Sweet Auburn: The Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn Mount Auburn as a Horticultural Innovator | Page 7

a history of horticultural innovation
izers. This was partly due to recognition that we were one
(Zanthoxylum simulans) and dead man’s fingers (Decaisnea
of the last wildlife habitat refuges in metropolitan Boston,
insignis) from Nepal. Some hardy bamboos were given to
concerns about health risks to humans, budget reductions,
us for trials by the NE Bamboo Company in Rockport,
and growing awareness that alternative approaches showed
Mass. These are being watched for aggressiveness as well as
promise. As a leader in the horticultural world, it seemed
hardiness. We’ve also tried some of the flowering perennials
appropriate to at least explore some of these alternatives.
that seemed appropriate for Victorian gardens. The successes,
Our greenhouse
which are already being planted on the grounds, include
was among the
lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), Russian stonecrop (Sedum
first in the in-
kamtschaticum) and horse heal (Inula helenium), each of which
dustry to attempt
possesses extreme drought tolerance.
extensive use of
The E-Garden has also been used to test new products
beneficial insects
and techniques. By far, the most interesting development
for pest control.
in recent horticultural and agricultural science is what high
Although our
quality compost and compost teas can do for promoting
landscape
plant health. Not willing to wait for these products to be-
maintenance
come commercially avail able, we began to experiment with
program is just
producing them on-site. This was another serendipitous
in the early stages
moment at Mount Auburn. Not only did we learn to
of a similar
produce some very high quality products, but the process
transition, there
fit perfectly with the Cemetery’s ecological and organic
is already much
A naturalistic turf treatment shows great potential in
materials recycling goals. The chopping of leaves in the
that has been
some of the more historic sections where a naturalistic
fall by mowers, which was mentioned earlier, takes care
landscape character zone is targeted. This photo, taken
accomplished.
of 99% of the conservatively estimated 70,000 cubic yards
in June 2010, shows an area off Walnut Ave in front
Droughts
generated each year. We pick up about 600 cubic yards
of Consecration Dell.
have become
where chopping isn’t possible and, from this material,
somewhat regular events during the past 20 years. While
produce approximately 100 yards of compost. Using
new plantings at the Cemetery are irrigated during their
side-by-side comparisons in the E-Garden and testing
first year and flower beds receive regular watering during
with a number of different crops in the greenhouse and
the summer, the plants in Mount Auburn’s landscape are,
nursery, we are convinced of the effectiveness and look
for the most part, expected to survive a drought without
forward to refining our ability to use different composts
irrigation. Our efforts to deal with drought have focused
and tea blends.
on helping existing plants cope with it by mulching and
improving the soil conditions. For new plantings, we are
Innovation Finds a Home
trying to preemptively select species and varieties with
inherent drought resistance. Fortunately, two initiatives
Mount Auburn has been planning to replace its greenhouse
within the horticulture department are helping with overall
facility for more than ten years. The Lord and Burnham
water conservation. First, a somewhat rustic collection of
style glasshouses built in 1971 are extremely inefficient for
rain-barrels has been assembled along two walls of our
heating and cooling, and two of the three houses are shut
present greenhouse building. Although they only collect
down through parts of the winter to save on heating costs.
water diverted from one of the three glasshouses, they
The facility offers less than optimal conditions for both the
have allowed us to harvest 10-12,000 gallons of rainwater
plants and the staff who tend them. Fortunately, there is
per year. This water is then used to water the flower beds
hope for change in the near future. In 2009, the Cemetery
throughout the grounds.
hired one of the nation’s
premier architectural firms,
The second initiative is the Experimental
William Rawn Associates,
Garden, which was recently constructed
to design a new Horticul-
on some undeveloped land near the
ture Center. The recently
greenhouse. While not even close to the
completed plans have
scale envisioned at the founding of the
been designed to achieve
Cemetery, this new enterprise is proving
the highest certification
to be a very useful tool. Located adjacent
standard of the Leadership
to our small nursery, the E-Garden (as it
in Energy and Environ-
is known) contains plants that we want to
mental Design (LEED)
test for future use on the grounds. Some
program from the U.S.
of the unusual things we’ve grown there
Green Building Council.
include the shrubs Chinese prickly-ash
A series of different yarrow (Achillea) species were tried
in the Experimental Garden. These colorful perennials are
extremely drought tolerant once established.
Fall 2010 | 5