The Arboretum at Penn State

When the class was asked to meet at the H.O. Botanical Gardens at the Arboretum, the destination did not sound familiar. Given the name “Botanical Gardens,” I could only imagine what the place looked like.  I pictured a vast amount of land, acres upon acres, specifically allotted for plants and flowers. When arriving, my expectations had not matched up. The H.O Botantical Gardens was relatively small; however it was also under construction. When visiting, there were construction workers expanding the gardens. Trails were placed throughout, leading to the different displays of flowers and plants. Each section had a different theme to it. For example, some areas just consisted of bushes, whereas other areas had a few types of water lilies and large water pads surrounding.

Growing up I was not exposed to many naturally activities. I played a lot of sports, so hiking, fishing, and exploring the outdoors was not something I became familiar with. With that said, I am not a big nature person; I do enjoy small amounts of it here and there, but at times it can be overwhelming. The H.O Botanical Gardens was not at all overwhelming. In fact, it contained the perfect amount of nature that enabled me to enjoy the walk through. I was also able to see what each section consisted of rather than just the main attractions. After my visit, I explained the layout and showed each of them pictures of each section of the Botanical Gardens. Each of my friends reacted positively to the photos and insisted on taking a trip there in the near future. As for me, I would definitely return to the Arboretum. I have an obsession with sunsets so watching one there would be like sitting front row at a concert. Not to mention, Sunset Park is just a few minutes away.

After walking around for about a half hour, there were two areas in the Arboretum that captured my attention. The very first section that caught me eye was the archery made by leaves. The complexity of the leaves, and the size altogether made it impossible to miss. The bench that was placed under made it very approachable, and has potential to be an excellent place to read. The array of sunflowers that were set in the back added a nice touch to the entire serene scene. I could not connect this setting back to anything in my life. However, it did look very similar to pictures I have seen in magazines of gardens and would be perfect for a movie scene. Another spot of interest was the small pond that was constructed of stone. In the pond, there were a number of large water pads that enclosed the pink water lilies. Something I found to be interesting was the spirally plant that grew in the water. Small parts of the branches jutted out towards the sky, making it appear to be a stick floating in water. Looking at this pond made me think of a similar one that is back at home and left me feeling a bit nostalgic.