Japanese Garden Inventory and Management Plan for Maymont Park - Richmond, VA

Abstract

A woody plant inventory was conducted at Maymont Park in Richmond, VA to assess species composition and plant condition of its Japanese garden. This garden has changed significantly over the years, thus requiring a plant inventory. A global positioning system (GPS) unit and data logger were used to locate plants and document their characteristics. Management needs, plant condition, geographic coordinates, accession dates, and trunk diameter were recorded for each of the 333 specimens inventoried in the garden. The projectâ s overall goal was to provide recommendations to help Maymont staff make sound arboricultural decisions. The project was also a pilot to develop a plant inventory protocol for the other 106 acres of the Park. The majority of inventoried trees had 0.5â 10 inch trunk diameter at breast height with a few trees measuring over 40 inches. These data revealed that the plant collection consists of mostly smaller, immature trees and that most will need a high level of care to maintain the gardenâ s longevity. The five most abundant species were bald cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.; 18.6%); â Yoshinoâ Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica (L.f.) D. Don; 10.8%); Japanese maple (Acer palmatum Thunb.; 9.9%); loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.; 8.1%); and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.; 4.5%). The inventory revealed that mulching, pruning, and tree removal were the most common management needs. Although the garden needs attention in some areas, it is in good condition overall.