In Memoriam: Marty Brooks

We are saddened to recognize the recent passing of Marty Brooks, a prominent member from the ACS Northeast Region. Marty was best characterized by the phrase "He has dared to innovate, dared to be different." Marty graduated from the Delaware Valley College of Science & Agriculture in 1954. He went on to garden design and worked with unusual plants that were emerging, including ornamental conifers. Marty discovered a 1938 edition of Murray Homibrook's Dwarf and Slow Growing Conifers. He insightfully reasoned that future home sites would get smaller, and dwarf conifers would play a more important role in home landscapes.

Early in his career, Marty won several important design awards that helped build his reputation and clientele. He had a knack for finding mature specimen plants from estates and other sources. These specimens were the beginning of the Martin Brooks Rare Plant Nursery and its accompanying arboretum. In 1978, Marty quit the landscape design work and began to concentrate on his specialized nursery.

Marty's trees, frequently in the ground for a minimum of 10 years, are expertly grown without the use of herbicides or fertilizers. He felt it was essential to hand dig any tree that he sold, even though they were at least 10 to 20 feet tall. He was also widely known throughout the nursery industry as a pioneer and promoter of grafted conifers.

Marty was a recognized authority on the value of trees and was frequently consulted by people wanting valuations for insurance claims, appraisals, and donations for tax purposes. He was generous with his support and personal involvement with Delaware Valley College, including encouragement for those who are working toward a career in the nursery industry. This included educational trips to his nursery.

Marty was well respected by conifer enthusiasts and was a go-to source for specimen-sized plants, particularly among universities, arboreta, and botanical gardens. He was often seen strolling around ACS events, ala George Bums, with his trademark cigar in hand.

In 2009, Marty received the Justin C. “Chub” Harper Award of Merit for Development in the Field of Conifers.

Marty will be greatly missed and long remembered for his contributions to our community.

For more information, please visit: Martin Brooks Obituary September 30, 2025 - Reed and Steinbach Funeral Home