Meet Anne Brennan | Plant Records Curator, Ambler Arboretum

For many of us in horticulture, the path to a plant-focused career begins with a moment of awe—something that captures our imagination and never quite lets go. For Anne Brennan, that moment came as a child, drifting through a greenhouse at EPCOT. What started as curiosity bloomed into a lifelong passion for plants, science, and sustainable landscapes. In this interview, Anne shares how early inspirations, unexpected detours, and practical tools have shaped her journey in the field.

When did you know you wanted a career in Horticulture? When I was about 10 years old in the 1970s, my family visited Disney World in Florida, where the EPCOT Center had just opened. I was completely fascinated by the “Living with the Land” exhibit. For those who haven’t been, it’s a boat ride through elaborate greenhouse displays that showcase hydroponics, aquaponics, vertical farming, and other “futuristic” ways of growing food and plants. I’d probably never been inside a greenhouse before, so the endless variety of plants and the environmental message really resonated with me at that age. I was already interested in plants, but that experience truly energized my curiosity.

All these years later, I’m a bit less convinced that high-tech indoor agriculture is always better for people or the planet, especially considering its energy use. These days, I’m more drawn to working with winter-hardy plants and exploring low-tech strategies—like creating microclimates—to push the limits of a given climate. These are methods people have been using for centuries. But that childhood trip to Disney definitely got the ball rolling!

What horticulture event sparked your interest?
When I started college at Pennsylvania State University, I planned to major in Plant Science because I liked both plants and science. But in a twist of fate, I learned from my academic advisor that the undergraduate Plant Science program had just been discontinued. That’s how I ended up in the Horticulture program—almost by accident. At the time, I hadn’t even considered it because I didn’t know what the word horticulture meant! (I wasn’t nearly as well-informed about career paths as teenagers are today.)
It turned out to be a perfect fit. I was relieved to discover that horticulture focuses on the practical application of plant science. I’m grateful I attended a large university with enough program diversity to help me find the right path—even when my original plan didn’t work out.
Another turning point came after college, when I joined Longwood Gardens as an intern. It was there I realized that public gardens offer incredible career opportunities, which I hadn’t known existed. My college education had mostly pointed me toward commercial horticulture, so seeing the behind-the-scenes world of a major public garden had a huge impact on how I viewed the field.

Which garden/nursery tool or aid could you not live without?
Japanese pruning saws—especially the Silky brand—are absolutely unbeatable. Every one I’ve owned has been a joy to use. It’s honestly frustrating to watch people struggle with cheap tools when a high-quality saw can do the job faster, more safely, and with less effort. I currently have three different models, and I use all of them regularly.
 

Somewhat tool-adjacent is my current obsession: chop-and-drop mulching. It’s always easier and more sustainable to leave landscape debris on site rather than haul it away. I have a ton of ostrich ferns in my home landscape, so I harvest entire bunches with pruning shears, separate the fronds, and spread them as mulch between new plantings. Within a few days, the fronds turn brown and blend in with the woodland-inspired aesthetic of the garden. Meanwhile, the ferns grow back quickly and even more beautifully. Many plants work well for this technique, and I use it whenever I can.

What IrisBG report do you find most useful?

I use a version of the Item History (ItemHist01) report almost daily. After a tornado severely damaged our plant collection in September 2021, we began an extensive replanting effort to restore the tree canopy. For a while, we kept a running tally of newly planted trees as a way to track our storm recovery progress.
Now, our focus has shifted to maintenance—specifically, tracking the last time a tree was measured or when its label was checked. The Item History report is ideal for this. It allows us to query changes in Accession status within a given time period, which helps us monitor both restoration progress and ongoing stewardship.
 

What have you found as the most handy IrisBG function to use?
I still have a lot to learn about IrisBG’s advanced capabilities, but one simple feature I really appreciate is the ability to map a tree’s location by dragging and dropping a pin on our basemap.
Before IrisBG, we tried to collect coordinates using phones, Garmin devices, or whatever was on hand. Unfortunately, the low accuracy made for some frustratingly poor maps. But now we’re preparing to implement a high-resolution, drone-captured basemap of our campus, and I’m excited to fully take advantage of this visual mapping feature.

Is there a horticultural experience that taught you a valuable lesson?

Lately, my favorite motto has been: “Bloom where you are planted.” 

Plants have to keep growing in order to stay alive, yet they have very little control over their environment. I find that incredibly inspiring. Old trees especially remind me to focus on the good in my current stage of life, to let go of what I can’t control, and to commit to steady growth that supports the people and community around me—my own little “ecosystem.”