Tag Archives: Morris Arboretum

July 15, 2013 · 2:22 pm

A Hot Day at the Morris Arboretum

Author: Lillian Gardiner, GEd’11

Morris Arboretum, owned by Penn, is 92 acres of lush gardens about 30 minutes north of the University. After 3 years of telling myself I should go see it, I finally made the trek out there on July 4.

I was blown away by the beauty and peacefulness of the place. There were art displays throughout, along with rose gardens, a swan pond, a log cabin, and a toy train exhibit. Check out their website for upcoming classes, lectures and events. Penn Card Holders get in for free, so no excuses!

Nest

That’s me! Just chillin’ in the canopy 50ft above ground.

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Blue eggs in a nest from the Out on a Limb tree adventure.

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Stone stairway nestled behind a rose garden.

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Part of the super cool Garden Railroad.

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Just walked through the grotto below a statue of Mercury. Look at the state of wonder I’m in.

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May 4, 2012 · 9:39 am

Penn Weddings

Author: Amanda D’Amico

In exactly one year to the day, I will be walking down the aisle. During my wedding planning, I’ve often searched online for local venues to hold the occasion. When I searched “weddings” and “Philadelphia,” I was surprised to find “Perelman Quadrangle” at 3417 Spruce Street come up on Google Map. Weddings in the Quad?

 Sure enough, weddings are time-honored tradition for the Quad. From ceremonies to receptions, Perelman Quad offers personalized attention and a unique atmosphere. For more information, go here.

But the Quad isn’t the only Penn place that can accommodate weddings. The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, was listed The Knot’s 2010 best of reception sites. With 92 acres of gardens and outdoor space, the Morris Arboretum makes an amazing background for wedding photos. For more information, visit their website.

 Or, I could try Penn Museum, right at the corner of 32nd and South in University City. Penn Museum is a large, historic venue, and is available for a number of different events (not just weddings). Who doesn’t want to hold their one-of-a-kind event near one-of-a-kind artifacts? For more information on events at the Penn Museum, click on this link.

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December 2, 2011 · 9:51 pm

Top 5 Reasons to Love Penn in December

Author: Kelly Graf

There are thousands of reasons to love Penn all year long. But today, with the holiday and winter seasons upon us, I choose to focus on the best aspects of Penn during the festive month of December! Below is a list of five reasons to enjoy Penn this month. Feel free to add more to the comments (or to deride or applaud my choices as well). Happy December!

1. Locust Walk Decorations. Nothing can top the magical feeling of walking down locust walk in the evening and see the lights shine in the trees. It truly feels like you are miles away from a city and in your own Winter Penn Wonderland.

Photo Courtesy of the Wharton School

2. Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum. The Garden Railway Display is returning again this winter as the Holiday Garden Railway Display at Penn’s Morris Arboretum. Visitors of all ages will be wow-ed by a quarter mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with fifteen different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under), and bustling model trains, all set in the lovely winter garden of the Morris Arboretum. The buildings are all decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle along the tracks and around the surrounding landscape.

3. Winter Break. Who doesn’t love time off? Students trudge through finals in the first two weeks of December, furiously studying for their end-of-semester exams. Then, they are set free for a full-month to vacation, visit home and take a break from studying. Their excitement can be felt across campus! Most faculty and staff also enjoy a week-long break from the campus to regroup and come back stronger than ever in the New Year.

4. Ivy Stone Society December Drive. The Penn Fund launches its 3rd Annual Ivy Stone Society December Drive this month – an initiative focused on reaching at 4,200 Ivy Stone Society members in the month of December. ISS members are undergraduate alumni who have made a gift to The Penn Fund for three or more consecutive years .These loyal donors are the backbone of Penn’s philanthropic support.

5. Amazing Resources Available at Penn. I am always amazed by the different facets of the University that offer valuable information and resources. This holiday season, for example, the Vet School offers up a four-page PDF educated pet-owners on how to keep their animals safe during the holidays.

But don’t take my word for it…Come back to campus this holiday season and see for yourself the wonders of Penn in December.

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November 18, 2011 · 4:10 pm

Morris Arboretum Brunch During Homecoming Weekend

Author: Kelly Porter O’Connor

There was no better way to wind down Homecoming than with a brunch and tour of the Morris Arboretum. It was a beautiful day to stroll the grounds of the Arboretum with the fall foliage at its peak. If you have never been, I highly suggest you make your way out there or plan to attend next year’s brunch and tour!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these photos taken during the event.

 

 

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November 2, 2011 · 6:37 pm

Morris Arboretum

Author: Nicole Oddo, C’05

For all my love of Penn places, I had never been to the Morris Arboretum.  You might say that is because it is not on campus.  Or the fact that it is on the edge of Philadelphia city limits. Either way – living with a car in the city for the last few years and even in the Northwest section of the city – I had no excuse.

I waited until a beautiful fall weekend (it feels like I might have caught the last fall weekend before the snow).  Every day, I kept an eye on the trees in my neighborhood in anticipation of my excursion.

After arriving on the grounds (and finding out that I got in for free with a Penn Alumni card) I drove up the winding road to the parking lot.  Already, the scenery was beautiful.

First, we checked out the visitors center and picked up the map to discover just how expansive the place was. Immediately I wanted to check out the exhibit, Out on a Limb, that I had read about in The Gazette  (read the article here). This exhibit gave a truly unqiue perspective and both children and adults had a chance to be up in the trees. While I am not always one for heights, the very secure exhibit gave such a unique vantage point over the park. From there, I knew we had a lot to explore.

The place was expansive and had a multitude of gardens.  I enjoyed the rose garden and a groundhog sighting.  You know you live in the city when you get excited to see groundhogs!

My favorite spot was the Pennock Flower Walk—a  beautiful flower garden set behind gates that was originally part of the entry way to the Morris mansion.  The brightly colored flowers and the walkway made the garden a little oasis in the midst of a very large park.

I highly recommend this Penn treasure and only wish I had discovered it earlier.  I’ll be returning for the Holiday Garden Railway.

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