under this definition but are important horticulturally because they contain outstanding and historically important plants. Botanic Gardens The changing image of botanic gar- dens and arboretums has made them And Arboretums more appealing as places to visit be- cause many of their plantings and pro- grams are designed to help homeowners XA. GREEN OASIS awaits you in with their gardening problems. nearly every population center in this In demonstration gardens designed country. These oases of green, of beauty for spaces that approximate the areas and of plant learning are our botanical available to the average homeowner, gardens and arboretums. They may be the visitors can leam the names of a big help to you in solving your gar- plants that are adapted to his region, dening problems. how they can be arranged in various The botanic gardens and aboretums styles of gardening, and how such con- should not be confused with parks for struction materials as rocks, fencing, pleasure or active recreation. They are railroad ties, etc. can be used effectively educational and research institutions in landscaping. Most gardens now dis- concerned with accumulating and dis- play turf plots, and trial gardens of seminating knowledge about plants. annuals and perennials. The botanic garden evolved from the Workshop and lecture programs are medicinal gardens of Europe into sci- regularly scheduled for children and entific and educational institutions con- adults in a wide range of gardening cerned primarily with botany. Gradually subjects, such as propagating plants, they have expanded their concern to care of the lawn, pruning, fertilizing, include the practical application of and caring for house plants. Painting botanical principles to horticulture, and photographic displays featuring gardening and ecology. plants are often on exhibit. By definition, the botanic garden Annual flower shows of plant socie- grows all kinds of plants and the arbo- ties and special meetings of ecology retum only woody plants. However, the and conservation groups are frequently distinction between the two is often scheduled at botanic gardens and ar- blurred and some of our better knovm boretums. Libraries of these institutions gardens such as Longwood Gardens are a rich resource for information on do not include botanic garden or ar- plants and are being used by the gen- boretum in their name. eral public, educational and research The important distinction that should institutions, and industry. be made is whether the plant collections In the hope that you will find time to and programs of a park or garden meet visit your local garden or a garden in the minimum qualifications to be desig- another area of the country, a partial nated as a botanic garden or arboretum. list of botanic gardens and arboretums The bona fide botanic garden or arbore- is published with this chapter. The ex- tum should as a minimum contain au- clusion of gardens from the list does not thenticated and labeled plant collections imply they are not worth visiting. and conduct educational programs with The location of small and speciafized plants. Research is highly desirable but gardens can be determined by visiting not necessary. or writing to the major gardens within Many parks and gardens cannot qual- a state or geographical area. Take ad- ify as botanic gardens or arboretums vantage of most gardens' wilhngness to respond to requests for an informational AUTHOR Francis de Vos is Director, leaflet on their own garden, and sugges- Botanic Garden of the Chicago Horticul- tions on other horticultural points of tural Society, Glencoe, 111. interest in their area. 266 The simple act of writing ahead for Brooklyn Botanic Garden information and planning your visit can 1000 Washington Avenue, save you the frustration oí having Brooklyn, N. Y. 11225 passed an interesting place along the road, having gotten lost and arriving Besides its contribution to scientific after the gates are closed, or having botany, Brooklyn has provided out- missed a special flower show or exhibit standing educational programs for chil- by a day. dren and adults in all facets of botany, If you have a choice, plan your visit horticulture and gardening. Plantings for a weekday. Weekends are usually of special interest are the Japanese gar- crowded and only a skeleton stafiF is dens, Royanji Stone Garden, fragrance available to answer questions. On hot garden for the bUnd, waterlilies, and days plan your visit for the morning tropical plants in the conservatories. tours after the dew is oflF the grass and before the temperature reaches the 90's. Highland and Durand-Eastman For your own sake, as well as that of Park Arboretum the staff at the garden you are visiting, 375 Westfall Road, don't show up 15 minutes before clos- Rochester, N. Y. 14620 ing time. The special features and plant col- Highland Park is noted for its out- lections listed for each garden represent standing collection of approximately a small part of what there is to see. For 500 varieties of lilacs. There are also additional information write to the gar- noteworthy collections of peonies, aza- den that you plan to visit, or purchase leas, crabapples, rhododendrons and a copy of the Directory of American roses. The conservatory at Highland Horticulture from the American Horti- Park has seasonal shows at Thanksgiv- culture Society, Mount Vernon, Va. ing, Christmas and Easter. 22121, or The Arboretums and Botan- ical Gardens of North America pub- Longwood Gardens lished by the Arnold Arboretum of Kennett Square, Pa. 19348 Harvard University, Jamaica Plain, Mass. 02130, or American Gardens— Longwood Gardens was developed A Travelers Guide, $1.50, Brooklyn by the late Pierre Samuel DuPont and Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington is considered by many to be this coun- Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11225. try's finest display garden. The exten- sive conservatories contain thousands of BOTANICAL GARDENS, ARBORirrUMS, AND tropical species from throughout the PLACES OF HORTICULTURAL INTEREST world. The extensive and highly main- Northeast tained grounds have such outstanding features as an Italian Water Garden, Arnold Arboretum rock garden, display of waterhlies and Jamaica Plain, Mass. 02130 many outstanding specimens of trees and shrubs. The system of electric foun- This outstanding institution is over tains is among the most intricate and 100 years old and contains many out- beautiful to be found anywhere in the standing specimens of trees and shrubs. world. Collections of special interest are the forsythias, cherries, magnolias, crabap- New York Botanical Garden ples, azaleas, rhododendrons and lilacs. Bronx Park, A special hedge collection and a collec- New York City, N. Y. 10458 tion of Bonsai (dwarf potted trees) are open to the public. The arboretum test- The most complete botanical gar- ing ground known as the Case Estates den in this country. Most aspects of in Weston, Mass., is also open to the botany and horticulture are included in public. the extensive scientific and applied pro- 267 grams. The conservatories house a wide Southeast variety of tropical plants. Other out- standing features are the rock garden, Callaway Gardens naturalistic plantings, the conifer col- Pine Mountain, Ga. 31822 lection and the museum exhibits. Callaway Gardens is a remarkable National Arboretum exception to the idea that serious horti- Washington, D. C. 20002 culture and recreation can not be com- bined in one institution. In this oasis The National Arboretum is best of beauty, swimming, boating, fishing known to the public for its extensive and golfing are carried out in a setting collection of azaleas. The mass planting of natural beauty and colorful horticul- of 70,000 azaleas is usually at its peak tural plantings of azaleas, hollies, mag- of bloom during the last week of April. nolias, camellias, rhododendrons and The arboretum's dwarf conifer collec- seasonal plantings of bulbs and annuals. tion is the best in the country. The A wide range of tropical plants are on collections of holly, magnolia, firethorn, display in the greenhouses. viburnum, crepe myrtles, and camellias are outstanding. Fairchüd Tropical Garden 10901 Old Cutler Road Also, Arthur Hoyt Scott Horticul- Miami, Fla. 33156 tural Foundation, Swarthrnore College, Pa.; Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Ishp, This beautifully designed garden Long Island, N. Y.; Bowman Hill Wild represents one of the best examples of Flower Preserve, Washington Crossing, how the talents of a landscape architect Pa.; New Jersey Agriculture Experiment can provide the botanist and horticul- Station Arboretum, Rutgers University, turist with an outstanding setting in New Brunswick; Morris Arboretum, which to display plants for educational Philadelphia, Pa.; Phipps Conservatory, and research purposes. The palm collec- Pittsburgh, Pa.; John J. Tyler Arbore- tion is among the finest in the world. tum, Lima, Pa.; Planting Fields, Oyster There are also outstanding collections Bay, Long Island, N. Y.; Winterthur, of vines, orchids, and bromeliads. at Winterthur, Delà. Norfolk Botanical Garden Airport Road Norfolk, Va. 23518 Locally the Norfolk Botanical Gar- den is referred to as the "Gardens-by- the-Sea." The garden has outstanding collections of camellias, azaleas, and other broadleaved evergreens in a set- ting of loblolly pines and quiet lakes. The demonstration gardens illustrate different styles of landscaping, planting combinations, and solutions to special landscaping problems. Also, Brookgreen Gardens, George- town, S. C; Bellingrath Gardens, Mo- bile, Ala.; Biltmore House and Gardens, Asheville, N. C; Magnolia Gardens, Charleston, S. C; Memphis Botanical Home landscape center at Botanic Garden Gardens, Memphis, Tenn.; Tennessee of the Chicago Horticultural Society. Botanical Gardens and Art Center, 268 Nashville; Sarah P. Duke Memorial Kingswood Center Gardens, Duke University, Durham, Box 1186, Mansfield, Ohio 44903 N. C. Kingswood is a cultural and garden center that excels in horticulture. The Midwest specimen trees and shrubs form a back- Alfred L. Boerner Botanical ground for superb plantings of spring Garden bulbs, wildflowers, iris, peonies, summer 5879 S.