Category — Summer Field Trips

On August 14, the first year fellows traveled south for a visit to the City of Baltimore’s Cylburn Arboretum.  Bill Vondrasek, LGP alumnus and Chief Horticulturalist of the Bureau of Parks Horticultural Division, offered a behind-the-scenes tour of the gardens as well as current construction projects, including a new “green” Visitor and Education Center and a renovated horticulture building.  Natalie Lopes, the Executive Director of the Cylburn Arboretum Association, joined us for lunch and shared her vision for enhancing community engagement through a new horticulture-training program for young adults.  Our day concluded with a spontaneous visit to the nearby Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore—another lovely public garden managed by the City of Baltimore.

Bill hefting a building block in front of the new Visitor and Education Center

Enticing entryway of the newly renovated horticulture building

Guardian of the formal garden

The Mansion, centerpiece of several historic tree and shrub collections

Natalie offering some info and insight

Side trip to the lovely Rawlings Conservatory

Fridays in July were quite nice for the first year fellows because of the field trip.  We took a trip to Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve north of Philadelphia on July 31^st with Keelin Purcell, Dan Stern, and Dr. Lyons.  Amy Hoffmann, the Education Coordinator and a former fellow of the Program, guided us through the Preserve.  Many native flowers were blooming in the meadow at Bowman’s Hill and looked lovely. 

Clearwing moth with Monarda didyma, common name Bee balm

Posing by the creek

The forested area

Lobelia cardinalis, common name Cardinal Flower

Vernonia noverboracensis, common name Iron weed

Asclepias tuberosa, common name Butterflyweed

Our second summer field trip took us to the 300-acre Nemours Mansion and Gardens of Alfred I. DuPont.  We were delighted to be led on a tour of his family’s French chateau styled mansion.  The chance to get a glimpse into the inventive ideas of an early 1900s industrialist was amazing – DuPont implemented these ideas into aspects of his home like cork floors to help cushion the cook’s workspace in the kitchen!  We were impressed and hadn’t yet set foot on the grounds.  The grand gardens were prettier and more expansive than any picture can do justice.  The site showcased exquisite fountains, whimsical gnomes, stately hound statues and one very charming tour guide who proudly escorted us through DuPont’s car collection.  We couldn’t have asked for lovelier weather to peruse such a beautiful space.

The Horticulture Services Division at the Smithsonian Institution hosted a tour of their grounds on July 10^th. The five first year fellows, in addition to Shari Edelson and Dr. Lyons, were in attendance. Destinations included six individual gardens, such as the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden, and the National Museum of the American Indian. We also were allowed a sneak peek of the Archives of American Gardens collection.