Exploring the Trees of Washington Square with Tony Aiello and Andrew Bunting

Anthony Aiello is Associate Director of Horticulture at the Scott Arboretum and Gardens, where he oversees plant collections and horticulture across the Swarthmore College campus. Previously, he served as Associate Director, Collections at Longwood Gardens, where he participated in tree conservation, plant exploration and evaluation, and collections development. Aiello served for over 20 years as the Director of Horticulture and Curator at the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, where he managed their historic gardens and living collections. These positions have allowed him to travel throughout the U.S., Europe, China, and Japan to find novel plants suitable for growing in the Delaware Valley.  

He has a B.S. from Cornell University and M.S. from Purdue University and chaired the North America-China Plant Exploration Consortium (NACPEC) and participated in taxonomy and plant collections committees. Tony’s interests include temperate trees and shrubs, in particular oaks, maples, hollies, witchhazels, and flowering cherries, as well as economic botany and the history of horticulture. He has written extensively about his travels, as well as his historic and plant interests. 

Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices at PHS. Andrew has elevated each of the departments he oversees and has increased the brand and visibility of PHS through their respective work.

Andrew received his B.S. in Plant and Soil Science from Southern Illinois University. Prior to arriving at PHS, Andrew worked at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Chanticleer Garden, and the Scott Arboretum for a tenure of 27 years. He has received the American Public Gardens Association’s Professional Citation, Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development, and the Certificate of Merit from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. He also serves on the Board of Magnolia Society International. Andrew published his first book in 2015, “The Plant Lover’s Guide to Magnolias.”