One would think that Willowwood, so very beautiful Spring through Fall, is not the place to visit during Winter. Yet, on quietly still days, without the bustle of winds or bitter chill, there are birders, walkers, hikers, photographers and others who enjoy the solitude of the day. Various animals who normally hide within the woods are now visible against the snow. There are many ornamental trees and shrubs with attractive bark and berries that add shades of color and attract birds. Come visit, you will be surprised at what you will see…
And come March, when the warmth of the sun is stronger, feel the colorful joy of the pansies in the greenhouse; watch the green shoots of the winter aconite, crocus and the daffodils start to pop up. Look at the lovely cupped flowers of the hellebores near the Tubbs House.
October Bloom Report
It is mid October and the gardens are still in bloom thanks to a lack of frost! Hopefully we’ll get a week or two more before Mother Nature gets the upper hand.
In the Cottage garden the Nipponanthemum nipponicum (Nippon Daisy), Aconitum (Monkshood), pink Japanese Anemones, New England Asters and Trycirtis (Toad Lily) are still blooming. We’ve just completed an extension on two of the beds and hope that our fall planting will lead to vigorous growth next spring!
On your way to the Conservatory check out the reddish purple color on the Witchhazel along the left side of the paved drive just past the barn. Once you are inside the Conservatory you’ll detect the scent of Osmanthus fragrans (Fragrant Olive).
To the left of the Conservatory, in the Rockery, you’ll find Cyclamen hederifolium and Trycirtis latifolia still in bloom.
The Rosarie is still a riot of color with the annuals still in flower as well as the fall blooming perennials.
If you take a stroll down the Woodwalk you’ll still see the blue berries on the Symplocos paniculata (Sapphireberry) .
In the meadows the grasses are changing every day from reddish brown to their winter tan. On frosty mornings they really glisten in the sun.
Throughout the arboretum the start of fall color is upon us. The maples, dogwoods and viburnums are in full display.
As Fall ends and Winter begins, there are paths to walk and hike. When the snow comes, cross country skiing is another way to view the plantings and winter bark (see our ornamental walk information) and see some of the birds and animals who call Willowwood “home”.
The cell phone tour is scheduled to end at end October and will begin again in Spring.
Christie Administration Celebrates NJ’s Public Gardens & Arboreta
Agriculture Secretary Encourages Garden Visits, Fall Planting
(CHESTER 9.17.14) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher today visited Willowwood Arboretum in Chester and encouraged public garden and arboretum visits this fall. He also reminded residents and visitors that fall is a great time to tend to home gardens with new plantings.
“People in the tri-state region are just a short trip away from dozens of New Jersey public gardens, each offering a unique and special experience,” said Secretary Fisher. “At the same time, these gardens offer numerous ideas for the home gardener. This is the perfect time of year to plant for a beautiful spring garden.”
New Jersey has more than 60 gardens and arboreta in 15 counties for the public to enjoy. Susan Lowry and Nancy Berner, authors of a new book, “Gardens of the Garden State,” spoke about what attracted them to the Garden State – the tradition of agriculture, heritage of garden making and plant collecting, and hundreds of garden clubs around the state. They presented Secretary Fisher with a copy of their book for the State Library.
“New Jersey’s extraordinary public gardens open your eyes to the state’s rich horticultural legacy and its cultural heritage,” said Lowry and Berner. “Reflecting a high level of plantsmanship and dedication to preservation and land conservation, the state’s treasure trove of gardens never fail to inspire and educate.”
One of the gardens the authors highlighted in their book was Willowwood Arboretum, managed by the Morris County Park Commission and the Willowood Foundation since 1980. The land was acquired by brothers Henry and Robert Tubbs in 1908 as their country home. Henry’s adopted son, Dr. Benjamin Blackburn developed the property into an arboretum which now covers 130 acres and has about 2,100 kinds of native and exotic plants, many of them rare. Willowwood is one of the state’s most comprehensive and longest continually operating arboretum.
“Public gardens are places of wonder, solace, knowledge and fun and are important New Jersey cultural resources,” said Lesley Parness, Superintendent of Horticultural Education for the Morris County Parks Commission and President of Garden State Gardens Consortium. “Among our member gardens are Gilded Age estates, 21st century LEEDS certified facilities, monocultures, large university settings and tiny, hidden treasure gardens. The range of plant materials in New Jersey’s public gardens is matched by the program offerings at these sites, including events and classes for people interested in plants, nature and the environment as well as the arts.”
Governor Christie has proclaimed October as New Jersey Fall Gardening Month, encouraging citizens to utilize this prime season to visit our state’s gardens, nurseries and garden centers and patronize landscape companies to beautify their homes, neighborhoods and businesses and ensure a healthy and robust spring garden.
Foo Dog Incense Burner
Highlights from the Decorative Arts Collection
By Dr. Lesley Parness, Retired MCPC Superintendent for Horticulture Education
While it is certainly true that Henry and Robert Tubbs had a passion for plant collecting, that same passion extended to the decorative arts as well. Learn about a different Tubbs residence artifact in this and upcoming issues of the Willowwood Journal.
In this issue, we focus on FOO DOG INCENSE BURNER, Item number WW2004.12.31 A-C.
This 19th century bronze incense burner with a foo dog finial stands on a dark stained, tri-footed teak plinth. The Chinese ceremonial covered pot stands 21” high and is 11” in diameter. Cast in bronze, with hand-chased ornamentation, the outer surface bears a smoky patina from years of use. Smoke is expelled through the mouth and openings in the censer. Some of its traditional embellishments include the raised panel bas relief, a lavish mane, billowing tail, bared fangs, glaring eyes, and talon like feet.
Pictured here standing on the Tubbs residence porch, this piece usually resides in the Parlor on a low table adjacent to the door leading to the Library.
Incense in China is traditionally used in a wide range of cultural activities including religious ceremonies, ancestor veneration, traditional medicine and in daily life. Known as xiang, incense was used as early as 250 BC. Its use increased during the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) with greater trade and the availability of more fragrant materials. Incense was traditionally burned at the threshold of a home or business, before images and deities, in shrines, at home alters and at the main entrance to villages.
In Chinese art and secular life, incense and the utensils used in associated rituals are seen as metaphoric symbols, suggesting refinement and sophistication. The representation of the Foo Dog on this burner is typical of how the lion was viewed in ancient China. “Foo Dog” refers to any of the closely related dog breeds which resemble the Chinese guardian lions and hence are also called Lion Dogs. The animal was believed to have powerful mythic protective properties. Their appearance in Buddhist religious art in China is found as early as 208 BC, when it was believed that the Foo Lion was a protector of the Dharma, or Buddhist teachings.
How did the lion, which is not indigenous to China come to be known there? As Buddhism was spread from neighboring India to China by traveling Buddhist priests and monks, stories about stone lions guarding the entries to temples, monasteries and the palaces of kings were spread. Lions are indigenous to India and scholars believe that the depiction of the Foo Dog came about because Chinese sculptors combined lion-like imagery with that of Chinese native dogs.
Foo Dog Incense Burner is one of many Asian decorative art pieces amassed by Henry and Robert Tubbs. In both their garden and their home, the Tubbs brothers were drawn to Asian design sensibilities. We will explore this connection further in future columns.
Originally published in Willowwood Journal, Autumn, 2014
Anne’s Travels Blog
Anne’s Travels is a blog chronicling her travels all over the US. Her articles are descriptive and include nice photos. We are happy she visited the Willowwood Arboretum earlier this year and liked what she saw.
See her article here: http://www.annestravels.net/willowwood-arboretum/.