Arboretum Review

Arboretum Review

A walk round the arboretum will show a considerable number of new plantings and developments. These stem in part from a commitment to renovate and renew some of the older collections. Also, they are a result of the elimination of horticultural research in Ottawa, with a corresponding reduction in manpower assigned to nursery maintenance.

The collections of Philadelphus and Weigela have been propagated and replanted in the North end of the arboretum while a new bed of Forsythia has been located where it will provide an early spring splash of color when viewed from Colonel By Drive.

This fall has seen an unusual amount of new planting as we continue the efforts to clear out and consolidate the nursery rows to make weed control more possible.

Chief among these are the planting of a berm constructed to screen the leaf piles, and, associated with this, the start on a new Cornus collection. Also in this area at the South end of the arboretum, is a row of crab apples (later to be backed by spruce) along the bicycle path and the Rideau canal.

A new collection of species Syringa, grouped according to their geographical distribution, is scheduled to be planted in this area in the late fall of 1987. These will complement the extensive collections of hybrid lilacs elsewhere in the gardens.

To me, the most exciting development is the establishment of a collection of dwarf conifers. This bed, in an area sheltered by two mature fir trees, contains over sixty slow growing conifers, many of which are already ten to fifteen years old.

Waiting in the wings for the manpower to become available are new collections of Spiraea, species roses and Lonicera, plus other additions to plant groups already in place.

The rest of the grounds have not been neglected with the addition of a further 21 new hybrids to the lilac walks, the complete renovation of the shrub beds facing the Wm. Saunders Building on the main lawn, and the planting of almost 50 new lilacs in the campus area which will eventually replace some of the existing and aging specimens.

TREVOR COLE

Plant Research Centre, Ottawa

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