Elizabeth P. McLean, CW'51, G'53

In 27 years, Morris Arboretum lover and noted garden historian Elizabeth McLean has watched its remarkable transformation.

What was once a sleepy nature preserve “where Chestnut Hill residents walked their dogs,” as she says, is now the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with close to 100,000 visitors a year, one of the world’s largest collections of plant species, and extensive educational outreach. Elizabeth, who has served three terms as an Arboretum Overseer and has chaired its plant science committee, says the Arboretum is raising ”environmental consciousness” and instilling greater awareness of the “contributions of plants to ecology, culture, and aesthetics.” Arboretum Director Paul Meyer says “There are few people who understand the depth and breadth of the Arboretum’s mission better than Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth and her husband, William McLean III, have supported botanical research, exhibits, and collaborative efforts among gardens. In one of their most ambitious ventures – the McLean Natural Areas Land Management Endowment – the couple has given the Arboretum a leading role in land conservation and stewardship in the Delaware Valley. The McLeans have also established endowments to bring staff salaries at the Arboretum in line with the national average for the industry and to support an education internship as part of the Arboretum’s educational outreach to professionals, families, and children. A noted garden historian, Elizabeth McLean describes herself as simply “someone who loves plants and what they can do.”

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