Evaluation and Recommendations for the Widener Wooded Path

The Widener Wooded Path, also known as the Woodland Path, is the gateway to the Arboretum, that introduces the visitor to the beauty of the Arboretum’s gardens by leading from the Widener Visitor Center to the Rose Garden. Because of this, the path should provide an initial display of the horticultural thought and skill that goes into caring for the Arboretum. The path has lost the cohesion and flow that provides a smooth and interesting transition between Widener and the gardens due to differing design decisions of previous section leaders of the area, difficult cultural conditions, and issues with pests, like deer, voles, rabbits, and chipmunks. It also lacks balance of interest through the seasons that is essential in a year-round public garden. The objective of this project is to assess the state of each of the beds selected along the path and make recommendations for edits that will address each of these issues. Recommendations include the removal or relocation of plant species that are not thriving, enhancing species that are currently successful and present in small numbers, and suggestions for new species introductions that offer interest currently lacking in the area. Rather than creating an entirely new design for these woods, this project aims to identify and enhance the strengths of what is already present, and replace or improve the weaknesses.