Photo by Jason Boudreau-Landis | April 2023
Spring is coming on quickly at the Arboretum! Magnolias, daffodils, forsythia and trilliums are starting along with other spring ephemerals. It won’t be long until a veritable parade of blooms will have begun, starting with daffodils in full bloom, followed by (or in concert with) tulips — 40,000 in all across the grounds, planted in the Annual Garden and the beds around the Arboretum.
After tulips, come giant alliums, lilacs, redbuds and crabapples; then peonies, roses, lilies and daylilies; followed by summer wonders, including annuals, perennials, dahlias, hardy hibiscus, prairie wildflowers for pollinators and more.
Stay on top of what’s in bloom or otherwise looking cool on the Garden Highlights page, updated every Thursday, so you can plan your bloom-spotting visits, along with our Plant Finder search tool.
We also have a few, fancy new web pages to help you navigate the grounds this spring at the Arboretum. Check out our new Location Finder page and a new Walks & Trails page, to explore the Arboretum’s many attractions and its 12-plus miles of walking trails with printable maps and trail descriptions.
Read on to hear about free and fee-based events, including many opportunities to engage with artists who are presenting their work at the Arboretum this month and beyond.
See you on the grounds, in the art galleries and on the trails!
A bur oak stands tall at the Arboretum near the Sensory Garden. Photo by Sarah Jackson
1. Celebrate Arbor Day at the Arb!
The Arboretum is delighted to celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, April 28 — a special day honoring the planting, upkeep and preservation of trees from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., rain or shine! Festivities will include five “Tree Mob” stops in the tree collections (which may be moved indoors due to rain) with question-and-answer sessions about trees; activities in the outdoor play areas at the Learning Center; Tree Bingo; tree StoryTime in the Andersen Horticultural Library; free oak tree saplings (while supplies last); forest bathing (separate tickets required) and private tours of the rare books room in the library (separate tickets required).
2. Shop outdoor markets
Looking for unique gifts for Mother’s Day, other occasions or even a treat for yourself? Stroll through the Arboretum’s captivating spring scenes while shopping from dozens of local artists at May Markets 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends April 29-30 through May 27-28 (except Mother’s Day weekend) as part of ticketed daily admission, rain or shine. Speaking of shopping, Double Discount Days at the Gift & Garden Store sale continues a few more days through Friday, April 28, just in time for Mother’s Day, with members receiving 20% off regularly priced merch.
“Evening Flight” by Kim Gordon
3. Bask in batik
If you’re reading this before April 29, there’s still time to make plans to meet the amazing artist behind “Sanctuary: A Batik Journey by Kim Gordon,” an exhibit now showing in the Cafe Gallery. Attend an Artist Meet & Greet from noon-2 p.m. April 29 — or simply visit the exhibit through June 18 — just around the corner from The Eatery at the Arboretum, featuring explanatory panels that explain how the fascinating process of batik layering works.
Photo by Mark MacLennan
4. Walk or run in the Bud Break 5K / 1K
Welcome spring with a gorgeous run or walk (timed or untimed) through the Arboretum grounds as part of the Bud Break 5K (plus a 1K for kids). It’s a great way to experience spring splendor at the Arboretum from 7:30-11:30 a.m. Sunday, May 7, starting at the Farm at the Arb.
The Arboretum Plant sale will include more veggie varieties this year.
5. Peruse the plant sale
Shop from a wide selection of plants, all chosen by Minnesota Landscape Arboretum horticultural experts, at the annual Mother’s Day weekend Arboretum Plant Sale — 8 a.m.-3 p.m. May 13-14. Hosted at the Farm at the Arb (3210 W. 82nd St., Chaska), the sale includes a fabulous selection of annuals, perennials, fruits, vegetables, herbs, lilies, roses, hostas, Minnesota natives, trees and shrubs. This year includes more native plants, vegetable starts and U of M introductions, including fruit trees, grape vines, azaleas and more. Tickets (free) are required. Separate tickets ($15 for ages 16 and older) are required to visit the Arboretum. Peter C. Moe Drive (formerly Eastern Drive) will be closed during the sale.
Photo by Jason Boudreau-Landis
6. Make plans for can’t-miss summer events
Many wonderful events take place in summer at the Arb, including the Auxiliary Private Garden Tours, which take guests to tour four home gardens around the metro area July 16-18. At Taste & Toast on July 26, ticket holders can enjoy local beer, wine and cider with tastes of savory and sweet bites from local restaurants, all with live music in the background. Tickets for this foodie fun night (which typically sell out) go on sale for members on May 8 and to non-members on May 10.
Photo by Wendy Composto
7. Stretch and move in the gardens
The Arboretum’s Yoga in the Gardens series continues in May with three fabulous sessions made possible by local wellness studios:
May 11, 6 p.m. — Gentle Yoga in the Azalea Collection with Matthew Tift
May 21, 10 a.m. — Nia in the Sculpture Garden with Beth Giles
May 25, 6 p.m. — Vitality Vinyasa Flow in the Sensory Garden with Nancee Nystrom
This month, visitors can also register for the Arboretum’s fourth-annual Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat running from 9 a.m.-3:45 p.m. on June 24, held in the Sensory Garden with partner studios leading participants through classes and sessions.
8. Experience a new kind of art
A highly anticipated, large-format art exhibit is coming to the Arboretum: “Ballad of the Blue Heron: The Carved Paintings of Kristen Lowe” opens May 27 and continues through Aug. 20 in the Reedy Gallery. On June 17, visitors can take an ArtWalk with Lowe (11 a.m. registration required) and attend an ArtTalk (1 p.m.). Inspired by countless hours spent on the Arboretum grounds and in natural areas nearby, Lowe presents this innovative exhibition, featuring a newly developed mixed-media method. Made using pastels, charcoal on a basswood foundation, Lowe’s works appear to emanate light from within, captivating viewers with birds and mammals nestled delicately into dark, yet ethereal landscapes.
The Abiders play Music in the Gardens at the Arboretum 6-7:30 p.m. June 22.
9. Scout out bands for Music in the Gardens
Music in the Gardens is back, starting June 1, featuring a wide range of musical styles and talents — 6-7:30 p.m. Thursdays and 1:30-3 p.m. Sundays all summer at the Ordway Picnic Shelter. Check out the schedule and plan who you want to see this summer, including Americana crooners The Abiders (pictured); an old-time string band The Gritpickers; the Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra; and many more acts performing through Aug. 31.
10. Make plans for you and your pooch
June 3 is All About Dogs Day at the Arboretum from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Arboretum’s Dog Commons and tickets are on sale now. Though dogs aren’t allowed in the main gardens at the Arboretum, on this day they’re the stars of the Arboretum’s 65-acre Dog Commons, an on-leash dog trail designed by the Nature-Based Therapeutics experts at the University of Minnesota. Dog owners are invited to come together to walk the Dog Commons trails, heel for photos and meet other dog-lovers. A Pet Expo features 40 pet vendors while events include contests (cutest dog, best trick, best costume, dog-owner look-alikes), doga (dog yoga), agility demos and prizes.
11. Go Public Gardens Day!
Celebrate the Arboretum — the largest public garden in the Upper Midwest — as part of Go Public Gardens Day on from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. May 19 at the Arb with special activities and speakers that honor the unique knowledge of Arboretum staff and the special role public gardens play in the world of horticulture, plant conservation and research.
“The New Normal Nest” by Richard C. Green
12. See winning watercolors
View a variety of beautiful watercolor paintings — in themes both botanical and still life — as part of a 19th-annual exhibit “Awakenings: Minnesota Watercolor Society Juried Show,” in the Arboretum’s Reedy Gallery now through May 21.
Photo by Jessica Barilla Thorsen
13. Register for spring and summer classes
Spring and summer Arboretum adult, child and family class options are open for registration now! Check out class schedules for Adults and/or Kids, including a fascinating array of topics, including Art, Crafts & Literature, Food & Wine, Gardening, Guided Walks/Tours/Nature Appreciation, Online & Virtual Photography, Pollinators, School & Homeschool, Special Access Experiences and Youth & Family.
Explore the “Seasons of Splendor” exhibit in the Skyway Gallery through Aug. 12.
14. Learn Japan’s micro-seasons
Revel in the beauty of Japanese floral prints, including subtle, delicate renditions of cherry blossoms, peonies, magnolias, lilies and more in “Seasons of Splendor: Illustrations of Japanese Flowers Arranged by Season” in the Skyway Gallery through Aug. 12. Created using the rare books collection at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Arboretum, this exhibit features images from a four-volume work by Shōseki Kose (1843-1919) titled “Shichijūnikō meika gajō,” which translates as “iIllustrations of Japanese flowers arranged by seasons.” Starting in the Skyway Gallery and finishing in the library, the show includes two dozen posters, featuring three images each, to capture not just the four seasons, but shorter micro-seasons of Japan.
Arboretum Board of Trustees present Glenn Stolar makes a bid during the Gala in 2022. Photo by Robert Evans Imagery
15. Get your Gala tickets
Gala in the Gardens will be back at the Farm at the Arb on Thursday, June 15 and tickets are on sale now. Enjoy an elegant sunset meal, live and silent auctions, and an inspiring program with emcee Belinda Jensen, KARE 11’s Chief Meteorologist, and new Arboretum Executive Director, Andrew Gapinski. This year the Gala will celebrate the incredible impact of education programming at the Arboretum and how these transformational experiences connect people of all ages with the natural world and each other.
16. Discover the arts of Japan
The Andersen Horticultural Library’s new exhibit, “Living Arts of Japan: Bonsai, Ikebana and Garden Design,” featured exclusively inside the Andersen Horticultural Library, is on display now through Aug. 12. During library hours, view original paintings by Koichi Kawana, designer of the Arboretum’s Japanese Garden (pictured above), along with several items from Andersen Horticultural Library’s collection, live bonsai specimens and more. Kawana (1930-1990) was famed for his work with many botanic gardens, including the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Denver Botanic Garden, to name a few.