Practical and Innovative: A Design for a New Field Nursery at the Morris Arboretum
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Plant Breeding and Genetics
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The Morris Arboretum is an exceptionally beautiful place to learn about and appreciate trees from around the world. Before these incredible specimens make their way out to the garden, many of these plants will spend at least part of their life in the field nursery. Unlike commercial nurseries where large quantities of relatively few species are grown, the field nursery at the Morris Arboretum serves a more dynamic role hosting a wide array of tree and shrub species from all over the world. The purpose of the nursery at the Arboretum is threefold: to offer a more hospitable growing environment for plants that do not grow well in pots; to provide a space for trees to grow larger in size before being planted out; and to test the hardiness of a tree species. Some of the important considerations in designing a new field nursery are location, spacing, irrigation, weed control, fertilization, fencing, and shade structure. Given these considerations, a new nursery will be designed to minimize maintenance and environmental impact while at the same time creating an optimal environment for the young plants of the Morris Arboretum to thrive until they reach their ultimate destination in the landscape.