March 2 - March 8 Paperbark Maple

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Another wonderful specimen tree in the Barton Arboretum is one that features interesting reddish brown bark --Paperbark Maple -- Acer griseum. This tree is easily found on the Terrace outside of the Lounge on the Medford Campus. As we look ahead to spring, you can still enjoy this specimen and appreciate the unusual exfoliating bark before the leaves come out.  A slow grower, the tree is drought tolerant, and a mature treeranges from 15-30' in height.

February 23-March 1 Ever Abundant Snow

​The ever abundant snow this season has brought both beauty and challenges, but did you know there are some actual benefits to a snow filled season?

While we may be tired of shoveling snow, driving on slippery roads and getting wet feet, the abundant snowfall is a blessing in disguise for lawns and gardens.   
There are several key ways that snow actually helps:   

·       Snow acts as an insulator. An adequate layer of snow actually protects less-than-hardy plants from extreme cold. Roots even continue to grow under the snow when temperatures are not too cold and earthworms and soil microbes keep at work as long as the soil doesn't freeze.

·       Snow helps water the landscape during the winter. Evergreen trees require moisture during the winter, and can suffer desiccation during dry periods. Once dormant and nestled beneath a few inches or more of snow, these plants are kept safe and moist.

·       Snow delivers nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil. Nitrogen is an important plant nutrient that is found abundantly in the atmosphere and is essential to plant growth.

·       And last, but not least, white snow provides a great visual contrast to things like seed heads on ornamental grasses, bright berries on holly and early blooming garden plants like witch hazel stand out.

February 10-16 Beauty Berry through the Seasons

This year, the Callicarpa Americana—otherwise know as the American beauty berry, has been highlighted throughout the seasons.  In the spring, it shares a delicate blossom, in the fall, the shrub is covered with purple berries, and just this past week, the berries served as a veritable buffet for the birds in the Atrium located outside of the Community Building.  It seemed that over the course of one afternoon, the birds descended upon the Callicarpa and feasted on the colorful purple berries that we had all enjoyed seeing over the past few months.  Very interesting to follow this shrub through the seasons.

Jump to the October post which has a photo from the July post