Garden Detective

The class took its final field trips last Thursday, visiting Hofstra University in Hempstead in the morning and Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson in the afternoon. Our guides at each location were their respective big Kahunas.

At Hofstra, Fred Soviero, the director of grounds and landscaping there, led us through much of the 240-acre campus, about half of which is maintained with donated funds. Many of the gardens and individual trees in the arboretum have been planted in memoriam or dedicated to past administrators, alumni and students who have passed away. As such, once installed, their upkeep is guaranteed in perpetuity.

Soviero is meticulous about keeping the University's end of the bargain. With a scant crew of 25 (amounting to approximately 12 acres of maintenance per crew member), he oversees the upkeep of thousands of plants and trees, implementing an integrated pest management approach to ensure the safety and well-being of the thousands of students, employees and visitors who traipse through the campus every year.

First stop: The bird sanctuary. This 2-acre sanctuary, installed in a sump, serves as an educational prototype for all of New York State. It receives 363-day-a-year attention that rivals that at Walt Disney World. The plantings, however, do not.

Here, it's all wild and natural, with most of the plants seeded by wind and birds. And even though it's made up mostly of weeds, it provides water, food, shelter and a place to rest for migrating birds. Plus, it offers a nice, peaceful respite for humans, especially in the area beside the pond.

Elsewhere on the campus, there's a pinetum, a formal labyrinth and a sensory garden with braille plant tags and sweetly scented flora.

The Hofstra campus is a member of the American Public Gardens Association, one of only 430 arboreta in the United States, and certainly worth a visit. To see what's in bloom there at any given time, click here and select "In Bloom" from the left side of the page.

At Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson, the very charismatic Jenny Ulsheimer took the class on an entertaining and educational journey through the 12-acre "living museum and educational facility."

Ulsheimer, director of horticulture at Clark, introduced us to the Garden's collections of native wildflowers, conifers, roses, perennials, wetland plants, rock garden and -- my favorites -- its herb and butterfly gardens. Tropical plants, such as banana trees and elephant ears (the largest I've ever seen) add a wow factor to Clark's appeal.

She also runs a wonderful educational program for kids (currently filled at its 60-participant capacity) that not only teaches them about but involves them in hands-on gardening. I can't think of a better leader to mold children's passion and get them excited about gardening than Ulsheimer, whose own passion and exuberance is contagious.