Summer is Here! PRESIDENT’S COLUMN With warmer weather and sunshine come the opportunity to spend long days filled with adventures in nature with family and friends. It also signals the return of outdoor events and experiences, and we have a summer season filled with fun activities for all ages. We open Mission Botanica, a huge maze for families and children at the Holden Arboretum, on Saturday, June 11. Engaging, interactive stations and compelling stories connect visitors to important themes of biodiversity and conservation. Visitors will search for 11 important native plants and trees that are located on the grounds of the arboretum.
We have a summer calendar filled with experiences in nature for you to discover and enjoy. At the Cleveland Botanical Garden, we welcome world-renowned artist Rachel Hayes to Northeast Ohio for the first time, in partnership with LAND studio. The Awake in Every Sense exhibit features installations of Hayes’ signature art — vibrant, oversized textiles. The resulting forms and geometric patterns will engage viewers and blend Hayes’ art with the towering trees above and the colorful garden landscapes below.
On July 9, our popular annual benefit returns. Last year’s VIPstyle picnic was an enormous hit, and we are excited to bring it back for a second year. Twilight in the A-Mazing Woods will showcase the summer exhibit, Mission Botanica. Guests of all ages will also enjoy live music, the Murch Canopy Walk and Emergent Tower, Stickwork, exclusive access to the arboretum and a delicious picnic by Spice Catering. Our Board of Directors adopted a climate change statement in February that acknowledges and recognizes climate change and its impacts. It also outlines the actions we are taking as an organization to address the detrimental effects of climate change. It is imperative that we act now to mitigate these negative impacts and other factors that affect the health of the forests in all communities. Planting a tree is one simple way we can all help the natural world around us. I made a People for Trees pledge and planted a river birch in my yard last fall. I’m looking forward to watering and caring for it during its first summer and for years to come. Join me and make your pledge to the People for Trees movement today! See you on the trails and in the gardens! JILL KOSKI President and CEO
We have a summer calendar filled with experiences in nature for you to discover and enjoy. Evenings at the arboretum will get exciting beginning June 1. On select Wednesday nights, we will host events including our Concert in the Forest series, Notes of Nature overlooking the Butterfly Garden and more. On select Thursday nights at the botanical garden beginning June 30, we will bring back our popular Gourmets in the Garden. Mark your calendars and make plans with friends to attend these not-tobe-missed events.
River birch tree planting with Tree Corps in Jill’s back yard
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