Red maple, Acer rubrum

Last fall the Arboretum began the initialplanning, design, and preparation for a new woodland garden to be located west of Polly’s Play Pen. Consistent with pastdevelopment at PHA we turned to ouroriginal master site planners, Michael VanValkenburgh and Associates.

Working together with Michael andhis senior associate, Jason Siebenmorgen,we began the project. Michael and Jason are both plantspeople with an essentialunderstanding of our landscape vernacular,as well as the process by which Polly Hill developed her arboretum—with an emphasis on patience and experimentation.Thus far we have been delighted with the early design concepts.

The idea for this new garden is rootedin our original site plan (2001) and subse-quent revisions. It was also an importantpart of our 2006 strategic plan. To date wehave performed the necessary first step: siteanalysis. This includes identifying existingfeatures to be preserved. We are startingwithin a beautiful naturalistic framework.The area is dominated by magnificentwhite and black oaks. These trees have beenaccessioned, mapped, and put on the baseplan. The landscape also features handsomelichen-covered stone walls.

An obvious question is what kind ofplants will be featured in the new garden?We view this garden the same way PollyHill viewed her original property. We will

raise plants from seed, plant them out, and provide them with suitable culturalconditions so they can reach their potential.Then we will evaluate. Polly primarilyplanted for her summer visitors and empha-sized summer-blooming plants. In contrast,the new woodland garden will featuremasses of spring-blooming shrubs creatinga bright cloud effect through the deciduouswoodland. Spring-starved visitors will bemore than pleased by this garden.

Ultimately, like the entire Arboretum,we envision the garden will have multi-season appeal just by the sheer diversity andbeauty of the plants. As Polly did, we take the long view. We can see a beautifulgarden. Soon, you will too. Stay tuned!

The Polly Hill ArboretumWest Tisbury, Massachusetts

Vol. 15, No. 2 Fall 2013

Meristems

C O N T E N T S A R B O R E T U M B E G I N S P L A N N I N G F O R W O O D L A N D G A R D E N

M E S S A G E F R OM T H E D I R E C T O R

A R B O R E T U M N E W S

E D U C AT I O N A N D O U T R E A C H

1

2

3

6

F R OM T H E V I N E YA R D F L O R A

F R OM T H E L I V I N G C O L L E C T I O N

V O L U N T E E R S I N T H E A R B O R E T U M

T H E N A N D N OW

8

10

11

12

Arboretum Begins Planning for Woodland Garden

Fall is a time of change at the Polly Hill Arboretum—the Visitor Center closes, the grounds are put to bed, birds migrate, leaves change color and drop. The quiet creates space to reflect on the past season. This summer’s highlight was a very special event. We gathered on a beautiful August evening to celebrate a milestone: 15 years as a public garden.Gratitude was the sentiment I felt most stronglyfrom our supporters who have followed the progressof PHA since our inception.

Our success as a public institution is rooted in our founding, from Polly’s devotion to plants to Dr. David H. Smith’s belief that this landscapeshould be preserved and accessible to all. For me personally it has been a joy to work with such a thoughtful and supportive Board of Directors that embraces this philosophy.

Where do we grow from here? Someone wisesaid that the only thing constant is change. At theArboretum my job is to guide change in the direction of meeting our aspirations and better

Fifteenth anniversary celebration

Message from the Director

The Polly Hill Arboretum

THE CORPORATION AND

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rachel Smith AlternativeTimothy M. Boland

Ex OfficioPrentice BowsherSarah GriffinPamela KohlbergIya LabunkaGary MontrowlRichard M. ReischeClaire SawyersE. Douglas SederholmLydia Hill Slaby

TreasurerJoan Margot Smith

President & ChairmanSusan H. Wasserman

Secretary

HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS

Robert W. DoranLisina M. HochPhilippe de SpoelberchStephen A. Spongberg

RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

Melissa CullinaDavid R. FosterMatthew LobdellShigeto Tsukie

STAFF OF THE

POLLY HILL ARBORETUM

Timothy M. BolandExecutive Director

Jill BouckYouth Education Coordinator

Tom Clark Curator

Barbara Conroy Administrative & Financial Officer

Betsy DrippsYouth Education Coordinator

Ian JochemsHorticulturist

Stephen MastersonSenior Horticulturist/Arborist

Karin StanleyEducation, Membership & Outreach Coordinator

Nancy Weaver Volunteer Coordinator & Plant Recorder

The mission of the Polly HillArboretum is to perpetuate the experimental tradition in horticulture established by Polly Hill by sharing knowledge of plants and scientific procedurethrough educational programs,research, plant conservation, and exploration. The Arboretumseeks to preserve its meadows and woodlands, to promote anunderstanding of its collections,and to encourage their utilizationfor scholarship, observation, and the enjoyment of all.

Meristems © The Newsletter of the Polly Hill Arboretum

News and Photography PHA StaffEditor Laura CoitDesign Lorraine FergusonPrinting Bolger, Minneapolis MN

Printed on recycled paper.

serving the community. You will read in this issue ofMeristems of exciting plans for our proposed wood-land garden. Simultaneously we are coming to gripswith the deterioration of the building known as the Gym. We have initiated the planning to replacethis centrally-located building with a modest, appro-priate facility that would serve as an education center and botany lab. This new building would help usreach a year-round audience by giving us—at last!—a heated classroom. It will also enable us to process,store, and access herbarium specimens collected fromthe Vineyard flora and from our plant collections.

Someone else wise said that nothing good ever happens fast. As in the past we are taking time to carefully plan our next phase of growth with gratitude for the past and optimism for our future.Thank you for your support.

A R B O R E T U M N E W S 3

We are pleased to welcome two new members to the PHA Board of Directors:Gary Montrowl and Richard M. Reische.

Gary Montrowl has a long-time connection to the Arboretum through hiswife, Dionis (Dinny). Her parents, Bill andAnn Fielder, were long-time friends ofPolly and Julian Hill. The Montrowlsretired to the Island in 2006 after workingall over the world for the CentralIntelligence Agency. It was only naturalthat Gary and Dinny would come back tothe Arboretum to volunteer. Both are loyal members of the volunteer groundscrew. Gary helped rebuild the Bower withblack locust from his own woodlot.

Over the years Gary became increas-ingly interested in our work. Now he hastaken the next step by accepting a positionon our Board. A wonderful advocate in the community, Gary is often talking up our plants and our programs. He calls the Arboretum a “natural treasure” and a “precious resource.” In addition to his advocacy, he brings a history of communityinvolvement in the town of West Tisbury.

Gary adds, “It is an honor to be invitedto serve as a member of PHA’s Board of Directors. I hope to draw upon my professional experiences to broaden mycontribution to the Arboretum’s evolvingvision and promote greater awareness of the Arboretum within the Island community.” We look forward to working

Board News

with Gary on this new level.Richard (Dick) Reische also came to

the Arboretum through his wife. DianaReische has been a friendly, reliable, and effective Visitor Center volunteer foralmost 15 years. Together with Diana, Dick has walked the grounds, attendedtalks, and enjoyed our annual volunteerparty. In 2011 he got to know us even better when he and Diana were participantson our garden tour of the Delaware Valley,

This past June, Barbara Conroy, Admini-strative and Financial Officer, attended the American Public Garden Association’sannual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference focused on garden evolu-tion: how gardens need to adapt within the current economic time to ensure both their growth and their relevancy to thecommunity.

Last summer Curator Tom Clark journeyed with interns Emily Ellingson,Olivia Meyer, and Jen Rioux to the annualWoody Plant Conference held at the ScottArboretum in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. A high point of the summer for the interns,

they visited renowned public gardens alongthe way, including the New York BotanicalGarden, Chanticleer, and LongwoodGardens. Past PHA interns led personal-ized tours at several gardens.

Tom Clark also travelled this fall toBridgehampton, New York, to present his lecture “After the Glaciers: Great Plantsfor the Terminal Moraine and OutwashPlain” to the Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons. He also spoke to theConnecticut chapter of the AmericanRhododendron Society, covering the rhododendron conference he attended inEdinburgh and his tour of rhododendron-

rich gardens of Scotland.Executive Director Tim Boland was

appointed a member of the Martha’sVineyard Commission’s fertilizer workinggroup. This group is charged with thedevelopment of Island-wide guidelines toreduce the use of nitrogen-based lawn fertilizers that degrade our water resources.In October Tim travelled to Tiverton,Rhode Island, to lecture on MV Wildtype(PHA’s native plant production program)for the Rhode Island Natural HistorySurvey. He also presented a propagationworkshop covering the collection, treatment, and storage of native seeds.

Staff News

Dick Reische and Curator Tom Clark in Belgium

Gary Montrowl works on the Bower project.

and, again in 2012, when they joined ourgarden tour of Belgium.

The more he learned about PHA, themore enthusiastic he became. Dick wasdelighted to accept an invitation to join theBoard of Directors. He brings with him a strong financial background. Employed bySmith Barney for 31 years, he is currentlyan independent registered investment advisor. His investment experience workingwith institutions and non-profit organiza-tions will be a valuable resource.

Dick notes, “Diana and I are strongsupporters of Polly Hill, for the programs,for the volunteer opportunities, and for allthe beautiful plant life throughout the year.The dedicated staff runs it very smoothlyand effectively. It is a pleasure to be included.” It is a pleasure to welcome Dickto the PHA Board of Directors.

Each year we heartily thank the Feldmanfamily for their on-going support of thePHA summer internship program. Theinternships provide students from all overthe country with an opportunity to explorecareer options, gain horticultural skills, anddevelop confidence in their abilities. Beyondworking on the grounds, interns staff theVisitor Center, lead tours, attend lectures,and visit gardens. For most, their Vineyardsummer is a life-changing experience.

4 – A R B O R E T U M N E W S

Society International as cultivar registra-tion authority, a position ExecutiveDirector Tim Boland has held for the past 10 years.

A prolific writer, Matt records hisbotanical motorcycle journeys on hisinternet blog (www.subjectiveday.blogspot.com). From his blog bio: “I first gained an appreciation for botany and horticul-ture when taking an internship at thePolly Hill Arboretum in my hometown of West Tisbury, Massachusetts, in the summer of 2006. Since then, I’ve beenworking towards a career in public horticulture, specifically focusing onbotanic garden curation.”

Tim welcomes Matt in his new role,and adds, “I am pleased to have Matt continue his association with the PollyHill Arboretum. I consider him home-grown; a serious plantsman dedicated tothe study of plants and their cultivation.”We are all pleased to have Matt on our horticultural team and proud of hisprofessional growth.

At the spring meeting the PHA Boardappointed Matthew Lobdell to the role ofresearch associate. Matt, a native of West Tisbury, began his association withthe Arboretum in 2006 with a summerinternship, and later became our first collec-tions management intern. Matt worked ashorticulturist for the Rose FitzgeraldKennedy Greenway Conservancy in Bostonbefore enrolling in a master’s program atthe University of Delaware to further hisinterest in plant science. He graduated with an M.S. degree this past spring. Currently he is employed as a research assistant at the Moore Farms Botanical Garden inLake City, South Carolina.

Matt’s thesis project at the Universityof Delaware resulted in a horticulturalmonograph of the genus Styrax (commonlycalled snowbells). Though few snowbellsare in cultivation, there are an estimated130 trees and shrubs in this ornamentalgenus. With Matt’s guidance we hope toadd more species to our plant collections.Matt’s fascination with magnolias led to a recent appointment by the Magnolia

Matthew LobdellNew Research Associate

Summer Interns

The Arboretum collects herbarium specimens to document our plant collection and the flora of Martha’sVineyard. Despite being stored undercontrolled conditions these preservedplant specimens are vulnerable to insect damage. Historically herbarium sheets have been treated with pesticidesto prevent destruction by insect pests;however, exposure to sub-zero tempera-tures also eliminates insects and is a safer alternative.

At the Arboretum we choose not to treat our herbarium sheets with toxic chemicals. The last few years wehave taken our specimens off-island to the Arnold Arboretum for treatment in their freezers. If PHA owned a sub-zero freezer, eradicating insects from

our collection would be easier and more efficient. Would you consider funding the purchase of a subzero freezer?

Thermo Fisher Scientific Lab Freezer$5,000 (includes 3-year warranty)This subzero freezer would protect and preserve herbarium specimens eliminating insect pests without the use of chemicals.

Should you be interested in funding a lab freezer for PHA, please contactTim Boland at tim@pollyhillarboretum.orgor 508-693-9426. We extend our sincere thanks to those of you who have generously responded to previousrequests.

Arboretum Wish List

Summer intern Olivia Meyer says herPHA experience confirmed that a career inpublic gardens is her future! She enjoyed theoutdoor physical work, taking pride in main-taining a garden for public enjoyment. Shealso appreciated the training she receivedfrom PHA arborists Steve Masterson andIan Jochems, and as a result plans to becomea certified arborist. After finishing her studies at Kansas State University, Oliviahopes to participate in an internship atLongwood Gardens. We look forward towatching her grow.

Jen Rioux returns to Smith College tocontinue her studies in environmental sci-ence and landscape studies. Jen enjoyed theeducation opportunities offered through our summer speaker series. She found choos-ing plants for our “six plant tour” displayedin the Visitor Center helped her to learnnew plants and look at familiar ones in newways. Jen (as did Olivia!) enjoyed the roadtrip to attend the Woody Plant Conferenceat the Scott Arboretum in Swarthmore,Pennsylvania, where she networked withothers in the public garden field and visited the gardens of the Delaware Valley. We wish Jen well in her future studies.

Left to right: Interns Emily Ellingson, Olivia Meyer,and Jen Rioux at Mt. Cuba Center

Hill over a mutual interest in stewartia; the PHA archives contain delightful letters between them. He has watched theArboretum grow from Polly’s private garden to a public garden with an interna-tionally recognized scientific collection, while doing the same in his home country.Philippe’s development of his family property in Belgium has resulted in one of the finest collections of temperate woodyplants in the world. Recently opened

Philippe de Spoelberch admires Magnolia ‘Daphne’.

“This has been the perfect last internship”says curatorial intern Emily Ellingson with a nod to her diverse prior internshipsand future career plans. “It was all-encom-passing. I built on my past experienceswhile continually learning.” She enjoyed the varied work and broad scope of the intern-ship whether working with staff, volunteers,or alone.

A major part of the collections management internship is the curation ofour plant collection. This year we tackledthree areas: the Camellia Border, theNursery Field, and the Arboretum Field.Emily began by piecing together details to

complete the story behind a camellia plant-ed by Polly Hill in 1974. Later she helpedverify and identify many rhododendrons.All this sleuthing required her to delve into Polly’s plant records and sharpen herplant ID skills. Emily says this curatorialwork deepened her understanding of the curatorial process and the importance of conservation.

Emily’s amazing attitude, high aptitude, and past experiences created aproductive synergy at PHA. She made a lasting positive impact. Her contributionscan be found in all aspects of her work: care of the greenhouse and living collection,

collecting seed for MV Wildtype, develop-ing protocols and collecting specimens for the herbarium, and assisting with ouryouth education program, in addition to the arduous task of regularly watering all plantings of the past several years. I’mexhausted just thinking about it!

So what’s next for Emily? When asked,she replied with certainty, “I’ve applied to the Longwood Graduate Program and to the masters program at the University of Minnesota in applied plant science.” We wish her the best, confident in knowingthat whatever road she takes, it will lead to success!

Emily K. Ellingson at the Crossroads by Tom Clark

to the public, Arboretum Wespelaar(www.arboretumwespelaar.be) contains anincredible diversity of trees, many collectedby Philippe on his international travels.

Philippe has promised to remain interested and attentive to PHA’s continuedgrowth. Tim adds, “Our arboreta havegrown through friendship and cooperation.We look forward to sharing ideas, seed, and research with Philippe and ArboretumWespelaar.”

At the summer board meeting Philippe deSpoelberch was unanimously approved as an honorary member of the PHA Board.Introduced to the Board by director emeri-tus Stephen Spongberg, Philippe’s tenure asa board member was influential. Throughhis dedicated and supportive interest, the Arboretum made many advancements.Philippe, an astute advisor, was closelyinvolved in the Arboretum’s landscape mas-ter planning and professional curatorialreviews. His pragmatic observations shapedmany of our landscape developments.

Philippe also brought valuable insightsto collections management. He supportedefforts to advance our labeling and softwareprograms, and has been a collaborator onour international seed expeditions.“Philippe’s friendship, counsel, and supportduring our formative years led to profes-sional management practices that havemade all the difference,” says ExecutiveDirector Tim Boland. “He has extensiveknowledge about plants in their naturalhabitats and tremendous experience in cultivating plants from seeds. Philippe is aplantsman to the fullest extent of the word.”

Philippe became acquainted with Polly

Philippe de Spoelberch Named Honorary Board Member

“It’s a perfect match. The Arboretum is alaboratory of discovery,” she says.

Polly Hill is quoted as saying, “Educateyourself. Learn. The learning is the fun.”The PHA school education program putsthis wisdom into practice. It’s lots of fun,and the school children learn a lot.

Very popular with Island teachers, our free school programs pack the calendarboth spring and fall. The most popular programs are “Flowers Change” in thespring and “Seeds Travel” in the fall. Otherprograms include “Tree Detectives” and“Dinosaur Plants” and there are more. All of the programs fit into the Massa-chusetts curriculum framework for science.Chip Story, Edgartown School secondgrade teacher, elaborates, “The Polly Hillprogram is great because it allows us to fillin the gaps of our curriculum and use it as

On a sunny June morning, a long line ofsecond grade students winds its way fromthe Arboretum parking area to the FarBarn. There are smiles, giggles, and excitedchatter as the students walk through HollyPark. PHA Youth Education CoordinatorBetsy Dripps leads the way. As she reachesthe steps, a boy next to her exclaims, “Wow!This place brings back memories!” Thisstops Betsy short. She laughs. She realizesthis second grader has already had previousPHA visits—kindergarten and first grade.So yes, there are memories.

The PHA school education programintroduces Island children to the specialplace that is the Polly Hill Arboretum. In2012 over 700 students from all six Islandschools participated. Betsy has craftedspecific programs that adhere to the Massa-chusetts curriculum framework for science.

Kids in the Arboretum: The Best Day Ever!

an outside classroom. It’s an amazing Islandresource. I’ve been going there for 10 years,and I always learn something new eachvisit.”

The present focus of the Arboretum’sschool programs is kindergarten throughfourth grade. Every class receives a two-part curriculum. The first is a classroomvisit where Betsy and her assistant, JillBouck (a certified K-6 teacher), visit theclassroom. The second part, shortly afterthe classroom visit, is the fieldtrip to a living laboratory: the Polly Hill Arboretum.

During the classroom visit, the stu-dents are introduced to Polly Hill and howshe created her arboretum by plantingseeds. They learn that they, too, can be scientists—just like Polly. Betsy and Jillbring armloads of various materials into theclassroom: seedpods, leaves, flowers, andscientific tools. These resources provide theopportunity for hands-on learning as each student examines botanical materials with a hand lens or magnifying glass. This activity reaches students of all learning abilities and whets their appetite for theirArboretum fieldtrip.

Once at PHA, children see the entirepicture come together. Classes are dividedinto small groups led by dedicated volunteers, many who are retired teachers.The students are encouraged to be curious,to look around, observe what’s going on,ask questions, and make discoveries. Before they leave they make a drawing anddiscuss what they’ve seen and learned and enjoyed. Students experience landscape and buildings, plants and animals, soundsand smells that all combine to create anunforgettable experience.

The Polly Hill Arboretum is a perfectplace for discovery-based learning. As theArboretum looks to the future, we’ll exploreopportunities for older students as well as collaborative programs with other Islandeducational institutions. We know thatPolly Hill would be glad that Vineyard students continue to visit her arboretum,learn about nature, and create special memories. They have found something veryspecial in their own backyard. As one Island kindergartener exclaimed this fall,“This was the best day ever!”

6 – E D U C AT I O N A N D O U T R E A C H

School group makes their way to the Far Barn.

Erin Hepfner Assists Arboretum

Solar Panels

This past August storyteller Robin TuckO’Callaghan and sculptor Bill O’Callaghancollaborated on A Walk through Imagination—an outdoor exhibit experience on theArboretum grounds. Robin’s story tour,“The Mysterious Forest of Dreams,” led visitors on a trip through a magicallandscape. Along the way Bill’s whimsical sculpture illustrated the tale of the mythicalvoyage of the people known as the “keepers of the plants.” This imaginativeexhibit charmed young and old alike. Look for a new story and another exhibitnext summer.

A Walk through Imagination

Work on the Flora of Martha’s Vineyardcontinued this past summer with the assistance of professionally trained horti-culturist Erin Hepfner. Erin worked previously at Mytoi, Chappaquiddick’sJapanese-style garden managed by theTrustees of Reservations. Documenting the flora includes discovering, identifying, and collecting plants for the creation of herbarium specimens. A quick study, Erinwas trained by Executive Director TimBoland. Since then she has made significantfield collections in numerous Island habitats; many will be pressed, mounted,and labeled during the winter months.

Erin is also continuing work on a

A minstrel greets visitors

Erin Hepfner collects specimens for herbarium.

The Arboretum considers energy conser-vation in every area of our operations from composting to recycling to buildingdesign. In 2009 we built the LittlefieldMaintenance Building with a rooflinedesigned to accommodate solar panelswhen funds became available. Last spring,thanks in part to funds raised through our annual spring appeal, the SouthMountain Company of West Tisburyinstalled these energy-saving panels. Thearray consists of 32 SunPower 327-wattmodules. Already this investment has begun to pay off producing 30 percent ofour energy requirements.

In addition, solar energy credits granted through a state-funded programwill provide a rebate of $2,860 per year forthe first 8 years after installation. Thisrebate credit, combined with the estimatedsavings for electricity costs, allows the project to pay for itself within 9 years.Power generation and environmentalbenefits—including trees saved!—can bemonitored through a real-time website link, pictured below.

7

Benefits since June 7, 2013 (as of November 18, 2013)

Environmental Benefits Since Installation

Money Saved Since Installation

CO2 OFFSET

11,344.03 lbs

TREES SAVED

102.24 trees

OIL OFFSET

537.93 barrels

$1,463.75$

The panels are not visible to our visitors due to their location, however, tours are available to interested members.Please let us know if you would like toarrange a visit. Many thanks to all whodonated to our spring appeal that allowedus to move ahead on this energy-savingproject.

master plant list for the Martha’s Vine-yard Commission (MVC) supported by MVC funding. Plants selected for the list include native plants for sensitiveIsland habitats as well as Vineyard-appropriate plants requiring minimalinputs of fertilizers or pesticides.Ultimately this comprehensive list will be adopted as part of an Island-wide landscape policy. The policy will apply toall new building projects expected to be a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) based on their size, scope, andlocation. The plant list will also be helpful to anyone gardening or land-scaping on Martha’s Vineyard.

Maples are a varied lot. Despite the factthat some are readily recognizable (thinksugar maple and Canadian flag), there isenough diversity to stump even an avidplantsperson. As a group they range frommodest shrubs to forest giants. Most, butnot all, are deciduous. Most, but not all,have brilliant fall color. Most have palmate-ly lobed leaves, but several have compoundleaves, and more than a few have decidedlyun-maplelike leaves. A few characteristicshold true for all maples: leaves paired opposite along the branches—not opposite,not a maple—and winged seeds botanicallycalled samaras. Who as a child didn’t castmaple seeds skyward and watch them twirl, helicopter-style to the ground?

Martha’s Vineyard is a good place toget started on maple ID. Surprisingly itsstrength lies in its limited range; in fact,only one maple species is native to theIsland: the red maple (Acer rubrum).However, you’ll come across many more. A couple of European species, the Norwaymaple (A. platanoides) and the sycamoremaple (A. pseudoplatanus), have naturalizedto the point of invasiveness, wearing outtheir welcome. And there are dozens of beautiful maple species and cultivars that grace our gardens. My point is that the diversity is just right, not so great as to overwhelm, but diverse enough todevelop your skills.

Red maple has a broad native range. InAristocrats of the Trees, eminent plantsmanE.H. Wilson extoled one of our most com-mon native trees stating, “The red maple soabundant in swamp and wood, roadside anddry hilltop, is the crowning glory of a NewEngland autumn.” Indeed, red maple is the only maple to occur naturally in everycounty in New England and one of the

most widespread trees of eastern NorthAmerica with an immense range extendingnorth to Newfoundland, west to Manitoba,and south to the Gulf States.

Swamp or scarlet maple (two othercommon names) is also remarkably adapt-able, making it not only widespread but alsocommon in a variety of habitats. Red maple

8 – F R O M T H E V I N E YA R D F L O R A

Red Maple: Fall’s CrowningGloryby Tom Clark

In May the ripening seeds of red maple provide a spectacular show.

is most at home in deep, rich soil and inlow, wet ground: along streams, borderingponds and bogs, and in wooded swamps. Insuch ideal sites on the Island it can quicklygrow to 50 feet tall, frequently more, oftenforming a canopy with beetlebung, shelter-ing an understory of swamp azalea, winter-berry, chokeberry, summersweet, cinnamon

9

fern, and skunk cabbage. But it also has a wider circle of associates and can befound amidst beech and white and blackoak in decidedly drier upland sites.

Our native maple is among the firstwoody plants to bloom each spring. Infavored sites such as along the inland reach-es of Tisbury Great Pond, the shorelineblushes red with masses of blossoms in tassel-like clusters. Particularly striking areflowers of rich burgundy; others, less flamboyantly, tend toward a pale yellowishorange. That same pigmentation is carriedinto the developing samaras. Whereas the seed of most maples takes the remain-der of the growing season to develop,ripened seeds of red maple are dangling in eye-catching clusters by late May.

Island schoolchildren in theArboretum’s youth education program learn that the twirling and floating bywhich maple seeds deploy is an adaptationto encourage seed dispersal. The early

Moisture-loving red maples brighten a Vineyard pond shore.

Red maple, a vibrant exclamation point in the falllandscape

maturation of its seeds is undoubtedly anadaptation to its preferred habitat. Seedsthat happen to land on appropriately moistground in late May have the entire growingseason to become established, and I’ve seen,in August, masses of two- to three-inch-tallseedlings carpeting the ground along MillBrook.

So vibrant is their autumn regalia that an aerial view of the Vineyard in mid-October would reveal the location ofvirtually every red maple on the island. The courses of Fulling Mill Brook, theTiasquam, and others would read as ribbons of scarlet, orange, and yellow; thesurfaces of ponds and streams set afire by fallen leaves or by reflection. After leafdrop, fall’s fire extinguished, the red twigsand plump flower buds hold a fiery promisein trust through the depths of winter;embers for rekindling. Early spring warmthin the landscape will accompany theirrenewal . . . and ours.

10 – F R O M T H E L I V I N G C O L L E C T I O N

A single-flowered Camellia japonica, grown from seed by Polly Hill

I was first introduced to camellias just ayear ago in northern California. Being fromMinnesota, where we can’t grow USDAZone 8 or 9 plants—not to mention Zones7, 6, or 5!— everything in that climateamazed me, but I found the camellias especially fascinating. I was drawn to theirdelicate blooms and the way they contrastwith the glossy, almost unreal, appearanceof the leathery foliage. When I arrived at the Polly Hill Arboretum in March,much to my surprise, I found camelliasblooming on Martha’s Vineyard.

In the United States, camellias are typically grown in what is called theCamellia Belt—a region from centralVirginia, south to Florida, west through

Camellia x williamsii ‘Donation’, an early springblooming hybrid, can be found on the south side ofthe Camellia Border.

occasionally yellow, blooming from late fall to early spring. Camellias are in the teafamily (Theaceae) along with stewartia and the renowned franklinia tree.

Historically one of the most importantand coveted crops in Asia, the tea camellia(Camellia sinensis) has been used to brewtea for over 3,000 years. It is precisely for tea that Europeans were interested inimporting camellias in the early 1700s. The legendary East India Company bribedChinese officials into exporting plants, but, due to either miscommunication or a deliberate mistake, the Chinese providedthe Japanese camellia (C. japonica) instead.None-the-less the English embraced thenew ornamental; soon Japanese camelliaswere all the rage, growing all over Europein pots, glasshouses, and gardens.

Polly Hill had a particular interest inexperimenting to see if camellias wouldgrow on Martha’s Vineyard. Out of theover 80 individual camellia plants that weretried at the Arboretum, 33 plants have survived. The most successful are thosegrown from seed. Most can be found todayin the Camellia Border and Polly’s PlayPen. A majority are the single, red-flow-ered, Japanese camellia, however PHA alsohas the tea oil camellia (C. oleifera), hardiestof camellia species; C. saluenensis, which haspink flowers and an elongated leaf; and sev-eral winter- and spring-blooming hybrids.

Texas, and from California up to Washing-ton. Where camellias are popular they are very, very popular. Upwards of anastounding 3,000 cultivars are registeredwith the International Camellia Society!Cultivars are named for fragrance, bloomcolor, and bloom type. Camellias are alsoincreasingly selected for cold hardiness,making it possible to grow them in colderclimes.

There are over 250 species in the genusCamellia, most are native to eastern andsouthern Asia and found in forested areas.Camellias are typically evergreen shrubs or trees with alternate, simple leaves. The typical wild species has a single flower,ranging from white to pink, red, and

The Unreal Beauty of Camelliasby Emily Ellingson

Jack Cushman in action!

Grounds volunteer Jack Cushman beganworking at PHA in 2007. He had drivenby the Arboretum for years, but with a bit of an attitude problem: he didn’twant to pay $5.00 (suggested donation)to “walk through a field.” Then he saw a notice in the paper advertising a free program for those interested in volunteering. He came, he liked it, andimmediately joined the volunteergrounds crew.

When Jack first started volunteer-ing, he felt the Arboretum was a diamond in the rough with a lot of areasthat needed work. He remembers stonewalls obscured by vines. Now he says it looks great. Seeing the grounds evolveover the years has been rewarding forJack, along with the friendships—goodcrew, good friends, good staff—he madealong the way. He says volunteering is “a walk in the park” with a little workthrown in.

Jack enjoys physical work; pruningis one of his favorite jobs. He likes thefeel of a saw or clippers in his hands,which stands to reason—for the past 35years he has been a builder. In 1969 after leaving the U.S. Navy, he bought50 acres in the southern tier of NewYork State where he and his wife,

Jack Cushman

Barbara, built a log cabin. Twenty years ago they purchased a home on the Island,and nine years ago retired here, althoughthey continue to return to New York in the winter where Jack works as a skiinstructor.

Jack’s message to visitors is “It’s worththe $5! Whether you come here for the first time or the hundredth time, it’s worthit!” He adds that any day of the year thereis something special to see: different blossoms, colors, even the light is differentdepending on the time of day. “There is anopenness here that is vanishing in the world and on the Vineyard.” He says comevisit the Arboretum—don’t just drive by!—and take your time.

We are pleased to have such a hardworking volunteer, and with such animproved attitude! To learn more aboutbecoming a PHA volunteer, contact NancyWeaver at 508-693-9426.

During my first month at theArboretum, we tackled the curation of theCamellia Border. We discovered that one of the camellias labeled C. japonica had asemi-double flower, unlike the single flowertypical of the species. Consulting Polly’soriginal accession card, I found a NationalArboretum number attached to the plantand a note indicating it was a cross. Aftersome research, I discovered that the plantPolly received in 1974 was ‘Anacostia’, a new cultivar selected for cold-hardiness in the 1970s and eventually named in 2010.

As a result of breeding programsemphasizing cold hardiness like theNational Arboretum’s, camellias are nolonger confined to the Camellia Belt. And with the choice of hardier cultivars,camellias can be enjoyed as far north as USDA Zone 6. There are special considerations when planting camellias incolder climates. For best results plant inApril or May in an acidic, well-drainingsoil. Choose a northern or western exposureto avoid early morning winter sun and protect plants from drying winds. Newplants should be watered when dry for two to three years, but once established, camellias are fairly drought tolerant.

The western world has an on-again/off-again relationship with camellias, at times they were the height of fashion,and at other times, not so much. On a personal level, a single camellia bloom canbrighten an entire winter day. Visit theArboretum in late winter, you just mightbecome an admirer. Peak bloom is lateMarch through April.

V O L U N T E E R S I N T H E A R B O R E T U M

A camellia seed capsule, ready to drop its contentson the ground

C. japonica ‘Anacostia’ was selected for an abundance of large, semi-double blooms and increased cold tolerance.

MA I L I NG ADDR E S S

PO Box 561West Tisbury, MA 02575

508-693-9426 Tel508-693-5772 Faxwww.pollyhillarboretum.org

ADM IN I S T R AT I V E O F F I C E S

The Homestead809 State Road West Tisbury, MA 02575

V I S I T O R C EN T E R

795 State RoadWest Tisbury, MA 02575

A C C E S S I B I L I T Y

The Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible.

V I S I T O R C EN T E R HOUR S

Memorial Day weekend toColumbus Day: 9:30 am–4 pm

A R BO R E T UM GROUND S HOUR S

Sunrise–sunset, year-round

TOU R S

Memorial Day weekend throughColumbus Day: 10 am daily

ADM I S S I ON

$5 suggested donationFree to members and children under 12

F R E E P A R K I NG

D R I V I NG D I R E C T I ON S

See www.pollyhillarboretum.org

mer.i.stem: n. botany. The growingpoint or area of rapidly dividing cellsat the tip of a stem, root, or branch.

The island of Martha’s Vineyard haschanged tremendously since 1939, yetthe view across State Road towards the Arboretum’s North Field looksremarkably (and thankfully) the same.Owing to a variety of conservationmeasures, this stretch of State Road

passes through a large area of conserved open space, all at one timeowned by the Littlefield family. Thewest side of the road is preservedthanks to the Polly Hill Arboretum andthe Martha’s Vineyard AgriculturalSociety; the east, due to the acquisition

of the Littlefield and Hickey-Greeneproperties by the Martha’s VineyardLand Bank Commission. One notabledifference is the plantings along the Arboretum roadside. Between 1927 and 1930, Polly Hill’s mother plantedpitch pines (at the cost of 10 cents

per tree) to create a screen along the road. Thirty-five years later Polly added an additional planting of ornamental crabapples creating the attractive layered effect we enjoy today.

T H E P O L LY H I L L A R B O R E T U M

T H E P O L LY H I L L A R B O R E T U M

PO Box 561

West Tisbury, MA 02575

www.pollyhillarboretum.org

NON-PROF I T ORG

US POSTAGE

P A I DTWIN C I T I E S , MN

PERMIT #93723

T H E N & N OW

1939

2013

State Road,North Tisbury,Massachusetts