May 12 – NEW LONDON – One might think that it is difficult to achieve peace 30 meters from the busy Route 32 – a motorway that transports thousands of passengers to and from the city center every day.
But across from Connecticut College’s main entrance on the highway, on a five-acre tract known as the Caroline Black Garden, a sign proudly distinguishes it, among three other botanical gardens in the college’s arboretum, as a peace garden.
Arboretum volunteer Allen Gauthier, pointing out the sign to a group of 16 people who visited the garden on Sunday, said it was “a great honor” to receive the designation, which came May 4, 2001, from the international organization “Gardens for Peace.” This group seeks to promote and achieve world peace “through the universal language of gardens.”
The Caroline Black Garden, also known as the college’s “secret garden,” was opened in 1928 by a woman of the same name. She was the first chair of the botany department and was simultaneously involved in landscaping the entire campus, according to the Connecticut College Arboretum website.
In order to use it as a teaching tool, Black established the garden primarily with native perennials, which Gauthier said included irises. In nearly a century since then, the garden has grown to incorporate much more exotic features, including Japanese maples and stewartia, a flowering tree, along with a Japanese-inspired water garden. In terms of plants, the garden has 226 taxa in total.
According to the website, Black died in 1930, and the college’s board of trustees voted to name the garden in his memory. And while it has grown significantly since then, Gauthier said it hasn’t lost its original intent, which was to be a teaching device.
“An arboretum is for – really – learning. And then disseminating that information,” he said.
Retired Williams School teacher John Sargent, 76, of Quaker Hill, who visits the college’s arboretum three or four times a week, agreed, describing the arboretum as “a constant learning environment” and adding that nature has benefits mental and physical.
As Sargent and others meandered through the labyrinthine pockets of trees, shrubs, flowers and vines interspersed with gorgeous reds, pinks and purples, Gauthier pointed out a few highlights.
He “noted” a hemlock from a volcanic island, along with conifers and cork oaks. Then he showed an imposing beech tree whose branches were full of red leaves. As Gauthier talked, little could be heard of Route 32 traffic – more apparent were the sounds of birds and falling water.
One of the last stops Gauthier made before leading visitors back through a wooden gate into the garden was at Opuntia cespitosa, more commonly known as the eastern prickly pear. He said it wasn’t in bloom yet, but it has been known to have beautiful flowers in June.
Once the tour was over and Sargent was standing at the entrance to the garden, he reflected on its tranquility and wide variety of plants.
“We are nature lovers for a reason,” he said. “And we like going to the same place.”
“I think this garden is particularly peaceful,” Sargent added. “It’s a sanctuary in a city. Like rooms in a shipping container, where you feel away from the usual hustle and bustle.”
Across the yard, at the Winchester Apartments, Liam Merrill, a third-year quantitative economics student at Connecticut College, was packing his belongings into his car after finishing his final final. He compared the secret garden to the “garden of Eden” and said he and his friends visit it for walks.
“Yes, it’s good,” he added.
d.drainville@theday.com
