Arborists' Adventures

As members of the tree team here at Westonbirt, we are always looking to find ways to improve the management of plant collections. The experience of seeing other international collections and trees growing in their native habitat is the perfect way to find new ideas.

We put together a two-week trip to the East Coast of the U.S.A gratefully funded by The Friends of Westonbirt Travel Bursary. The tour began in Portland Maine, and ended in Atlanta Georgia. We stopped at Arnold Arboretum, New York Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Morris Arboretum, US National Arboretum, Atlanta Botanic Garden and drove through national forests of Shenandoah, Nanthala, Pisgah. Viewing trees from Skyline Drive, Blueridge Parkway, and making a special effort to visit one of the last sites of old growth hardwood forest on the East Coast. The Joyce Kilmer Memorial forest where Lirodendron tulipifera get to 9/10ft in diameter and in excess of 100ft tall.

The people that we met along the way were so enthusiastic about tree cultivation, they went to great lengths to ensure we saw everything and had all our questions answered, this meant long days, but every minute was spent learning. This trip has been an inspiring experience and has expanded our knowledge of trees and their cultivation.

It has also allowed us to show some of the best American Horticulture/Arboriculture institutes what Westonbirt Arboretum is about and will allow us to collaborate on an international level with future projects. What a great trip.