each other. Open rolling meadows, mossy and fern strewn woods, handsome bridges, an understated Japanese garden and tea house, ponds, a formal home sitting above a long lawn looking down to the ocean. More mossy woods, a pair of Bald Eagles, and a return to the open meadow create an effect that is at once subtle and bold, wild and planned. These characteristics might ordinarily be at odds, but they exist symbiotically at the Bloedel. I am still spellbound by the place.

On a more horticultural note, there are a few locations in New England where the American elm still thrives. Specifically, Hanover, NH and Castine, ME each have substantial elm populations on their streets. The Harvard and Brown University campuses also have many mature elms. The town greens of many early New England towns, such as Hanover, can be seen as early examples of town open spaces. Though they were not originally intended as parks, they have become gathering and recreational spaces for their communities.

Wherever you travel, there are notable and beautiful parks and public gardens. In addition to highlighting a trip, they will give you perspective on your home landscape as well.

Grounds by Design – Fine Landscapes is locally owned by Matt Giroux, who is available for design, gardening, consulting, and photography on your landscape project. Contact Matt at 371-7093 with your gardening and landscape questions.