Join the Arnold Arboretum on November 2 at 1 pm for an art reception celebrating the opening of Intimate Vistas: Images of Tree Bark. Photographer Marc Goldring’s work has always centered on finding the mysterious in the commonplace and bringing attention to objects and features which we otherwise might not have noticed at all. In this show, Marc attends to the bark of trees. He brings the camera in close to look at the details of the extraordinary variety of textures, colors and shapes of the bark of trees. Familiar or relatively exotic, the tree’s bark tells a story about the life of the tree, both of the species and of the particular individual. In this way we can better connect to, and understand on a visceral level, these common yet alien beings.
Intimate Vistas will be available for viewing in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall through late February 2025. Free, but register for the reception at www.arboretum.harvard.edu
Please join The Arnold Arboretum on September 21 for a reception celebrating the opening of Ghost Trees, a digital art show presented in augmented reality which celebrates the lives of five iconic Arboretum trees. Artist Sonia Ralston has skillfully recreated these beloved trees as 3-D digital models: visitors can scan a QR code and see these trees superimposed on the landscape behind them, experiencing them as they once stood.
Timeline for the reception:
1:00–2:00pm: Refreshments and rendering viewings in the lecture hall.
2:00–2:20pm: Artist talk
2:30–3:00pm: Half mile walk in landscape to view two Ghost Trees in their original settings.
Accessibility: The Hunnewell Lecture Hall is wheelchair accessible. The outdoor portion will be on paved, level roads. Free, but registration required at www.arboretum.harvard.edu
The Arnold Arboretum is full of plants that can be used to make alcohol. We have the classics like grapes, hops, and juniper, as well as ingredients for more obscure liquors and liqueurs like sweet birch, spruce, and bamboo. Join Manager of Adult Programming and Events Sarah Nechamen in front of the Hunnewell Building on September 14 at 2 pm for a free walk to explore these plants and the spirits they create. This program unfortunately does not involve sampling alcoholic beverages. The group is limited to 24, so sign up now at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/events/
Accessibility: This walk will include paved roads, mulch paths, and mowed grass. We will ascend and descend some gradual hills. Participants will be notified via email at least 24 hours in advance if a program needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather, and will be notified by phone if a program must be cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice. Click here to view our full inclement weather policy. If you have questions about the status of a program, please email publicprograms@arnarb.harvard.edu or call the Visitor Center desk between 10:00am and 4:00pm at (617) 384-5209.
In this Arnold Arboretum experimental photography workshop on September 8 from 10 – 12 led by local artist and scientist Jess Holz, participants create ‘paintings’ using microscopic plankton collected from the Arboretum’s ponds. Participants use a microscope in combination with software which creates video akin to timelapse photography- acting at the decisive moment, participants snap photos of the trails created by these microscopic creatures. Participants will learn basic identification of microscopic pond life while getting a fascinating glimpse into their dynamic behavior, such as the helical paths of flagellates and the water currents generated by rotifers as they feed. Register at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/events/
How can you tell different goldenrods apart? How can you use shape and scent to identify a plant? And what exactly is that aster in your backyard? Join Arnold Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan for a Native Wildflower Identification class to answer these questions and more, and find out which ones to plant in your garden along the way. This program takes place at the pollinator meadow at Weld Hill, a haven for native wildflowers at the Arboretum. The program is on Saturday, September 7 at 2 pm. Register at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/events/
Did you know you can eat staghorn sumac berries? What about stinging nettle? Join local foraging expert Tyler Akabane at the Centre Street Gate of the Arnold Arboretum on Sunday, September 1 at 2 pm for a plant foraging walk to look for wild edibles in the Arboretum landscape, and learn how to identify and safely prepare a wide variety of wild edible plants. Register at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/events/
When Amy Stewart discovered a community of tree collectors, she expected to meet horticultural fanatics driven to plant every species of oak or maple. What she discovered was that the urge to collect trees springs from something deeper and more profound, whether it is a longing for community, a vision for the future, or a path to healing and reconciliation. In her new book, The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsession, Stewart brings us fifty vignettes of remarkable people whose lives have been transformed by their obsessive passion for trees. Join us for a virtual book talk with New York Times bestselling author Amy Stewart as she takes us through her remarkable new work.
Amy Stewart is the New York Times bestselling author of The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Plants, and several other popular nonfiction titles about the natural world. She’s also written seven novels in her beloved Kopp Sisters series, based on the true story of one of America’s first female deputy sheriffs. She lives in Portland, Oregon.
This Arnold Arboretum program takes place virtually at 7 pm Eastern on August 20.
In our perilous times, trees offer examples of resilience and precariousness, growth and generosity. How do we invite them into our writing? Join Matthew Battles, editor of Arnoldia, the Arboretum’s quarterly magazine, for an immersive workshop to practice writing under, about, and in collaboration with trees. The class takes place August 3 at 10 am. Meet in front of the Hunnewell Building. Register at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/events/writing-in-the-company-of-trees/?occurrence=2024-08-03
Participants will move throughout the landscape to engage trees in the Arboretum’s collection while writing, reflecting, and sharing their discoveries.
Please bring a notebook or other writing materials that are manageable in the field. This program involves walking along wooded paths, climbing some moderate slopes, and navigating uneven terrain. We will be sitting on the ground frequently, so travel camp chairs, yoga mats, or blankets are encouraged. Participants will be notified via email at least 24 hours in advance if a program needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather, and will be notified by phone if a program must be cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice. Click here to view our full inclement weather policy. If you have questions about the status of a program, please email publicprograms@arnarb.harvard.edu or call the Visitor Center desk between 10:00am and 4:00pm at (617) 384-5209.
An arborist and an ecological maximalist, Nicholas Anderson believes that creating a beautiful landscape doesn’t need to involve buying expensive plant plugs or meticulously weeding and fertilizing. Instead, he collects seeds and rhizomes from the many charismatic native “weeds” that grow abundantly in our fields and forests and plants them relentlessly, quickly filling the space with beautiful and ecologically beneficial plants that push out anything that wasn’t invited. Join Nicholas at the Hunnewell Lecture Hall at the Arnold Arboretum on July 14 for a talk on his maximalist approach from 2-3 pm, followed by an optional walk through the grounds from 3-3:45 pm to see some of the plants best suited for this type of landscaping.
This program is on-site: there is not a virtual component for this talk. Free. Register here: www.arboretum.harvard.edu
Accessibility: The indoor component of this program is wheelchair accessible. The outdoor component may involve walking on mulch paths and crushed stone.
The Arnold Arboretum is among five New England gardens hosting the 2024 annual conference of the American Public Gardens Association in Boston this summer. Public garden professionals from around the country and around the world will come together between June 24–27 to participate in the annual gathering, which is also hosted by Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Mount Auburn Cemetery, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, and The Trustees. Rooted in Resilience: A Sustainable Future for Gardens will be held at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, a block away from Boston’s famous Public Garden. Hundreds of public horticulture professionals are expected to attend for a week of professional development sessions, networking events, garden tours, and more. The 2024 Presenting Partner is the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
The 2024 Conference theme highlights Boston’s historic resilience and the city’s story of overcoming adversity and adapting to change. From playing a crucial role in the American Revolution to surviving disasters, Boston has always persevered and emerged stronger. Today, Boston demonstrates its adaptability through various sustainable initiatives, including ambitious urban forestry goals and a plan to become carbon-neutral by 2050. In Boston, resilience and social justice are intertwined, driving the city’s commitment to building a sustainable and equitable society.
The conference theme showcases the parallel between Boston’s remarkable resilience and the concept of sustainability within the realm of gardens. Public gardens play a vital role in promoting sustainable practices and empowering the next generation of environmental stewards. Through a range of green initiatives, including sustainable horticultural practices, educational programs, and community engagement, public gardens are building stronger communities, promoting access to green spaces, and connecting people with nature.
Participants will enjoy over 80 professional development sessions and workshops in five Specialty Tracks—Education and Science, Garden Management, Horticulture, Plant Collections and Conservation, and Public Engagement—in addition to tours of local public gardens, professional workshops, and special events at the host gardens.
Registration is now. Non-member registration is available for $100 more than the member rate. Two- and One-Day registration options are available.Visit the APGA website for more information.
