Virgina State Arboretum

Arboretum: noun; a plot of land on which many different trees or shrubs are grown for study or display

Lawson False Cypress, Northwestern USA

The Virginia State Arboretum is out near Winchester, VA and comprises of approximately 700 acres of land. The land was donated to the University of Virginia and is used as an educational and research facility. However, the land is open to the public and has acres of gardens and groves of trees of every size, shape, color, and nationality.

Mom and I gave the Arboretum a visit a while back. It was one of those last days of summer where the day is too beautiful to stay indoors. We were bored and itched to get out, so after some brainstorming, we decided to give it a shot. And what an awesome decision it was!

We saw all sorts of plants and yet, after over half a day spent walking the grounds, we did not see everything! The grounds are quite extensive. We saw the remnants of lilies, azalea bushes, wildflowers, cultivated flowers, herbs (tons of lavender, one of my personal favorites), pine trees, cypress trees, maples, firs, oaks, and chestnut trees. The amount of flora there is astounding! My favorite areas were the native plants (ie, wildflowers), and the ginko grove. I especially liked the bark on many of the trees. Mom's favorite, had it been spring, would have been Dogwood Lane!

And of course: pictures!

Black Eyed Susan Arizona Cypress, Southwestern North America
(never did get the name of the red flowering plant)Japanese AnemoneMonarch caterpillar Himalayan White Pine, Himalayas - just imagine this tree covered in snow...Deodar Cedar, Himilayas - I thought the pine cones were awesome looking! Ginko Biloba, my personal favorite tree there

I cannot wait until I can get out there again. Hopefully when Spring finally comes, we can go.