4. Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden

Eastern White Pine grove (Pinus strobus)

Photo: Medi Blum.

One of the earliest exports of the American colonies was eastern white pine, an exceptionally lightweight yet strong timber, often used for ships' masts. Original forests in the eastern U.S. were dominated by Pinus strobus, and early settlers found pines that were 250 feet tall. But the demand for timber in the 18th and 19th centuries ravaged virgin forests of eastern white pine, leaving few trees uncut.

Notable Neighbors:

• 4A. American beech (Fagus grandifolia)
• 4B. Eastern white pine grove (Pinus strobus)
• 4C. China fir
  (Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca')
• 4D. Stinking cedar (Torreya taxifolia)
• 4E. Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum)