Left to right: Michael Van Valkenburgh, Dennis Collins, Matt Moffitt of MVVA, and Michael Dosmann and Ned Friedman of Arnold Arboretum, reviewing the planting plan for Harvard Hill. Photo by Dave Barnett.
work. Michael Van Valkenburgh explained it this way:“ Our design intervention intends to summarize the historical character of Harvard Hill as a framework for its 21 st century evolution.” A naturalistic style seemed fitting so that Harvard Hill would be beautiful and inspiring but also ecologically sustainable.
Over the next several months, the MVVA team facilitated a number of stimulating design and horticultural discussions among Harvard, Mount Auburn, and Arnold Arboretum staff, and by the summer of 2015 we had agreed upon a landscape plan to be implemented in two phases. The first phase, completed in November 2015, involved extensive re-grading to improve accessibility and reestablish Amaranth Path, which had historically encircled the Harvard lot. The existing spotty turf was removed and replaced with a slowgrowing, drought-tolerant fescue sod, and the surrounding slopes were stabilized. In addition, several declining trees were removed.
The second phase, just completed in the spring of 2016, included soil improvements and a major landscape planting of 16 trees, 520 shrubs, and over 7,800 ferns, perennials, and groundcovers in and around Lot 330. Many of the shrubs and groundcovers used to create the layered plant palette in Consecration Dell, such as rosebay and large-leaf rhododendron, mapleleaf viburnum, pinxterbloom azalea, mayapple, bloodroot, and Christmas fern, were incorporated into the planting. Loosely arranged columnar sugar maples were used to strengthen the legibility of Amaranth Path and preserve views into and from Harvard Hill. To resist erosion, the steep slopes created by the restored Amaranth Path were planted with quickly spreading‘ gro-low’ fragrant sumac, marginal wood fern, Christmas fern, and Solomon’ s seal. Additional plants were chosen to complement other areas of the Cemetery having similar sun exposure, topography, and drainage patterns, including Appalachian sedge, spreading Japanese plum yew, and mountain laurel. An efficient irrigation system was installed for plant establishment.
We are grateful for the funding provided by Harvard University for this exciting project, designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and installed by Robert Hanss Landscape Construction. We celebrated completion of the project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 24.
Left to right: Laura Solano of MVVA, Bob Hanss, Dave Barnett, and Katie Lapp and Marc Johnson of Harvard University. Photos by Bree Harvey.
2016 Volume 2 | 11