This Page A bench at the heart of the Arboretum’s Lilac Collection beckons to visitors.
ON THE COVER
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ blooms at the Arboretum in spring.
Photos by Jason Boudreau-Landis
ARBORETUM
MAGAZINE
SPRING 2025, VOL. 44, NO. 1
Elise Bremer Editor
Brenda Drake Lesch Art Director
Andrew Gapinski Executive Director
Matthew Clark, Ph.D. Director of Research
Rachelle Crosby Director of Facilities & Project Management
Timothy S. Kenny Director of Education
Jared Rubinstein Director of Horticulture & Collections
David Senior Director of Business & Finance
Susan Taylor, Ph.D. Director of Advancement
Tom Lany
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
Kathy Persian President, Arboretum Foundation
Arboretum Magazine is published by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The Arboretum is part of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) at the University of Minnesota. The magazine is a benefit of Arboretum membership. To request a copy of this publication in an alternate or digital format, please call 612-301-1257.
© 2025 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
arb.umn.edu 612-624-2200 arbpr@umn.edu
Arboretum Magazine is printed on 100% sustainable recycled fiber paper.
As the beauty of winter slowly gives way to spring, we’re eagerly awaiting the sight of the first tender shoots emerging across the landscape at the Arboretum — a hint of the parade of blooms still to come. Until that time, the Arboretum’s annual Spring Flower Show offers an early taste of the season ahead, filling the Arboretum’s indoor spaces with orchids, tulips, hyacinths and more through March 16.
At the Arboretum, we always look forward to spring and the growing season that follows, but this year, we’re especially excited to embark on a new chapter in the Arboretum’s history.
Construction is tentatively set to begin this summer on phase one of a multiphase project to improve the arrival experience, parking and circulation in the Arboretum’s entry landscapes. Included in this work is the relocation of the Arboretum’s main entry to a new, safer four-way signaled intersection at Minnewashta Parkway.
Plans also include a new Apple House located within the Arboretum’s primary footprint and easily accessible from within the Arboretum, a new entrance at the Farm at the Arb and from the Highway 5 Regional Trail. The iconic apple destination will be named Betty’s Apple House in honor of longtime Arboretum supporter Betty MacMillan.
Partnering with us on these important design endeavors is a talented team of engineers and architects, including the landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., which has contributed to the layout and landscape of the Arboretum — such as the existing entry landscape — throughout its history.
Learn more about how we are building a better Arboretum experience through these initiatives on the next page.
I look forward to working toward our goals on these projects alongside the Arboretum community and am deeply grateful for your support during this season of growth and change. Thank you and happy spring!
Andrew Gapinski
BUILDING A BETTER ARBORETUM
Building on a legacy of horticultural excellence rooted in cold-hardy plant breeding, research and education, the Arboretum is boldly imagining the next chapter in our treasured institution’s history.
This year, we’re embarking on an expansive multiphase project with one goal: to build a better Arboretum for today’s members and visitors and future generations of gardeners, researchers, horticulturists and nature lovers.
In 1868, Peter Gideon — the first superintendent of the fruit breeding farm that would later become the Arboretum’s Horticultural Research Center — introduced ‘Wealthy’, the first apple hardy enough to survive the bitterly cold winters of our region. Gideon’s initial breeding work led to subsequent cold-hardy plant research by the University of Minnesota, and eventually, the establishment of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum as a public site for horticulturists to develop, trial and showcase cold-hardy ornamental plants.
Now, after 155 years and the introduction of numerous coldhardy apples (including the Honeycrisp in 1991) and countless fruits, trees and shrubs tried and tested at the Arboretum, we’re building on our legacy of innovation and investing
in the future of the Arboretum, cementing our place as a preeminent public garden, research institution and valued resource for those who live, garden and grow in Minnesota.
Work begins this year on a reimagined visitor experience at the Arboretum, with plans to include a new, safer arrival experience for our nearly 700,000 annual visitors and a new Apple House.
The new arrival experience will feature a stoplight-safe entry, improved pedestrian and bicycle access and redesigned landscapes, making it easier for visitors to access the balm of nature across the Arboretum’s 1,200 acres.
Later this year we will be breaking ground on the new Betty’s Apple House. Located within the Arboretum, the new space will continue to be an admission-free destination for apples and will feature new and expanded learning opportunities, showcasing the fascinating science behind the University’s fruit breeding research and legacy of horticultural innovation from ‘Wealthy’ to Honeycrisp and beyond.
Find key project details, timelines and updates at arb.umn.edu/betterarboretum and learn more about how we’re building a better Arboretum.
Photo by Arboretum staff
Botanical Artists
document the flora and fauna of a changing landscape
Derek Carwood l Adult Education Manager
Illustration by Howard Goltz
Working in her studio, botanical artist Suz Galloway documents a towering Arboretum green ash — the largest recorded in the state — creating a visual record of a species decimated by the invasive emerald ash borer.
Nestled among the rolling hills of the Arboretum lie the vestiges of a once massive expanse of mixed deciduous forest known as the Big Woods. Stretching from Wisconsin through south-central Minnesota, this once mighty stretch of virgin forest rose from thick glacial till deposited by the retreating glaciers found in the region 10,000 years ago. Dotting the landscape, lakes filled the lowlands with copious amounts of water, protecting the immense stands of forest from wildfires as they rushed north, chasing the retreating ice. Consisting predominantly of elm, basswood, maples, ironwood and oaks, diversity flourished for thousands of years.
Now, however, these ancient forests have dwindled to about 2% of their former range. While efforts are underway to conserve and restore the Arboretum’s natural areas — including the remnants of the Big Woods — another form of preservation has taken shape in recent years with the development of a project to record all the plants and animals of the Arboretum through a highly scientific and traditional art form.
Threats to the Big Woods
With the arrival of European colonists in the 1600s and the spread of Dutch elm disease in the 1960s, these extensive forests began to change shape. Oldgrowth forests once dominated by
elm quickly morphed into an ecosystem comprised predominantly of quick-growing and adaptable maples with understories thick with nonnative buckthorn.
In 1990, a new threat to the forests of Minnesota emerged: the emerald ash borer. A devastatingly beautiful insect befitting of its name, the iridescent borers are thought to have been introduced to North America inside wooden packaging and have spread with ease throughout much
of the eastern half of the continent preferring green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), black ash (F. nigra) and white ash (F. americana) as its primary food sources. Before ash borers reached our region, Minnesota had one of the highest populations of ash trees in the United States. Sadly, the Arboretum has already lost a number of ash trees, but efforts are being made to safeguard at least a few of these picturesque trees that once made up nearly 10% of the state’s forests.
Photo courtesy Suz Galloway
While the decline of Minnesota’s Big Woods might be a cautionary tale on the plight of “progress,” it also provides an opportunity for reflection, renewal and regrowth. Since the Arboretum was established, efforts have been made to revitalize the land and all of the organisms that call it home, resulting in a different, yes, but once again thriving ecological community rebounding with resilience and strength.
The ongoing task of returning the land to its former eminence will take many years. With each passing season, all of the life that calls the space home will continue to adjust to the changing landscape. Throughout this time it will be essential to document the flora and fauna of the Arboretum — the once great Big Woods.
Recording the natural world at the Arboretum
In 2015, botanical artist Suz Galloway and her protege, longtime Arboretum supporter Judy Spiegel, approached leadership at the Arboretum to create a 100-year project that would record all species of plants and animals at the Arboretum in scientifically accurate fine art created by local artists and conserved by the Andersen Horticultural Library. This new endeavor, Flora and Fauna Illustrata (FFI), was born.
Within a short period since its creation, entries for the first 10 pieces of art began to roll in and the project was up and running. The assemblage of art had begun, with each image captured in exquisite detail by the steady hand of an artist, confirmed by a panel of experts and received by the library for the use of future generations. Since its inception, the project has grown immensely with works accepted from more than 30 artists who have created 100-plus pieces for the collection.
What makes FFI truly exceptional goes beyond the artworks themselves. Each piece has been created and generously donated by local artists trained in the classical genre of botanical illustration.
Artist Scott Stapleton provides instruction during a botanical arts class in the McVay Learning Lab at the Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center.
Botanical art students learn to document plants in scientifically accurate detail at the Arboretum.
Their expertise ensures that the species depicted are faithfully represented in form and color, capturing the essence of the Arboretum.
And you too can become part of this legacy. Over the past year, the Arboretum has continued to expand its botanical art and illustration classes, offering opportunities from beginner to advanced levels. To ensure the continuation of the FFI project, a new generation of artists will be encouraged to develop and refine their skills, documenting and preserving the diversity of life at the Arboretum. View the seventh-annual exhibition of the Flora and Fauna Illustrata on display in the Skyway Gallery through April 20.
SCAN HERE to browse upcoming botanical art and illustration classes or visit arb.umn.edu/botanical-art
Photos by Gretchen Haynes
TRUMPETING the Arrival of SPRING
The largest waterfowl species in North America, the average adult trumpeter swan weighs about 26 pounds and boasts a wing span of 7 feet. Because of their impressive size — they are also North America’s heaviest flying bird — trumpeter swans need a 300-foot runway just to become airborne. To maintain their heft, an individual trumpeter will eat 20 pounds of vegetation in one day.
Distinguished by their soft, snowy-white feathers, black bill and black feet, trumpeter swans return to our region for breeding in early spring. They mate at 3 to 4 years of age and have an average lifespan of 12 years. In an unusual form of incubation, females, known as pens, will lay five to seven eggs and cover them with their webbed feet. The males, cobs, do not help with incubation but will aggressively defend the female and the young. Muskrat houses and beaver lodges are favored nesting sites.
In 1701, Antoine Cadillac, the French explorer and commander of the settlement that would become Detroit, observed the vast population of trumpeter swans. “There are such large
Matt Schuth is a naturalist and author of “Nature at Our Doorstep.” He has contributed a nature column to Arboretum Magazine for more than 30 years and hosts seasonal guided “Walks With Matt” exploring the natural world at the Arboretum.
Matt Schuth l Naturalist
numbers of swans that the rushes among which they are massed might be taken for lilies.” In the 1700s and 1800s however, these large, easily spotted birds were hunted nearly to extinction. Their feathers were used as adornments for hats and the long wing feathers for writing quills.
By 1930, there were only 69 birds known to exist in the lower 48 states, and the last wild breeding population of trumpeter swans in Minnesota was seen in 1884. Fortunately, in the 1950s, several thousand were discovered in Alaska’s Copper River Valley far away from human habitation. In 1967, swans were transferred from Montana to a captive breeding program started at Carver Park Reserve in Victoria, Minn. Since 2003, the trumpeter population has been increasing rapidly with an estimated 51,000 counted in Minnesota in 2023.
The scientific name of the trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator, comes from Latin Cygnus (swan) and buccinare (to trumpet) and refers to their melodic, horn-like call. Look for trumpeter swans on Green Heron Pond, Wood Duck Pond and at Lake Tamarack this spring.
by Nature by
Photo
Travis Bonovsky
PARADE OF BLOOMS
As spring unfolds at the Arboretum, new blooms burst onto the scene with each passing week. Follow this guide for a chronological tour of what might be in bloom for your next visit this spring! Visit throughout the season to catch all the spring blooms.
Spring ephemerals
March-April
In early spring, the shortlived blooms of native spring ephemerals such as snow trillium, sharp-lobed hepatica and Dutchman’s breeches peek through the leaf litter in woodland areas across the Arboretum including the Dayton Wildflower Garden. These wildflowers complete their entire life cycle before the trees above leaf out, seizing a brief window between snowmelt and summer.
In the fall, Arboretum staff and volunteers plant more than 40,000 tulip bulbs in the annual gardens resulting in a veritable explosion of color come spring. This year’s tulip display explores the color theme of “citrus,” perfectly captured by the profusion of vivid yellow, orange and lime green tulips accented by shades of violet. Designed each year by horticulturist Duane Otto, the tulip displays feature a combination of early, mid- and late-blooming tulips. 1 2 3 4
Marsh marigolds
April-May
Head to the Bog Boardwalk on Green Heron Pond to spot the buttery yellow blooms of marsh marigolds in early spring. Sometimes called cowslip, this native plant belongs to the buttercup family and is typically found in rain gardens, pond edges and bogs.
TIP
For updates on what’s blooming for your next visit to the Arboretum, check out Garden Highlights, found on the Arboretum website home page and updated weekly. Plus, locate these springblooming plants at the Arboretum using the Plant Finder, online at arb.umn.edu/plantfinder
Daffodils
April-May
Daffodils, or Narcissus, are synonymous with spring when their yellow, white and creamcolored flower heads bob in the breeze atop ribbon-like foliage. At the Arboretum, more than 100 cultivars of these spring-flowering bulbs bloom throughout the gardens and around the Oswald Visitor Center. Don’t miss the large, dramatic display of daffodils just beyond the gatehouse as you enter the Arboretum.
Tulips
May
Crabapples
May
In early May, a sea of pink, white and magenta blooms decorates the rolling slopes home to the Crabapple Collection. Located along Three-Mile Drive and Walk, the collection features more than 300 individual plants. Look for eye-catching varieties ‘Prairifire’, ‘Adirondack’ and the first crabapple introduced by the University of Minnesota, ‘Flame’, in the collection and throughout the Arboretum’s gardens. 5
Lilacs
May
The heady scent of lilacs draws visitors to the Lilac Walk and Lilac Collection in mid-to-late May. The spiral-shaped Lilac Collection — located between the gatehouse and the parking bays — is the oldest collection at the Arboretum and features a wide variety of lilac species, hybrids and cultivars from around the world. More than 400 individual lilac specimens are planted throughout the Arboretum, including in the Lilac Collection, Lilac Walk and Bailey Shrub Walk.
Eastern redbuds
April-May
In early spring, vivid magenta-pink flowers line the branches of these amazing springblooming trees even before their leaves unfurl. While native to North America, redbuds weren’t quite hardy enough for Minnesota’s cold winters until the popular cold-hardy Minnesota Strain redbud was identified at the Arboretum in the 1960s.
Irises
Late May-early June
In Greek mythology, “Iris” is the name of the goddess of the rainbow, an apt name for this genus of plants whose flowers bloom in every shade and hue in the Arboretum’s Iris Garden in the spring. Hugging the shore of the pond near the Sensory Garden, the garden features more than 500 cultivars and nine species of both bearded and beardless iris.
Peonies
Late May-early June
In late spring and early summer, big, bold peony flowers steal the show across the Arboretum’s gardens. Find a wide variety of herbaceous peonies, woody-stemmed tree peonies and intersectional peonies — a cross between herbaceous and woodystemmed peonies also known as Itoh peonies — on the Peony Walk near the Annual Garden.
Azaleas
May
While azaleas are not native to the Midwest, the vivid colors of azaleas have become a spring staple in Minnesota gardens thanks to the Lights series of azaleas introduced by the U of M beginning with the bright pink ‘Northern Lights’ in 1978. Find azaleas at the Arboretum in the Woodland Azalea Garden and in the Azalea Trial Garden between the Maze Garden and the Pine Collection, where new plants are tried and tested before being introduced by the breeding program.
Growing a Legacy
RESEARCHER BUILDS ON HISTORIC GRAPE BREEDING PROGRAM
Carolyn Bernhardt l Contributing Writer
In late 2023, the University of Minnesota’s Horticultural Research Center (HRC) at the Arboretum welcomed Professor Soon Li Teh as the new head of its Grape Breeding and Enology Program. With a background in pear rootstock breeding and experience working with major stakeholders in the fruit industry, Teh brings a wealth of expertise to one of the nation’s leading grape research programs. Born and raised in Malaysia, Teh’s journey to grape breeding began with a curiosity for agriculture. “I didn’t have a farming background in my nuclear family itself,” he said, “but I’d seen my grandpa managing an oil palm plantation and that was the initial spark of my interest.” Aiming to make a lasting impact, he gravitated toward plant breeding.
Teh earned his B.Sc. in Agronomy and Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Molecular Genetics from the University of Minnesota. After joining Washington State University as a postdoctoral researcher, he became a research assistant professor and led the pear rootstock breeding program. In his current role, Teh is grateful for the chance to continue the work of his predecessors in the grape breeding program: Jim Luby, Professor Emeritus, and Matthew Clark, Associate Professor and Director of Research at the Arboretum. At the HRC, Teh combines traditional breeding with modern DNA technologies to guide breeding for high-quality, cold-hardy and disease-resistant grapes. Growing grapes in Minnesota poses unique and
Cold-hardy grapes ripen on the vine at the Farm at the Arb’s Orchard and Vineyard Walk. Photo by Phil Zumsteg
complex challenges, as cold-hardy varieties differ from European ones. “Understanding their specific management needs, from growing to winemaking, is crucial,” said Teh. Developing varieties that thrive in harsh winters, withstand frosts and mature quickly in the short growing season is a tall order, “but these challenges also present exciting opportunities.”
Growing grapes, growing an industry
Minnesota’s grape-growing history dates back to the 1800s when settlers sought crops that could thrive in the region’s harsh climate. While native species such as riverbank (Vitis riparia) and fox grapes (V. labrusca) grew well, their small, acidic berries weren’t suitable for winemaking. Through decades of research and breeding with varieties of the European grape species (V. vinifera) and other species, the University of Minnesota developed cold-hardy varieties that could survive the frigid winters and the Minnesota grapegrowing industry began to take root.
Teh realizes that grape growers give purpose and relevance to this work.
The program’s partnership with local and regional wineries ensures that the varieties the team develops meet industry needs. Teh’s team regularly collaborates with wineries to ensure the grapes perform well in winemaking, hosting blind tastings and providing feedback to help winemakers make better wines.
Today, the U of M’s grape breeding program has helped the cold-climate grape industry spread across the Upper Midwest. Iconic varieties including Frontenac and Marquette have become staples in Minnesota vineyards. U of M cultivars are now planted in Montana and North Dakota and even in vineyards
as far-flung as Canada. Fueled by growing wineries, vineyards and agritourism, the economic impact of Minnesota’s wine industry was roughly $80 million in 2015 and is now likely much higher, according to Teh.
Preparing for the thaw
Spring is a critical time for grape research. The team focuses on planning the upcoming breeding crosses that will produce 3,000–5,000 seeds annually. This involves preparing for the pollination season. “For us, the pollination season tends to start in early June,” said Teh. “This cycle of pollination, planting, evaluation and selection is the continual heartbeat that drives the breeding program forward.”
The researchers also evaluate winter damage to assess the hardiness of existing cultivars and advanced selections, ensuring they meet commercial standards. Additionally, they monitor vineyards for early signs of disease, providing growers with timely advice for effective prevention and management.
In addition to wine grapes, the team is developing new seedless, cold-hardy table grapes that will soon be commercially available — including two in 2025.
“During the fall season, 100% of grapes that we see in the market come from just one place: California,” said Teh. “It will be lovely if we can foster a local table grape industry so we can start thinking about sourcing food from our local farms.”
Teh is excited about the upcoming releases of three advanced table grape selections. “We brought them to a farmers market in Northfield, Minn., and in just two or three hours, we got more than 100 survey responses,” he said. “The overwhelming favorite was our grapes, as opposed to the store-bought table grapes from California.”
Many sectors of food production have existed before their respective formal breeding programs. But such cannot be said for the Minnesota grape and wine market, where the industry was built around the grape breeding program. Said Teh, “I like the fact that this program had such a humble beginning that gave birth to the entire industry. We’ve come a long way, and the opportunities ahead are even more exciting.”
To learn more about how grapes are grown commercially in northern climates, visit the Orchard and Vineyard Walk at the Farm at the Arb and read about all University of Minnesota grape introductions at mnhardy.umn.edu/grapes/varieties and enology.umn.edu
Above Professor Soon Li Teh joined the team at the Horticultural Research Center in 2023. Photo courtesy of CFANS/ University of Minnesota
Creativity Blossoms at the Arboretum
Julie Peters l Communications Strategist
For creative professionals and Arboretum members Ross and Jess Bruggink, the Arboretum provides an ever-changing tapestry of colors, shapes and textures for inspiration and innovation at home and at work.
The Arboretum’s 1,200 acres have had a growing influence on their careers. Ross is an awardwinning illustrator whose design was chosen as the new State Seal of Minnesota in 2024. Jess creates stunning floral arrangements for weddings and events through her company AlmaRose, named for their two children, Alma, 8, and Rosalie, 6.
The couple — then Minneapolis residents — first visited the Arboretum in the fall of 2015 when they celebrated their anniversary with a picnic on the grounds. “It left a distinct impression,” said Ross, adding they’d recently gotten into home gardening and found the Arboretum to be a horticultural haven.
So when the family moved to Shorewood in 2018, they quickly became Arboretum members. “We come all the time now,” said Ross. “We can bike there as well; it’s pretty awesome.”
They delight in exploring every corner of the Arboretum’s gardens and grounds with their daughters, who love the Arboretum as much as they do. Some of
their favorite stops include the koi pond and waterfall in the Japanese Garden, the Maze Garden and Ornamental Grass Collection along Three-Mile Drive and the Farm at the Arb.
“There’s so much opportunity for discovering new things,” said Ross. “It’s really a beautiful place to explore and gather inspiration.”
Jess uses many of the flowers they first spotted at the Arboretum and now grow in her designs, including some of their favorites such as the whimsically named moon carrot (Seseli gummiferum) and calamint (Calamintha nepeta).
“We’ve always loved not only the beautiful plants at the Arboretum but that everything is curated so thoughtfully,” said Jess, noting the varied landscaping choices, striking color combinations and peaceful water features. “There are so many details we notice each time.”
The Arboretum was even influential when Ross combined his love of gardening and illustration to create a plant-focused board game called Vicious Gardens which will be available in retailers and online this year. “The Arboretum was a huge inspiration in getting this done,” said Ross.
by Selah Studios
Photos
Known for its delicately nodding,
Captivating Clematis
Each spring, staff and volunteers prune clematis in the Anne and Edward Koempel Clematis Collection
Ella Kyllo l Senior Gardener
bell-shaped flowers, Clematis ‘Roguchi’ blooms from June to September. Photo by Natalia Ungashick
Above left ‘Guernsey Cream’, a group two clematis, boasts large, pale-hued blossoms.
Above right Some clematis, such as ‘Betty Corning’, feature a light fragrance.
Below Beloved for its distinctive seedheads, Clematis tangutica puts on a show even after it blooms.
One ‘Guernsey Cream’, one ‘Red Beetroot Beauty’, one ‘Roguchi’...while this may sound like a shopping list for your local co-op, these curious titles belong to clematis varieties growing in the Arboretum’s Anne and Edward Koempel Clematis Collection. Home to about 100 unique varieties of clematis, the Clematis Collection is located on the trellises surrounding the Wilson Rose Garden, where the gracefully vining clematis complement the roses throughout the spring and summer.
Clematis is a blooming vine that can be trained to grow up lattice structures, tree trunks and stone walls and can also be grown as a groundcover. The flowers range in size from dramatic, 6- to 8-inch-wide blossoms that cry out for attention, to smaller, bell-shaped forms. Some varieties, such as ‘Betty Corning’, can even be lightly scented.
Photo by Nick Kreevich
Bloom time for clematis varies. Some varieties flower freely from spring to late summer, while others bloom in the early summer and have a repeat bloom later in the season. Varieties such as Clematis tangutica, or golden clematis, are even prized for their whimsical seedheads that add visual interest to the garden throughout the winter. At the Arboretum, visitors can find Clematis tangutica rambling up an obelisk structure in the Ankeny-Lang Rose Walk.
Pruning clematis, group by group
One of the most important and potentially stress-inducing aspects of growing clematis is knowing how and when to prune individual clematis varieties. Clematis are organized into three groups based on flowering habits and whether the plant blooms on old or new stems. Each group has a unique pruning treatment to keep the blooms coming year after year.
Group one clematis bloom on old stems from previous seasons of growth. Any pruning for clematis in this category should be done immediately after blooming. Horticulturist Ted Pew — who has managed the Clematis Collection since 1988 — recommends Clematis alpina ‘Pamela Jackman’ of all the group one clematis. Nodding, deep-blue bells are a key feature of this variety, followed by a fluffy seed head after bloom.
Group two clematis bloom from last year's stems. It’s easiest to prune clematis in this group in the spring. Start by removing dead stems and pruning the live stems to the highest pair of strong buds. Clematis in this group generally have a flush of blossoms in the spring on last season's wood and another flush later in the summer on new growth. A notable group two clematis recommended by Pew is Clematis ‘Guernsey Cream’. This clematis is an abundant bloomer with large 5- to 6-inchwide, luminous, pale yellow to creamy white blossoms.
Clematis care
Planting Plant the crown (where the root meets the stem) 1 to 2 inches below the soil line. The clematis will form new shoots from below the soil and be more resilient to stressors.
Soil Clematis prefer well-drained but moist soil conditions.
Sunlight Most clematis require 5 to 6 hours of daily sunlight, though some prefer part shade and others full sun. Protect the roots of the plant from direct sun by applying a layer of mulch or by planting a ground cover around the base of the plant.
Winter protection The Arboretum’s horticulture staff and volunteers add a layer of straw mulch over the plants’ root systems in the fall after the ground has frozen.
Clematis wilt A major disease stressor of clematis is the fungal clematis wilt, Ascochyta clematidina If a plant becomes infected, prune diseased stems down to healthy, non-diseased buds and disinfect pruning tools between plants to reduce disease transmission.
Group three clematis bloom later in the season on the current year’s new growth. To prune this group, cut back the old stems to the lowest pair of live buds near the base of the plant. In Pew’s opinion, clematis in group three are among the easiest to grow and prune. His favorite clematis from group three at the Arboretum is Clematis tangutica.
A horticultural legacy with deep roots
Anne and Edward Koempel, for whom the Clematis Collection was named in 1998, recognized the special nature of the rose garden and surrounding trellises of vining clematis. An avid gardener, clematis was one of Anne’s favorite flowers, but her horticultural legacy goes far beyond the collection.
In 1931, the Garden Club of Ramsey County first allowed women to join as members. By 1952, women gained the right to hold office and Anne Koempel soon became the first woman to serve as president. In the mid-1950s, she was asked by the Arboretum’s first director, Leon Snyder, to join a seven-member committee formed to select the land for an arboretum. With the site chosen, it was Anne who placed the first $10 on the table to buy stamps for a letter-writing campaign to raise money to purchase the land.
Visit the Clematis Collection this spring to immerse yourself in the horticultural legacy of an Arboretum founder and catch Arboretum staff and volunteers at work pruning the clematis in the collection.
Above ’Red Beetroot Beauty’, sometimes known as ‘Betina’, boasts burgundy fourtepalled bell-shaped flowers.
Right The flowering vines of the Clematis Collection grow on trellises surrounding the Wilson Rose Garden.
Photos by Natalia Ungashick
Retired from careers centered around agriculture and food science, Harold and Mary Tilstra established a new endowment that supports education
The INGREDIENTS for GOOD
Jeff Iseminger l Contributing Writer
Here’s a recipe for creating a strong and powerful bond with the Arboretum: Mix up food science, veterinary medicine and years of farming in the lives of Mary and Harold Tilstra, and decades later (the best recipes often take the longest) out comes a wider, deeper picture of where our food comes from.
“I never thought in our wildest dreams that we would be able to do this for the Arboretum,” said Harold Tilstra.
What is this? Recently establishing — with his wife of 51 years, Mary Tilstra — a Farm at the Arb Education Endowment. It will support education staff, signage, interactive displays, drop-in learning and tour resources.
Let’s freeze this frame for a moment: How did the Tilstras come up with this recipe, and why did they choose to share it with the Arboretum?
The Tilstras met at the University of Minnesota, where Mary majored
in food science — “I was intrigued by how what one ate affected one’s health,” she said — and Harold in pre-veterinary medicine. Mary went on to help develop cookbooks at the Betty Crocker Kitchens, and Harold later became a veterinarian.
“I considered farming at first because I grew up on my family farm near Luverne,” he said. “But I chose veterinary medicine because I always liked science and the outdoors.”
at the Farm at the Arb.
Photo by Lily Smith
Their careers shifted suddenly when Harold’s brother died while in high school, prompting a move back to Luverne. Harold supported the farm but also established his own veterinary practice and worked many years for Land O’ Lakes.
As for Mary, well, as Harold said with a smile, “She does not start anything casually. In fact, she’s on the edge of perfectionism.”
During their four decades in Luverne, Mary helped run the family farm, worked for a microwave company by showing people how to use the thennew device, served as a food economist for a grocery store chain and even started a figure skating program.
“I always loved to ice skate from a young age,” she said. So when a new
indoor rink was built, Mary volunteered to teach skating. The program quickly expanded, and today some of those 5-year-olds Mary taught now have children of their own skating.
The Tilstras retired five years ago and moved to Prior Lake to be closer to their three children and nine grandchildren. Oh, and closer to the Arboretum.
“That’s where we wanted to volunteer,” said Mary, who was already a Master Gardener and maestro of a huge garden, perennials and lots of trees at their Luverne farm. “The Arboretum is such a gorgeous outdoor space.”
Like many of the 1,100 Arboretum volunteers, said Harold, “We don’t do just one thing.”
Every in-season Tuesday, both of them help Mary Meyer, a faculty emerita
at the University of Minnesota, in the Ornamental Grass Collection. Mary Tilstra is also active as a cooking class assistant at the Burton and Virginia Myers Education Center and quilts with the Auxiliary. Harold helps with leading tours of the Farm at the Arb, as well as grounds maintenance.
“The Arboretum is an asset for Minnesota and beyond,” said Harold. “It’s made one of the biggest commitments to growing things of any public entity.”
Speaking of commitments, the Tilstras have joyfully made many to the Arboretum, and their recipe for creating strong bonds would make a fine entry in a cookbook of engagement with the Arboretum. It raises the question: What recipe, what ingredients can you offer up?
The Farm at the Arb Education Endowment supports interpretative signage and educational displays that help visitors to glean a better understanding of our food systems. Photo by Phil Zumsteg
SWEET, SWEET SPRING
Lily Smith l Social Media Coordinator
As temperatures begin to rise and you can almost taste a hint of sweetness in the air, it’s sugar maple tapping time! The Arboretum’s Maple Sugaring Manager, Richard DeVries, starts tapping trees when the winter chill eases and daytime temperatures settle around 40 degrees.
In 2024, due to the lack of snow and warm weather, the Arboretum set a record for the earliest tapping date in more than 40 years.
“Last year, everything was a month early. We usually tap in the beginning of March,” said DeVries. “We tapped the trees on Jan. 31, and by Feb. 1, we were already pumping out tanks of sap.”
The Arboretum taps 400 sugar maple trees every year, producing more than 6,000 gallons of sap in a season. The sap is processed into syrup a short distance from the trees at the Maple Sugar House. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to produce just one gallon of syrup.
The Maple Sugar House is surrounded by maple trees connected by an intricate network of vacuum tubing and blue sap collection bags.
“We have three different tubing systems set up. Each system has about 120 to 150 trees connected! Plus, for demonstration purposes, some trees are tapped with buckets and bags instead of tubing,” explained DeVries.
In the spring, visitors can experience the syrup creation process from tapping to tasting at the Arboretum’s annual Maple Fest on March 22. The Maple Sugar House is home to two different evaporators for two unique educational experiences for visitors.
“We have a pretty impressive evaporator so visitors can see how the syrup process is executed in a major commercial operation and we have a smaller wood-fired outdoor evaporator which you can even use in your own backyard. We try to do and show a bit of everything,” said DeVries.
“Syrup tapping gets people out to the Arboretum and it’s so nice to have people out here to learn something new and start spring!”
LEARN
View live demonstrations, learn about maple sugaring and enjoy a pancake breakfast at Maple Fest on March 22. Find details and register at arb.umn.edu/maplefest
Photos by Sara Pace (above) and Mark MacLennan (below)
What’s in Season
EVENTS, CLASSES AND MORE
Spring Flower Show
Through March 16
Discover something new at the Arboretum this spring. In addition to 1,200 acres of gardens, collections and natural areas, the Arboretum offers a wide range of events, art exhibitions and classes so visitors can connect with nature and learn something new on each visit.
SCAN HERE to view all upcoming events and browse by topic at arb.umn. edu/events.
Full Moon Hikes
Embark on a botanical journey at the Spring Flower Show. This year, visitors will be transported to enchanted gardens, where the wonder of nature comes alive through lush floral creations interspersed with the sculptural avian forms of the exhibition “Birds and Botanicals.” Plus, enjoy a special night out at After Hours With the Flowers, featuring live music and entertainment. The flower show is included with general ticketed admission, but tickets are required for After Hours With the Flowers.
After Hours With the Flowers Feb. 28 and March 7, 6-9 p.m.
SCAN HERE learn more or visit arb.umn.edu/flowershow
Explore astronomy and the natural world during these special after-hours moon-viewing events at the Arboretum. Learn about the meaning behind the names given to the full moons of March and April and take in the splendor of the full moon over the Arboretum landscape before warming up around outdoor fire pits.
Full Sugar Maple Moon March 14, 7-10:30 p.m.
Full Pink Moon April 12, 8-10:30 p.m.
SCAN HERE to register or visit arb.umn.edu/fullmoonhikes
Photo by Jason Boudreau-Landis
Photo by Phil Zumsteg
Bud Break Run, Walk, 5K
May 4, 8:30-11 a.m.
Welcome the arrival of spring with a 5K run or walk through the Arboretum as spring unfolds across the landscape. Racers will arrive at the Farm at the Arb, where the races start and end and the Kids 1K takes place. New for 2025, a flower-themed costume contest ramps up the competition — and the fun! Runners and walkers with the best costumes will win a flower bouquet. Register by March 16 for early bird pricing! Costs are $15 for the kids race; $35-$40 for members; and $50-$55 for non-members. Plus, top finishers win prizes provided by the Lakes Running Company.
SCAN HERE to register or visit arb.umn.edu/events/budbreak5k
Plant Sale
May 9-10, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Shop for plants selected by Arboretum horticulture experts at this annual sale featuring a fabulous selection of annuals, perennials, fruits, vegetables, herbs, Minnesota natives, trees and several University of Minnesotadeveloped plant varieties. Admission is free, but shoppers need to make a reservation online.
SCAN HERE to learn more or visit arb.umn.edu/plantsale
Tickets on sale April 8
Gala in the Gardens
June 11, 5:30-9 p.m.
Save the date for the Arboretum’s signature fundraising event, Gala in the Gardens, on Wednesday, June 11. This year, we’re highlighting the work of our arborists and their stewardship and care of the Arboretum’s tree collections.
Platinum Sponsor
Jenny Verner
Gold Sponsors
Carmen and Jim Campbell
Lorin DeBonte
SCAN HERE to learn more and reserve tickets or visit arb.umn.edu/gala.
LEARN SOMETHING NEW THIS SPRING!
Deepen your knowledge, learn a new skill and connect with others at the Arboretum this spring! The Arboretum offers a wide selection of classes and programs over a range of topics tailored to adults, youth and family. Head to the website to view the full selection of classes and programs offered this season and view a few highlights on the next page.
SCAN HERE to browse the Arboretum’s full catalog of class openings and offerings or visit arb.umn.edu/learn.
Need help with registration?
The Education team is happy to assist participants with selecting or registering for classes by phone. They can be reached at 612-301-1210 on weekdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m. or via email at arbedu@umn.edu
Photo by Todd Mulvihill
Photo by Phil Zumsteg
Photo by Lily Smith
New and expanded!
Culinary Classes in the Myers Kitchen
Broaden your cooking skills and discover the joy of food and wine this spring with Chefs Beth Fisher and Shelagh Mullen. Grab a seat and dive into classes featuring seasonal cooking, guest chefs, healthy eating, bakeology and more! Check out a few upcoming class highlights below and view the full selection online.
Magnificent Maple
March 1, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Arboretum Taste Makers
March 8, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
SCAN HERE to view upcoming classes and register or visit arb.umn.edu/culinary
Spring Gardening and Horticulture Classes
Get ready for a successful gardening season with classes from Arboretum horticulture experts. These classes provide useful tips, best practices and proven techniques to nurture a healthy, sustainable and beautiful landscape. Check out a few upcoming gardening classes below and view the full selection online.
Jump Start Your Garden
March 8, 22 or April 19, 9 a.m.-noon
Planting for Pollinators
March 15, 1-3 p.m. or April 5, 10 a.m.-noon
SCAN HERE to view upcoming programs and register or visit arb.umn.edu/gardening-classes.
Get Creative With Fine Arts and Crafts Classes
Try your hand at a new art form or craft this season as inspiration comes to life at the Arboretum! Continue working in a favorite medium or try a new form of artistic expression. Check out a few upcoming class highlights below and view the full selection online.
Fused Glass Garden Art Workshop
March 5 and 12, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Pretty Primrose in Watercolor April 10, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
HERE to view upcoming classes and register or visit arb.umn.edu/art-classes.
SCAN
Painting by Sonja Hutchinson
Photo by Cecka Parks
3675 Arboretum Drive
Chaska, Minnesota 55318-9613
Give today! Your gift supports the Arboretum's gardens, educational programs and horticultural research. Scan the QR code or visit arb.umn.edu/give to donate today.
by
Photo
Mark MacLennan
