THE  ARNOLD ARBORETUM

This arboretum was established in 1872 and
administered by Harvard University.

It was created for all people who love plants and for those who make the study of plants their lifetime goal.

This is considered to be the oldest public arboretum in North America. It is not just a collection of trees, shrubs and ornamentals; it is also a place where scientists research and save plants threatened with extinction.

It consists of 265 acres located at the Jamaica Plains section of Boston. Part of the famous "Emerald Necklace", it is a 7-mile long network of parks and parkways that Frederick Law Olmsted laid out for the Boston Parks Department between 1878 and 1892.

Frederick Olmsted was considered the father of American Landscape Architecture. This "Emerald Necklace" extends from the Charles River to Dorchester and spans over 1000 acres of parkland.

It is the only remaining intact linear parkland designed by Olmsted.

The arboretum is actively involved in scientific plant research with active collecting explorations and expeditions from around the world. Some of these are living collections on the grounds of the arboretum; others are deposited in their extensive herbarium and archives. These collections are intellectual fodder for the serious botanist, geneticists and biochemists.

Of interest is the record system being used since its founding. Each plant is labeled with its scientific name,
identification and its accession number. This accession number is used to track its name and
origin and other useful information about the plant.

Every plant on the grounds can be tracked by mobile GPS. Detailed information of the plant is stored in a computerized system of maps and database that is readily available on demand.