Focus on the future: The Morton Arboretum's new master plan for collections

摘要

The master planning process can help established gardens enhance the value of their collections and ensure their long-term viability. Resting on your laurels is easy, but not a good long-term strategy. Without a clear vision of the future, you beginto lose ground. That's why The Morton Arboretum--a 1,700-acre public garden near Chicago--recently re-assessed the role of its plant collections. While the Arboretum is known worldwide for its unparalleled representations of more than 3,300 kinds of trees, shrubs, and other plants displayed in naturalistic landscapes, the Arboretum's public focus has changed significantly over time. With a series of improvements to the grounds, new gardens, and collections interpretation projects on the horizon, the time was right for determining the strengths and weaknesses of our collections, and mapping out the best way to develop and manage them in the years ahead.