Have you ever been to an Arboretum?  There are lots of them (we’ll include some links)  in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and beyond.

Arboretums are essentially gardens or preserves full of trees and shrubs, dedicated to their cultivation &  preservation.  A place to see and learn about tree species that you might not otherwise see or be able to identify.

Arboretums offer both scientific insight and therapeutic benefits to anyone who visits.  And because they are beautiful in every season they are worth a visit at any time of year.  Winter, surprisingly, is a perfect time to appreciate the beauty of trees.  

And who knows, after you’ve visited you may be inspired to create your own arboretum in your yard!

Some Arboretums, like the Urban Forestry Center (https://www.nhdfl.dncr.nh.gov/urban-community-forestry/urban-forestry-center )  are very large – 182 acres – and are a mix of field, forest and saltmarsh.   Open year round, and open to the public, it offers solitude and space. 

It’s located at the outskirts of Portsmouth NH.

The SNHU Arboretum (www.snhu.edu)  is fairly new, started in 2014,  in Manchester NH!  It’s 24+ acres of environmentally fragile wetland ecosystems and native forestland.  It also offers learning opportunities for community members.  A gem, hidden in plain sight.

Bedrock Gardens (www.bedrockgardens.org) is in Lee, NH. 

Although it’s closed in winter,  when you visit in the spring, summer or fall, you’ll find 30 acres that integrates unusual botanical specimans, unique sculptures & interesting Landscape designs & features.  It is an Oasis of Horticulture and Art.

Tarbin Gardens (http://tarbingardens.com)  in Franklin, NH is also seasonal, open June through September, and is a 5 acre English garden arboretum.  It includes patios (for a picnic), built structures, paths and ponds.  It’s intent is to foster an appreciation of trees and inspire others to care for them.

This is just the beginning of a long list of “tree gardens” to visit, some open year ‘round and others are open seasonally.

You may have heard of or visited the Arnold Arboretum in Boston (an amazing place!)  or Tower Hill Botanical Garden in Boylston, MA  (this arboretum even has EV chargers in the parking lot! and an Orchid Show in their greenhouses in February) or the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine or….. and the list goes on and on. 

We highly recommend exploring them all, as trees are so important for our health and well being.   And if you start your very own backyard Arboretum let us know!   (About 20 years ago we planted a Dawn Redwood in our backyard.  You can see some 100+ year old Dawn Redwoods at the arboretum of Smith College in Ma.) 

Included here are photos of tree species, and a garden structure made from branches, to inspire you!

Happy New Year from your local Arborist – Bradley Tree and Landscape.