Tyler Arboretum

Purpose: Sustaining Cultural Heritage The Tyler Arboretum's Wister Rhododendron Garden Improvement Project is a $2.2 million, multiyear phased stewardship project that supports the Arboretum's mission to preserve, develop, and share its diverse horticultural, historical, and natural site resources in order to stimulate an understanding of the living world. The collection has served multiple purposes over the years: as a trial plant collection, for plant-breeding work, and for educational programs. This grant will support phase 1 of the Improvement Project, which involves preliminary collections care and evaluation. The goals for the project are (1) stabilization and care of the collection-controlling and removing invasive plants, pruning the canopy, and removing aging trees to protect the exhibit; (2) enhancing accessibility and wayfinding-restructuring and reconfiguring paths to eliminate redundancy and confusion, repairing eroded areas, implementing new storm water management, improving growing conditions, and installing new directional signage; and (3) curatorial evaluation and planning for the new exhibit-assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the collection, its historical significance, rare cultivars, aesthetic and display contributions, and educational value. A research report will include recommendations for exhibit enhancement.