The "Arboretum At Penn State: Part I" Story

The cover of the Penn State's
pamphlet for the Children's Garden.

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting on the rear patio having breakfast with our hosts for the weekend, Jerry and Just Sue, who live in State College, Pennsylvania.  The day was bright with wispy clouds in the light blue sky, but with a slight chill in the air.  Chilly enough that if felt as if fall had arrived early in State College.  Our plans for the day were to head to nearby Whipple's Dam for a day of fun at the beach; sunning on the sandy beach and frolicking in the very cold lake which is spring fed.  Well, after sitting around the breakfast table on the patio and feeling the nip in the air, we opted for something more sensible for the day; a trip to the Penn State University Arboretum.  We visited the arboretum in the spring over a year ago, but had never made a visit in the late summer.  We were hoping that many of the summer flowers and trees would be in full bloom and we were not disappointed!  The entire arboretum was aglow in all the colors of the spectrum as we walked some of the 395 acres that the arboretum encompasses.  One of my personal favorites was the Childhood Gate's Children's Garden.  The garden included a limestone cave sporting stalagmites and stalactites, a stone amphitheater for events, bedrock boulders, a prairie patch, harvest gardens, dry-river bed, and a vegetable garden area.  The last time we visited the arboretum, the Children's Garden had not been finished, but most items in the new area were now in full bloom or have just finished blooming.  I tried to take a few photos to give you an idea what a spectacular place the Arboretum at Penn State is, with a concentration on the Children's Garden.  Follow along as I take you on a visual journey on a beautiful late morning on the campus of Penn State University.  

Inside the limestone cave.

Bedrock boulders are found in many areas of the Children's Garden.

This is Lovage.  It is a European plant with leaves that can be used as a herb, roots that are a vegetable and seeds that are a spice.

This is the Ground Cherry that is much like a tomato.

The Calendula which has pedals that are edible and can be used as a replacement for saffron.

This is known as Flint Corn or "Cherokee Long Ear" corn. 

The Sweet Pepper.  Another visitor picked one from a plant and began eating it.

Known as Indian Woodoats.  It was a beautiful plant with shades of pink and maroon.

This pretty plant is know as the Snailflower which has seeds and a flower that is allegedly edible, but beware!

Swiss Chard.  A leafy vegetable which is slightly spicy with a bit of lemon flavor. 

The Fox Grape vine.  I tried a grape which was slightly sour, but probably because it hadn't fully ripened.

Butterhead lettuce.  

This is a beautify Cardinal Flower.  

This is known as the Blazing Star flower and is used as a food supply by the flower moth.  It eventually will have purple flowers on it.

The delicate Butterfly Weed.

My favorite flower that I found in the Children's Garden.  It is known as the Prairie Dropseed.  Click on the photo to enlarge and see it's beauty.

Dry river beds are spread throughout the Children's Garden.

The photos you just viewed were all from the Children's Garden which was finished in 2014.  Tomorrow I will share with you some of my favorites from the rest of the Arboretum at Penn State.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.