He is a doctor whose pioneering research and development work helped to eliminate an infectious disease that once struck thousands of children each year. She is a four-decade resident of the Vineyard and a pioneer in her own right, an avant garde horticulturalist whose work in her North Tisbury arboretum has received national recognition.
State environmental affairs secretary Trudy Coxe this week contributed the state’s share of $300,000 towards the preservation of the Polly Hill Arboretum Inc.
Before an audience of 60 people at the Barnard Inn Farm in West Tisbury on Tuesday, the state environmental affairs secretary praised the efforts of Polly Hill and the unusual partnership that has arisen with David H. Smith and his foundation.
During an afternoon trip to North Tisbury last week, Lieut. Gov. Paul Cellucci and the David H. Smith Foundation revealed an ambitious joint plan for preserving Barnard’s Inn Farm, a historic 60-acre farmstead and home to a distinguished arboretum.
The property, located on State Road near the Island’s new fairground, is considered important for several reasons, including its geological significance and its role in defining the rural character of North Tisbury.
Prominent conservationists announced yesterday that they have acquired Barnard’s Inn Farm, a 60-acre parcel of land in West Tisbury that is highlighted by the arboretum created by Mary Louisa (Polly) Hill.
The property is important for several reasons. The farm is considered a key element in the rural stretch in the north part of town. It links several important pieces of conservation land.
The Polly Hill Arboretum has appointed Stephen A. Spongberg as its first executive director, effective Feb. 16.
Recognized as one of the world’s leading horticulturists, Mr. Spongberg is currently the horticultural taxonomist at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.
For years the Polly Hill Arboretum was the secret treasure of a select few — friends and acquaintances of Mrs. Hill, people with a special interest in horticulture or gardening, and Island residents and visitors who stumbled upon the peaceful refuge by chance.
An unassuming little European plant called Carex disticha, or Brown sedge, was discovered last year on the shore of Sengekontacket Pond. It is the first found in the United States.
