Kendal-Crosslands gets arboretum status

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on May 1, 2013

The idea of walking in the green has taken on a broader meaning. The Kendal-Crosslands retirement facility has been granted arboretum status. It’s what horticulturist Casey Groff calls a residential, or live-in, arboretum.

But people don’t have to be residents of the community to walk the grounds. Visitors are welcome to stop in and enjoy the property. All that’s requested is that they check in at the reception desk in the main building. There they can get a map and walk or bicycle on a self-guided tour.

Katsura-Tree — In the autumn, a Katsura Tree — one of the more than 70 species at Kendal- Crosslands — smells like cotton candy, according to horticulturist Casey Groff.

Kendal-Crosslands is roughly 500 acres that’s both residential and open woods and meadows, Groff said. Morton Register of Arboreta in Illinois granted the arboretum status on March 4.

That status was the result of efforts by the residents, the staff and the Brandywine Conservancy, Groff said. The residents walked the area and identified various species of trees that they liked and were representative of the property. They selected 35. From there, Groff and his staff worked with the conservancy, mapping the property and making the request to Morton.

He said there are several levels of arboretum status. Level One, which is what K-C achieved, only needs 25 species. They might apply for another level since there are more than 70 species in the official collection, and likely many more than that.

“This is not a finished project,” Groff said.

Michele Berardi, the director of marketing and community relations, said having the arboretum open to the general public fits the facility’s goals based on its Quaker values.

“We encourage and welcome all people,” she said. “We want to promote a sense of community and take responsibility in the larger community.”

The arboretum also encourages practices that sustain the environment, Berardi said.

Several arboreta in the area have Quaker roots. They include Bartram Gardens, Tyler Arboretum and what is now Longwood Gardens among others.

The entrance to Kendal is on Route 1 near Route 52, while the entrance to Crosslands is off Route 926.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.