Megan Switzer

November 8, 2004

English 134

Essay #3

 

Leaning Pine Arboretum

 

 

            The Leaning Pine Arboretum, named for a tree which blew down during a storm several years ago, is a tranquil horticultural display garden on the outskirts of the Cal Poly campus. The main purpose of the five-acre arboretum is to educate students about different species of plants in their natural settings. This arboretum emphasizes Cal PolyÕs motto of ÒLearn by doing.Ó Students in the Horticulture and Crop Science Department are the force behind the garden and keep it functioning year-round.

            The horticulture unit was built in the 1970Õs when it only included a lawn and some trees. Two decades later, work was underway to create an arboretum showcasing plants from the five mediterranean regions of the world. These regions are: the Mediterranean basin, southwestern Australia, southwestern South Africa, much of California, and much of Chile. A mediterranean region is defined as a region with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Only two percent of the worldÕs landform can be characterized as mediterranean. The plants at the arboretum flourish in CaliforniaÕs central coast weather.

            The Leaning Pine Arboretum is entirely student-managed. Six student workers work at the arboretum ten hours per week and there is one garden manager. Each of the six students has their own garden to maintain. They water, weed, and plant in their garden as well as make decisions on what plants will be planted there next. This gives the students a sense of pride and ownership in the arboretum.

            The arboretum is located at the north end of campus, past the beef unit and across the street from the equine unit on Via Carta Road. It may be difficult to locate since a visitor needs to walk through the greenhouse and past the turf management field to reach the arboretum. Once there, the visitor is greeted with an elegant Floral and Conifer Garden reminiscent of gardens at castles in England. An innovative mortar-less wall surrounds this garden and creates beautiful tiers of Dwarf and Unusual Conifers and precisely manicured hedges. Just past the Formal Garden begins the California Garden, the first collection to be created at this arboretum. This plot is home to several California native plants including Island Oak, Manzanita, and Mound San Bruno Coffeeberry. An artificial wetland and a stream flow through the garden and the sounds of birds and crickets fill the air. The sudden transition from dense, humid forests to dry, sparse deserts is a reminder of CaliforniaÕs rich diversity in landscape.

            The next garden along the trail is the South African Garden. Here, there are very few trees but instead a colorful collection of native flowers, including the bee-infested Sensation Cape Fuchsia and the exotic-looking Protea. Several lizards scurry across the dirt walkway and into the dry Thatching Reed. A few steps farther, the Mediterranean Garden begins and another dramatic shift in landscape occurs. The Mediterranean Garden features numerous large trees, including The Italian Stone Pine and Canary Island Date Palm, providing an abundance of shade. This garden is mostly all green and brown and includes few colorful flowers. A magical white butterfly lands on a Dwarf Jerusalem Sage and a Desert Cottontail eats some nuts off the ground to the side of the trail, then hops away when it hears footsteps. The Australian Garden begins with a placid stream and wetland. With its engorged trunk, the Dr. Seuss-like Bottle Tree is a prominent fixture and the cylindrical spikes and protruding stamens of the Bottlebrush add vibrant color to this garden. The two-year-old Chilean Garden is tucked behind the South African Garden and can be easily missed. It only includes a few native plants now but it is steadily growing.

            The Leaning Pine Arboretum is funded primarily by donations from individuals and private businesses. Different collections of plants can be sponsored by these individuals and businesses and a plaque at the plant site is raised in their honor. Events at the arboretum are limited to school-sponsored activities. School clubs and sports teams are welcome to have meetings and gatherings on the lush green lawn. Earth Day celebrations have occurred here as well and an annual new plant forum and continuous plant sales bring the local garden enthusiasts.

            The arboretum is used primarily by horticulture and crop science students. The unique gardens provide an outdoor laboratory for the students to learn about Mediterranean plants in their natural settings. All of these students will take at least two classes in which they use the arboretum as their classroom. Several students choose to conduct their senior projects at the arboretum as well. Rock walls and benches, wooden decks, and the gazebo were all created by senior students.

            The Leaning Pine Arboretum remains one of Cal PolyÕs best-keep secrets. It is an isolated, unique, and diverse oasis far away from the commotion of the main campus. It is an excellent place to learn about flora, conduct a school-sponsored activity, or simply to relax and stroll through the gardens admiring natureÕs beauty. The horticulture and crop science students feel a huge sense of pride and accomplishment when they see others enjoying their student-run sanctuary. While the arboretum is just one distinctive element of Cal Poly land, it is one that can be enjoyed by every member of the community and it helps make Cal Poly a superb institution.