Horticulture: New Accreditation from Arbnet

Published on January 05, 2025

PINECREST GARDENS GAINS ARBORETUM RECOGNITION

Following a rigorous application process, Pinecrest Gardens received accreditation as an arboretum that identified trees and shrubs that are significant components of the collections, the landscape design, its programming, and the visitor experience. There are 2,548 arboreta registered worldwide. Of those, only 724 are accredited, forming the prestigious Arbnet network and collaborative community in 40 countries. Pinecrest Gardens is now one of them.

Arboreta are gardens that focus on woody plants via display, identification, education, and research. Some public gardens grow and display trees and shrubs to the exclusion of other plants, while many include them as part of their diverse collections.

Trees and woody shrubs form an essential component of Pinecrest Gardens’ identity. Magnificent old-growth Bald cypresses, large Southern Live Oaks, and various native hammock species originally attracted the Scherr family as they searched for a possible public garden site. Parrot Jungle’s landscaping concept quickly expanded, and so, too did the planting of exotic trees and shrubs. The growing tourist attraction became famous for its lush setting as much as for its bird shows.

The eventual acquisition of Parrot Jungle by the Village of Pinecrest renewed emphasis on the gardens, and a profound effort was made to conserve and improve the condition of many of the old specimen trees, as well as to plant new species for public display. The gardens are now maintained as a living museum, with inventorying and labeling of plant collections. Recognition of specific collections is under development. The gardens have many different species that can be divided into narrow groups: crotons, palms, and bamboo, for example, but gathering them all into large, easily understood categories is also worthwhile.