The Polly Hill Arboretum will host an outdoor art exhibit featuring your artwork inspired by the plants and landscapes at the Arboretum to celebrate its 20th anniversary! Have you taken photographs of the landscape, sketched a flower, or painted a vista of the Arboretum? We would like to portray the Arboretum through the eyes of […]
MATT LOBDELL (2008 Curatorial Intern). Current Title: Head of Collections and Curator, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL, and Research Associate, Polly Hill Arboretum. “I am pleased to continue my association with PHA as a research associate. Having grown up on the Island, I frequently return to visit and continue work on joint research projects that further PHA’s collection goals […]
This past February we received wonderful news: PHA had again achieved a level IV rating, the highest available, from the Arbnet Arboretum Accreditation Program in recognition of our commitment to the health and diversity of our trees. Level IV has been achieved by only 10 percent of botanic gardens and arboreta participating in Arbnet’s program […]
Polly Hill was devoted to horticultural experimentation and raising plants from seed. She also named many of her favorite plants, including several cultivars (cultivated varieties) of stewartia. To get an exact duplicate (a genetic clone) of a plant, it must propagated asexually, which eliminates the genetic variability found in seed propagation.
By Pamela Kohlberg, Chair of the Investment Committee Environmental conservation and education are at the core of the Arboretum’s mission. The Board of Directors wishes to reflect these values in the investments held directly by the endowment. With this statement of purpose in 2013, the PHA Board of Directors began research on an ESG (Environmental/Social/ […]
PHA Youth Education Coordinators Betsy Dripps and Jill Bouck recently completed a busy fall season providing programs for school children from all five Island elementary schools and the MV Public Charter School. This year Betsy and Jill were joined by new part-time staff member Kendra Buresch. As always, our team is assisted by a wonderful […]
Attendance was lively at our annual summer lecture series held in the Far Barn. Our summer evening lecture series allows us to bring leading figures in horticulture, science, and garden design from around the world to share new ideas with PHA members and the Vineyard community. The major theme of this past summer’s programs was […]
Polly Hill Arboretum engages in sustainable practices wherever possible. When it comes to landscaped areas, these practices include limiting the use of pesticides, preserving existing plantings, and proper plant selection. We adhere to “right plant, right place” in an effort to promote plant health and reduce the demand for irrigation and other inputs. Sustainability does […]
PHA Horticulturist Ben Madeiras and Executive Director Tim Boland continue to work together with Edgartown School students to revitalize the school’s fruit tree orchard. On Ben’s most recent visit (on Arbor Day), he led fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in preparing new planting areas: cutting tree rings, mulching, and weeding. On previous visits, students have […]
Our commitment to building PHA’s stewartia collection is based on our founder Polly Hill’s history with the genus and our own desire to encourage the cultivation of these superb small-flowering trees in home gardens. As part of our mission of research and horticultural experimentation, we also bring a plant conservation focus to stewartias, particularly the […]