Photo Galleries

A brief, but impressive squall greeted me upon arrival at the Arboretum today, blustery, snow whipping around and chilly. A still green fern’s fronds were decorated with tiny flecks of snow and the grasses at the entrance to the carriage house were swaying in the breeze against a snowy background. Surprisingly, a Doublefile viburnum ‘Pink Beauty’ was actually in bloom! I’m not sure what conditions prompted this behavior in late November … At any rate, minutes later the squall had spent itself and the sun reappeared. Mother Nature at her most surprising!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Chilly, rainy and windy at the Arboretum today, but even so, there was beauty to be found.  Many white berries adorn the branches of Callicarpa japonica cv. Leucocarpa (White fruited Beautyberry) on a shrub in the upper parking lot. The many bright red berries on Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite” (Winterberry Holly cultivar) are certainly a welcome sight on a cloudy, dreary day. And the purple berries of Callicarpa dichotoma “Issai” (Purple Beautyberry cultivar) are an unexpected and welcome sight.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Happily Steve Kanan’s Final Fall Finale of last week wasn’t quite final, as this beautiful set of images arrived yesterday.

Thanks, Steve, for chronicling nature’s progress at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

We are still enjoying some beautiful fall weather and lovely foliage colors. A gorgeous, golden leafed Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum cv. ‘Sango Kaku’) makes quite a statement up against the clear blue November sky. Another Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum cv. ‘Ever Red’, presents its red, lacy foliage like a waterfall close to the small pond in front of Matilda’s cottage. The male cones of the Dawn Redwood tree (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) by the Marsh Meadow deck look stunning against the reddish brown fall color of the deciduous needles.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist

Steve Kanan couldn’t resist sending these beautiful final (?) images of Fall.

Thanks, Steve. Fall colors are always fun.

The Dogwood is a wonderful small tree, offering something of interest in all seasons. The familiar flowers in spring can be white or pink (the showy parts are actually bracts, with the true flower a cluster in the middle). Late summer brings fruit, red berries of different shapes and sizes depending on the variety. Fall color can be spectacular, with vibrant reds and oranges. Winter is a great time to see the various types of bark exhibited by the different types of Dogwood.

Observed at the Arboretum this week are the elongated, oval, orange/red leaves of Cornus cv. Hyperion brightening up a cloudy day. The nicely shaped Kousa Dogwood tree next to the parking lot has red, yellow and orange leaves and its exfoliating bark is a patchwork of various shades of peach, beige and grey.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Katharine Boyle took these pictures this past Sunday. It certainly illustrated a gorgeous day at the Arboretum.

Thanks, Katharine, for sharing these with us.

The lovely sunny weather was most welcome following a couple of dreary rainy days. A gorgeous Red Oak is displaying its full fall regalia. The Green Mountain Sugar Maples’ leaves are a lovely apricot color. And the grounds behind the Haggerty Education Building are at their peak. Do visit soon!

Photo credits: Margery Ennist.

Joanne McDonald sent this beautiful group of pictures, writing, “My first visit on an 80 degree day in late October. Just beautiful! I can’t wait for spring.”

Thanks, Joanne, and we look forward to the results of your next visit.

We continue to be blessed with lovely fall weather, and the grounds at the Arboretum are a pleasure to walk around. I found a bee resting in a bright red Zinnia flower. The lavender Asters are gorgeous this year, so full of flowers and bees! Amazingly, there are still bunches of pink and blue Hydrangea flower clusters in various places in the garden. Enjoy this beautiful weather while you can!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Fall’s winds are busily clearing the leaves from the trees, reports Steve Kanan following his visit yesterday, so these pictures may preserve some the last glimpses of this year’s autumn display.

Thanks, Steve, for the beautiful images.

Fall is certainly upon us as these pictures from Arboretum visitor, Karen Yuknevitch illustrate.

Thanks, Karen, for helping capture the season.

As many of you may know, The Frelinghuysen Arboretum has been designated as a Reference Garden by the American Conifer Society (ACS), the first and only garden in New Jersey to receive the honor. This Saturday, the Friends and the Northeast Region of the ACS are getting together to co-sponsor the 2023 Tree Symposium at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum with a series of lectures, buffet lunch, dedication of the Goodhart Dwarf Conifer Collection, tours of the Frelinghuysen Pinetum and a tour of the Hammer Garden in Morristown. Here’s a sampling of the over 436 conifers in the Arboretum’s collection.

A majestic Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica cv. Glauca) in front of the Mansion. A lovely Giant Arborvitae (Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’) next to the parking lot. One of two beautiful Green Giant Arborvitaes (Thuja plicata x standishii cv. Green Giant) in the Fountain Rose Garden next to the Mansion. And last, but not least, a very symmetrical White Fir (Abies concolor) in the Meadow behind the Mansion.

Picture Credits: Margery Ennist.

Katharine Boyle shared these beautiful photos with us, saying “[a]nd as much as it’s looking like autumn, there is so much beauty still blooming!”

Thanks, Katharine, for the lovely pictures.

Another gorgeous early fall day at the Arboretum. The Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum ‘Bonfire’) in front of the Mansion is in full autumn regalia showing off its apricot colored leaves. The Seven Sons Tree (Heptacodium miconioides) has dropped its white corollas and developed deep red fruiting calyces covering the tree, which is visible to the left as you drive past the Haggerty Education Center. Bees were all over the Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) in the bed above the stone wall on the way into the Haggerty.

Rain is in the forecast, so take advantage of the next couple of sunny days and schedule a visit to the Arboretum!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.