December 3, 2018 – Three talented botanical artists, Carol Ashton-Hergenhan, Deborah Keyser Dion, and Susan Mintun (Jenkins Board Member), have partnered with Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens to complete a florilegium comprised of approximately 36 artworks. Over the next two or three years, the artists will individually create paintings or drawings from the flora in Jenkins’…
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is a 10- to 20-foot-long, twining evergreen vine native to the southeastern United States. As it is a southern species, in southeastern Pennsylvania it is best to use the cold-hardy variety called ‘Margarita’ and plant it in a location where it will be protected from harsh winter winds. Gelsemium is among…
Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is an underused deciduous native shrub, but one that is gaining in popularity for a number of reasons. Growing from about 2’ to about 6’ in height, depending on the cultivar, it is a very tough plant able to grow in a wide range of garden conditions. It tolerates pollution, salt,…
Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a medium-sized, evergreen understory tree native to the southern coastal plain from the Gulf Coast across the top of Florida and up into South Carolina. Though not native to southeastern Pennsylvania, there are several cold-hardy selections that make it possible for us to enjoy this beautiful tree in our own…
August 8, 2018 – There has always been a Director with the Sweetman name at Jenkins Arboretum since 1974 until 2019. Leonard Sweetman was hired by the trustee at that time to begin the initial plantings even before opening to the public in 1976. As the only full-time gardening director, Leonard worked tirelessly for the…