The other evening after class I decided to venture over to Graham Spanier’s backyard across Park Ave. and check out the recently completed Arboretum at Penn State. The project, finally completed in the spring of ’09, has been planned since 1996. It took $10 Million in donations in order to finally break ground in 2007.

Along my trip to Graham Spanier’s backyard to the Arboretum and botanical gardens I found a really pleasant locale to study or just relax. There are expansive lawns, fountains, and beautiful flora when blooming.

There is also an amazing sundeck outlined in stone pillars and flowing white drapery. The perfect place for your alumni wedding, except you know… the whole fact that there’s an outhouse 35′ from the mountain-scape viewing platform.

The most impressive feature I found was the stone tile of the deck that had been routed with a map of central Pennsylvania. It was quite compelling.

If you have some time to kill, I urge you to make a trip over to Graham Spanier’s backyard the Arboretum at Penn State to relax and reflect.

EDIT: Evidently I only got to see the first phase of the installation. A major expansion is still in the works. I can’t wait!