Arboretum returns in full bloom

Five weeks ago, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, prompting the declaration of an early spring.

And with March upon the campus, the university will begin to restore the pamphlet-ready look of a school in season, and the richness and diversity of the university's arboretum and botanical garden will be in full view of anyone who steps foot on school grounds.

"We want people coming on campus to have a sense of belonging," said Karen Petroff, assistant director for the arboretum and horticultural services. "And maintaining the arboretum is a big part of that."

The arboretum — a term that describes the vast collection of publicly accessible trees and plants on the campus — requires constant maintenance, which Petroff said plays a huge role in the look of the campus. That maintenance falls under the charge of Petroff's department, which she said operates on a slim staff of 50 and without its own budget, spending money pulled solely from the university's renewal funds — about $130,000 designated for "tree care."

While the staff's work doesn't bear visual fruit until late in the spring semester, employees stay busy all through the winter with a range of tasks, from managing pests and inspecting trees to pruning dead wood and mulching. Part of the attention the campus receives in the winter months includes simply picking up trash, which Petroff said the staff spends as much as a quarter of its time doing.

But it all pays off during blooming season, Petroff said. And as the weather turns warm and more people spend time outside, she said she expects some newer outdoor spots to get more use.

These places include the Peace and Friendship Garden at the lower end of the president's residence lawn near Lot 1-D. Installed last year, the garden features a Chinese peace tree sculpture donated by the government of China. The artist who designed the sculpture was also responsible for all of the costumes associated with the opening ceremonies at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Petroff said.

While she lamented the distance of the garden from the more frequently traveled parts of the campus, Petroff insisted students who pass by "will be very surprised and delighted by what they see."

Melody Poland, a senior Japanese major and president of the St. Mary's Garden Club, said these newer places are key to the university's image.

"I think [the university] is improving a lot with new developments such as gardens," she said. "We're an agricultural university, so it's very important for us to get back to our roots. I think gardening is really beginning to catch on, and I encourage people to do it more."

Students walking past the Memorial Chapel will also notice the Garden of Reflection and Remembrance, which was completed last October. Petroff said she hopes both spots will provide students with a quiet place to enjoy nature's beauty.

Of course, no part of the arboretum is more noticeable than the "M" at the mouth of Campus Drive. Petroff said the "M" will be turned back to red begonias sometime around the end of April, depending on how accommodating the weather is. The goal, Petroff said, is to make the "M" as spectacular on Maryland Day as possible.

"The first time I came to campus I saw the ‘M,' and that's what I remembered, and that was in middle school, long before I came here," said Damien Main, a junior family science major. "A beautiful campus attracts more students."

Among the many projects involved in maintaining the look of a sprawling campus, Petroff said, has been the restoration of the gateways to the campus, particularly the area next to Montgomery Hall and across from Route 1 restaurants Potbelly Sandwich Shop and Panda.

"The beauty of a campus is not just in its physical attributes," Petroff said. "I see landscaping as the bridge between all the programs on campus, and so much more."

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