Cornell Botanic Gardens: Arboretum Loop #1 Preview

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1

A bowl-shaped landscape

Notice the bowl-shaped hillsides and flatlands from this overlook, known as Newman Overlook. This landscape was sculpted by nearby Fall Creek since the retreat of the most recent glacier over 15,000 years ago. This rolling landscape provides a variety of growing conditions for this diverse display of trees, shrubs, and other plants found here. It is a tradition to gently ring the bell to signal your presence at this special place.Learn more about what you can experience at this overlook in this two-minute audio narrative.

2

Beech Loop

The arboretum holds nine distinct tree collections, including this collection of trees named the “Beech loop” acknowledging the 11 different varieties of the European beech (Fagus sylvatica) as well as the American Beech (Fagus grandifolia). Look for silver tags on trees to help you identify trees here and throughout the arboretum.

3

Garden of Stones (Goldsworthy Holocaust Memorial)

These four boulders were carefully selected by famed artist Andy Goldsworthy to commemorate those who both survived and died in the Holocaust of World War II. The dwarf chestnut oaks growing through holes drilled in these granite boulders symbolize the resilience people develop from enduring hardship and remind us of our common humanity.Learn more about these sculptures in this two-minute audio narrative.

4

What is an urban tree collection?

The trees along this road are part of the Urban Tree Collection. They are used for on-going research by the Urban Horticulture Institute to select the best trees and shrubs to thrive in urban areas, which must tolerate compact soil, road salt, and other stresses. Trees, shrubs and other plants are vital to the quality of life in urban areas for their ability to keep temperatures cooler, reduce water pollution, manage stormwater, provide beauty, and much more.Korean Mountain Ash (pictured above) is a valuable "street tree" and grows in the Urban Tree Collection.Learn more about the Urban Horticulture Institute and the trees in this collection in this two-minute audio narrative.

5

A Beautiful Way to Capture Water

This attractive grouping of trees, shrubs, and perennials grows in two shallow trenches, which collect water flowing down this hill during a rainstorm. Not only do these plants provide beauty, they also filter rainwater, which would otherwise erode a trench in the hillside. As climate change continues to bring about more frequent and intense storm events, planting a “rain garden” like this of any size will reduce erosion damage and remove pollutants from stormwater.Look for the sign that highlights plants growing here.

6

Collaborating for Conservation

Many of the 180 oak trees growing at Cornell Botanic Gardens are found here in the Peterson Oak Grove. We are part of a network of public gardens in North America that collectively works to preserve all species and varieties of oaks. One benefit of thesecollections is to make them available for breeding new varieties of oaks that can adapt to a variety of conditions. This is more important now than ever as climate conditions continue to change on our planet.Learn more about this effort in this two-minute audio narrative.Side trip: To enjoy another bird’s eye view of the arboretum, spend some time at the Southeast Overlook just ahead.

7

A Cornell Icon

The two ponds here were created in 1980 as part of the arboretum’s landscape design. Although the ponds’ rich diversity of plants and wildlife that thrive here are frequently used for research and class instruction, the ponds are equally as popular for taking a study break to enjoy the quiet beauty here.Learn more about the types of plants, animals, and insects found here, in this two-minute audio narrative.

8

Dogwoods from Around the World

Showy flowers and fruit, rich fall colors, and interesting bark make dogwoods attractive in all seasons. The Palmer-Kinne Dogwood Collection includes 13 species of dogwoods (genus Cornus), each with varying native ranges that span North America, Europe, and Asia. Native to southern Europe, the Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) grows prominently along the road here. Its red-colored wood has been used to dye traditional Turkish fez hats—one of many ways dogwoods are used and valued by cultures around the world.Learn more about the trees and shrubs of the dogwood collection in this two-minute audio narrative.

9

Crabapples: Cherished by Cultures over Centuries

Nearly all of Cornell Botanic Gardens’ 92 different types of apples (Malus sp.) are located in the crabapple collection here or within the Class of 1923 Flowering Tree collection near the arboretum entrance. Cherished for their striking blooms, apples have acquired symbolic meanings in many cultures over centuries. In Celtic culture, they represent motherhood and maternal instinct. In Chinese art, crabapple flowers and peonies convey a phrase meaning “May the whole family achieve wealth and honor.” In 19th-century England, giving an apple blossom communicated your preference for the receiver.Learn more about this collection in this two-minute audio narrative.

10

Sugar Maple: The Leader of Trees

Like dogwoods and crabapples, maples hold strong significance to cultures around the world. The Haudenosaunee, Indigenous people of New York State, gather at the Maple Ceremony in late winter to show appreciation for the sugar maple’s gift of sap and approaching new life in spring. As the climate continues to warm, scientists predict that sugar maples will decline in their current range. This maple collection can provide the genetic material to develop more tolerant varieties to prevent the loss of sugar maples and the knowledge and traditions that come with it.Learn more about the maples in this collection in this two-minute audio narrative.From here you can return to where you started at the Newman Overlook by following the trail up this hill.

Cornell Botanic Gardens: Arboretum Loop #1
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