arboretum APRIL/M AY 2022
magazine
ARBORETUM TULIP DISPL AY SOUL ARD CRABAPPLE GALA AT THE FARM MAYAPPLE arboretum.umn.edu
PLUS: RESEARCH, EXHIBITS, CLASSES & OUTDOOR FUN
We have at least 40,000 reasons to be optimistic at the Arboretum this spring, as we anticipate the blooms in our annual tulip display. Landscape designer Duane Otto designed each tulip bed to highlight the color yellow, representing the hope and optimism we feel each spring. (See page 3 for more details about the display, which features more than 40,000 tulips.) In addition to our tulips, spring is a magical time at the Arboretum. I love standing in front of the Oswald Visitor Center and enjoying the scent of lilacs when there’s a gentle breeze from the northeast. From the first blooms of snowdrops and crocuses to the daffodils, lilacs, magnolia, azaleas and crabapples, it’s always a delight to experience the gardens as they “wake up” for the season. As in years past, we’ll chronicle what’s in bloom on our website, so make sure to check in
APRIL/MAY 2022 VOL 41, NO. 2
FROM THE DIRECTOR PETER C. MOE
weekly for an update on how the gardens are progressing. Whether you’re exploring the varied scents and colors of the blooms in our crabapple collection (see page 4 to learn more about one of the historic trees in our collection) or picking up plants for your own garden at our Arboretum Plant Sale (page 9), our goal is to create wonderful nature-based experiences for everyone to enjoy. We hope you’ll be able to join us as spring blooms at the Arb!
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Magazine is published six times a year by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN 55318-9613, 612-624-2200. The magazine is a benefit of Arboretum membership. No portion may be reprinted without permission from the Arboretum. The information published in this magazine is not necessarily endorsed by the University of Minnesota. The Arboretum welcomes feedback from readers at arbinfo@umn.edu. To request a copy of this publication in alternate format, please call 612-301-1257. The Arboretum is part of The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota.
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A R B O R E T U M M AGA Z I N E // A P R I L • M AY 2022
Patrick B. Petersen, Editor Brenda Drake Lesch, Art Director Peter C. Moe, Director, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Alan Branhagen, Director of Operations Timothy S. Kenny, Director of Education Susan Taylor, Ph.D., Director of Development Matthew Clark, Director of Research Jenny Verner, President, Arboretum Foundation
Cover Photo by Jill Bierbaum-Rice
Photo by Don Olson
Arboretum Lilac Walk Beauty
SEASO NAL COLOR LIZ POTASEK • ARBORETUM WRITER
2022 TULIP DISPLAY HIGHLIGHTS THE COLOR YELLOW FOR OPTIMISM. Visitors will also spot beds of yellow and violet tulips around the gatehouse and in front of the Oswald Visitor Center, and yellow with green and orange in the beds near Hwy. 5 and the Snyder Terrace. Pastel yellow with pastel pink and blue blooms will adorn the MacMillan Terrace Garden and the pots in back of the Snyder Building. Otto, who has designed tulip displays at the Arboretum for the past 34 years, pores over catalogs each summer, looking for new varieties and watching for the latest trends. This year he searched for green tulips to complement the “citrus” beds, featuring yellow, orange and green, and came up with Green Star, Serene Green and Green and Gold (look for them in the terrace in front of the Snyder Building). In addition to a rainbow of colors, this year’s display also features a variety of textures and flower forms, including double tulips, which resemble peonies, and parrot tulips, which have ruffled petals.
Photos by (top left) Jill Bierbaum-Rice; (bottom left) Mark MacLennan; (right) Don Olson
When Landscape Gardener Duane Otto was dreaming up this year’s tulip display, the color yellow was top of mind. “Yellow is so powerful,” Otto says, noting that it was chosen as this year’s theme to represent hope and optimism. “Yellow petals take on an almost translucent look in the sun’s light. They almost look like a lantern.” Otto worked with a team of volunteers and staff to plant more than 40,000 bulbs last fall. He designed beds of tulips throughout the Arboretum grounds – including the largest display in the Annual Garden – with different themes highlighting the color yellow. The main Annual Garden will feature yellow with red and orange. “I was looking at last year’s gardens, and I noticed the bed that caught my eye was in those colors,” says Otto. The display will include Daydream, a hybrid tulip that opens yellow and ages to an orange hue, and happens to be a favorite of Arboretum Director Pete Moe.
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SEASO NAL COLOR
MEET ONE OF THE ARB’S
HISTORIC CRABAPPLE TREES ALAN BRANHAGEN • DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Photos by Alan Branhagen
The Arb’s crabapple collection is a beloved feature of the spring landscape, beginning the founding year of 1958. The collection has grown to 150 types with an additional 20 more found elsewhere on the grounds. Though the intent is to showcase the best varieties for the Upper Midwest landscape, some of our older selections have become historic: no longer available but with stories that make them valuable, if not beloved, treasures to behold. Our Soulard Crabapple (Malus x soulardii) is one such tree. Its foliage is somewhat susceptible to foliar maladies, and its fruit rather large and messy for tidy landscapes. But take a whiff of its exquisite bloom, or gaze at its abundant crop of mini “Granny Smith” apples produced each fall, and you will see why it remains a treasured plant.
Our plant was received in 1959 as a scion (twig cutting to be grafted on apple rootstock) from A. H. Flack. Flack, Chief Fruit Dominion Inspector for the Prairie Provinces (Canada) in 1915, moved to Minneapolis and set up the A. H. Flack Distributing Co. in 1924 and was 1959 President of the Men’s Garden Club of Minneapolis – a long career in horticulture! The Soulard Crabapple’s story begins long before that in 1844 when Hon. James Soulard, of Galena, Illinois, discovered the crab on a farm about 12 miles from St. Louis, Missouri. It was a natural hybrid between the apple (Malus domestica) and our wild prairie crabapple (Malus ioensis). Soulard had this to say about it: “I consider it the most desirable of all crabs that I have seen. Adding sweetness, it is delicious baked. It makes excellent preserves, being large enough to be quartered, and unsurpassed by any crab for jams, jellies, etc., imparting its delicate taste and rich aroma. I have made some cider as clear as wine, with sugar, or a quarter part of sweet apples.” Mr. Soulard introduced the plant into cultivation in 1868. The Soulard Crab has always caught my eye for its blushed pink flowers that retain the unique violet aroma of the prairie crabapple parent. In fall, it again grabs my attention with its little green apples in a trendy chartreuse, produced in abundance with nigh a blemish after no spraying or care whatsoever. One of many stories to ponder in our wondrous collection of crabapples.
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Photo by Joshua Moore @ iStock
NATURE FOCUS
BEAUTIFUL AND BENEFICIAL MATT SCHUTH • NATURALIST
In the month of May, woodlands are spattered with colors of yellow, white, pink and blue as if Mother Nature accidently spilled her palette of paints. Marsh marigolds glow like bright butter along streams, bluebells appear as if they were painted by forest elfin artists, the ivorywhite blooms of large-flowered and nodding trilliums have replaced the snow banks of winter and the delicate spring beauties shyly display their pretty pink hues. Amidst this floral display another flower emerges from its winter dormancy, covering the hillsides with miniature green umbrellas. The Mayapple hides its single white flower beneath this green shield. The Cherokee name for the Mayapple translates as “it wears a hat,” signifying the leaf’s protection of the flower beneath. The genus and species name of Mayapple is
Podophyllum ‘leaf foot’ and peltatum ‘shield shaped’ aptly describing the plant’s physical characteristics. Common names include Puck’s foot after the character in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and raccoon berry because of the animal’s fondness for the fruit. Plants with two leaves contain the flower, those with one leaf are sterile. Mayapples also spread by underground tubers and rhizomes, forming clonal colonies on the forest floor. The flower appears in May while the fruit develops later in the summer. It is egg-shaped and lemongreen. All parts of the plant are poisonous except the ripened fruit which has a lemony flavor. The Mayapple is one of the most important medicinal plants both historically and presently. Native Americans and early settlers used the plant as a purgative and to treat ailments such
as jaundice, fevers, hepatitis and constipation. The Osage word for Mayapple actually meant “it pains the bowels.” Older folks may remember a product called ‘Carter’s Little Liver Pills,’ which was sold as a cure-all for liver problems and many other ills. One of the ingredients of the product was the juice from the leaves of the Mayapple. Today two semi-synthetic derivatives – etoposide and teniposide – are used in chemotherapy against several cancers. Plants with high levels of podophyllum toxin, the chemical in the plant that is a source of anti-cancer drugs, are being researched in hopes that it can be cultivated commercially. As you stroll through the Dayton Wildflower Garden this summer, stop a moment and appreciate the plant that plays such a positive role in our lives.
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RESEARCH
HYDRANGEAS STAN C. HOKANSON • PROFESSOR, WOODY LANDSCAPE PLANT BREEDING & GENETICS
Most Arboretum members are very familiar with hydrangeas, if for no other reason than the fact that the repeat blooming, cold hardy bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) Endless Summer – The Original® – was discovered in St. Paul, Minnesota, by Bailey Nurseries. Before the advent of the cold hardy bigleaf hydrangeas, two other species, the North American native smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and the Asian native panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) have been widely grown in upper Midwestern landscapes. The three aforementioned species have been well studied and many cultivars have been developed from each. In contrast, another North American species, oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), has been studied much less, and fewer than 50 cultivars have been developed from the species. In order to do an effective job of plant breeding, a breeder needs an understanding of the full range of ornamental traits that exist in the species and have that diversity in hand to do the breeding. With this in mind and funding from the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Endowed Chair Fund, we designed a project to hire a graduate student, collect seed from wild populations across the six southeastern U.S. states where the species occurs and begin the process of understanding the extent of variation for important ornamental traits in oakleaf hydrangea.
Our graduate student Andy Sherwood, at times accompanied by Project Scientist Steve McNamara or myself, traveled to the collecting region 11 times and collected seed and a small number of cuttings from 75 populations. Though reported to occur abundantly by locals, we found at least 23% of the historically reported populations to no longer exist and many of the remaining populations to be quite small and at risk of extirpation. Our evaluations to date have identified novel sources of plants that are much more compact than generally seen in the species. Several northern populations exhibited cold hardiness that exceeds that previously reported for the species or existing cultivars. Finally, seedlings originating from Florida revealed levels of tolerance to a bacterial leaf spot disease that does not exist in current cultivars. The project was a success on several levels. Andy Sherwood successfully completed the project and his degree and is now employed at the USDA-ARS Regional Plant Introduction Station in Ames, Iowa. We now have an understanding of where oakleaf hydrangea exists and where it is imperiled. We have identified novel sources of oakleaf hydrangea germplasm that will allow breeders to create more refined, durable and cold hardy oakleaf hydrangeas for the future. Hardy enough for Minnesota? Stay tuned!
Plant height comparisons: Range of density/height noted in the seedlings. Typical ‘leggy’ form (L) to extreme compact (R)
Photos courtesy of Andrew Sherwood
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Native plant photographed at Buck’s Pocket State Park, Alabama
LEARN AN D DO
For kids ages 6-12, pre-order now to experience the wonder and excitement of Arboretum programs at home this summer! These all-inclusive activity kits will be shipped directly to you, and allow kids to explore science, nature and the arts through a wide variety of self-guided, hands-on activities. While supplies last; quantities are limited. Hogswood Forest School of Magic: Activity Kit To Go (Ages 6 - 12) Calling all witches and wizards! Experience the wonder and excitement of Hogswood School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at home! Take magical classes with a nature-based twist including Potions, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and other unusual subjects. Self-guided hands-on activities that help children gain a better appreciation of science, nature and the arts. $115 member/$130 non-member, includes shipping to you on June 7.
Hogswood Forest: Alchemist's Emergency! Activity Kit To Go (Ages 7 - 12) There's an emergency at Hogswood Forest School of Magic! All of the Floskilly Knarlaps (magical creatures that look like a cross between an eagle and a dragon, and help defend the school) have been kidnapped. The Care of Magical Creatures professor needs your help to rescue them. Complete a series of challenges on your journey to rescue the Knarlaps - and the school! $60 member/$75 non-member, includes shipping to you on June 7.
Outdoor Adventure Challenge: Activity Kit To Go (Ages 7 - 12) Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to use the natural world as the setting for exciting adventures! Explore the great outdoors with experiments, investigations and scavenger hunts. Put your abilities to the test as you make new discoveries and complete survival skill challenges. $60 member/$75 non-member, includes shipping to you on June 7.
PARENTS LOVE THESE KITS: “Fantastic job putting these together...I highly recommend them to others. Everything you need is in the box and the activities are neatly organized. Well worth the money.” —Amy “Very clean instructions, easy to do {activities}... my son loves it and it’s easy to facilitate! Thank you Arb team! ” —Gina “It's clear upon opening them they are a labor of love. I could not believe the amount of activities! So fun to have something to look forward to.” —Robyn
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ARBOR DAY Photo by Wendy Composto
Due to ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and updated requirements from both the State and University of Minnesota, please find the latest calendar information at arb.umn.edu
Friday, April 29 Join us as we celebrate with a tree giveaway from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. We will have Bur Oak, Red Oak and Swamp White Oak saplings available – all donated via Cargill by Living Lands & Waters as part of their MillionTrees Initiative. To ensure that you get a tree, please sign up here: z.umn.edu/7ine. We will also have an update on Mara Pelecis' Our Noble Tree project, a fun tree bingo game, Story Time (10:30 a.m., Snyder Lobby) and a simple craft activity.
YOGA
Photo by Jason Boudreau-Landis
MAY MARKETS
Spring sessions of the popular Yoga in the Gardens, held in conjunction with the sponsors below, are scheduled: • 10 a.m. Sunday, April 3, Sensory Garden, taught by onelove.yoga • 6 p.m. Thursday, April 21, Lilac Collection, taught by Live True Yoga • Noon Sunday, April 24, Sensory Garden taught by Sacred Waters • 10 a.m. Sunday, May 1, Chinese Garden, taught by Tai Chi Chih • 6 p.m. Thursday, May 12, Green Heron Pond Bridge, taught by onelove.yoga • Noon Sunday, May 22, Azalea Collection, taught by Live True Yoga The classes are always free for Arboretum members and studio partner members, and free with gate admission for non-members. arb.umn.edu/content/yoga-gardens
®
AUXILIARY PRIVATE GARDEN TOURS
(Reservations open April 27) Sunday, July 17 (daytime or sunset); Monday, July 18; and Tuesday, July 19. Arboretum Auxiliary guests travel on luxury air-conditioned motor coaches to tour specially selected private gardens, followed by Sunday brunch, Sunday evening hors d'oeuvres (after the sunset option) or weekday lunch. A portion of the fee is a tax-deductible contribution to the Arboretum Auxiliary. Register online at arb.umn.edu/GardenTours. For questions call and leave a message at 612-625-9865.
DOUBLE DISCOUNT DAYS
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, April 30-May 1, May 14-15, 21-22 and 28-29, Arboretum Gardens The Arb’s popular May Markets are returning in 2022 but the location has changed. Browse and shop from around 50 local artists and crafters who will be displaying their wares all throughout the gardens close to the Oswald Visitor Center – all bursting with spring blooms, making the shopping experience even better.
Photo by Liz Potasek
Photo by Deb Frymet
9 a.m.-6 p.m. April 15-29, Gift & Garden Store. The Arb’s Gift & Garden store is the place for one-of-a kind gifts and home decor, garden supplies and decor, books, personal care items, children's books and educational toys, and botanic-themed jewelry. Delight in local honey, jams and jellies, Arboretum syrup and other gourmet food items. During Double Discount Days, Arboretum members qualify for a 20 percent discount on all regularly priced merchandise (double the usual member discount). Please show your member card at the cash register.
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Photo by Jason Boudreau-Landis
Photo by Arusfly at Unsplash
Sunday, May 1, Farm at the Arb $35 members/$50 non-members for 5K timed (limit of 150); $30/$45 for 5K not-timed; $10 Kids 1K; (Same day registration: $50/$65 5K; $20 Kids 1K). Break out your running shoes as our buds break for the Arboretum’s 25th annual Bud Break 5K walk/run and 1K Kids fun run. Runners looking for some competition can register for the timed run. The timed run will begin at 8:30 a.m. Participants looking for a more casual experience can enjoy staggered times throughout the day (every half-hour beginning at 8:30 a.m. through 1:30 p.m.) with 50 spots available each half-hour. Again this year, all participants will start and end at the Farm at the Arb! Register at: budbreak.umn.edu. Pre-Race Registration needed by April 14 for T-shirt guarantee.
ALL ABOUT DOGS DAY
FULL PINK MOON HIKE
Saturday, April 16, 8-10:30 p.m. Members and children 15 & under: $5 Non-member adults: $20 Enjoy the Arboretum after dark during the Full Pink Moon Night Hike! The Full Pink Moon is named for the moss phlox that is starting to bloom in April. The hike will start at the Sensory Garden with luminaries lighting the path along the Three-Mile Walk to the Shrub Rose Garden and then shortcut back to the Sensory Garden where fire pits will help warm any fingers and toes should this April night be chilly. z.umn.edu/7ind.
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, June 4, Dog Commons $5 Member with Dog-Added Membership; $15 Member with regular membership; $30 non-member. All About Dogs Day at the Arb is our annual day to celebrate dogs in nature! Join other doglovers at the Dog Commons, the Arboretum's on-leash dog trails. Explore the 65-acre Dog Commons and visit up to 40 vendors at the Dog Expo. The Dog Commons is not "just an on-leash dog trail." It is about the entire experience of being outside in plant-rich landscape with an animal companion. A goal of the Dog Commons is to inspire a shift from walking the dog as a chore to walking the dog as a mindful and restorative experience that benefits health and well-being for humans and pets. All About Dogs Day registration: arb.umn.edu/content/ all-about-dogs
8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, May 7-8, Farm at the Arb Our annual plant sale is back for Mother’s Day weekend this year. Shop the sale at Farm at the Arb, using the Arboretum entrance on 82nd Street. With more than 1,000 varieties, there will be a stellar selection of sun and shade plants, curated grasses, heirloom herbs and vegetables, native Minnesota plants and University of Minnesota introductions. All proceeds go to support the work of the Arboretum. Visitors will need to make free reservations in advance to shop the sale. Reservations will open March 30 at arb.umn.edu/content/arboretumplant-sale. Plant sale visitors will not be able to access the Arboretum grounds beyond the plant sale.
Photo by Susie Hopper
ARBORETUM PLANT SALE!
Photo by Susie Hopper
2022 AUXILIARY QUILT RAFFLE FUNDRAISER Tickets on sale May 8-Sept. 24 This year's Arboretum Auxiliary quilt is a contemporary quilt titled ”In the Garden." It is a kaleidoscope of color represented by favorite garden flowers from a book of flower patterns by Ruth McDowell. The quilt measures 69" x 78" and will be on display in the Oswald Visitor Center's Great Hall, where tickets will be on sale. Tickets are $2 and go on sale May 8. The drawing will be held in the Snyder Auditorium on Sept. 24 as part of the Auxiliary's Annual Harvest Sale. arb.umn.edu/auxiliary A R B O R E T U M M AGA Z I N E // A P R I L • M AY 2022
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Photos by (top) Susan Taylor; (lower right) Alan Branhagen
THE JOY OF GIVING
COMPLETING A CIRCLE OF
COLOR There are two particular places at the Arboretum that
show you in glorious technicolor – literally – how a bequest can leave a lasting legacy spanning decades and enriching the lives of visitors: The Meyer-Deats Conservatory in the Snyder Building and the new Edith Potter Deats Greenhouse at the Horticulture and Operations Headquarters. This legacy was sparked by an extraordinary woman, Dr. Edith Potter Deats. She established a charitable gift annuity for the Arboretum, and the remainder of the annuity’s assets came to the Arboretum. Her gift was used to build a state-of-the-art greenhouse, completed last fall as a companion to the Bachman Greenhouse, which opened in 2019. Born in 1901, Dr. Deats was one s at De of the first r Dr. Edith Potte
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JEFF ISEMINGER • CONTRIBUTING WRITER
women to earn a medical degree from the University of Minnesota, as well as a Ph.D. in pathology from the University. In 1934 she moved to Chicago, where she taught at the University of Chicago and served for 33 years as pathologist at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital. In support of a drive by the Chicago health department to reduce child mortality, she performed more than 10,000 autopsies on infants. As a result, Dr. Deats almost single-handedly founded the field of perinatal pathology. She made early contributions to the understanding of Rh disease, which destroys a baby’s blood cells. She also discovered a link between a certain facial appearance and the absence of fetal kidneys, now known as the Potter sequence. Several of the medical texts she authored are available in the library. After Dr. Deats retired to Florida she became an expert in tropical and subtropical plants, especially bromeliads, maintaining a collection in her home. In fact, she donated 122 bromeliad cultivars to establish the Meyer-Deats Conservatory that opened in 1980 at the Arboretum. The
A R B O R E T U M M AGA Z I N E // A P R I L • M AY 2022
Conservatory was named in honor of the two husbands she outlived: architectural sculptor Alvin Meyer and architectural coordinator and watercolorist Frank Deats. Descendants of her cultivars are now rotated between the Conservatory and – you guessed it – the Deats Greenhouse. Her annuity, nearly 40 years after its creation, has completed a circle of never-ending movement festooned with color. Her plants are in very good care, says Steve Van Natta, horticulture manager at the Arboretum: “Light, temperature and humidity are all maintained by the flip of a switch in the Deats Greenhouse, thus allowing for consistent growing conditions and healthier plants.” In short, Dr. Deats moved medical science forward and – through the gift of a greenhouse and the plants it shelters – widened the Arboretum’s botanical spectrum.
2022 ARBORETUM TRAVEL
Photos by (top) Jason Boudreau-Landis; (top left) Norbert Lucas; (bottom right) Todd Mulvihill
WITH ARBORETUM DIRECTOR EMERITUS PETER OLIN,ARBORETUM DIRECTOR PETE MOE AND DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS ALAN BRANHAGEN
What do a queen bee, a Honeycrisp apple, a master gardener, and an apprentice farmer have in common? The Farm at the Arb! The Gala in the Gardens, the Arboretum’s signature annual fundraiser, is back in-person and – for the first time – at the Farm at the Arb on Thursday, June 16. We’re celebrating this new Arboretum destination because the Farm at the Arb sparks discovery and learning by connecting people, the land, and the growing of food. Enjoy an inspiring program featuring the innovation and impact of the Farm at the Arb with KARE 11 Chief Meteorologist and emcee Belinda Jensen and Arboretum Director Pete Moe. The live auction is back, as is the silent auction, with options to bid in-person or virtually. Each year, the Gala raises funds for a special project called the “Fund-A-Need.” The 2022 Fund-A-Need aligns with a planned Farm at the Arb expanded visitor entry and will shape guests' first impressions of Farm at the Arb. This new gateway to the Arboretum will provide a calm, enveloping experience the moment guests arrive. With the help of generous Gala attendees, this Fund-A-Need project will provide an inspiring and beautiful new landscape along the new Farm at the Arb entry that parallels the natural beauty found across the Arboretum.
Funds raised at the Gala are invested into the Arboretum’s 1,200 acres of gardens, plant and tree collections, model landscapes, natural areas, and miles of trails. Your support propels our mission to welcome, inform, and inspire almost 500,000 annual visitors through outstanding displays, protected natural areas, horticultural research, and education. There are several ticket levels available, including a virtual option. Find the latest Gala details and registration information at arb.umn.edu/gala. Call 612-625-9437 or email arbgala@umn.edu with questions. 2022 Gala Committee Co-chairs: Alene Sussman and Jaime Gearhart
Sponsors Sapling Sponsors
Gala Emcee KARE-11 Chief Meteorologist Belinda Jensen and Arboretum Director Pete Moe
Coastal Maine, June 1 – 8 Explore the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, the rugged coastline from Portland to Bar Harbor, enjoy lobster dinner, lighthouses everywhere, more gardens, historical places and Acadia National Park, the only national park in the Northeast. Stops are made in Kennebunkport, Asticou Azalea Garden and the Thuya Garden. Host, Peter Moe. Contact Jenny at jenny@skadstravel.com or 952927-7311 Floriade and the Brussels Floral Carpet, August 8 – 16 Visit the once-every-10-years world flower show outside Amsterdam. Featuring gardens from 40 countries, an arboretum of plants and futuristic designs and living spaces. Then on to Brussels to see the fabulous floral carpet covering the main square. More gardens, palaces, history and good food as well. Host, Pete Moe. Contact Jenny at jenny@skadstravel.com or 952-927-7311. Detroit and Mackinac Island, September 8 – 12 Explore the Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, Cranbrook house and gardens, Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, Whitcomb Conservatory, and Edsel Ford house. Take a Mackinac Island carriage tour, visit the Grand Hotel, and explore the island. Host Peter Olin. Contact Lynde at destinationsandtours@ gmail.com or 440-840-6633. For more information on all Arboretum tours, go to arbtravel.umn.edu or contact Peter Olin, olinx002@ umn.edu or 612-301-1275.
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Calendar At-A-Glance
ONGOING EXHIBITS REEDY GALLERY Reflections From Our Natural World • Through May 2 (See back page)
RECURRING APRIL-MAY PROGRAMS & EVENTS DOUBLE DISCOUNT DAYS IN GIFT & GARDEN STORE April 15-29
(See page 8)
2022 AUXILIARY QUILT RAFFLE FUNDRAISER Tickets on sale May 8-Sept. 24, Oswald Visitor Center
Birds, Birds, Birds: Art Takes Flight at the Arb • May 5 – June 28 (See back page)
(See page 9)
CAFE GALLERY
Available now through May 31, $35/$50, Online via Canvas
Nature: Near and Far: featuring the artwork of Cathy Menssen and Carl Nelson • Through April 3 (See back page) Pollinator Friendly: Paintings by Abigail Blythe Davisson • April 7– May 22 (See back page) Infused with Nature: The Renderings of Ava Lambert • May 25 – July 17 (See back page)
SKYWAY GALLERY The Art of Flying: Bird Images from A to Z • Through Aug. 12 Take a stroll through a hallway full of birds! Starting in the Skyway Gallery and ending in the library, two stunning bird prints for every letter of the alphabet are captured from pages of rare books in Andersen Horticultural Library’s collection. This is a magnificent display of feathers you won’t want to miss. This multimedia exhibit is fun for the whole family, and will include ambient birdsong, fun facts throughout, and some of British artist Edward Lear’s bird-related nonsense limericks and illustrations.
ANDERSEN HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY Journey through Japan: Traditional Woodblock Prints from the Edo Period • Through Aug. 12 Feast your eyes upon brilliant Japanese woodblock flora and fauna art from the Edo Period (1603-1868), a time in Japanese cultural and political history of relative peace and stability, characterized by the innovation of artistic techniques such as colored woodblock printing. All prints are from AHL’s rare book collection.
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PAINTING SKYSCAPES WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP SATURDAY, APRIL 9
INDOOR PLANTS AND PROPAGATION (ONLINE SELF-PACED MODULE) Learn online, at-your-own-pace, best practices for how to grow and propagate indoor plants in your own home. Covered topics including light, soil, temperature and humidity, potting, maintenance, pests and propagation. Expect approximately 4-6 hours to complete the module, with a quiz at the end.
ONE HOUR GUIDED TRAM TOUR
Daily, 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. (no 10:30 a.m. tram on Mondays), daily starting mid-April, $6 (purchase same-day tickets at Visitor Center) Hop aboard for a narrated tram tour highlighting our varied collections, display gardens and demonstration gardens.
RECURRING SATURDAYS/ SUNDAYS MAY MARKET WEEKENDS
April 30-May 1, May 14-15, May 21-22, May 28-29 (See page 8)
FRIDAY, APRIL 1
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY 10 a.m.-noon, free with gate admission, Azalea Classroom, Oswald Visitor Center
Join fellow crafters to share tips, patterns and fellowship.
SUNDAY, APRIL 3
YOGA IN THE GARDENS
10-11 a.m., free with gate admission, Sensory Garden Taught by onelove.yoga (see page 8)
arb.umn.edu/content/yoga-gardens
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MONDAY, APRIL 4
DRAWING BIRDS IN PASTEL: 4-SESSION SERIES (ONLINE)
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., (also includes APRIL 11, 18, 25), $159/$189, online via ZOOM Explore the portable, versatile medium of pastels and their dynamic, painterly qualities. Helpful demonstrations will guide creation of refined drawings that balance line, form, color and composition as you draw a barn owl, cardinal, crow and a ruby-throated hummingbird.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY (See April 1)
SATURDAY, APRIL 9
PAINTING SKYSCAPES WATERCOLOR
WORKSHOP
10 a.m.-4 p.m., BYO supplies $99/$119 or Supplies included $139/$159, Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Center Learn to create luminous skies, integral to any outdoor scene. Using layers of watercolor, apply and blend subtle layers of color to create different types of clouds and capture the changing moods of the sky.
PRUNING HYDRANGEAS: A HANDSON CLASS IN THE ARB COLLECTIONS 10 a.m. – noon, $41/$56, Meet at the Dahlia Parking Lot
Learn the best times to prune hydrangeas, tool cleaning and care, and get guided hands-on practice in the Arb's hydrangea collection! Discover why hydrangeas are a popular shrub choice for Minnesota, and view the Arb's many cultivars.
Painting by Catherine Hearding
Due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and updated requirements from both the State and University of Minnesota, please find the latest calendar and mask-use requirements arb.umn.edu.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:
Arboretum.umn.edu/learn.aspx CLASS REGISTRATION: 612-301-1210 EVENTS, EXHIBITS, GENERAL INFO: 612-624-2200 MINNESOTA GRAINS COOKING CLASS SATURDAY, APRIL 9
THE POWER OF BALANCE: STONE SCULPTURES FOR YOUR GARDEN
FRIDAY, APRIL 15
THURSDAY, APRIL 21
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Through April 29, Gift & Garden Store
Use shape, weight and friction to create impossible-looking balances using ordinary stones. Gain insights on photographing your creations, learn about design and composition, receive helpful tips and practice in class.
(See page 8)
6-7 p.m., free with gate admission, Lilac Collection
BALANCED STONE SCULPTURES: REFRESHER COURSE TO CONTINUE THE JOURNEY
SATURDAY, APRIL 16 (See page 9)
12-1 p.m., free with gate admission, Sensory Garden
For past participants of The Power of Balance class, review and practice the basic foundation techniques, then create even more impossiblelooking balances using ordinary stones. Learn techniques of design and composition to preserve your creations with photography.
SUNDAY, APRIL 17
arb.umn.edu/content/yoga-gardens
MINNESOTA GRAINS, FROM SWEET TO SAVORY: HANDS-ON COOKING CLASS
PRETTY PANSIES WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP
9-11:30 a.m., $45/$60, Oswald Visitor Center
(Left) Photo by symblot at Shutterstock; (middle) Painting by Sonja Hutchinson; (right) Photo by Eric Mueller
IPHONE PHOTO EDITING MADE EASY TUESDAY, APRIL 26
PRETTY PANSIES WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP TUESDAY, APRIL 19
12:30-3 p.m., $45/$60, Oswald Visitor Center
9-10:30 a.m., $42/$57, Marion Andrus Learning Center
Explore cooking and baking techniques, flavor and texture enhancers, and innovative ways to use traditional and new grains. Work in small groups to prepare Sautéed Wild Rice Bowl with Roasted Vegetables, Pistachio & White Chocolate Cookies, Farro Salad with Leeks and Mushrooms, Buckwheat Granola and Kernza Pancakes.
DOUBLE DISCOUNT DAYS (BEGIN)
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY
YOGA IN THE GARDENS Taught by Live True Yoga (see page 8)
arb.umn.edu/content/yoga-gardens
(See April 1)
SUNDAY, APRIL 24
YOGA IN THE GARDENS
FULL PINK MOON HIKE
Taught by Sacred Waters Yoga (see page 8)
EASTER BRUNCH
Reservations from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. arb.umn.edu/content/easter-brunch
TUESDAY, APRIL 26
IPHONE PHOTO EDITING MADE EASY: 2-SESSION WORKSHOP (ONLINE)
TUESDAY, APRIL 19
6:30-9 p.m., (also includes APRIL 28), $64/$69, online via ZOOM
10 a.m.-4 p.m., $89/$104, Snyder Building Learn to paint flower petals with undulating color and delicate accents through step-by-step instruction and helpful demonstrations. Practice new techniques for paint handling and composition. Bring your own supplies, some watercolor experience helpful.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20
FRIDAY, APRIL 29
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY (See April 1)
Make your photos look their best by editing them to adjust contrast, structure, brightness, saturation and more. Learn to remove blemishes, add vignettes, use filters and other tools. This beginner-level class is part presentation, part demonstration and part hands-on editing.
(See April 1)
ARBOR DAY (See page 8)
A R B O R E T U M M AGA Z I N E // A P R I L • M AY 2022
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Calendar At-A-Glance THE PHOTOGRAPHERS GARDEN POLLINATOR PHOTOGRAPHY THURSDAY, MAY 5
VINAIGRETTES AND SALAD DRESSINGS COOKING CLASS SATURDAY, MAY 14
THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S GARDEN: PLANTING FOR POLLINATOR PHOTOGRAPHY (ONLINE)
2022 AUXILIARY QUILT RAFFLE FUNDRAISER (See page 9)
(See page 8)
Learn the ten most photogenic native plants to attract pollinators and other insects, what plants need to grow well in your garden, strategies for photographing different species, and how to design a garden around a photographer’s needs.
SUNDAY, MAY 1
FRIDAY, MAY 6
DOUBLE DISCOUNT DAYS (FINAL DAY) 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Gift & Garden Store (See page 8)
SATURDAY, APRIL 30 MAY MARKET
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Arboretum Gardens
MAY MARKET
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Arboretum Gardens (See page 8)
YOGA IN THE GARDENS – TAI CHI 10-11 a.m., free with gate admission, Chinese Garden Taught by Tai Chi Chih (see page 8)
arb.umn.edu/content/yoga-gardens
BUD BREAK
8:30 a.m., Farm at the Arb (See page 9)
THURSDAY, MAY 5
NEEDLE FELTING: AN ADORABLE FOX (ONLINE) 1-4 p.m., $94/$114, online via ZOOM
Create a beautiful three-dimensional fox from wool. All supplies will be mailed to you, then log on to the live online session for hands-on helpful demonstrations that will guide you as you create form and build density, practice shaping and apply characteristics.
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6:30-8:30 p.m., $32/$37, online via ZOOM
Tickets on sale today through Sept. 24, Oswald Visitor Center
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY (See April 1)
NATIONAL PUBLIC GARDENS DAY
THURSDAY, MAY 12
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY (See April 1)
6-7 p.m., free with gate admission, Green Heron Pond Bridge
SATURDAY, MAY 7
arb.umn.edu/content/yoga-gardens
YOGA IN THE GARDENS Taught by onelove.yoga (see page 8)
ARBORETUM PLANT SALE
8 a.m.-3 p.m., Farm at the Arb (See page 9)
SUNDAY, MAY 8
MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH
Reservations from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. arb.umn.edu/content/mothers-day-brunch
ARBORETUM PLANT SALE
8 a.m.-3 p.m., Farm at the Arb (See page 9)
A R B O R E T U M M AGA Z I N E // A P R I L • M AY 2022
SATURDAY, MAY 14 MAY MARKET
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Arboretum Gardens (See page 8)
VINAIGRETTES & SALAD DRESSINGS: HANDS-ON COOKING CLASS 9-10:30 a.m., $42/$57, Marion Andrus Learning Center
Experiment with different oils, vinegars and flavors to create classic vinaigrettes and salad dressings. Then use your imagination to create signature dressings that will add complexity to your spring salads. Work in small groups to make Ranch, Italian, Blue Cheese, and a variety of vinaigrettes.
Photos by (left) Laura Berlage; (middle) Frank Meuschke; (right) Elena Veselova at Shuttlestock
NEEDLE FELTING - FOX THURSDAY, MAY 5
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:
Arboretum.umn.edu/learn.aspx CLASS REGISTRATION: 612-301-1210 EVENTS, EXHIBITS, GENERAL INFO: 612-624-2200 PHOTOGRAPHING SPRING FLOWERS THURSDAY, MAY 19
SUNDAY, MAY 15 MAY MARKET
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Arboretum Gardens (See page 8)
MONDAY, MAY 16
FINDING YOUR RHYTHM IN WATERCOLOR
Photos by (upper left) Don Olson; (upper middle) Eric Mueller; (lower right) Susie Hopper
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $59/$74, Snyder Building Tea Room Understand the interactions between paper, water, paint and brushes in watercolor. Learn the stages of the watercolor process, and complete exercises to create special effects and achieve the results you desire.
CREATIVE IPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOTING AND COMPOSITION SATURDAY, MAY 21
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY (See April 1)
INTRO TO WINE TASTING AND APPRECIATION THURSDAY, MAY 26
THURSDAY, MAY 26
INTRODUCTION TO WINE TASTING & WINE APPRECIATION 6-8:30 p.m., $60/$75, Marion Andrus Learning Center
SATURDAY, MAY 21 MAY MARKET
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Arboretum Gardens (See page 8)
CREATIVE IPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY: SHOOTING & COMPOSITION 9 a.m.-3 p.m., $105/$120, Marion Andrus Learning Center
Learn about the astonishing array of complex flavors and diverse wine types. Explore how wine is made, how to taste and describe wine, how to read a wine label and the basics of wine and food pairing. Includes light hors d’oeuvres, extensive wine sampling of wines from around the world and a Riedel wine glass.
SATURDAY, MAY 28
THURSDAY, MAY 19
Learn to take effective, meaningful and beautiful photos with your iPhone. Discuss the ten rules of composition, the importance of main subject iPhone settings, and how to decide what to shoot and how to shoot it.
6:30-8 p.m., $24/$29, online via ZOOM
SUNDAY, MAY 22
MAY MARKET
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Arboretum Gardens
(See page 8)
PHOTOGRAPHING BEAUTIFUL SPRING FLOWERS (ONLINE) Discuss the five types of flower photography, managing depth of field for close-up shots, image stacking, as well as basic and advanced equipment needed for best results. Add an optional inperson practicum at the Arb with the instructor on Saturday, May 21, 8-10 a.m. for an additional $54/$69.
(See page 8)
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Arboretum Gardens
MAY MARKET (See page 8)
SATURDAY, JUNE 4
YOGA IN THE GARDENS
12-1 p.m., free with gate admission, Azalea Collection
FRIDAY, MAY 20
Drop-in 1-1:45 p.m., free with gate admission, Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
Get a peek at a day in the life of a beekeeper. Watch safely from inside the building as the beekeeper inspects the Bee Center’s hives. Weather-dependent, see arboretum.umn.edu/ PollinatorClasses.aspx for details.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Arboretum Gardens
SUNDAY, MAY 29
Taught by Live True Yoga (see page 8) arb.umn.edu/content/yoga-gardens
WATCH THE BEEKEEPER AT WORK
MAY MARKET
KNIT & STITCH WITH THE AUXILIARY (See April 1)
ALL ABOUT DOGS DAY (See page 9)
A R B O R E T U M M AGA Z I N E // A P R I L • M AY 2022
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3675 Arboretum Drive Chaska, Minnesota 55318-9613
TELEPHONE DIRECTORY
General Information . . . . . . . . 612-624-2200 Andersen Horticultural Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612-301-1239 Auxiliary Membership & Events Info. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612-625-9865 Seasonal Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . 612-625-9791 Contributions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612-301-1266 Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612-301-1210 Gift and Garden Store . . . . . . . 612-301-7619 Facility Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612-301-7596 Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612-301-1257 Memorials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612-301-1266 Volunteering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612-301-1203 Yard & Garden Help Desk. . . 612-301-7590 Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . arboretum.umn.edu AppleHouse Info Line . . . . . . . 612-301-3487
A publication for members and friends of the Arboretum
Printed with Agri Based Inks
Due to ongoing limited operations because of COVID-19, please visit arb.umn.edu for hours and programming updates.
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The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. ©2020 Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
ART AT THE ARBORETUM
Make the art galleries at the Arboretum part of every visit. All art is for sale through the Gift and Garden Store with proceeds going to fund the Arboretum and the local artist community! arb.umn.edu/art-galleries
REEDY GALLERY
Reflections From Our Natural World • Through May 2 Featured artists Kathleen Krishnan, Alison Price and Mary Welke derive their visual cues from nature. The works remind us that if we look closely, nature can awe with her beauty, provide solace, conjure memories and educate us. Each artist takes a different path using color, form and textural qualities resulting in a whole that makes us more deeply explore our relationship with the natural world. Birds, Birds, Birds: Art Takes Flight at the Arb • May 5 – June 28 Several painters, a sculptor and mosaic artist come together to honor our feathered friends. For as long as humans have been creating art, birds have been a source of inspiration. Join artists Brenna Busse, Georgia Kandiko, Lucy LeMay, Laura Ruprecht and James Turner as they visually demonstrate their affinity for these winged creatures.
CAFE GALLERY
Nature: Near and Far: featuring the artwork of Cathy Menssen and Carl Nelson • Through April 3 Inspired by the Arb’s Spring Flower Show, view artistically rendered plants and flowers - up close and far away. Two artists with a passion for nature work in dramatically different styles to create their interpretations of the plant world. Pollinator Friendly: Paintings by Abigail Blythe Davisson • April 7– May 22 View these paintings inspired by our pollinator friends and translated to canvas by local artist Abigail Blythe Davisson. Let your mind release as each image takes you on a journey around the canvas. Infused with Nature: The Renderings of Ava Lambert • May 25 – July 17 Lambert’s oil and acrylic works use color, texture and form in macro and micro renditions.
SKYWAY GALLERY
The Art of Flying: Bird Images from A to Z • Through Aug. 12 (see page 12)
ANDERSEN HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY
Journey through Japan: Traditional Woodblock Prints from the Edo Period • Through Aug. 12 (see page 12)
“Birds, Birds, Birds: Art Takes Flight at the Arb” Exhibit (top) Painting by Georgia Kandiko; (bottom) Painting by James Turner