A Greenspace that Inspires Me
I love the Morris Arboretum for how it intertwines formal spaces with meadows, woods, and wet areas. My visits there always start at the bottom, so I can walk through the meadows and pond areas, into the woods to emerge by the greenhouse onto the path that takes one around the entire space. From marvelous shady areas with ferns to sunny spaces, fairy gardens, log cabins, swans, ducks, and a Japanese rock garden, to very formal rose plantings and perennial gardens.
The space morphs through the seasons. There's drama, mystery, beauty, comfort, surprise, and magic. I love the sculptures and the water features.
I discovered Lenten Roses at the Morris and now have one in my garden. I've tried to create a fern garden on the deep shady side of my house, and added hostas and wild ginger. (Those plantings have significantly improved the erosion issue on that side of the house.)
This greenspace always invites me to slow down and linger, breathe deeply.
It's a great example of a GSI, especially in the lower meadow and wet areas, where grasses and natives replace lawn and form a wildlife-friendly environment.