Creative Corner Archives - Scott Arboretum & Gardens

Gardeners Almanac: Soil Separation Science Experiment

Becky Robert — Wed, 13 May 2026 19:14:30 +0000

Summer Education Intern Moss Graves teaches us about the difference between soil and dirt as well as how to conduct a soil separation experiment.

Tune into the Gardener’s Almanac to learn what we are doing in the garden at this moment. Learn from Scott Arboretum staff which plants we are pruning, planting, weeding and which pests we are monitoring and removing right now. This virtual almanac is a great reference guide for gardeners.

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Gardener’s Almanac: Pressed Flower Crafts: Part 2

Becky Robert — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 17:48:00 +0000

Join our Assistant Education Programs Manager Rachel Warren as she continues her exploration of crafts with pressed flowers including a bookmark and using pressed flowers in a glass frame.

Check out this Gardener’s Almanac on how to press flowers as well.

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Gardener’s Almanac: Pressed Flower Craft: Part 1

Becky Robert — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 17:44:00 +0000

Join us as our Assistant Education Programs Manager Rachel Warren teaches us how to press flowers with a traditional flower press as well as create decorative glass jars with our pressed flowers.

Check out this Gardener’s Almanac on how to press flowers.

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#BranchOut: Pollinators and Bee Craft

Becky Robert — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 13:39:12 +0000

Join Mandie, Sophie, and Buzz the Bee to learn about pollinators and to make your own bee.

Join us for #BranchOut, a digital learning series from the Scott Arboretum. Improve your gardening skills with how-to tutorials, learn more with in-depth plant discussions, and explore with great kid and family nature activities.

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#BranchOut: Family Cooking Class: Bruschetta

Becky Robert — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 07:30:40 +0000

Make bruschetta with Mandie and Sophie while testing your tomato knowledge in this family cooking class.

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#BranchOut: Nature Rubbing

Becky Robert — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 13:00:01 +0000

Take your leaf rubbing project to another level. Learn about deciduous and evergreen plants as well as tips to creating picture worthy nature rubs.

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Clematis, Roses, and Lessons Learned

Becky Robert — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 13:37:32 +0000

This June we have been celebrating the beauty of the Dean Bond Rose Garden as it continues to give us a stunning display of floral wonder. The talented Beck Armstrong has created another set of coloring pages inspired by images of rose and clematis pairings in the garden. While these images capture a moment of beauty, the roses in the Dean Bond Rose Garden are evaluated over time for their disease resistance and garden display throughout the growing season. Therefore as we explore the featured plants of each image, some are successes and others are failures.

Growing on a trellis in the Dean Bond Rose Garden is the pairing of Clematis [Ice Blue™] ‘Evipo00’ and Rosa ‘Pinkie’. photo credit: R. Armstrong

Growing on a trellis in the Dean Bond Rose Garden is the pairing of Clematis [Ice Blue™] ‘Evipo00’ and Rosa ‘Pinkie’. A successful pairing, Ice Blue™ is an early large flowering clematis in pruning group 2. This large white flower is frosted with a tinge of blue when it first opens. With a compact habit, it reaches 5 to 6 feet tall. Rosa ‘Pinkie’ is a small rambling rose with rose pink semi-double flowers. With almost thornless stems, and reaching only a height of 8 to 12 feet, it is ideal for training in small spaces. These graceful, cascading stems can also be grown without support as a shrub.

Our second pairing features Rosa [Julia Child®] ‘WEKvossutono’and Clematis [Ooh La La] ‘Evipo041′. photo credit: A. Glas

Our second pairing features Rosa [Julia Child®] ‘WEKvossutono’and Clematis [Ooh La La] ‘Evipo041′. Julia Child® rose was selected by its namesake herself because of its unique fragrance. This clove-like scent is reminiscent of the herbs the famous cooking personality, Julia Child, would use in her kitchen. This floribunda butter-gold flower was performing well in the garden until succumbing to rose rosette virus. As is practice with this virus, all infected plants were removed from the garden. Upon removal, our sweet Ooh La La clematis was left behind to ramble through the garden. In pruning group 2 and reaching a height of 2 to 3 ft, this climber does well when it is trained on a small shrub or as a groundcover as it is currently being grown in the rose garden. This large-flowered clematis produces numerous pink flowers with deep magenta stripes and deep pink anthers.

Our final image features the large, cupped, richly fragrant blooms of Rosa [Abraham Darby®] ‘AUScot’. photo credit: R. Armstrong

Our final image features the large, cupped, richly fragrant blooms of Rosa [Abraham Darby®] ‘AUScot’. This David Austin selection blooms in shades of pink, apricot, and yellow and is extremely fragrant. As noted earlier, these images capture a moment of beauty. Unfortunately, Abraham Darby® is very susceptible to diseases in our climate and has already been removed from our collection.

Rosa ‘LETlyda’ [Lyda Rose] was added to the Dean Bond Rose Garden in 2018. photo credit: R. Robert

In order to maintain an organic system in the rose garden, we are selecting plants that have natural resistance to the common rose pests and diseases. Adam Glas, Garden Supervisor, noted that none of the David Austin selections have done well in our climate. Luckily these trials have led to some great recommendations for roses in our region. Check out Adam’s complete list here.

Rosa ‘Nearly Wild’ greets visitors at the third garden gate. photo credit: R. Robert

Thank you for joining us as we take this journey to explore growing healthy roses in the Delaware Valley region. Please enjoy the rose garden coloring pages for a rainy day distraction and embrace the idea that beauty can be fleeting.

Coloring Pages to Download

Rosa ‘Pinkie’ and Ice Blue Clematis

Julia Child Rose and Ooh La La La Clematis

Abraham Darby Rose

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#BranchOut: Nature Mandalas

Becky Robert — Wed, 27 May 2020 07:32:19 +0000

Practice this mindful art project with Mandie and Sophie Banks. Learn how to create mandalas from natural materials.

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Color of Peonies

Becky Robert — Thu, 07 May 2020 13:39:18 +0000

This time of year there are some marvelous colors in the garden including in our Tree Peony Collection. Highlighted below are some of the wonderful colors in our collection. Beck Armstrong has turned these dramatic pictures into coloring pages, thus your coloring box is your only limitation in creating striking pictures.

A personal favorite is the copper-pink of Paeonia ‘Kopper Kettle’. photo credit: R. Armstrong

A personal favorite is the copper-pink of Paeonia ‘Kopper Kettle’. This large, semi-double flower has occasional streaks of yellow with dark red centers framing yellow stamens. This selection boosts sturdy stems, requires no staking, and has lush, toothed foliage.

Described as a rose-form flower with delicate fragrance, Paeonia ‘Yin Hong Qiao Dui’ has soft red flowers turning purplish-red at the base. photo credit: R. Armstrong

Described as a rose-form flower with delicate fragrance, Paeonia ‘Yin Hong Qiao Dui’ has soft red flowers turning purplish-red at the base. This mid-season bloomer has stout, stiff branches and many, long-blooming flowers.

Paeonia ‘Harlequin’ has a smaller flower. photo credit: J. Coceano

Finally, the lovely Paeonia ‘Harlequin’ has a smaller flower. It is a blend of mauve and ivory- cream coloration.

Download the peony coloring pages below and visit the Scott Arboretum’s Tree Peony Collection this month to see other great colors in the garden. To learn more about peonies for your garden, check the Mid-Atlantic Peony Society and Scott Arboretum virtual tour video above.

Peony Coloring Pages

Paeonia ‘Harlequin’ Coloring Page

Peony and Bell Tower Coloring Page

Paeonia ‘Kopper Kettle’ Coloring Page

Find even more Scott Arboretum coloring pages here.

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#BranchOut: Talking Trash

Becky Robert — Wed, 06 May 2020 19:00:53 +0000

This week, we are talking trash. Learn how trash is processed as well as an art project to reuse coffee filters.

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