The purpose of this project is a redesign of the herbaceous layer of vegetation in the Morris Arboretum visitor’s parking lot planting beds, which will create a memorable first impression as visitors enter the gardens. Currently the gardens lack cohesion, require a disproportionate amount of maintenance, and don’t provide multi-seasonal interest. After researching matrix design, herbaceous perennials were selected that suited conditions in the first phase of the design. The plants were successfully planted, and the majority of the species have established. Plant recommendations for future phases will guide the redesign of the remainder of the planting beds
