Aiken’s World-Class Arboretum Finally Recognized in City Of Aiken Plan

by Don Moniak
September 10, 2023

An arboretum is generally defined as “a place where trees and other woody plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes.” 

More expansive descriptions include: 

  • “A botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific research, but also to generate interest and enhance knowledge about plants and wooded environments in order to enhance life, preserve nature, and advance sound sustainability practises.” (Vendatu.com) 
  • “A botanical garden specializing in trees or woody plants. Arboreta across the globe conduct scientific research and conservation, engage in public outreach and education, and manage beautiful and diverse tree collections.”(Arbnet.org) 

There is an arboretum in and around the City of Aiken, but it is not officially the City of Aiken’s Arboretum. Unlike arboretums across the country and around the world, it cannot be found on a map. Many people are aware of the Arboretum Tree Trail on Colleton Avenue that extends to Hopeland Gardens; but those locations only provide a sample of the much larger city-wide Arboretum. 

Bob McCartney, a Woodlanders, Inc. plant nursery co-founder, and unofficial Arboretum curator, describes the evolution of the Arboretum in Aiken as follows: 

“Forty years ago the founders of Woodlanders, Inc., a new plant nursery in Aiken was authorized by then City Manager Roland Windham to begin planting in Aiken’s parkways and suitable public spaces rare, unusual, and seldom available trees; kinds rarely seen in municipal treescapes .  He cautioned against planting in places that would be problematic or hazardous.  

As a rare plant nursery Woodlanders had access to or was able to propagate trees from worldwide sources.   Over the decades Aiken’s already diverse tree collection evolved into a most unique municipal treescape; a virtual “Arboretum” without the official designation of an Arboretum. 

 Among the hundreds of prominent arboreta in the world, Aiken’s is unique.  There are no  hard  boundaries; only a big circle 8 miles in diameter centered on the junction of Laurens Street and Richland Avenue.   Aiken’s soils, mild climate, ample space, City acceptance, and Woodlanders’ generosity have made it possible to create such a collection embracing public properties along with readily seen specimens on many private properties including the 2100 acre Hitchcock Woods preserve.” 

Bob McCartney describes the history a specimen of Osmanthus latifolia, a species of Tea Olive, during an April 2023, Arboretum “sample tour.” The original cutting for this tree originated at the University of Georgia Founder’s Garden. (Photo: Don Moniak)

The word “arboretum” is missing from the existing City of Aiken Comprehensive Plan. It is not listed as a “unique area” or as a “natural resource.”

When the City of Aiken updated its Comprehensive Plan this year, the word “arboretum” remained absent from the final draft.  After Aiken City Council approved that draft at the first Comprehensive Plan update public hearing on August 14th, Mr. McCartney brought the omission to the attention of City officials. Two weeks later, the Aiken Arboretum Trail was introduced as a Cultural Resource on Page 120 of the draft plan:

At Council’s August 28th meeting, City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh announced this inclusion was one of two changes to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, and added: “we need to further amend it to include the entire Arboretum”—citing “several conversations (he had) with the founder of the Arboretum Trail, Bob McCartney.”

This Second Hearing on the Comprehensive Plan was delayed due to a outdated and irrelevant reference in the plan to future widening of Whiskey Road and paving of the dirt portion of Two Notch Road. The proposals are obsolete and should never have been included as part of the plan.

The delay provided an opportunity to provide a more expansive view of the Arboretum, although it remains identified under the title of the trail that might symbolize the Arboretum, but remains only a sample of it.

The latest recognition of the Arboretum in and around the City of Aiken in the City’s Draft Comprehensive Plan Update.

Still, recognizing the existence of the Arboretum is a good start towards developing a wider awareness and appreciation of this world-class educational and scientific resource.

Bob McCartney offers this summary of future needs: 

“For the arboretum to be an ongoing thing and to continue, it will need public support, a funded curator, possibly a benefactor, and an administration and staff [City] that can comprehend and appreciate the concept, purpose, and public value of an arboretum.”

Google Earth Streetscape view of one of the Arboretum’s Hawthorne tree and shrub gardens on City of Aiken property in North Aiken. Arboretum co-founder and curator Bob McCartney happened to be visiting the specimens when the Google camera car recorded the moment.

Feature Photo: “The Arboretum along a one-mile stretch between Park Avenue and the railroad features unique, unusual, and sometimes rare Oak specimens spaced every 55 feet.”

(This is the first story in an intermittent series of Arboretum-related articles.)