Photo credit: Bob Blacksberg
Trees and flowers and herbs, oh my! Take a walk around PAH’s vibrant, but therapeutic grounds, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by dozens of types of plants and greenery, all of which are managed by lead horticulturist Dan Bangert and his grounds-keeping team. To learn more about how this small but mighty group ensures PAH’s gardens and green spaces shine all year round, check out this month’s issue of System News.
Gardens by the Numbers:
- 15,000 bulbs purchased annually
- 67 years of combined landscaping experience
- 45 tree species on campus
- 25 unique flower varieties planted this summer
- 12.5 acres maintained by the team
- 10 gardens managed across campus
Groundskeeper Favorites:
- “My favorite plant changes all the time because I like to pique curiosities. Right now, it’s the Alocasia portadora, or ‘elephant ear’ plant.” — Dan Bangert
- “I love the weeping cherry in the Harte Garden. It was young when I started at PAH 32 years ago, so I’ve been able to watch it grow.” — Earl Johnson
- “I like the hibiscus near the main entrance. The large red blooms remind me of Hawaii and traveling with my family.” — Steve Alessandro
- “The magenta petunias were the first flower I planted here, so it’s been exciting to see how quickly they’ve flourished.” — Nick Sambucetti
