Ambler Campus, Temple University

A place of quiet tranquility. A place of healing. A place of research. A place of history.

The Ambler Arboretum of Temple University is a living treasure that provides experiences and resources as diverse as the people who study, conduct research, or simply stroll through them.

On Saturday, September 26, the gardens at Temple University Ambler will take center stage at the 4th annual Rhapsody in Bloom. The event, celebrating the diversity and history of the Ambler Arboretum, will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Colibraro Conifer Garden and the Ambler Campus Greenhouse.

“The gardens that comprise the Ambler Arboretum and the campus itself have such a wonderful history and have enriched the lives of so many for nearly 100 years! Some of the most accomplished horticulturists and landscape architects studied and taught here,” said Linda Lowe, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs at Temple University Ambler. “We invite everyone join us for an evening of merriment and mingling in the campus gardens. Now, of course, no garden lover is too worried about getting a little dirty, so we suggest they dress in cocktail casual with turf-tolerant shoes!”

Rhapsody in Bloom will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the grounds near the Campus Greenhouse, home to the Colibraro Conifer Garden, which will be formally dedicated in the coming year. A silent auction benefitting the Ambler Arboretum will follow. Sponsored by Michael Colibraro of Colibraro Landscape and Nursery, Inc., the Colibraro Conifer Garden, the newest addition to the Arboretum, includes many exquisite dwarf cultivars from his own collection. Students will be able to compare and contrast different forms of the same species and enjoy beautiful texture and form year-round.

“We have some fantastic auction items this year,” Lowe said. “We couldn’t ask for better support for this special event and for the Arboretum in general from our alumni and the community.”

Proceeds from the fourth annual Rhapsody in Bloom garden party will help support and maintain the Ambler Arboretum, the gardens of which are an important resource for students, faculty, and visitors alike.

“The event marks an opportunity to showcase the Arboretum and the Campus to our many friends who have supported us through the years, to show them what is new and beautiful and also what remains perpetually charming and enchanting, especially in the evening twilight,” said Temple University Ambler Dean Dr. James W. Hilty. “This is a time, too, for us to open the doors to new friends and potential supporters, to introduce ourselves and our ambitions to the community at large and to friends in the gardening and landscape community. We promise an informal evening of good food, good cheer, amid our stunning gardens.”

Honorary event chairs for Rhapsody in Bloom are Carole and Rick Collier.

Tickets for Rhapsody in Bloom are: Benefactor level - $150 per person; Patron level - $100 per person; and Individual - $75 per person. All proceeds support the Arboretum endowment fund.

“As the nation experiences a year of change, so has the Ambler College and Campus. Our College has a new name — the School of Environmental Design in the College of Liberal Arts,” said Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey. “The Landscape Arboretum of Temple University Ambler is also now fondly called the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University."

Temple University Ambler has a long history of horticulture and landscape design. Established as the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women in 1910, the 187-acre campus represents a unique mix of natural and designed landscapes. The gardens serve as excellent outdoor learning laboratories for numerous classes and as a source of inspiration for the campus and local communities.

The Ambler Arboretum has a diverse range of learning gardens including a formal perennial garden, an herb garden, a groundcover garden, a native plant garden, a rock wall, a woodland garden, a sustainable wetland garden, an annual trial garden, a green roof garden, a winter garden, and a healing garden.

The mission of the Ambler Arboretum is to serve as a living, learning laboratory that promotes love and knowledge of horticulture, understanding of the relationship between people and the environment, and awareness of both the need for and means to achieve greater environmental responsibility. The Landscape Arboretum is committed to celebrating the achievements of the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women and preserving the historic significance of the campus. Its three areas of focus are sustainability, the health benefits of gardens, and the history of women in horticulture, agriculture, and design.

For more information on the Landscape Arboretum, visit www.temple.edu/ambler/arboretum.

For more information on Rhapsody in Bloom, contact Linda Lowe at 267-468-8440 or linda.lowe@temple.edu.