Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Boston Mass.
All true plant lovers know that neither rain nor snow nor gloom of night (nor, quite frankly, “keep out” signs, 10’ chain link fence and rabid dogs!) can keep a tree geek away from truly great plants. And on a recent short jaunt to Boston to speak at the New England Grows show, I had the great pleasure to spend one of those glorious rainy days, looking at a tremendous collection of truly great plants. Yes, Mt Auburn Cemetery in mid winter, with rain falling and enough cold to insure that only the die-hards are out playing, is one of my favorite plant places on earth.
My tour guides for the day were the ever-delightful Suzanne Lucas, Bamboo Queen of New England and beyond, and David Barnet, one of the most exuberant of plantsmen and keeper of the Cemetery’s collections.
Fagus sylvatica Pendula
Mt. Auburn is one of the standout remaining examples of the great 19th-century Park Cemetery movement, developed at a time when a trip to pay one’s respects to the dearly departed was an all-day affair. And since folks would be spending considerable time at the cemetery, it seemed just a natural to make it as beautiful as possible. The two remaining of the top three cemeteries (horticulturally, at least) in the US are Spring Grove (Cincinnati OH), and our own Cave Hill, right here in Louisville, KY.
Mt. Auburn’s tree collections are among the best in North America. Being situated just a short drive from the Arnold Arboretum, a long history of plant trading has done both institutions well. And a spin around the cemetery reveals some specimens that make a died-in-the-wool tree hugger, simply kneel down and say a prayer. Massive specimens of Fagus sylvatica (European Beech), represented by a host of cultivars, is not displayed better anywhere on the continent. For those of us who grew up in cooler summer climes, the stunning collection of white-barked birches is both painful and heart warming. Betula ermanii, with its brilliant white and cream exfoliating bark seems a cross between Acer grisseum (paper bark maple) and Betula papyrifera (paper bark birch). The grand monarch birch (Betula maximowicziana) despite being a mouthful of latin, is a worthy garden tree that is rarely seen, let alone as an 18” caliper specimen.
Betula ermanii Acer grisseum Cornus kousa
Strolling through the grounds, we came across a majestic old ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) with such a crop of seeds on the ground as I have never seen before. And those who know the olfactory challenges represented by such a display will understand when I say that we gave it a wide berth. Tremendous old specimens of Cornus kousa (Chinese Dogwood), Corylus colurna (Turkish Filbert) and Cladrastis kentuckia (American Yellowwood) added to the wonders of the day.
Despite the rain and cold, I’ll keep February 6, 2008 as a day to remember; great trees and great company are a combination to be treasured. And if you can’t make the trek to the land of soggy tea, take a stroll this spring through Louisville’s own Cave Hill Cemetery – or come see us at Yew Dell!
