Arnold Arboretum

Events from this organizer

Today

  • Image of a tree

    Global Change at the Arboretum

    Hunnewell Visitor Center

    A warming climate and increasing environmental pathogens pose an existential threat to the Arboretum’s collection of some 16,000 woody plants, trees and shrubs that are able to survive in our climate. This one hour walk will highlight the impact of climate change and increasing pathogens on key species in the Arboretum’s collection, describe some of the research initiatives underway to mitigate the effects of global warming and new pathogens, and identify the challenges and opportunities we face in improving our urban canopy.

  • Image of beeches up close

    Global Change at the Arboretum

    Hunnewell Visitor Center

    The Arnold Arboretum has an over 150 year legacy of preserving native and exotic species in an ever changing global environment. This one hour tour will highlight some of the Arboretum's successes with endangered historic trees, current initiatives to preserve threatened species among its collection of some 16,000 woody trees, shrubs and plants, and the work the Arboretum has underway to meet future challenges from climate and habitat loss.

  • Plants for the Winter Garden

    Plants for the Winter Garden by Warren Leach

    Hunnewell Lecture Hall, Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston

    When gardens go dormant for the winter months, there are still certain species and cultivars that draw the eye with their bright berries, interesting seed pods, and spectacular bark. Join Warren Leach for a book talk on his new book, "Plants for the Winter Garden: Perennials, Grasses, Shrubs, and Trees to Add Interest in the Cold and Snow," and discover all that a winter garden has to offer. Warren Leach has years of gardening experience in the cold Northeast and will be sharing all of his winter garden tips, from plant selection and placement, to pruning techniques, to structural components that complement the plants themselves. And if you decide to buy a book after the program, make sure to look for some references to the Arnold Arboretum's own winter landscape!

  • Tea. being poured into a glass mug

    Winter Tea Foraging

    Arnold Arboretum

    Join us for a winter foraging walk to learn what wild plants can be foraged and brewed into tea. Visit some of the Arboretum's tastiest winter plants, from sweet birch and juniper to sassafras and spicebush. You may even get to taste some of the teas yourself! Led by Manager of Adult Programming and Events Sarah Nechamen.

  • Arboretum's little explorers program

    Little Explorers

    Hunnewell Lecture Hall, Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston

    Join us this winter at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this one-hour program for our youngest guests and their grownups, we will begin by reading a nature inspired story followed by a walk, activity, or craft to continue exploring the theme.

  • Birding Walk

    Arnold Arboretum

    Embark on a birdwatching tour in the Arboretum’s landscape with docent and birder Donna Sullivan. This two-hour tour is suitable for adult beginners as well as more experienced birders.

  • Winter Wellness Walk

    Arnold Arboretum

    Take a brisk walk this winter and stay healthy and connected to the Arboretum at a time when the landscape is pared down to its beautiful bones. Join docent Carol Kuo for a 90-minute walk that is similar to a guided tour, but with a slightly faster pace and fewer stops, to keep your feet warm and your blood pumping! Please dress appropriately for the weather including sturdy footwear. Each walk will cover a different part of the Arboretum, depending on weather and seasonal features.

  • Owl Observations

    Arnold Arboretum

    Dusk is a perfect time to look and listen for Great Horned Owls, often heard calling throughout the Arboretum’s collections. Join Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan to hear about the owls’ breeding and nesting behavior, learn how to go owling ethically, and possibly hear and see a few owls as well.

  • Birding with Nature Man Mike

    Arnold Arboretum

    Embark on a birdwatching walk in the Arboretum’s landscape with birder and wildlife photographer Michael Bryant, AKA Nature Man Mike. This two-hour walk is suitable for beginners as well as more experienced birders. Binoculars will be available to borrow on a first-come-first-serve basis, but you are encouraged to bring your own!

  • Growing Plants from Hardwood Cuttings

    Arnold Arboretum

    Hardwood cuttings are one of the many techniques the Arboretum uses to propagate its plants: propagators take cuttings from the mature stems of woody plants, carefully trim and coat the ends in rooting hormone, then plant them in specially designed growing media. Join Arboretum Propagator Sarah Shank for a hands-on workshop to learn this specialized form of propagation: the class will begin with a presentation on the biology of hardwood cuttings, then head outside to collect our own cuttings from nearby woody plants, and finally return inside to prepare and root the cuttings in growing media. Participants will bring home a small tray of cuttings to grow into their own small trees and shrubs.

  • Olmstead and the Arnold Arboretum

    Arnold Arboretum

    Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of landscape architecture, designed some 500 public spaces in North America. The Arnold Arboretum is the only arboretum he designed, a National Historic Landmark, and a model for others around the world. Docent Bill Beizer, will identify the elements of the Arboretum that best reflect Olmsted’s philosophy and approach to landscape design.

  • Barking Up the Right Tree: A Tour of Bark Diversity at the Arboretum

    Arnold Arboretum

    What is there to see at the Arboretum after all of the leaves have fallen and before spring flowers start to bloom? Bark! Shaggy bark, mottled bark, striped bark: the Arboretum has it all. Join Horticulturist Rachel Lawlor to see some beautiful bark highlights, learn how to identify some trees by their bark, and learn why that bark looks the way it does.