Tradition and change intertwine to create beauty at a century-old arboretum
Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park is a rare old estate with its original acreage intact. At 409 acres on Long Island, New York, it’s also the largest existing residential commission of the famous Olmsted brothers landscape designers. But the century-old estate isn’t frozen in time. A multimillion-dollar revitalization project includes a focus on biodiversity and native plantings. It’s a shift in emphasis that’s gaining traction in many historic gardens across the country. The focus on sustainability was also evident when the arboretum recently replaced its half-mile-long double allee (al-AY) of European beech trees with native oaks. A new book about the Planting Fields park shows the continued craftsmanship at the gardens and estate.
