Arboretum Tour: Salt Marsh

Salt Marsh Arboretum is a species diverse landscape bordering on the restored salt marshes of Gooseneck Cove. Estate gardener Devin Skelly will join us for an engaging look at the intensive restoration efforts made, involving the reestablishment of native species. Devin will show us around the arboretum, describe the horticultural and restorative work he has done, and showcase the plant collection. Highlights of the arboretum include a paperbark maple grove, young giant sequoia trees, a collection of buckeyes (Aesculus), and the rare wheel tree (Trochodendron aralioides).

To learn more about Salt Marsh Arboretum visit our page here.

NTC Members: Use your membership code to receive $5 off. The code can also be entered to get tickets two weeks before General Admission opens.

Non-Members:  General admission opens to the public on September 4th. To become a member and gain access to early registration click here

Please note this tour involves standing and walking for the duration of the program time.

We have reserved October 9th as a rain date in case of inclement weather.

Special Features:

PAPERBARK MAPLE GROVE
A grove of 17 paperbark maples, Acer griseum, shade the path where the original house meets a recently built addition. Known for its exceptionally slow growth, stunning exfoliating red bark, and unusual leaf characteristics, these trees are seldom seen planted in these numbers as their slow growth results in very expensive plant material. Each maple was hand-selected from Sylvan Nursery in Westport, MA.

BUCKEYE & HORSECHESTNUT COLLECTION
Four different Aesculus species crown the property, including Bauman Horsechestnut (Aesculus baumanii), Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora), Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia), and Red Horsechestnut (Aesculus x carnea ‘Briotii’).

POLLARDED CATALPA
A pollarded northern catalpa, Catalpa speciosa, graces the west side of the property. This catalpa is thriving under pollarding conditions, and the pollarded canes are reused as garden stakes.

VEGETABLE GARDENS
Salt Marsh’s collections include two lush vegetable gardens. One, overflowing out of a raised bed, is filled with vegetables such as summer squash and zucchini and many mixed flower varieties used for arrangements in the house. The other is seeded vertically on the sides of a contained compost pile.

ESPALIERED PEAR
An espaliered Anjou Pear, Pyrus comunis ‘Anjou’, climbs the southeast face of the house. One can open a window, reach down, and pluck a juicy pear from the vigorous branches below.

GIANT SEQUOIAS
Before Hurricane Sandy hit Rhode Island in 2012, Salt Marsh was home to a 55’ Giant Sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum. During the hurricane, a storm surge caused the marsh water levels to rise up to the property line, inundating large amounts of Salt Marsh’s plant collection with saltwater. Regrettably, the 55’ sequoia was not able to survive the storm and saltwater saturation, and was lost shortly after. Today, two young sequoias, Sequoiadendron giganteum and Sequoiadendron giganteum ‘Powder Blue’, sit in place of the lost giant. Giant sequoias are seen rarely in New England, as most New England states are colder than the hardiness range sequoias can typically survive. However, given the many microclimates found in coastal Newport, the right care and planting location can foster many beautiful cold-sensitive specimen trees.