You may ask, “What is a cultural landscape?” The Cultural Landscape Foundation answers this question: “Cultural landscapes provide a sense of place and identity; they map our relationship with the land over time; and they are part of our national heritage and each of our lives.” Essentially, it is any landscape that has cultural significance—whether it is historical, design, or ethnic.

Prouty Garden is a cultural landscape property. photo credit: Clare Cooper-Marcus courtesy of The Cultural Landscape Foundation

Visit the What’s Out There® searchable database to see the cultural landscapes near you or to gather vacation ideas. You may find a landscape or site you didn’t know existed!

In the Terry Shane Teaching Garden when placing yourself in the designer's shoes, you recognize the use of bold repetitious color in the border. photo credit: R. Robert

While visiting, explore and study the site with an eye for what the intended purpose was. Put yourself in the designer’s (or former resident’s) shoes and take a look at all the elements in the landscape. How does the landscape lend itself to its use? Perhaps the site is a public park; is there a view? Are there places to enjoy the view from? How do people use the space and how is the space organized to facilitate those uses (or how isn’t it)? Make note of the qualities you appreciate and could incorporate in your own garden.

Looking for pathway inspiration? Try combining pavers and blacktop as seen here in the John W. Nason Garden. photo credit: R. Robert

Upon returning to your residence, take a look around with the same questions in mind. By looking at your garden with a new perspective, one informed by visiting and experiencing cultural landscapes, you just might find yourself tweaking your garden design this coming spring and summer.

Large rocks add texture to the spring floral display in the Harry Wood Garden. photo credit: R. Robert

Come to the Scott Arboretum’s Spring Celebration on Sunday, March 16 at 4 pm to learn how to better “read” the landscapes around you and to learn more about The Cultural Landscape Foundation’s efforts from its founder, Charles A. Birnbaum.

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Our volunteer photographer Diane Mattis has tried to capture the essence of our upcoming Unusual Tropicals and Annuals Sale with her latest scan. All of the following plants can be purchased at the sale and would be perfect together in a sunny location to add a tropical feel to a perhaps mundane garden or outdoor space.

1. Duranta erecta ‘Cuban Gold’- This low-growing (8”-12”) small shrub from Jamaica provides beautiful contrast to dark colors with its yellow to chartreuse leaves.
2. Solenostemon ‘Dipt in Wine’- A Proven Winners® selection, this coleus would be perfect for the “thriller” role in a container because of its upright growth habit and uniquely colored leaves.
3. Setcreasea pallida– An excellent choice for an annual groundcover or “spiller” for a container or hanging basket, this plant has the best purple coloration with higher levels of sunlight.
4. Setcreasea pallida ‘Variegata’- Variegated form of the previous plant.
5. Salvia splendens ‘Van Houttei’- The magenta-purple flowers and bracts are the most eye-appealing part of this 3’-4’ salvia.
6. Strobilanthes dyerianus– Persian Shield is the common name of this plant, and the silvery sheen gives a shield-like quality to the leaves. This plant should be grown in partial sun for best leaf color.
7. Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Light Green’- An excellent trailing plant, sweet potato vine thrives in the summer sun and humidity. It does well in containers, hanging baskets, or as an annual groundcover.
8. Passiflora ‘Amethyst’- Passion flower is a vine, and the tendril you see in this image gives a hint of the beauty of the plant and its flowers.

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Rain barrel installed in Terry Shane Teaching Garden. photo credit: R. Robert

As emphasized in President Barrack Obama’s inauguration speech, becoming more sustainable as a society is a necessity for the future. There are a multitude of paths that allow companies, organizations, and individuals to works toward sustainability. Swarthmore College recently detailed their efforts in January issue of the Swarthmore College Bulletin highlights efforts both on campus and in the livelihoods of some alumni that effect sustainability. The Scott Arboretum plays a key role regarding sustainability at Swarthmore College.

Some of our featured efforts are a cover photo is of our own Josh Coceano, Horticulturist, working during the TreeVitalize program along the Crum Creek; Claire Sawyers, Director, is quoted discussing the Campus Master Plan and how heartening it is to see an emphasis on the College’s natural assets; and a feature article also highlights the Crum Creek Stewardship committee and green roofs, which Director of Grounds and Coordinator of Horticulture Jeff Jabco works with directly. Our organic lawn care initiative is also featured with quotes from Nicole Selby, Gardener and Accredited Organic Land Care Professional, who helps lead this program.

Volunteers plant trees along the Crum Creek as part of TreeVitalize efforts. photo credit: R. Robert

Additionally, the College has launched a sustainability website that provides more in-depth information about campus sustainability efforts. This site includes campus commitments to climate, energy, food, green building, natural environment, transportation, waste management, and water.  Explore how the Scott Arboretum is part of larger sustainability effort.

Our Magnolia Collection is part of NAPCC and our ex situ conservation efforts. photo credit: R. Maurer

The Scott Arboretum is involved in sustainability not only on campus, but also on a larger scale being part of efforts through membership in BGCI, Botanical Gardens Conservation International. We participate in ex situ conservation, that is, we have plants in our collections that are threatened in their usual habitat so if they do become lost in the wild, that species is not completely lost. You can explore previous blog posts about sustainability at the Scott Arboretum here.

Jogger enjoys the Crum Woods. photo credit: R. Robert

View our calendar of events to take advantage of our upcoming classes on raising chickens in your backyard and backyard beekeeping for gardeners, as well as our green roof tours to see for yourself what all the hype is about!

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