page_title: Morris Arboretum
section_title: Features
hierarchical_section_title: Morris Arboretum / Features
caption_attribution_description: "Compton" (Lydia &amp; John Thompson Morris mansion), Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1887-88, demolished 1968), Theophilus P. Chandler, Jr., architect. The grounds are now the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.
context_page_description: The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania is the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Arboretum is open daily except major holidays; advance tickets are required for all visitors including members. Last ticket time is at 3pm everyday. It is located at 100 East Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
context_section_description: The arboretum is set within a fine, mature landscape, primarily designed in the English park style but with Japanese influences. It includes winding paths and streams, a swan pond, formal rose gardens, and large sweeps of azaleas, rhododendrons, and magnolias. Notable aspects of the arboretum are as follows:
  Compton Mansion (aka Morris House, 1887-1888, demolished 1968)
  Dawn Redwoods - Species of trees once thought to be extinct now found.
  English Park (circa 1912) - mainly planted with species collected in China, with significant collections of maples, witch hazels, dogwoods, cherries, and stuartias.
  Fernery (1899) - an 8-sided glass house said to be the only remaining free-standing Victorian fernery in North America. Morris "hired Japanese garden makers Kushibiki and Arai to arrange one hundred tons of local Wissahickon schist into rockery formations resembling a cave or mountain cliff accented by delicate waterfalls, a flowing stream bed, and a goldfish pond." He ordered his ferns from London experts William and John Birkenhead and botanically grouped and labelled labeled the 523 fern and 47 Selaginella (club moss) varieties.
  Garden railway - G scale trains and trolley cars running on 45 mm track (1¾"), and representing railroads throughout history, including freight and passenger models.
  Greenhouse - closed to the public; little now remains of Morris' original structure.
  Hillcrest Pavilion - Restrooms, Drinking Fountains, Picnic Benches with Hillcrest Avenue running behind it (hence the name).
  Japanese Overlook (1912) - a hybrid of English rock garden with Japanese garden, landscaped with fudo stones, stone lanterns, and Japanese maples, conifers, and smaller acid-loving plants.
  Japanese Hill and Water Garden (1905) - Tsukiyama-niwa style garden with hills, rocks, water, trees, bridges, paths, shrines and lanterns.
  Key Fountain - Key-Shaped decorative fountain in English Park
  Log Cabin - rustic log cabin with working hand-operated water pump
  Mercury Loggia and Ravine Garden (1913) - classical loggia housing a sculpture of "Mercury at rest", with grotto and a picturesque rock garden within the valley below.
  Meadow Parking Lot - Located at bottom of the hill as a back up if the lot on top of the hill is full.
  Oak Alee - walkway lined with oak trees on both sides.
  Out on a Limb - metal walkway for close-up view of trees
  Pennock Garden - exotic flower garden with large rectangular fountain.
  Rose Garden (1888) - a buxus-edged rose garden in four quadrants with a fountain in the middle.
  Rock Wall Garden (1924) - alpine plants on a six-foot-high wall.
  Swan Pond (1905) - a small lake created by digging and damming the East Brook.
  Sculpture Garden
  Step Fountain - Staircase-shaped fountain in English Park
  Visitor Center & Gift Shop - Restrooms, Drinking Fountains, Seasonal Cafe.
  Morris Arboretum also owns Springfield Mill, which is located opposite the main entrance.  The grist mill has been restored and is open to the public once a month for grinding demonstrations.
caption: "Compton" (Lydia & John Thompson Morris mansion), (1887-88, demolished 1968), by Theophilus Parsons Chandler, Jr., architect. The grounds are now the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.
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