THE ARBORETUM AT PENN STATE

Docent Manual

DocentManual

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The Arboretum at Penn State

Docent Manual

 The Arboretum at Penn State The Pennsylvania State University 320 Forest Resources Building University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-3604 www.arboretum.psu.edu

Table of Contents Accomplishing the Mission of the Arboretum ............................ 4 The Essential Elements of Every Tour ..................................... 5 Providing an Overview ............................................................. 6 Tour Stops within the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens .................. 7 The Overlook Pavilion ..................................................................... 8 Ridge & Valley Sculpture ................................................................ 9 Annual Display Garden & Joan Milius Smith Esplanade ............... 11 Joel N. Myers Sundial ................................................................... 12 Pollinators’ Garden ....................................................................... 13 Rose & Fragrance Garden ............................................................ 14 Oasis Garden & Lotus Pool........................................................... 15 Margery Enes Smith Soaring Waters Fountain ............................. 16 Boardwalk and Dr. James J. & Lynn D. Ramage Marsh Meadow . 17 North (Conservatory) Terrace Garden and Poplar Court .............. 18 Bamboo Allée ................................................................................ 19

Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden ...................................... 20 Garden Entrance ........................................................................... 20 Rocky Ridges ................................................................................ 21 Central Valley ................................................................................ 21 Fossil Gap ..................................................................................... 21

The Arboretum Beyond the Gardens ...................................... 23 Big Hollow ..................................................................................... 23 Hartley Wood ................................................................................ 23

Air Quality Learning and Demonstration Center ............................ 23 Avian Education Program ............................................................. 24 Hybrid Chestnut Seed Orchard ..................................................... 24 Rail Trail ........................................................................................ 24 Pennsylvania Prairie Reconstruction Project ................................ 24

Philanthropy & Commemorative Programs............................. 25 Tips for Docents ..................................................................... 26 Frequently Asked Questions .................................................. 27 Safety and Security ................................................................ 28 Appendix A: Supplemental Information ................................. 29 Appendix B: Maps ................................................................. 31

Accomplishing the Mission of the Arboretum

The mission of The Arboretum at Penn State is to engage the academic strengths of the University in promoting scholarship and education about plants, their environments, their cultivation and conservation, and their history and importance on earth.

D

ocents play a key role in assisting the Arboretum in accomplishing its mission. Docents serve as greeters and conduct the majority of visitor tours. In fact, docents may be the only Arboretum representatives that many visitors will meet. It is therefore essential that docents be fully informed and thoroughly prepared before undertaking their responsibilities. This manual has been designed to serve as a resource for docents. Its primary focus is to articulate the essential elements of a successful tour, provide docents with the contextual information they need to convey to visitors, furnish supplemental material that can be helpful to docents when answering questions from visitors, and list emergency and other relevant information in a single document.

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The Essential Elements of Every Tour

Every docent-led tour of The Arboretum at Penn State should include the following elements: 

Welcome tour group visitors and introduce yourself;

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Point out locations for restrooms, water fountains, and brochures;

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Explain the mission of the Arboretum and provide an overview;

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Guide the group through all tour stops in the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens;

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Mention the upcoming opening of the Children’s Garden and point out its location;

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Describe areas of the Arboretum beyond the gardens;

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Provide opportunities for visitors to ask questions throughout the tour;

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Explain the role of philanthropy in the creation and growth of the Arboretum;

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Describe commemorative opportunities;

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Thank visitors for coming and invite them to return.

Information and resources that can assist docents in addressing each of these elements are provided in the pages that follow.

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Providing an Overview Contextual Information 

Detailed descriptions of the areas of the Arboretum beyond gardens can be provided as a part of the introductory overview or later in the tour. Some docents have reported that delaying descriptions until the tour group reaches an area with benches provides a welcome opportunity to sit and hear about the other areas.

The mission of The Arboretum at Penn State is to engage the academic strengths of the University in promoting scholarship and education about plants, their environments, their cultivation and conservation, and their history and importance on earth.

 The Arboretum comprises 370 acres – from I-99 to Park Avenue. As of this writing, approximately 30 acres have been developed. Plans call for the addition of an Education Center, a Conservatory, a Planetarium, and many more plantings.  Phase I of Arboretum development was made possible through a $10,000,000 gift from Charles H. (Skip) Smith in April 2007. Because of that gift, the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens are named in honor of Skip Smith’s father, a State College contractor and real estate developer, were created.  Phase I construction was completed in 2009.  Phase I included over 17,000 individual plantings of 700 plant varieties. As new garden spaces are added the number of plants and varieties will increase.  At the present time, guided tours typically focus on the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens and Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden. Tours of other areas of the Arboretum will be added as development progresses.  In addition to the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens and the Children’s Garden, the Arboretum includes the areas listed below. Information concerning each of these areas is provided in the chapter titled The Arboretum Beyond the Gardens. o Big Hollow o Hartley Wood o Air Quality Learning and Demonstration Center o Avian Education Program o Hybrid Chestnut Seed Orchard o Rail Trail o Pennsylvania Prairie Reconstruction Project 

Many areas of the Botanic Gardens are available for event rental. Questions concerning rentals should be directed to Kathleen K. Reeder, Event and Marketing Coordinator. Ms. Reeder’s contact information is available at the brochure stand.

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Tour Stops within the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens The H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens serve as the gateway to the 370-acre Arboretum, and, at the time of this writing, the primary focus of docent-guided tours. To assist docents in conducting tours, thirteen stops within the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens have been designated. This is useful in that it allows tours to begin and end at any stop, thereby allowing multiple tours to be conducted concurrently without delay. Guided tours may include stops at each of the thirteen designated locations, and may be tailored to suit visitor interests and the length of time available. The number of stops will be revised as additional areas are added. For purposes of conducting tours, the thirteen stops within the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens are as listed below. Descriptive information and listings of noteworthy plants are provided for each stop in the pages that follow. 1.

Overlook Pavilion

2.

Ridge & Valley Sculpture

3.

Event Lawn & Kathryn Bower Smith Strolling Garden

4.

Annual Display Garden & Joan Milius Smith Esplanade

5.

Joel N. Myers Sundial

6.

Pollinators’ Garden

7.

Rose & Fragrance Garden

8.

Oasis Garden & Lotus Pool

9.

Margery Enes Smith Soaring Waters Fountain

10. Boardwalk and Dr. James J. & Lynn D. Ramage Marsh Meadow 11. North (Conservatory) Terrace Garden and Poplar Court 12. Bamboo Allée 13. Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden

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The Overlook Pavilion

Description Plantings include: Beds Near Steps:

 The Overlook Pavilion contains restrooms, water fountains, and brochure dispensers as well as an office.

Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’ (possumhaw viburnum)

 It is a popular event space that can be rented for weddings and special events. Kathleen K. Reeder, Event and Marketing Coordinator, should be contacted for rental information.

Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ (Virginia sweetspire) Helleborus orientalis (Lenten rose)

Beds at Rear of Pavilion: Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ (apple serviceberry) Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’s Pyramid’ (limber pine) Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern)

 The Overlook Pavilion is a certified “green” building, having achieved LEED Silver(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation. The building incorporates many “green” technologies, including a geothermal heating and cooling system, dual flush toilets for water conservation, and a rainwater infiltration system.  The pavilion canopy, which was specifically designed for this space, was installed in September of 2009 at a cost of approximately $200,000.  The canopy remains in place during the winter season. The side

curtains are taken down in the fall and re-hung in mid-May because winds at the site often exceed 25 mph before and after these dates. The side curtains and tethers on the canopy are not designed to withstand wind velocity in excess of 25 mph. The pavilion floor consists of exposed aggregate created by pouring concrete, adding small river stones, and applying an acid wash to remove the top layer of concrete and expose the small river stones.

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Ridge & Valley Sculpture

Description Plantings include: Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ (apple serviceberry) Pinus heldreichii (Bosnian pine) Hydrangea arborescens ‘Dardom’ White Dome® (smooth hydrangea) Anemone x hybrida ‘Andrea Atkinson’ (windflower)

Annual and seasonal plantings – see plant list at Overlook Pavilion brochure rack

 This 924-square foot sculpture by Spring Mills sculptor Stacy Levy depicts the local Spring Creek watershed.  The surface of the map is made of Pennsylvania blue stone and punctuated by three boulder “ridges” (Bald Eagle, Mt. Nittany, and Tussey) that rise from the terrace to create seat walls.  Boulders were placed to resemble the actual “cuts” in the local mountain ranges, which you can see during the winter when the tree foliage is gone from the mountains.  Local streams and waterways are depicted with runnels carved 1/4 inch deep into the stone. “Bumpy” trails in the blue stone signify underground streams or streams with intermittent flow.  Rainfall from the Overlook Pavilion’s roof falls onto the sculpture and flows to the “cut” or gap in the Bald Eagle Mountain range, depicting the site through which water flows out of the local watershed to the Susquehanna River and eventually into the Chesapeake Bay.

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The Event Lawn & Kathryn Bower Smith Strolling Garden

Plantings include: Rosaceous Trees: Malus ‘Prairiefire’ (crabapple)

Description

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The Strolling Garden encircles the Event Lawn, an open green space which can accommodate up to 1300 attendees.

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The plantings in the Strolling Garden feature ornamental members of the rose family (Rosaceae) including varieties of spiraea, rose, crabapple, chokeberry, and potentilla.

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The design is punctuated with evergreen conifers in the pine family (Pinaceae) and cypress family (Cupressaceae) and also includes a variety of ornamental grasses

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In the strolling garden is the Hosler Oak or “witness tree,” a white oak (Quercus alba) donated by alumnus George Biemesderfer. The first tree planted at the Botanic Gardens, the Hosler Oak will “witness” the growth and development of the Arboretum over time.

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The tree is named after two people: retired senior vice president for research, dean emeritus of the graduate school, and professor emeritus of meteorology Charles Hosler, who influenced and assisted George on his career path; and Anna Rosa Hosler, his late wife.

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The tree was selected in 2001 and immediately “dug” and left in place to develop roots close to the trunk over three growing seasons. Transplanted in spring 2005, the tree had a nine-foot root ball and weighed nearly 30,000 lbs. A crane was used to hoist the tree into position and it was transported here on the bed of a tractor trailer.

Sorbus alnifolia (Korean mountain-ash) Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ (hawthorn)

Conifers: Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’ (Japanese black pine) Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ (Alaskan falsecypress)

Flowering Shrubs: Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’ (panicle hydrangea) Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Gibraltar’ (bush clover)

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Annual Display Garden & Joan Milius Smith Esplanade

Description Plantings include: Hedge: Cornus mas (cornelian cherry)

Fruit Tree Espaliers: Malus domestica ‘Svatava’ (apple) Malus domestica ‘Topaz’ (apple) Malus domestica ‘Crimson Crisp’ (apple) Malus domestica ‘Liberty’ (apple)

 The flower gardens on either side of the Esplanade provide seasonal displays identified by numbered tags.  Lists of plants, with corresponding tag numbers to assist visitors with plant identification, are located at the Overlook Pavilion’s brochure stand.  The plantings in the demonstration gardens are changed three times per year. The spring display features tulips and other flowering bulbs, and is timed to provide peak bloom on Penn State graduation weekend. The summer display features heat-loving annuals and tropical plants in a range of colors and textures. The autumn display includes chrysanthemums, ornamental kales and cabbages, and ornamental grasses.  This event space can be rented and is often used as a wedding venue with the trellis arch as a background.

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The arch serves as a multi-vine trellis and has supported gourds as well as flowering vines. The posts with wires strung between them along the outer boundary of the demonstrations gardens form an espalier for the fruit trees. The term “espalier” refers to the training of trees or shrubs to grown in a narrow area along a fence or wall.

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Joel N. Myers Sundial

Description  The Sundial, a gift from Joel N. Myers, founder and president of

Detailed instructions for reading the sundial are available in pamphlets located at the Overlook Pavilion. An interpretive panel is located at the sundial.

AccuWeather, Inc. was added to the gardens in the summer of 2011.  The gnomon (pronounced NO Mon), or clock, is made of granite and is

over 10’ high. The time pieces have quartz inlays that mark the actual hours.  The Sundial is read from left to right with one’s back to the gnomon.  The Sundial marks the hours at Mean Solar Time for our exact position

on the earth. To convert MST to Eastern Standard Time (EST) on your watch, add 11 ½ minutes to MST because our longitude (77° 52’ 08”) is 5 hours, 11 minutes, and 28 seconds “behind” the Greenwich Meridian (0° longitude). Stated another way, the sun is directly overhead in State College 5 hours, 11 minutes, and 28 seconds after it is directly overhead in Greenwich, England.  Inner Row: The row of stones closest to the gnomon is always touched

by the style’s shadow and is more useful than the others for telling time. The hours are not labeled, but 12:00 noon is directly north of the gnomon. The central, solid white inlays on these stones mark the approximate average position of the style’s shadow on the hour (MST) from 7:00 a.m. (stone on far left) to 5:00 p.m. (stone on far right), and the precise time on June 21.  Middle Row: The middle row of stones (in a straight line) has the hours

of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for March 21 (blue inlays) and September 21 (yellow-brown inlays).  Outer Row: The third arc has the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (white

inlays) for December 21. 12

Pollinators’ Garden

Description Plants for butterflies:

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The Pollinators’ Garden is the result of a collaborative effort between the Arboretum and Penn State's Center for Pollinator Research. According to the center’s mission statement, “Pollinators are critical for agricultural and ecological landscapes, but many species have been severely impacted by massive population declines.”

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Objectives of the Pollinators’ Garden:

Asclepias verticillata (whorled milkweed) – food source for monarch caterpillars Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower) – attracts adult butterflies of many species

 expand scientific knowledge of pollinator biology;  demonstrate strategies for conservation of threatened pollinators and their host plants;  cultivate an understanding of pollinators and their contribution to the health and welfare of society.

Plants for bees: Pycnanthemum muticum (clustered mountain mint) – attracts a wide variety of bees and pollinating flies Rudbeckia maxima (giant coneflower) – attracts a wide range of native bees

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These gardens each contain a circle of plantings to attract butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. Large swaths of the same plant material are more visible and appealing to pollinators than single plants.

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Honeybees are not the only bees important in pollination. There are over 300 species of bee native to Pennsylvania alone, and approximately 4,000 species in North America as a whole. Many other insects other than bees also pollinate plants.

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Home gardeners can assist pollinators by growing a diverse array of plant species that provide food and shelter for pollinators during multiple life stages. The Arboretum is currently developing a plan to expand and improve the Pollinators’ Garden. One of the goals of the new garden will be to attract every pollinator native to Pennsylvania.

For hummingbirds: Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’ (red-hot poker)

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Rose & Fragrance Garden

Description Plantings include: Trees: Calocedrus decurrens (California incense-cedar) Cladrastis kentukea 'Perkins Pink' (yellowwood) Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese stewartia)

Shrubs: Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ (sweetshrub) Hamamelis mollis ‘Wisley Supreme’ (witchhazel) Rosa xanthina f. hugonis (Father Hugo rose)

Vines: Rosa ‘New Dawn’ (climbing rose)

 The walls surrounding this garden are made of sandstone from a quarry in Curwensville, Pennsylvania. This once-famous sandstone was also used to build the long, stone-arch railroad bridge near Harrisburg and many other prominent projects. They support vegetation that has been trained to hang from the wires to give the area a “green room” effect.  At the center is a bower on which native wisteria (Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’) are being trained. These will eventually shade the bower and provide cascading flowers in spring.  The rose varieties featured in the garden were selected for their hardiness, disease-resistance, and pleasant fragrance. They are ideal choices for the home gardener because of their ease of care.  The garden contains a collection of 35 varieties of tree peony that offer an array of flower color, type, and bloom time as well as variation in overall plant size and form. The collection is displayed in three cultivar groupings: Chinese, Japanese, and Western introductions (North American and European). Several wild species of tree peony, from which these cultivars have been developed, are also represented in the collection.  Herbs, such as sage and dill are incorporated because of their fragrance and texture.  The fragrant Magnolia grandiflora 'Edith Bogue' (southern magnolia) is included although it is a bit of a gamble in this northern climate.  Several hundred perennials are planted in this garden for added color, fragrance, and interest.  The Rose Garden Bower (the pergola structure within the garden) is available for rental.

Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’ (late large-flowering clematis)

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Oasis Garden & Lotus Pool

Description The benches in the Oasis Garden provide an opportunity for tour groups to sit and relax while docents answer questions and share information. Plantings include:

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The main feature of the Oasis Garden is the lotus pool which contains both hardy and tropical water plants, as well as goldfish, which were surreptitiously added by unknown visitors.

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The lotus pool plantings were donated by George Griffith (’56) who has been cultivating and hybridizing water lilies since he was an undergraduate at Penn State more than 50 years ago.

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The water lotuses (Nelumbo nucifera) are especially noteworthy because they originated from two plants grown from seeds that were buried in a dry Manchurian lake bed and germinated about 1951. A third seed was carbon-dated as 830-1250 years old. This particular lotus only grows in Mr. Griffith’s ponds in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, in Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington, D.C. (where he obtained the seed), and here in the Smith Botanic Gardens.

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Water in the lotus pool is approximately two feet deep.

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The water is dyed black with a vegetable dye to create a background that enhances the color of the water lily and lotus blooms, as well to hide the root structures of the water plants.

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Potted palm and cycad plants are added only after the danger of frost has passed, and removed in the fall before the first signs of frost. They are maintained in the University’s greenhouses during the winter.

Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ (smoketree) Magnolia virginiana (sweetbay magnolia) Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond’ (panicle hydrangea)

In Lotus Pool: Pontederia cordata (pickerelweed) Nymphaea ‘Queen of Siam’ (tropical dayblooming waterlily)

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Margery Enes Smith Soaring Waters Fountain

Description Plantings include:

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The phrase, “Soaring Waters,” refers to the arched nature of the streams of water from the eleven water jets.

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There are underwater lamps for nighttime lighting of the fountain.

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In the winter, the fountain is drained and the Arboretum’s lighted winter tree display is installed here. The display includes evergreen trees up to 20’ tall, winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata), and shrubs with colorful winter branches. The display has become a popular holiday-time attraction.

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Wading in the fountain pool is prohibited due to the underwater lighting fixtures and jets.

Cotinus obovatus (American smoketree) Campsis radicans ‘Judy’ (trumpet-vine) Rosa ‘Chewmaytime’ (Oso Easy® Paprika rose) Rhus typhina ‘Dissecta’ (staghorn sumac) Rhus chinensis ‘September Beauty’ (Chinese sumac)

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Boardwalk and Dr. James J. & Lynn D. Ramage Marsh Meadow Description Plantings include: Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) Cornus sericea 'Cardinal’ (red-osier dogwood) Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ (bloodtwig dogwood) Salix alba subsp. vitellina ‘Britzensis’ (coral bark willow) Taxodium distichum (baldcypress)

 The boardwalk over the Marsh Meadow was made possible by a gift of nearly $200,000 from the senior class of 2010. It provides a “front door” into the gardens over a low marshy area for visitors entering the Arboretum from main campus. The senior class has voted on a class gift every year since 1861!  The boardwalk was designed and built using an innovative 'green' building technology. The Diamond Pier foundation system consists of precast concrete piers and steel pins which provide a solid foundation that reaches deep into the ground without digging holes or pouring concrete. Durable but non-chemically-treated wood was used.  The meadow encompasses the storm water collection (“recharge”) area for College Heights. The area is only “marsh-like” a couple of times a year when heavy rains cause temporary ponding.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood)

 It is an environmentally sensitive area because of the underlying limestone formation and contains several sink holes. Because of this geology, no permanent buildings can be built in this area.

Alnus glutinosa (black alder)

 Tall switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is planted throughout the meadow. The grass waves in the wind, mimicking the visual effect of wind on water. Shrubs with colorful twigs provide winter interest.  Funding for the Marsh Meadow was provided by Dr. James J. and Lynn D. Ramage.

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North (Conservatory) Terrace Garden and Poplar Court

Description Plantings include: Shrubs: Hibiscus syriacus ‘Notwoodtwo’ (White Chiffon™ rose of Sharon)

 The Poplar Court, a geometric planting of narrow poplar trees, is located on the site of the future conservatory, a planned 10,000 square foot glass building which will display tropical plants year-round.  Because poplars are fast-growing, short-lived trees, they are an ideal choice for a “temporary” planting such as this.

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Mindia’ (Coppertina™ ninebark)

 When the conservatory is built, the North Terrace will serve as one of its entrances. Tropical plants and their close relatives are being used here to represent the tropical theme that will be on display in the conservatory.

Perennials:

 The dark foliage of ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Mindia’ [Coppertina™]) contrasts with the silver variegation of ornamental grass (Miscanthus sinensis var. condensata ‘Rigoletto’) to create a dynamic color combination.

Amsonia hubrichtii (blue star) Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ (montbretia) Miscanthus sinensis var. condensata ‘Rigoletto’ (maiden grass)

 Catalpa trees (Catalpa bignonioides ‘Aurea’) are located at each corner of the terrace and are periodically cut back to the height of the walls to create a “green room” effect.  The North Terrace is available for rental.

Rheum palmatum ‘Atrosanguineum’ (rhubabrb) Senna hebecarpa (American senna)

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Bamboo Allée

Description Plantings include:

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Originally, a single species of bamboo was planted here (yellowgroove bamboo, or Phyllostachys aureosulcata ‘Spectabilis’). In 2012, local plantsman and bamboo expert Franklin Chow donated specimens of nude-sheath bamboo (Phyllostachys nuda), which have been added to the allée.

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As it grows, the bamboo creates a green “hallway” from the Strolling Garden around the Event Lawn into the walled gardens.

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Many bamboo varieties are invasive, as they spread readily from underground rhizomes. To prevent these from “escaping,” the planting is surrounded by a barrier that is 30 inches deep. It curls toward the inside at the bottom and is sealed with aluminum clamps at the corners.

Phyllostachys aureosulcata ‘Spectabilis’ (yellowgroove bamboo) Phyllostachys nuda (nude-sheath bamboo)

Bamboo Facts: 

Only clumping species of bamboo are considered suitable for the home landscape. Many cold-hardy clumping bamboos are in the genus Fargesia.

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While the bamboo varieties displayed here are native to Asia, there are three species of bamboo that are native to eastern North America. All of these are in the genus Arundinaria.

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Bamboos are “monocarpic” plants, meaning that they flower once in their lifetime, set seeds, and then die. Some bamboos can take up to a century to flower!

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Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden In the summer of 2014 the Arboretum welcomed children and adults of all ages to our newly completed Children’s Garden, a unique space for exploring nature together. The garden is a celebration of the plants, creatures, geology, history and culture of our Central Pennsylvania regional landscape. The garden was designed by Emmanuel Didier of Didier Design Studios in Fort Collins, CO in association with AECOM of Alexandria, VA. The Penn State design team included child development and educational experts and the Arboretum leadership and staff. The garden comprises approximately one acre of “nature’s classroom” featuring green space, native plants, rocks and water features incorporating central Pennsylvania’s unique geomorphology. In addition to the entrance court, the garden encompasses three main areas: the Rocky Ridges, Central Valley, and Fossil Gap.

Garden Entrance 

Entering through “Childhood’s Gate” will resonate with visitors and alumni summoning the connection to the University and recalling the phrase from the lyrics of The Penn State Alma Mater. Directly opposite the Hosler Oak, the Arboretum “Witness Tree” looks across the path through Childhood’s Gate.

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The Transformation Canopy reflects the changing landscape and colors of the Central Valley in rolling hues of greens and gold. Water pools emphasize water as a life source as well as its role in the carving of the geographic features. Sandstone ridge walls beneath the “valley” canopy depict the transformation from ridges to valleys over time.

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Encourage visitors at the entrance to have an overview of the garden as the designer intended. Invite them to experience the transformation. “Pretend that you are coming in on a plane looking down on our region, over the ridges and valleys and streams.” Once you enter you transform as you experience the garden with children - through their perspective.

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Rocky Ridges   

This area features prominent sandstone and limestone specimen rocks and boulders to evoke the natural landscape and tell the geologic history of the region. There is a spring basin water feature to simulate the many natural springs occurring in our region. To the left is a family seating area with natural sandstone boulders and a cut stone bench against three spectacular specimen rocks.

Central Valley 

The Central Valley features gentle sloping hills with a remnant prairie, lawn area and the Susquehannock Camp. The Susquehannock have a mysterious history as one of the Eastern Woodland Indian tribes who lived along the Susquehanna River prior to the 1600’s. The camp replicates crop guarding huts near the harvest gardens where the children’s vegetable and herb garden is nestled.

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The event amphitheater, backed by a grapevine trellis, provides a setting for larger group programs and faces the gathering lawn.

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A working farm pump helps children to water their gardens. Our beautiful glass house, located at the far end of the valley is a greenhouse for special plants and provides children with the opportunity to observe and participate in seed to harvest plant cycles.

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The Aspen Story Circle offers a shaded ring of limestone rocks surrounded by aspen trees; a relaxing space for sharing stories and garden programs.

Fossil Gap  

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Gaps are narrow steep-sided valleys usually worn by running water. Our “In and Out Creek” is a special feature in this area as it winds around the ridge walls of the gap. Our cave is a standout feature. Located at one end of Fossil Gap and next to the Central Valley, it allows children to explore the subterranean world that is a vital part of our limestone valleys. There is an elevated sinkhole or “oculus” that drips water from the green roof above. The cave formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and columns, are so realistic it is hard to believe that they were formed out of concrete. There is a sand dig for children to excavate fossils or other hidden artifacts and a “secret” passageway for future spelunkers. The ancient history of central Pennsylvania is on display here. Children can walk a spiral “timeline” (to come in September 2014) and identify the evolution of plants and animals. 21

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There are larger than life replicas of fossils that would have been found during the Devonian period in Pennsylvania millions of years ago.

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Other special features beyond Fossil Gap are Mushroom Hollow, the Discovery Tree and our Caterpillar Bench. The woodland environment is recreated here as a magical forest where children can meet our giant native caterpillar (the spicebush swallowtail, Papilio troilus), play among the native mushroom clusters (Boletus bicolor) and imagine themselves as a creature small enough to live inside or in the roots of an old hollow tree.

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The Bird Look-Out is a place for peeking through to identify birds and other creatures on the other side of the painted grass fence.

Tour Questions for Visitors to Childhood’s Gate      

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Can you tell which of our garden features are natural stone formations are and which are human-made from concrete? Can you name any other “gaps” that are located in our region? (Musser, Pleasant, Galbraith, Shingletown) There is a colony of native brown bats in our cave. How many can you find? (9) There is a boulder in the garden that weighs more than 17 tons. Which one do you think it is? (located to the far right of the cut stone family bench) How many trees do you think are in our garden? (180) Do you know a way to help remember the difference between “stalactites” and “stalagmites’? (Stalactites are “tight” to the ceiling of the cave and stalagmites have to be “mighty” and stand up from the bottom of the cave). When they meet a column is formed. Can you think of places in Pennsylvania named after the Susquehannock? (Susquehanna River, Susquehanna Valley)

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The Arboretum Beyond the Gardens At the time of the writing of this manual, the focus of docent-led tours was the H.O. Smith Botanic gardens. Although tours do not typically take visitors to other areas, it is important that docents inform visitors of all components of the Arboretum. Basic information about each of those components is provided in this section of the manual. For more detailed information, please see Appendix A.

Big Hollow The land form beyond the trees at the end of the slope beyond the Overlook Pavilion has been named Big Hollow. The Arboretum contains a section of this narrow limestone valley.

Hartley Wood Hartley Wood, a rare, old-growth remnant with several trees older than 300 years, is being used for historical interpretation classes, research on invasive plants, and field instruction. The Arboretum Ecological Restoration Group (AERG), comprised of volunteers, is actively working to restore the area to a more natural condition.

Air Quality Learning and Demonstration Center An outdoor facility established in 2003 through the efforts of John Skelly, emeritus professor of plant pathology, this center contains air quality monitoring devices, a plant demonstration area showing the effects of ozone on plants, a teaching pavilion, and interpretive signs to enable visitors to conduct self-guided tours.

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Avian Education Program The Arboretum has had a very active bird banding program since 2010. Under the guidance of avian experts, birds are captured, measured, weighed and banded. Their band numbers are entered into a national identification system. Data show that the Arboretum is a stopover for spring and fall migrants, and also that some of the resident birds have returned in successive years. Additional information on the Avian Education program is available on the Arboretum website.

Hybrid Chestnut Seed Orchard The 10-acre orchard, co-sponsored by the University and The American Chestnut Foundation, is one of only two seed orchards in the nation dedicated to developing blight-resistant trees by hybridization with Chinese chestnuts, and then repeated backcrossing to American chestnut to recover native species’ characteristics for reintroduction in the wild.

Rail Trail A 1.3 mile crushed limestone trail designated for pedestrian/bicycle use built on a portion of the historic Bellefonte Central Railroad grade. At the turn of the 20th century, the rail line was a means of transportation to campus by Penn State students. One of those riding the train was H.O. Smith, for whom the Arboretum’s Botanic Gardens are named.

Pennsylvania Prairie Reconstruction Project With the assistance of volunteers, a 5-acre hillside patch is being transformed into a limestone prairie like those that existed in central Pennsylvania before European settlement. During 2011 and 2012, invasive shrubs were cleared from the site by hand. Next, a controlled burn was conducted to kill remaining weed seeds and roots. Finally, a custom-blended seed mix was broadcast in the area. This seed mix was carefully selected to include warm-season grasses native to central Pennsylvania, as well as some locally-native broadleaf wildflowers. It may be another five years before the prairie is fully established, but progress thus far has been excellent.

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Philanthropy & Commemorative Programs Philanthropy is critical to the development of the Arboretum, and will determine the rate of future growth. To date, all garden construction has been made possible by private contributions. The Arboretum at Penn State is a special place to honor or remember a loved one and the selection of a commemorative tree or bench contributes to a legacy of natural beauty for future generations. 

More than 160 trees were planted in the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens during Phase 1 of development and, through the Arboretum’s commemorative program, many now stand as lasting tributes. A commemorative plaque is placed near each tree.

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The contribution for a tree ($5,000) is payable over five years. This contribution will be used to cover maintenance, disease prevention and if need be, replacement.

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The contribution for a bench ($5,000) is payable over five years. This contribution will be used to cover the purchase of a bench, labor and materials for assembly and installation, and routine maintenance and repair for the life of the bench. A commemorative plaque is attached to each bench.

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With all contributions of this nature, a portion is added to the Endowment for The Arboretum at Penn State to ensure long-term care of the gardens.

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Additional information on philanthropy and commemorative programs is available at the brochure stand and on the Arboretum’s website.

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Tips for Docents 

Wear your name badge.

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Bring your cell phone.

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Wear comfortable shoes—there is a considerable amount of walking involved in conducting a tour.

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Parking in the Arboretum parking lot is free to docents and visitors. On weekends, overflow parking is available in the Dickinson School of Law’s parking lot (adjacent to the Lewis Katz building).

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The Arboretum is open from dawn to dusk.

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The URL for the Arboretum website is arboretum.psu.edu

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Additional information on pollinator-friendly gardening is available at http://ento.psu.edu/pollinators/public-outreach

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A very useful resource for tour guides is Lisa Marshall’s “The Do’s and Don’ts of a Great Tour Guide,” available at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/public-speaking/howto-lead-a-guided-tour

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Frequently Asked Questions  

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Is there an admission fee? Do visitors have to pay for parking? o The Arboretum is open to the public free of charge. Parking is also free for Arboretum visitors. Are dogs allowed at the Arboretum? o Dogs are allowed everywhere at the Arboretum EXCEPT in the Botanic Gardens. This is for the comfort of our visitors and the health of our plant collections. May the Arboretum be used for professional photography sessions? o Professional photographers may contact the Arboretum’s Event and Marketing Coordinator, Kathleen Reeder, to schedule use of the grounds for photo sessions. May the Arboretum be rented for special events? o Many areas of the Botanic Gardens are available for event rental. Questions concerning rentals should be directed to Kathleen Reeder, Event and Marketing Coordinator. Does the Arboretum have a gift shop? Do you sell plants? o At this time, we do not have a gift shop. Plants, as well as Arboretum apparel, may be purchased at our May plant sale. Plant sale dates may be found on our website. Does the Arboretum have a coffee shop or café? o At this time, we do not have a dining facility, though one is planned for the new Arboretum complex. Nearby campus cafes are located at the Lewis Katz Building (Dickinson Law School) directly across Bigler Road, the Business Building (directly across Park Avenue), and the Berkey Creamery (across Park Avenue and down the promenade). I have a very specific question about an ailing /unidentifiable / one-of-akind plant. Who should I ask? o Botanical brain-teasers should be addressed to the Arboretum’s Director of Horticulture and Curator, Shari Edelson.

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Safety and Security In an emergency: 

Outdoor Campus Emergency Phones are located at the parking lot entrance to the Arboretum nearest the Overlook Pavilion and on Bigler Road at the entrance to the Katz Building. These phones will connect the caller with University Police.

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If using a cell phone, call (814) 863-1111 for University Police.

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If using a cell phone, call 911 if there is a medical emergency.

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Please do not administer first aid or CPR UNLESS you are trained and certified and are acting within the parameters of that certification.

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If you notice an issue related to facilities, call the Office of Physical Plant (OPP) Service Desk at (814) 865-4731.

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To report child abuse, call PA Child Line at (800) 932-0313.

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The phone number for the office at the Overlook pavilion is (814) 865-8080.

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The phone number for the Arboretum’s main administrative office, in Room 320 of the Forest Resources Building, is (814) 867-2591.

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Appendix A: Supplemental Information The following information may be useful to docents when answering questions and providing overall context for tours.

History 

The idea of building an arboretum at Penn State was discussed for decades, and the current site is uniquely suited to use as an arboretum.

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In 1914, 25 acres near the corner of Park Avenue and Atherton were “set aside” by the Board of Trustees for an arboretum, but the arboretum was never created.

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The land that is now being developed as the Arboretum was designated for this use by the Board of Trustees in 1999 when a preliminary master plan for an arboretum was adopted as part of the University Park master plan.

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The Mitchell Tract, the site of the botanic gardens, consisted of slightly more than 88 acres when purchased by H. Walton Mitchell in 1907. (Thirty of these acres are covered by the Hartley Wood.) The tract was privately held by the Mitchell family until Penn State purchased the land in January 1989. Included in the sale was a three-story stone house known as "Lisnaward" which had served as a summer residence. The house was remodeled so that it could serve as the University president’s residence and is now known as the Schreyer House in tribute to the donors who made the renovation possible.

The Overlook Pavilion  

The Overlook Pavilion was designed by Overland Partners Architects based in Texas. The design earned the firm a Texas Society of Architects’ (TSA) Design Award. The pavilion canopy was manufactured by USA Shade & Fabric Structures of Dallas, Texas.

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The absence of a center support creates an open-air feeling to the space.

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The rain chains located on the front of the building are made of copper – an architectural element at the Overlook Pavilion. Rainwater from the roof trickles down the rain chains, creating an interesting visual element.

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The front portion of the Arboretum was used for football parking for many years. A small portion in back of the Overlook Pavilion is still used for football overflow parking during home games.

Local Geography 

The vista from the rear of the Overlook Pavilion looks toward the Bald Eagle Ridge.

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The University wells that supply the majority of water for the dorms and campus are in the Arboretum. Because the bedrock is limestone, there are also many small sink holes. Some of these are in Big Hollow and some are in the natural storm water drainage area (delineated by the tall grass) near Park Avenue. Thus, the University has not built on the Arboretum land for several reasons.

The Hosler Oak 

At the time of its planting in 2005, the Hosler Oak was 14 inches in diameter at one foot above the ground; it was 33 feet tall, and 35-40 years old. It was the largest tree to be planted on campus since the elms were planted on the corners of Old Main in 1933.

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Appendix B: Maps

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