The Gardens of Naugatuck Valley Community College CONTENTS 02 | Tamarack Arboretum 06 | Teaching Garden 10 | Alan J. Zinser Memorial Rose Garden 14 | Shakespeare Garden 18 | Poets’ Circle 22 | Horticulture Greenhouse 26 | Glacier Ridge Trail 30 | Wisniewski Japanese Memorial Garden 34 | Wisniewski Japanese Healing Garden 38 | Sustainable Garden 42 | Biblical Garden 46 | Medicinal Garden 50 | Alcove Planting 54 | Earth-Kind Rose Testing Site 58 | American Rose Trials for Sustainability (A.R.T.S.) Garden 62 | Map The word had begun to get out, close and far and wide: Up that hill there is knowledge and beauty and kindness; a garden inviting us all to partake; a joyous garden, a giving garden, INTRODUCTION cultivated by caring believers in the value of the human race. Excerpted from “The Giving Garden” by Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis “There is something about a garden” many a phrase would begin, and so there is. The Gardens of Naugatuck Valley Community College are, above all, microcosms of the values we hold dear as an institution. Cultivated through many hours of hard work and labor, the Gardens are a product of intense study, understanding and application of theories learned. They are teaching laboratories that are open, transparent and beautiful and contribute much to make our College a humane and learned institution. Some have been built to support a particular horticultural concept, others to more closely examine plant species and three have been created in loving memory of colleagues past. I take great pride in writing these brief words of introduction to what is joyous, caring and giving work. Professors, staff and students, as part of their course work but also on their own time, have come together to draft, imagine and create something that, quite often, cuts across the disciplines, inviting in the sciences, math, business, and yes, also the humanities. Horticulture has to be one of the most beautiful workforce initiatives, a beautiful path to a life-long career. It is a joy to welcome you to a pictorial sample of the happiness, knowledge and beauty to be experienced by all who come through our doors. Thank you for joining our journey and enjoy your stay! Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D. President TAMARACK ARBORETUM For hundreds of years, Europeans have planted trees to commemorate births, marriages, Established: 1986 ascensions to thrones, military victories and deaths. A scholar tree is planted in China for the passing of a teacher or a low government official, a golden rain tree is planted Founded by: Professor for a high government official and a willow is planted for peasants. At the Tamarack Joseph Faryniarz with the Arboretum, there are many commemorative trees donated by friends and family to support of Professor Anthony mark the milestones of campus life. Bleach The Tamarack Arboretum began with two professors and their students planting Pedagogical role: The commemorative trees as an effort to re-leaf the campus after construction left the land Arboretum is a living barren and encroached. In 1990, Debra Farrick, a landscape architecture graduate laboratory for students in student at the University of Massachusetts, established the design for the grounds. the botany, horticulture, field Today, the Tamarack Arboretum comprises 285 different tree and shrub species and 12 biology and environmental horticultural laboratories that support courses and serve as an educational resource for science. It also provides the public. The trees planted were recommended by the Cornell University Urban Tree our citizens with a public Institute and the Cooperative Extension Services at UMASS and URI. collection of lesser known trees to examine and consider using on their own property. 2 Tamarack Arboretum | 3 4 Tamarack Arboretum | 5 TEACHING GARDEN In 2006, the Connecticut Nursery and Landscapers Association (CNLA) elected to Established: 2006 make the grounds of NVCC the Plant Connecticut annual project. CNLA members donated perennial plants and students and faculty arranged them into an attractive Founded by: Professor and successful planting design - all in one day - to establish the southern section of Robert Herman and NVCC the garden. horticulture students The following year, the northern section of the garden was designed and installed by Pedagogical role: The students thanks to funding from a Perkins Grant. That same grant provided additional Teaching Garden is utilized funding to enable students in the Landscape Mechanics course to create the walkways by horticulture faculty and and wooden arbor. students to identify plants, realize their cultural and The ‘Little King’ river birch, planted in memory of former student Timothy Dioses maintenance requirements dominates, but the tremendously diverse plant selection includes Shasta daisies, hardy and understand how they geraniums and Japanese anemones in large numbers. Ornamental grasses such as big may be used in garden design blue stem, feather reed grass and Japanese silver grass provide structural elements and inWoody Plants, Herbaceous asters and Helen’s flowers add fall color. A solar-powered fountain was donated in 2010 Plants, Landscape by Dr. Bonnie Simon, professor emeritus. Construction and Landscape Maintenance courses. 6 Teaching Garden | 7 8 Teaching Garden | 9 ALAN J. ZINSER MEMORIAL ROSE GARDEN Roses have long been regarded as the “queen of flowering plants,” so it is with great pride that NVCC planted Established: 2009 its first rose garden in 2009 thanks to a generous memorial gift by the family of the late Alan J. Zinser, who taught in the College’s Business Department. The garden provides a living laboratory experience for Founded by: Professor students and visitors to learn, observe, enjoy and rest inside a gated oasis within our urban community Joseph Faryniarz college campus. The open design also provides an intimate space for small gatherings, such as poetry/ literature readings, art classes, horticultural landscape construction classes and honors receptions. Pedagogical role: The Rose The Rose Garden is a living showcase of less-common, lower-maintenance horticultural materials Garden is a laboratory of that offer possibilities for the urban/suburban environment and encourage greater and healthier sustainable roses, perennials botanical diversity. National Merit Award roses, including the lower-maintenance knock out and trees., providing series, are featured to promote cultivars that require far less pesticide intervention. A climbing horticulture students with rose arbor entrance and other hybrid roses encourage further study in landscape projects. The first-hand experience in garden is surrounded by less commonly found trees such as Persian parrotia, hackberry, hedge maple, Cornelian cherry and Rutgers’ hybrid Korean dogwoods and a variety of flowering the care of roses. The space Viburnum that are recommended for greater landscape use by the Cornell University Urban is a peaceful respite for the Tree Institute and the Cooperative Extension Services at UMASS and URI. The Agro-Bio Club, college community and Student Government Association, private donors and the nurseries involved with the CNLA Plant visitors from urban campus Connecticut 2006 project donated trees, shrubs, benches, tables and the garden’s central fountain. life. 10 Alan J. Zinser Rose Garden | 11 12 Alan J. Zinser Rose Garden | 13 SHAKESPEARE GARDEN The Shakespeare Garden was dedicated in 2009 and utilizes various species of plants Established: 2009 that are found within the literature of William Shakespeare (1564-1616). It serves as a space for student leisure, creativity and relaxation. Located in front of the NVCC Fine Founded by: David L. Arts Center, the garden is cared for by horticulture students throughout the semester. Freedman, Class of 2011 “William Shakespeare, the most famous bard in the history of the English language, Pedagogical role: This left us a legacy of beauty and love. Our garden represents a celebration of his love for garden provides horticulture nature and of people; a space to celebrate our own humanity in harmony with nature.” students a diverse laboratory of shrubs and perennials - NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D. to study. It encourages “The Life According to Nature” literature students to examine more closely Under the greenwood tree the connection between Who loves to lie with me, Shakespeare and his And turn his merry note metaphors based on plants. Unto the sweet bird’s throat, It serves as a public resource Come hither, come hither, come hither! to promote greater interest in Here shall he see the works of Shakespeare. No enemy But winter and rough weather. 14 Shakespeare Garden | 15 16 Shakespeare Garden | 17 POETS’ CIRCLE “So often in life, a poem has the power to express human thought, emotions and Established: 2009 creativity in an exceptional way. This garden inspires visitors with the works of famous international poets, yet the goal is much deeper. This space has been created to invite Founded by: Professor reflection and communion. Let us embrace the moment and this opportunity to explore Joseph Faryniarz and Paul the poet within each one of us.” Schwartz, Class of 2010 — NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D. Pedagogical role: The Poets’ Circle celebrates Created in 2009, the Poets’ Circle is located within central campus where it utilizes the major works of poetry donated hardscape elements to create an area of intellectual exhibition and serves as a and encourages the college multi-functional space. The plaques