Gardens of Philadelphia and Boston USA
Letta Jones’ 10 day study trip
Weds 25 May to Sat 4 June 2016
Longwood: Italian Water Gardens
Photo:Wikipedia Commons,author Daderot
This tour offers a rich mixture of public, private and botanic gardens,
arboreta, cemetery, archives, libraries, museum and herbaria.
The gardens of the East coast of North America are diverse in their
style and planting, demonstrating unique design as well as European
influences. They vary from small plantman’s collections to grand
exuberant formal styles with glorious fountains ,decorative buildings
and rich planting from all over the world.
Tour Leader Letta Jones, MA.
Letta has led successful tours to Italy, California, Ireland and France
since 2004. Together with ACE Cultural Tours of Cambridge, she has
planned this varied historical and horticulturally diverse tour.
You can start the tour in the UK or join us in Philadelphia
WEDS 25 MAY DAY 1
Meet at London Heathrow for check in at 1000 for departure at 12
noon on the British Airways flight to Philadelphia, arriving at 1530.
Transfer by Minibus to the 4* Loews Hotel Philadelphia
https://www.loewshotels.com/philadelphia-hotel/
Introductory Talk and Tour briefing at Hotel, then Supper at Hotel
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Thu 26 MAY :DAY 2 Morning
Bartram Botanical Gardens, Kingsessing, Philadelphia,
Founded in 1729 by the Quaker farmer and botanist John Bartram in
the 18th century, the house, garden and grounds have been recently
restored. It was from here that Bartram travelled to collect plants to
send to Peter Collinson, the nurseryman from Mill Hill. He brought
about 200 new species into cultivation and in 1765 was appointed the
King’s Botanist.
Afternoon
American Philosophical Society Library and archive, Philadelphia,
View John and William Bartram archives with Curator.(tbc) The
AMS was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin, dedicated to study
of science and the humanities. Darwin and Pasteur were members.
There are letters to/from Collinson, Sloane and Fothergill amongst
other international figures.
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FRI 27th MAY :DAY 3 Morning
Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia
The 167 site, including a 92 acre Arboretum began in 1887 as the
private summer home of John and Lydia Morris, from a Quaker
family and heirs to an iron manufacturing firm. In 1932 it became part
of the University of Pennsylvania. There are 12,000 labelled plants of
over 2,500 types from the temperate areas of N. America, Asia,
Africa, and Europe. Important collections include conifers, hollies,
magnolias, oaks, maples, roses, cherries and witch hazels. The Great
Trees Tour is a highlight.
Afternoon Free time in Philadelphia City centre
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SAT 28th MAY DAY 4 Morning
Longwood Gardens. Kennett Square
Founded by philanthropist Pierre du Pont,(1870-1954) of the chemical
company DuPont, and now over 1,000 acres, these gardens were
begun in 1907.There is a 4 acre conservatory, Italian fountains,
topiary garden, woodland, arboretum from 1800, open air theatre,
flower borders and museum with exhibits about the garden’s history.
The main fountains are closed for restoration
Afternoon Chanticleer Gardens
www.chanticleergarden.org
Adolph and Christine Rosengarten completed their country house and
garden in 1913. 36 acres of garden were opened to the public in 1993,
and now famous for its teacup garden, bold tropical and subtropical
displays, ruin and stream gardens, pond and vegetable/fruit area, cut
flower borders ,and woodland walk. It has over 5,000 plants.
Evening guided walk of Pendle Hill Quaker College grounds with
Head Gardener (tbc)
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SUN 29th MAY DAY 5 morning
Scott Arboretum and gardens at Swarthmore College.
Swarthmore College was founded by the Quakers in 1864, and now
runs courses in the liberal arts and engineering. The Scott Arboretum
and gardens of 300 acres has 4000 ornamental plants. It was founded
as a memorial to Arthur Hoyt Scott, (Swarthmore class of 1895) by
his family in 1929.Together with its gardens the arboretum is set
amidst a busy college campus. The rose, gold medal, Schmidt
memorial, fragrance, teaching and courtyard gardens are
supplemented by a holly collection of 320 types and Crum Woods,
maintained as a 200 acre native woodland.
Guided tour with Head Gardener.
Afternoon: Guided tour of private garden of Charles Cresson,
Swarthmore.
Surrounding his grandfather’s house of 1911, the garden has some
plants of about 100 years old, eg. the Japanese maple and a 90 year
old rose. Charles’s passion for herbaceous has added to the colour and
richness of the planting, full of rare and diverse species.
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MON 30thMAY DAY 6
Depart Philadelphia 12.15 by American Airways to Boston Logan
airport arrive 13.30
Afternoon book into the 3 star Holiday Inn, Brookline
http://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/brookline and free time
to explore Boston.
Early evening lecture by John Forti, Garden Historian and
Ethnobotanist Education Officer at Elm Bank Gardens
Supper at hotel included
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TUES 31st MAY DAY 7 morning
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Arborway, Boston,
Guided walk in arboretum and library/EH Wilson archive/herbarium
visit.
The Arnold Arboretum of 281 acres was established in 1872 on
farmland, following a bequest by James Arnold , a whaling merchant.
It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) American
Landscape Designer famous for his 1858 design of Central Park, New
York. The Arboretum is part of the ‘Emerald Necklace’ network of
Boston parks. 14,760 living plants, representing woody species of N
American and E. Asian species are grown, the collections focus on
Oaks beeches, magnolia, apples, honeysuckles and rhododendrons. E.
H. ‘Chinese’ Wilson and Joseph Rock collected for the arboretum,
and we hope to see some of EHW’s archives.
Afternoon
Olmsted House and Design Studio, Brookline.
Olmsted is best known for his designs for Central Park. He visited
England in 1850 and was impressed by Birkenhead Park. His 1810
house, garden and studio is 1.76 acres . Many of his original
commissions, estimated at 6,000, with over 140,000 plans are
archived there. Over 70 people were employed in his studio until the
1970s, but the firm finally closed in 2000.
Guided tour
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WEDS 1st JUNE DAY 8 Morning,
Elm Bank Gardens of Massachusetts Horticultural Society,
Wellesley. Guided tour with the Education Officer
The MHS was founded in 1829 in Boston and held regular flower
shows for over 100 years, and educational events. It bought 72 acres
of land called ‘Sweet Auburn’ as a arboretum and cemetery, and
planned garden displays there, it is now Mount Auburn Cemetery.(see
day 10)
Now based at Elm Bank Gardens. The MHS is a 36 acre site of 12
display gardens including trial beds of annuals, welcome and
children’s garden, chefs, Italiante, goddess gardens and a
Bressingham display designed by Alan Bloom of Norfolk.
afternoon
Free time in Boston
THURS 2nd JUNE DAY 9 Morning :
Tower Hill Botanical Garden, www.towerhillbg.org
Tower Hill is the home of the Worcester County Horticultural Society
and has a cottage and vegetable garden, Harrington Orchard, wildlife
area, systematic beds and 18th style orangerie and lemonaia.
Afternoon:
Garden in the Woods, New England Flower Society, Framingham
Guided tour.
In 1931 Will Curtis made a garden to showcase North American
native plants. With glacially carved features, wet and dry areas, and a
tree canopy, this was an ideal site. In 1965 he gave the 45 acre
property to the New England Wild Flower Society.
Last Evening Supper at hotel (included)
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FRI 3rd DAY 10 morning:
Mount Auburn Cemetery www.mountauburn.org.
Guided walk and archive visit.
Inspired by Pere Lachaise in Paris, this cemetery was also the model
for Abney Park cemetery, London. It was America’s first rural
cemetery and was designed by Henry Dearborn and others and
supported by the Mass Horticultural Society. Its 70 acres opened in
1825 and was extended to 170 acres later. The Egyptian revival
gateway, Washington tower and Bigelow Chapel (with crematorium
beneath) are outstanding architectural features. It’s non
denominational, has 93,000 burials and 5,500 trees of 700 species.
Mary Baker Eddy of the Church of Christian Science has the biggest
memorial.
Afternoon:
Natural History Museum of Harvard University,
Containing geology, natural history, paleontology, arthropods,
evolution on islands and honeybee exhibits as well as the renowned
collection of glass flowers (under renovation) this museum, founded
in 1998 is full of interest.
Free time in Boston
1910 Depart Boston Logan Airport on British Airways flight.
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SAT 4th JUNE DAY 11
0630 Arrive London Heathrow Airport.
End of tour
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Cost
£3855 per person sharing based on 10 people travelling
£3310 per person sharing based on 15 people travelling
£3380 per person sharing based on 11-14 people travelling
£3155 tour not including UK to USA return flights
(based on a group size of 10 people)
Single Supplement £550
This includes:
Outward Flight Heathrow to Philadelphia
Internal flight Philadelphia to Boston
Return Flight Boston to London LHR
5 nights at Loews Hotel Philadelphia
4 nights Holiday Inn, Brookline
Dinner on Days 1, 5 and day 9
Picnic lunch on Day 2
Local transport by coach
All garden and museum entrances and guides
Hosted by Letta Jones throughout
Background information pack before departure
ESTA travel documents costs not included
The organisers reserve the right to alter the itinerary or tour guide/s
due to circumstances beyond their control. We will make every effort
to maintain the tour price however as final flight prices are not yet
available we reserve the right to increase the tour price if necessary or
in case of currency fluctuations or fuel surcharges
Bookings need to be received by Friday October 30th, 2016.
To make a reservation please complete a booking form and return it
together with your deposit of £500 to ACE Cultural Tours, Stapleford
Granary, Bury Road, Cambridge CB22 5BP. Tel 01223 841055
Email: gill@aceculturaltours.co.uk.