Birds and Bards Festival

Friday, May 2–Sunday, May 4

Spend the weekend exploring birds, poetry, and nature in over 1,000 acres of greenspace along Boston’s Emerald Necklace. Festival activities for children and adults are presented by the Arnold Arboretum, Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center, Forest Hills Educational Trust, Franklin Park Coalition, Franklin Park Zoo, and the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

See the Massachusetts Audubon Society website here for the full schedule of events and locations including bird walks, family activities, poetry recitals, special talks, and more.

Special Tour: Morning Bird Walk WAL 120

Bob Mayer, Arnold Arboretum Volunteer
1 Session
Fri May 2 7:00–8:30am [HB]

Celebrate the Birds & Bards Festival with an early morning walk in search of migrating birds amid the profusion of spring flowering plants at the Arnold Arboretum. Novices as well as experienced birders are welcome.

See the Massachusetts Audubon Society website here for the full schedule of events and locations including bird walks, family activities, poetry recitals, special talks, and more.

Fee Free, no registration required

Morning Bird Walk WAL 120

Bob Mayer, Arnold Arboretum Volunteer
1 Session
Fri May 2 7:00–8:30am [HB]

Celebrate the Birds & Bards Festival with an early morning walk in search of migrating birds amid the profusion of spring flowering plants at the Arnold Arboretum. Novices as well as experienced birders are welcome.

Fee Free, no registration required

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

Birds and Bards Festival

Friday, May 2–Sunday, May 4

Spend the weekend exploring birds, poetry, and nature in over 1,000 acres of greenspace along Boston’s Emerald Necklace. Festival activities for children and adults are presented by the Arnold Arboretum, Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center, Forest Hills Educational Trust, Franklin Park Coalition, Franklin Park Zoo, and the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

See the Massachusetts Audubon Society website here for the full schedule of events and locations including bird walks, family activities, poetry recitals, special talks, and more.

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

Trees and Poetry ART 160

Ethan Gilsdorf
1 Session
Sat May 3 3:30–5:30pm [HB]

Stroll through the majestic spring landscape of the Arnold Arboretum on a guided journey. Explore the creative writing process, tap into your imagination, and listen to tree-inspired poetry. Part of the Birds & Bards Festival.

See www.massaudubon.org/boston for the full schedule of events and locations including bird walks, family activities, poetry recitals, special talks, and more.

Fee Free, no registration required

Birds and Bards Festival

Friday, May 2–Sunday, May 4

Spend the weekend exploring birds, poetry, and nature in over 1,000 acres of greenspace along Boston’s Emerald Necklace. Festival activities for children and adults are presented by the Arnold Arboretum, Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center, Forest Hills Educational Trust, Franklin Park Coalition, Franklin Park Zoo, and the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

See the Massachusetts Audubon Society website here for the full schedule of events and locations including bird walks, family activities, poetry recitals, special talks, and more.

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

Climate Change and New England's Natural Ecosystems ENV 400

Jeffrey Dukes, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston
1 Session
Sun May 4 3:00–5:00pm [Hamel Commons Function Room, Fuller Village, 1372 Brush Hill Road, Milton]

In this lecture, Jeffrey Dukes will briefly explain the causes and dynamics of climate change and how ecosystems and the ocean act to slow the rate of change. He will then detail the expected shifts in New England's climate and discuss how local ecosystems may respond to warmer and sometimes wetter conditions. He will share current thinking on which species will benefit, which may suffer, and the reasons why. Finally, Dr. Dukes will describe the Boston-Area Climate Experiment, a new experiment being conducted in Waltham that is altering the climate over 36 small plots of land to determine local species’ responses to change.

Following the lecture, enjoy refreshments and a walking tour of the neighboring historic property, the Wakefield Estate. The tour, which will be led by estate staff and Dr. Dukes, will highlight aspects of the lecture as they relate to the wide variety of trees of the estate.

Fee Free, but advance registration is requested
Offered in collaboration with the Wakefield Charitable Trust

Special Tour: Climate Change and New England's Natural Ecosystems ENV 400

Jeffrey Dukes, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston
1 Session
Sun May 4 3:00–5:00pm [Hamel Commons Function Room, Fuller Village, 1372 Brush Hill Road, Milton]

In this lecture, Jeffrey Dukes will briefly explain the causes and dynamics of climate change and how ecosystems and the ocean act to slow the rate of change. He will then detail the expected shifts in New England's climate and discuss how local ecosystems may respond to warmer and sometimes wetter conditions. He will share current thinking on which species will benefit, which may suffer, and the reasons why. Finally, Dr. Dukes will describe the Boston-Area Climate Experiment, a new experiment being conducted in Waltham that is altering the climate over 36 small plots of land to determine local species’ responses to change.

Following the lecture, enjoy refreshments and a walking tour of the neighboring historic property, the Wakefield Estate. The tour, which will be led by estate staff and Dr. Dukes, will highlight aspects of the lecture as they relate to the wide variety of trees of the estate.

Fee Free, but advance registration is requested
Offered in collaboration with the Wakefield Charitable Trust

Independent Project Studio and Design IV Final Presentations

Independent Project Studio and Design IV are the terminal design classes at the Landscape Institute. During 2007-08, students were instructed by the former director, John F. Furlong in conjunction with student-selected advisors, who meet additional hours outside of the scheduled class time.

All reviews are held at the Landscape Institute, 29 Garden Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Open to the public. No reservation required.

10:00 AM Andrew Plummer-Imagination, Creativity and Play: The Blue Man Group Creativity Center Playground
Advisor: Marie Stella
Certificate: Landscape Design

10:45 AM Kathleen Roddy-Aberjona River Park at Leonard Pond: A Design for Renewed Habitat, Environmental Stewardship, and Interactive Community Space Along the Proposed Tri-Community Bikeway in Winchester, MA
Advisor: Karl Haglund
Certificate: Landscape Design

11:30 AM Charlotte Fleetwood-Dogs in the City and Community: Ronan Park Dog Run, Dorchester, MA
Advisor: Jean Cavanaugh
Certificate: Landscape Design

1:00 PM Kathleen Tunsley-Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Sharon, MA: Shaping the Future with Ecological Processes
Advisor: Jean Cavanaugh and V. Michael Weinmayr
Certificate: Landscape Design

1:45 PM Barbara Trainer-Safe Passage to Healing: Victims of Violence Recovery Garden
Advisor: Jean Cavanaugh
Certificate: Landscape Design

2:30 PM Lori Silvia-Sculptures Joining with Nature: Exploring the Personal Journey Through the Conceptual Process
Advisor: Diane K. McGuire
Certificate: Landscape Design

*Times for each presentation are approximate. Please arrive early.

Independent Project Studio and Design IV Final Presentations

Independent Project Studio and Design IV are the terminal design classes at the Landscape Institute. During 2007-08, students were instructed by the former director, John F. Furlong in conjunction with student-selected advisors, who meet additional hours outside of the scheduled class time.

All reviews are held at the Landscape Institute, 29 Garden Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Open to the public. No reservation required.

9:15 AM Amy de la Vega-Rethinking the Suburban Experience
Advisor: Heather Heimarck
Certificate: Landscape Design

10:00 AM Elizabeth Morrison-The Upton Cave: A Local Mystery Becomes
a Town Resource, Upton, MA
Advisor: John Furlong
Certificate: Landscape Design

10:45 AM Lisa Gervais-Hotel Viking: A Fusion of Contemporary and Historical Design
Advisor: Marie Stella
Certificate: Landscape Design

11:30 AM Presented by Design IV Students: Dwight James, Steven Magliacane, Paul Marean, Paul Van Broekhoven, Elizabeth Westling-Needham Town Park, Needham, MA
Advisor: John Furlong
Certificate: Landscape Design

1:15 PM Phyllis Lerman-Revealing the Character of a Hudson Highlands Landscape
Advisor: Jean Cavanaugh
Certificate: Landscape Design

2:00 PM Susan Pashman-Toward a Theory of Landscape Aesthetics
Advisor: John Furlong and Jean Cavanaugh
Certificate: Landscape Design

2:45 PM Meridith Wesby-Boundless Boundaries or Good Neighbors Make Good Fences
Advisor: Marie Stella
Certificate: Landscape Design

*Times for each presentation are approximate. Please arrive early.

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

Landscape Institute Information Session

Attend an Information Session to learn about the academic programs offered by the Landscape Institute.

Location:
29 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
(Chauncy Street entrance)

Click here for directions and parking information.

Landscape Institute Information Session

Attend an Information Session to learn about the academic programs offered by the Landscape Institute. Listen to faculty discuss their courses and experience. Talk informally with faculty, certificate candidates, graduates, and staff and have your questions answered.

Location:
29 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
(Chauncy Street entrance)

Click here for directions and parking information.

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

Lilac Sunday

Arnold Arboretum
Sunday, May 11
10:00am-4:00pm

The Arnold Arboretum celebrates the 100th anniversary of this beloved Boston tradition. Join lilac enthusiasts from all over New England to celebrate. A dazzling array of over 180 kinds of lilacs with delightful fragrances and gorgeous colors—plus tours, dancing, art, music, children’s activities, and food (picnicking allowed on this special day only). On Lilac Sunday, the Arboretum is open as usual from dawn to dusk, with special activities from 10:00am until 4:00pm. Use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.

Read more here >

Birding for Beginners WAL 121

Bob Mayer, Arnold Arboretum Volunteer
3 Sessions
Thu May 15 7:00–8:30pm [HB]; Sun May 18 [HB] and Sun June 1 7:30–9:30am [WSG]

Boston is for the birds! And so is Bob Mayer. In this class for the novice, Bob will discuss choosing the right optics, field guides, and other aids and references for the beginning birder; introduce the key elements in finding and identifying birds; and review birding etiquette and behavior in the field. After becoming familiar with the fundamentals, you’ll venture into the best birding habitats in the Arboretum to practice using your equipment and search for some of the many wonderful birds that can be seen on the grounds. The first two sessions meet at the Hunnewell Building; the third meets at the Walter Street Gate.

Fee $50 member, $60 nonmember

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

The Explorers Garden WAL 134

Michael Dosmann, Curator of Living Collections, Arnold Arboretum
1 Session
Saturday, May 17 1:00-3:00 pm [HB]

Trek through the newly named Explorers Garden, the collection of plants growing on the eastern slope of Bussey Hill on and around Chinese Path. Find out why this location has been ideal for testing plants of unknown hardiness, hear tales of exciting plant expeditions, and get to know the explorers that brought these gems to the Arboretum.

Fee Free, but advance registration is requested

Special Tour: The Explorers Garden WAL 134

Michael Dosmann, Curator of Living Collections, Arnold Arboretum
1 Session
Saturday, May 17 1:00-3:00 pm [HB]

Trek through the newly named Explorers Garden, the collection of plants growing on the eastern slope of Bussey Hill on and around Chinese Path. Find out why this location has been ideal for testing plants of unknown hardiness, hear tales of exciting plant expeditions, and get to know the explorers that brought these gems to the Arboretum.

Fee Free, but advance registration is requested

Special Tour: Take A Hike!

Nancy Sableski, School Programs Manager
Sun May 18: Peters Hill Hike; 12:30pm–3:30pm
Sun June 8: Hemlock Hill Hike; 1:30pm–3:30pm
Sun June 15: Bussey Hill Hike; 1:30pm–3:30pm

You don't have to leave the city to go on a hike in the woods! Take your children on a hike to the hills of the Arnold Arboretum, stretch your legs after a long winter, and share the changes that warmer weather brings to the natural world. We'll look at the special flowers and trees of each hill and do some great naturalist activities like birdwatching, drawing, and using hand lenses to look at cool stuff up close. Bring water and a snack (and binoculars, if you have them), and wear sneakers or hiking boots and a hat. These hikes are appropriate for children from age 6 to 12 with an accompanying adult. Sign up for one hike or trek all three!

Fee Hikes are free, but advance registration is requested.
Meet at the Hunnewell Visitor Center.

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

Containers to Go HOR 186

Deborah Trickett, Owner, The Captured Garden
2 Sessions (select one)
A: Tue May 20 1:00–3:00pm [HB]
B: Tue May 20 6:30–8:30pm [HB]

Bring your favorite pot or container and prepare to plant in this hands-on class. Deborah Trickett, who specializes in container planting, will lead you through the steps of creating a full floral display that complements your chosen pot. She will begin class with an overview of techniques and design tips for best results. You will then fill your container with potting mix and select from a variety of annuals and herbs to plant your own combination. Bring a pot no larger than 12 inches in diameter and gloves if you desire; potting mix and plants will be provided.

Fee $50 member, $60 nonmember

Our Relationship with the Landscape: Multiple Viewpoints and Evolving Paintings in the Luberon, Southern France

presented by Crystal Woodward
Faculty Lecture Series

The Landscape Institute
29 Garden Street
Harvard Square, Cambridge

Open to the Public. No reservation required.

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

Complexity and Connection in the Garden WAL 299

Douglas Tallamy, Professor and Chair, Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware
1 Session
Thu May 22 2:30–5:00pm [HB]

Take a walk in the Arnold Arboretum with Doug Tallamy as he introduces you to the smaller inhabitants of this 265-acre ecosystem. You’ll look for pollinators and other tiny creatures that support the web of life—comparing native with non-native, detrimental with beneficial—in the relationships between plants and animals. As a collection of native and non-native woody plants, like many landscapes today, the Arboretum abounds with cause-and-effect examples upon which Doug will elaborate while sharing his findings on the role of native vegetation in garden ecosystems. Bring a hand lens if you have one.

Fee $36 member, $42 nonmember

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, and Biodiversity: Bringing Nature Home with Native Plants HOR 453

Douglas Tallamy, Professor and Chair, Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware
1 Session
Thu May 22 7:00–8:30pm [HB]

Something was missing from Doug Tallamy’s newly acquired suburban landscape. While the trees and shrubs were all healthy, there was negligible insect damage and therefore little evidence of residing insects. To some this might sound like Eden; to an entomologist it was alarming.

Thus began Doug’s evaluation of the effect that decades of gardening with non-native ornamentals has had on North America’s biodiversity. What he discovered so disturbed him that he wrote a book, really a plea, to gardeners. Bringing Nature Home implores us to turn gardens into habitats, sanctuaries for insects and other wildlife, with abundant native plants. In the first chapter, Doug writes, “Gardening with natives is no longer just a peripheral option favored by vegetarians and erstwhile hippies. It is an important part of a paradigm shift in our shaky relationship with the planet that sustains us—one that mainstream gardeners can no longer afford to ignore.” Doug believes gardening choices may have gotten us into this mess; learn how he thinks gardening just might get us out of it. Don’t miss his urgent message.

Fee $15

Gardening with Native Plants to Support the Web of Life HOR 278

Douglas Tallamy, Professor and Chair, Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware
1 Session
Fri May 23 9:30am–12:30pm [NEWFS]

In this seminar at the New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods, you will explore a broad palette of eastern native plants and learn about the life they support and rely on. Join Doug Tallamy for a closer look at how to enhance connections among plants and animals, maintaining and even increasing biodiversity. Included will be a walk through Garden in the Woods’ collection of native plants displayed in micro-habitats, which provides a rich classroom for examining host-pollinator and plant-herbivore relationships and many other types of symbiotic interactions. Bring a hand lens if you have one and a bag lunch to enjoy following the seminar.

Fee $45 member, $55 nonmember

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

“GROW UP!” Maximizing Height in Your Home Landscape HOR 170

Peter Medaglia, Owner, Gold Medal Gardens
1 Session
Sat May 24 11:00am–3:00pm [HB]

Is your garden overflowing its edges while seemingly lacking in depth and fullness? If so, train your eye upward with Peter Medaglia and explore the oft-forgotten dimension of height in the garden. Adding elements that have presence above knee-level can dramatically change the impression of a space. Peter will show examples of gardens that incorporate plants and stylized forms to add volume and impact at eye-level. He will include information about trellises, espalier, and living fences. Bring four disposable pictures of your garden (as close to full page as possible) to sketch on and explore how you can "grow up."

Fee $45 member, $55 nonmember

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.

Shrubs By the Month HOR 144A

Michael Dosmann, Curator of Living Collections, Arnold Arboretum
1 Sessions
Thu May 29 5:30-7:30pm [HB]

The Arboretum's living collection is home to a diverse array of shrubs quite familiar to gardeners, designers, and other plant enthusiasts. However, the collection also contains some lesser known species that possess interesting life histories, ornamental appeal, and other unusual characteristics. Join Michael Dosmann as he explores some of these plant curiosities. This is the first of a four-part series; each session will feature a unique set of taxa and will take place outdoors. Attend one session or register for all.

Fee $20 member, $25 nonmember per session

The Magnificence of Trees: Photographs by Maria Muller

Hunnewell Building Lecture Hall
Arnold Arboretum
May 31–July 13
Reception with the artist
Saturday, May 31, 1:00–3:00pm

Every spring Maria Muller marvels at the unfurling of those first bright green buds. She has explored the Arboretum during the fleeting period when new leaves have yet to develop into their full canopy; when the trees’ form still can be seen—skeletons of trunks and branches—while the promise of the fecundity of summer looms large. Her hand-painted and black and white photographs are studies of trees and their intricate arrangements of branches, buds, and blossoms as winter gives way to spring.

Maria Muller is a fine art photographer based in Medford. She is represented by the Pucker Gallery, Boston. Her artwork is included in many private, public and corporate collections.

Free Walking Tour

From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum is a dynamic landscape throughout the year! Explore the collections on a free guided tour led by our knowledgeable volunteer docents. Tours are geared toward the general visitor and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest.

All tours begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately 60-90 minutes. There is no need to pre-register. For more information or cancellations due to inclement weather, please call 617.384.5454.