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Basilica by Daniel Popper at Morton Arboretum

Photo essay: Human+Nature at The Morton Arboretum

May 4, 2022  |  Topics: Places


By Eddee Daniel

What is an arboretum? I’ve seen a variety of different kinds—and different sizes. Our Milwaukee Rotary Centennial Arboretum, established in 2013, weighs in at 40 acres. By contrast, the Morton Arboretum, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, sprawls across 1,700 acres just west of Chicago. What makes an arboretum an arboretum? You can generally count on finding trees and other plants that have been deliberately cultivated. At the Morton Arboretum you will see these and much, much more. Monumental art, for example.

As we wait and wait for spring to arrive in earnest here in Wisconsin, I bring you a taste of summer to come in a photo essay about my visit to the Morton Arboretum, which occurred last August.

The five monumental sculptures by internationally renowned artist Daniel Popper were the immediate impetus for my visit, but the Morton had been on my short list of places to go for quite some time. According to the Morton’s website, two more sculptures are to be added in June of this year. Perhaps another excursion is in order! In addition to the new sculptures, I only had time to sample the beauty of its 1,700 acres.

"Hallow" a monumental sculpture by Daniel Popper
“Hallow” by Daniel Popper
Goldenrod foregrounds one of the arboretum's ponds
Goldenrod foregrounds one of the arboretum’s many bodies of water
"Sentient" a monumental sculpture by Daniel Popper
“Sentient” by Daniel Popper
The Maze Garden
The Maze Garden
Rough blazing star
Rough blazing star
A pond in the Children's Garden
A pond in the Children’s Garden
"Heartwood" a monumental sculpture by Daniel Popper
“Heartwood” by Daniel Popper
A woodland panorama
A woodland panorama
Playing in the mist in the Children's Garden
Playing in the mist in the Children’s Garden
The Children's Garden boasts a kid-scaled canopy walk
The Children’s Garden boasts a kid-scaled canopy walk
Callery Pear tree
Callery Pear tree
Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake
"UMI" a monumental sculpture by Daniel Popper
“UMI” by Daniel Popper
An expansive meadow
An expansive meadow
A sea of black-eyed Susans
A meadow full of goldenrod
A meadow full of goldenrod
A pollen-laden bumblebee visits a thistle bloom
A pollen-laden bumblebee visits a thistle bloom
"Basilica" by Daniel Popper
“Basilica” by Daniel Popper
Goldenrain tree

For more information about the Morton Arboretum, or to reserve in advance your timed tickets, visit its website.

Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks.