The Beauty of the Arboretum

I was not expecting much going to the Arboretum on a cold, Fall morning.   By now, I thought most of the plants would be dead or transported to another area to save them before it gets too cold.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that all the plants thriving and looking just as striking as the last time I was there.  The last time I went to the Arboretum was two years ago to take pictures with my sister during her spring graduation.  During the spring, the Arboretum looks astounding, with the flowers blossoming and the vivid colors of the plants catching your eye.  I really enjoyed going to the Arboretum during class because of the awesome landscape, the beautiful plants and the overall serenity of the gardens.  

The most beautiful substances in the world are not created by humans; they are the natural views and objects that are bestowed upon us by nature.  I am a nature lover because I am often blown away by what nature has to offer.  At the Arboretum, it is very easy to see why many people love nature.  The plants range from sunflowers to trees and are extremely colorful.  Many of the plants are very brightly colored and easily stand out.  There are many different and unique plants that you may not expect to see.  For example, there was a Palm tree, which is the first Palm tree I have ever seen at Penn State.  The set up and structure of the Arboretum helps make the plants look even better because of the flow and organization.  They have all of the brightly colored flowers next to each other which help each plant stand out even more because of the contrast of the colors.  Nature has so much to offer to the world and the Arboretum perfectly shows people the serenity and beauty of nature.

The Arboretum offers a valuable and unique experience every single time you go.  Visiting the Arboretum with the class is different than going there alone.  With the class, it was more of a social and academic visit.  Going alone would be a more peaceful and serene time where you can observe the beauties of nature and collect your thoughts.  The Arboretum is often overlooked and outshined by many of the other various arts and non-arts experience here at Penn State.  I plan on going back to the Arboretum a few times throughout the semester.  I want to go with friends to hike on the paths that surround it and also go alone to get some peace away from the classrooms and dorms.  I can imagine myself going back a few times to try and get the full experience of everything that the Arboretum has to offer.

When people here at Penn State first think of the Arboretum, they would most likely think of all the beautiful plants there.  Although the Arboretum is filled with thousands of plants, there is so much more to experience there than just that.  My favorite part about the Arboretum is the incredible view of the mountains.  Sitting down under the massive, white tarp and staring out into the fields that seem to last forever is an incredible experience.  I was taken away by the beauty of these mountains that surround our school.  Beyond the just the views, there is also awesome landscape and architecture that make the Arboretum what it is.  The building is brand new and built in a way that fits in with all the natural substances around it.  It has a lot of open space in it and is surrounded by large, thin trees.  The Arboretum has a lot to offer and some of the best parts aren’t even the plants.

 

I am really glad that I got to go to the Arboretum again and I can’t wait to go again.  Wandering around the gardens, observing the beauty of the mountains and taking in nature as a whole is truly a unique and breathtaking experience there.  The beauty of the plants and tremendous views are the two things that stick out to me there.  Overall, I am truly lucky to go to a school that offers so many different opportunities and experiences that include observing nature and the beauty of our world.