the nightgown gardener

05/26/2026

Early May in this woodland garden in Pennsylvania is full of bright blooms and equally vibrant and colorful foliage.

05/26/2026

Check out a mix of beautiful spring blooms and interest in a frequent contributors garden during early May.

05/24/2026

05/24/2026

05/24/2026

THE MORE THAT I SEE photographs of gravel gardens and the more that I learn about this gardening style, which besides its distinctive aesthetic appeal promises to be water-wise and weed-suppressing, the more I want

05/24/2026

🎉 Happy birthday to us! 🎉 On this day 50 years ago, Jenkins welcomed our first few visitors to walk the paths and view a newly-planted garden. Since then, we have grown to welcome more than 90,000 visitors each year to enjoy our diverse plant collections, educational programs, and special events. ⁠
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This newspaper clipping (bottom left) from 1976 announces Jenkins' opening, describing the gardens as filled with "all sorts of little woodland goodies." Our first employee, Leonard Sweetman, can be spotted crouching among a blooming rhododendron (top right) in a photo included with the article. Even in our early days, rhododendrons paired with "woodland goodies" were the highlights of the garden.

On this special day, we are SO grateful for our founders: H. Lawrence and Elisabeth Phillippe Jenkins (top left) and Louisa Browning (bottom right). We wish they could see what their generosity and foresight has grown to become!
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Show the gardens some birthday love by sharing your favorite Jenkins memory in the comments! 🌺💕 ⁠ ⁠ ⁠

05/24/2026

Stopped in to pick up freeze dried/ dehydrated mealworms for my song birds to Uhler's Seed & Feed in Malvern PA today.

They literally have the prettiest hanging baskets I’ve seen anywhere and they have hanging baskets that are all lavender. When I was looking at them, I thought you could do that with Rosemary too, and it’s just such a brilliant idea and they smelled so good.

I love supporting local businesses, and I like a place where I can buy literally my feet and seed in bulk because it’s higher quality and it’s actually less expensive. Plus they have great plants this time of year.

05/24/2026

PRIVACY ALERT: Thousands of Emerald Green Arborvitaes are hitting the stores for the best prices around! 3 Gallon arborvites for only $19.99 starting tomorrow!

05/24/2026

On this weekend 50 years ago, Jenkins opened its gates to the community…and what a fun five decades it’s been!

Over the years, we’ve created countless memories together - building the bog garden, marveling at giant Monarch butterflies, exploring the gardens on guided tours, celebrating the beauty of every season, sharing our love of nature with generations of visitors, and so much more.

Thank you for growing with us over the past 50 years. Here’s to the memories we’ve made together, and all the moments still to come!

Help support the future of Jenkins by becoming a member today. Memberships begin at just $50 - perfect for our 50th anniversary year! Follow the link to join or renew: https://www.jenkinsarboretum.org/membership/

05/22/2026

Pink Leda Today was a little rain gardening, but it wasn’t so rainy that I was miserable. I planted two trees and three shrubs, and then I had to move the big limb that the tulip poplar in the back…

12/01/2025

Explore a picturesque garden in Pennsylvania with late season blooms and vibrant fall foliage. Share your autumn garden photos with us!