When is an arboretum more than just a collection of trees? When it is also part of a residential community that throws out the welcome mat and invites everybody to enjoy the peace and serenity of their grounds.
Lewis Barton Arboretum and Nature Preserve is part of the grounds of the Medford Leas Continuing Care Community, a Quaker-run residential center for older adults. And following the Quaker values of community, equality and stewardship, you don’t have to be a resident to enjoy the 168 acres of landscaped gardens, natural meadows and thick woodlands.
Take yourself on a self-guided tour through the trails that wind through the grounds. And if you have a question about what you see growing, you don’t have to look far. The committee that cares for the arboretum has very thoughtfully inserted plaques so you know what kinds of trees you are looking at. And with almost 1,400 trees on the property, there’s lots to look at – beech, Virginia pine, ironwood, sycamore, sweet gum and oaks dominate but lots of other species thrive there, too.
Bring your camera so you can snap pix of the specialty collections which bloom throughout the grounds -- rhododendron, crabapple, holly, virburnum and the Pinetum which includes numerous of exotic species of pine from Europe and Asia.