National Arboretum (1968)

about 3 miles Northeast of the capital along the anacosta river lies one of the most tranquil and beautiful spots in the nation The National Arboretum [Music] The National Arboretum is a Living Museum a national collection of trees and Woody plants the 415 Acres a landscape to enhance their natural beauty [Applause] Regal and romantic Chamas thrive in a natural setting of Oak and tulip [Music] trees daffodils Herald the Advent of spring Magnolia's Bloom from Spring to late summer more than 250 kinds of crab apples grow at the [Music] auero pink dogwoods add their color to the spring Bloom along with a native white dogwood [Music] aelas more than 70,000 are a special attraction in early May with their massive brilliant color scattered through the aelas and along shaded Ravines floated endons Bloom from mid-may into June [Music] Fern Valley is a planned nature trail within the Arboretum Lacy Ferns and wild flowers were set out by members of the national capital area Federation of garden [Music] clubs native Woodland covers about 40% of the arboretum's ground ponds add quiet charm to restful Meadows dayes and peonies make this little garden a popular [Music] spot the golden deodar Cedar marks the approach to one of the world's finest collections of dwarf conifers more than 1500 slow growing conifers gathered from the Orient Europe and the United States were given to the Arboretum in 1962 by William gatelli this famous collection contains many different low growing and spreading plants suitable for ground covers brightened with perennial flowers and with Oddities like the Weeping Blue [Music] Spruce many of the trees and Woody plants at the National Arboretum were given by by private citizens like Mr gelli or by organizations such as the American Association of nurserymen the Garden Club of America and the Women's National farm and garden Association The National Arboretum is more than a museum for many it's a classroom a popular place to study native and cultivated plants the national capital area Federation of garden clubs provides volunteer guides for group tours [Music] The National Arboretum is also a plant Library its herbarium contains 300,000 dried plant specimens carefully classified and references for scientists and teachers from all parts of the world herbarium files use many techniques to Aid in plant classification such as this core print made by the crab apple [Music] specialist the living part of this library is on the grounds where labels identify countries of origin and give common and Botanical names The National Arboretum is a show place and testing ground for ornamentals brought back from plant Explorations around the [Music] world a new ornamental and shade tree had its Beginnings in seeds sent back from China in 1916 the Bradford pair blooms early in the spring it offers heavy green Foliage for Pleasant summer shade and blazes red gold and all generally without Fring its Chinese Mountain ancestry gives it hardiness it will grow in most of the United [Music] States today the Orient still attracts explorers looking for desirable species not found at home the hills and mountains of Taiwan offer many unexplored areas rich in plant specimens modern Plant Explorer from the Department of agriculture's new crops research branch is familiar with plant growth habits flower and leaf characteristics he can single out the different and valuable plant almost at a [Music] glance this time it is a maple with unusual foliage [Music] seeds and cuting are precious cargo an investment in the future beauty of American Gardens records are important even on the trail to assure accurate identification when the collections get back to the States the Department's Explorations for new ornamentals are financed by the Longwood Gardens located at kenet Square Pennsylvania findings are distributed by the new new crops research Branch to cooperating Auber for testing and development this aelia is one of the Woody plant introductions tested at the national [Music] arboro these new crysanthemum varieties shown at Longwood are among the other plant discoveries shared by the department with Cooperators one single C anthum Discovery illustrates the value of these Explorations it already has earned more than a million dollar for us [Music] florist in nature cross-pollination is halfhazard at the Arboretum it is a planned part of the work that makes the National Arboretum a research laboratory a plant breeder transfers pollen from an early blooming White Magnolia to another variety he is seeking a new plant with hardiness and other features of the stellata parent and some purple tones from the second in recent years arum scientists have developed many new varieties of ornamentals a crepe myrtle that's Milo [Music] resistant an aelia with a delicate off-white color [Music] color parantha resistant to fire blight by Burnham showing improved fruit [Music] color hibiscus with added hardiness Holly with foliage similar to boxwood a crab apple named Fuji a new double flowering variety the arum ships its new developments to other Botanic Gardens and to cooperating nurseries an important link between the Arboretum and the homeowner the Arboretum develops basic plant materials but does not sell plants the cooperating nurseries take the new developments and build up planting stock for home gardeners in this way the impact of the National Arboretum is felt throughout America in yards and gardens around the nation's [Music] capital in homes and neighborhoods in the west the [Music] Midwest the South the Southwest [Music] the [Music] north your National Arboretum is many things a living mum a research laboratory a source of new Beauty a place where you can see the heart of a blossom and witness the miracle of the changing season in their full [Music] Beauty it is a place for you to visit to enjoy at all times of the [Music] year e [Music] I [Music] I [Music] [Music]