Gar-boretum gab

Twelfth Night's Last Night!

2009-06-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight's the last performance of Shakespeare in the Arb. Looks like the weather is going to cooperate, and hopefully the wind will keep the bugs away so we can enjoy the performance in peace!

Thanks to everyone who'd trekked out to see Twelfth Night this year. Make sure to mark your calendars for a revival of Midsummer Night's Dream next summer, as we celebrate the 10th year of Shakespeare in the Arb.

Rained out!

2009-06-25T13:31:00.000-07:00

This evening's performance of Shakespeare in the Arb is cancelled due to seriously icky weather! Catch us this weekend--Friday, Saturday, or Sunday for a performance. But come early, we've been selling out almost every night!

Shakespeare's a GO!

2009-06-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

With the best of wishes and intentions, our performance of Twelfth Night will go on as scheduled. A quick peak at the weather radar shows that most of the nasty stuff has passed, and primarily to our south. The cast is rarin' to go, and we've got the box office all powered up and ready. Y'all come!

I would bring something to sit on, however, so you don't get too wet!

Shakspeare in the Arb continues, with a shaky forecast!

2009-06-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

The weather for tonight's performance looks pretty good, but Friday and Saturday both look iffy! Friday, sounds like we might all need to take cover for a bit. The weather guessers are saying there's a possibility of hail even! I sure hope not.

It's been a busy couple of days at the Arb and Gardens. At the Gardens, we've been overrun with the tiniest American Toads you could ever see with the naked eye. They're everywhere! In the display gardens, on the trails. They're absolutely adorable, and it's been such a hoot to see folks watching their feet as they walk.

At the Arb, of course the peonies continue to look divine, and the climbing roses on the edge of the peony garden are blooming in a serious way now. The whole area has such an inviting fragrance. You'll just have to come see for yourself. The heat today and tomorrow could do the blooms in, so if you haven't made it over yet, now's your time.

Twelfth Night on the Twelfth Night!

2009-06-13T10:30:00.001-07:00

Last night's performance of Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in the Arb was fabulous! If you missed it, you'll have to hope all the stars align just right so there's another performance that's just as good: the weather was perfect, the sunset was just right, the cast was on their game, and the audience was in the mood for a fun show and laughed in all the right places. I don't even know that the mosquitos were particularly bad!

Wildlife updates from the show and just after: A young woman in the audience reported to me that a little garter snake had tried to curl up against her leg to get a little warmth as the evening cooled. And as we were waiting for the last props to be returned to the Reader Center, a skunk casually waddled across the little patio while several of the cast and crew were chatting. It seemed completely unconcerned about us and just went about it's way.

Never a dull moment at Shakespeare in the Arb. I hope tonight's weather cooperates. Check back here for the absolute latest updates on weather cancellations.

Shakespeare in the Arb CANCELLED FOR June 11

2009-06-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

Alas, the weather hasn't been cooperating all day today, and the forecast looks terrible! We're cancelling for today. But that's OK, the weather should be FABULOUS for the rest of the weekend, so y'all come on out, get your tickets, and join us for a wonderful production. For the solid dirt on all you need to know for Shakespeare in the Arb, check out our website at mbgna.umich.edu

Michigan Solar House Open House

2009-05-29T07:48:00.001-07:00

This weekend marks a major milestone in the history of the University of Michigan's Solar House. It's finally going to be open to the public! [Big cheer from the crowd.] This evening (May 29) at Matthaei Botanical Gardens the house will be open to MBGNA members from 4:30 to 6:30. Open house hours for the rest of the weekend are for the general public: Saturday from 10-2 and Sunday from 12-2. Faculty from the School of Architecture will be on hand to walk folks around the neato features of the 800 square foot fully functioning house. Can you imagine what it would be like to live there? Come check it out and see! (Photo above: A cross section of MiSo being delivered to Matthaei in June 2006

Peonies on the edge!

2009-05-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

A quick inspection of the peony garden this morning indicates the garden is on the verge of a really good bloom season. A few peonies are already blooming, and definitely worth a sniff! The garden and surrounding Laurel Ridge Trail are lush and inviting, and benches around the garden provide lots of terrific spots for relaxing and nature watching. Stop on by!

Sunday, June 7, from 1-4pm, we'll have peony experts in the Garden to tell you all about our collection.

Juvenile Bald Eagle sighting at the Arb

2009-04-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

We got a terrific email from Arb visitor Sandy Presley-Dorda about her walk in the Arb, and we wanted to share:

"Yesterday, I was walking in the Nichols Arboretum around 12:15 p.m. and I looked up in the sky and saw a bird with a massive wing span swoop down and then up into the air! It rode the thermals for a couple of minutes. I thought it was huge and must be an eagle, but I didn't see the characteristic white head. I thought maybe it was a hawk but the wing span was huge. I have seen many hawks and it was too big for that. It wasn't a turkey vulture because it didn't have the bare head. I looked at some pictures of Juvenile bald eagles and that's exactly what I saw.
Just wanted to let you know! How exciting to get a glimpse of such a magnificent bird while walking on my lunch hour!"

Thanks for the update Sandy! We've seen both juveniles and adult bald eagles at the river over the years. Y'all be sure to keep a lookout!

(In the photo above, one of our resident hawks welcomes visitors to the Arb while reminding them of the rules)

Daffodils are blooming!

2009-04-25T08:24:00.001-07:00

A quick spin around the Arb this morning says that now is the perfect time to come see Imagine/Align in bloom. Not to mention a perfect day to visit the Arb in general. The birders were all out with their binoculars this morning, several folks out walking their pooches (all, amazing, on leash. Hooray!). And the students are already starting to trek in for the day with their picnics and blankets. A few brought their books, but I suspect not much studying will be done. There's too much going on at the Arb today for that!

Picnic spots might be hard to come by today, but don't forget there's tables at the river landing as well as at the Amphitheater. Stop on by today and soak up some springtime sun. It's a BEAUTIFUL DAY! And of course, any day you can go for a walk in the woods is a good day.

At Last! A Spring Update from the Nichols Arboretum

2009-03-15T09:15:00.001-07:00

I walked out for a short "inspection" (periodically I have to make sure the trees are where they're suppsoed to be) and found some small but sure signs of spring. It's definitely Mud season, so that's always a start in the right direction. I was particularly searching for skunk cabbage and maple flowers. I found some of both, closer down to the river. I love the annual search for skunk cabbage. Even though it's flower is unique and decent sized, that first flower is always a little hard to locate. But once you see one, you see them everywhere! Look for skunk cabbage flowers along stream banks in mucky ground. If you can get close enough to one without disturbing the ground around it, be sure to put your finger inside the flower to feel the heat it generates. If you're brave, take a good sniff! They don't call 'em skunk cabbage for no reason!

At the lower end of the boardwalk I remembered one of my favorite signs of early spring--Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) flowers. They remind me a little of witch hazel flowers (fall blooming) in that they look like tiny yellow fireworks! The Cornelian cherry buds were just starting to crack open, revealing a tiny bit of yellow inside. I bet they'll be bursting out any day now, possibly even today (3/15) with the fabulous weather we're having. Check it out!

Finally, the maples ARE blooming! At the Arb it's mostly the maples by the river, but I've been looking around town and lots of the trees have buds that are starting to swell, and a few that are just days away from flowers. Maple flowers are tiny, for sure, but they're worth looking for.
Happy Spring!

Look! Up in the Sky! It’s a Bald Eagle!

2009-01-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

That happened to staffers twice this week at the Botanical Gardens. The first sighting was Tuesday morning, about a half hour after sunrise. The eagle was flying low near the visitor entrance to the property. My encounter was Thursday evening, about a half hour before sunset. This time the eagle was flying higher, heading east. I watched as it came over the superintendent’s house, flew directly overhead (I had a very good view of its white-feathered head) and continued on over the woods.

Being a curious sort, I decided to check out our bird archives on line this morning (http://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/see/OnlineResources.asp). Tinker’s “Birds of School Girls’ Glen” (1910) makes no mention of eagles being seen at the Arb at that time. Bradley’s “Birds of Matthaei Botanical Gardens” (1962) does not report eagles either. By the time Kielb assembled his “Checklist of Nichols Arboretum Birds” in 2001, they are appearing along the Huron River.

Admittedly, the evidence is scant but my theory is that the eagle is roosting somewhere east of the Gardens building complex and we happened to be out at just the right time to view it as it left and returned for its daily hunt. Since our work schedules are rarely such that we are coming or going at the right time relative to dawn and dusk, it is usually unobserved.

So if you are at the Gardens and happen to see an eagle fly by, please email me at theacole@umich.edu with the day and time. Thanks
Posted on behalf of Dorothea Coleman

Winter Sports at the Arb

2009-01-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

Posted on behalf of Dorothea Coleman: The hills at the Arb have been an attraction for students for many years – “traying” and other forms of sledding being popular winter-time activities. But did you know that in 1921 there was a serious proposal to dam the Huron River to create a 900 foot long, 20 foot deep lake? This lake, when frozen in the winter, would provide a fine place for skating and ice hockey. The slopes could, of course, be used for sledding and tobogganing. The University could sell season passes to students and recoup the $13,000 construction costs in just a few years.

Aubrey Tealdi, the Arb’s first director, fought this plan strenuously. The original gift had been made with the stipulation that the property be used “to develop both a scientific collection and a landscape park in which beauty of the several parts and of the whole is the main consideration.” It was also to serve as a living classroom for both University students and the school children of Ann Arbor. Tealdi, thinking of future generations, wrote: “As more of the natural beauties of Michigan are destroyed by commercial exploitation, the value of the Arboretum will become more apparent, and the wise policy of the Board of Regents and the City in preserving it will be appreciated more widely year by year.”

For many years afterwards the Arboretum prohibited any such winter activity at the Arb. It was a losing battle, as its slopes are just too attractive – both in terms of proximity to the dorms and in sledding thrills. I remember a winter evening with my daughter, new fellow, and his college chums spent tobogganing down those hills in the early ‘80s.

Today, sledding is allowed on certain slopes during the Arboretum’s open hours of dawn to dusk. To protect the collections and some of the more fragile slopes themselves, we ask sledders to be respectful of these limits.

Ask the Expert

2008-11-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

Posted on behalf of our Expert, Dorothea Coleman:

Q. What should I be doing in my garden in November?

A. Continue to water, especially new plantings. Adequate moisture in the ground before it freezes will improve their survival.

Don’t mulch until the ground freezes. This could be later in December. The purpose of winter mulch is to keep the ground frozen. Otherwise, freeze and thaw cycles can cause the ground to heave and push plants out of the ground. This might affect new plantings or established plants with shallow root systems.

Finish planting spring-blooming bulbs. This can be done anytime you can still get a trowel in the ground.

Spray broad-leaved evergreen plants (like rhododendrons) with an anti-dessicant or wrap with burlap to lessen evaporation loss during the winter.

Many deciduous shrubs and trees can be pruned once they’ve entered dormancy. It’s a lot easier to see what you are doing when the leaves have fallen.

Remove annuals and the dead stems of perennials for a neater look. Seed heads can be left to provide food for birds. Grasses and some seed heads provide winter interest by the way they catch the breeze or snowfall.

Don’t forget the critters. Get your bird feeders out and keep them filled. Provide a water source. You might consider investing in a bird bath heater to keep the water from freezing on all but the very coldest days.

As to squirrels, you can fight ’em with baffles and the like or you can relax and enjoy their antics. I’ve watched them slide down shepherd’s crooks like fire men, hang by their toes from above a feeder, even do pull-ups!

Warm weather while it lasts!

2008-11-04T13:55:00.000-08:00

I hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy the fabulous fall weather we're having. I pulled myself away from my desk this afternoon to go for a walk, and I'm so glad I did! I first stopped in the Gateway Garden to see how the perennials and new bird feeders are doing. It's a hoppin' place these days! A gentleman was watching the bird activity, and an elderly lady was lounging on one of our benches, soaking up as much sun as she could. Perfect! Then I took a quick spin along Fleming Creek. I encountered more people on the trail today than I ever have on a weekday afternoon. The creek burbled along as it always does (well, except in spring when it's quite the rush), and the late afternoon sun on the leaves was just stunning. Any of our trails will give you a good show, but if all you can manage is a quick stop in the Gardens, that will do just fine. Just be sure to find a bench and soak in some rays for a few minutes before the weather changes again!

Check It Out

2008-10-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

We got a nice write-up in Garden Design On-line. Check it out!

Our First Greenhouse

2008-10-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

When the University of Michigan Botanical Gardens and Arboretum was created in 1907 a 75’-long greenhouse was built. Attached to it was a cottage for a caretaker since in those days someone needed to shovel coal into the boiler that would keep the greenhouse warm. Within just a few years this greenhouse was full to over-flowing and, since the site had very little flat land, the search was on for a new botanical garden. The new site was purchased and greenhouses were ready for occupancy early in 1916.

Currently in the Conservatory or greenhouses at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, six plants, accessioned in 1910 and grown in that greenhouse, continue to grow: the fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata), the edible fig (Ficus carica), chestnut dioon, (Dioon edule), ‘Gros Michel’ banana (Musa acuminata ‘Gros Michel,’ ribbon bush (Homalocladium platycladum,) and climbing aloe (Aloe ciliaris).

The greenhouse was still operating in the 1920s as we can tell from Board of Regents meeting minutes authorizing the installation of phone and electrical line. We have not yet found any record of the date of its demolition.

Spring Bulbs

2008-10-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to have Old House Gardens manage our spring bulb sale this year. Lucky us, to be able to get those great heirloom bulbs at a discount!

For myself, I usually buy my bulbs in the gift shop in the fall rather than ordering them in the spring. I simply don't plan ahead enough to place my order in advance from a catalogue.

So, I'm a bit disappointed. When we organized the sale through OHG, we forgot to make a plan for extra inventory to sell in the shop. If you're interested, please let us know. We may be able to pull something together on short notice. And, next year, we'll make a plan.

Oh, and please, let us know how your bulbs bloom this spring!

A hunt for botanical gems

2008-10-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Arb is looking just darned spectacular these days! I was out for a short walk yesterday with one of our resident staff hikers, Joan, and we had a great walk. While most of our older ash trees have fallen victim to the emerald ash borer, the younger trees are generally safe for a few years. We found several at the Washington Heights entrance with the purpliest purple leaves. We trekked all the way down to the river and some of the maples right at the bank are turning various shades of scarlet. If I remember, those turn red fast, and lost their leaves even faster! Neither of us had been out to the prairie in a while, and we were glad we decided to go that far. We were rewarded with the sun on the tall grass, blue sky, staghorn sumac all bright red, and goldenrod and asters all around. It was a PERFECT day to visit the prairie. And it smelled so great--that fall scent of sunshine on sweet dry grass and leaves. YUM! On our way back to the Reader Center, we stopped in the Heathdale to see if the witch hazel was blooming, and it was! One of my favorite flowers, witch hazel looks like tiny little yellow fireworks exploding! It's pretty easy to spot--witch hazel is an understory tree, so it will only grow to 15 feet or so. The flowers are pretty hardy, so you should be able to spot them for several more weeks. Come check it out!

Chocolate!

2008-10-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

I confess I was glad to see a few candy bars in the gift shop at the Botanical Gardens this week. We've been stocking our snacks with healthier alternatives, but every once in a while, a Snickers bar really hits the spot.

A couple years ago, we tried putting a candy machine filled with M&Ms in the Conservatory near the chocolate tree to show kids what can be made from a plant. Unfortunately, the heat in the Conservatory turned the M&Ms into a melted candy mess. And I'm not sure the botanical message was penetrating the sugar buzz. With our new environmental controls and shade blanket, we could probably keep the chocolate in sold form ... but I think we'll skip it for now.

By the way, did you know that our chocolate tree was donated by the Hershey's Corporation over thirty years ago?

Ask the Expert!

2008-10-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

Q. I recently visited the Gardens and want to know more about the structure in the Gateway Garden?

A. That would be the Friends Pavilion. It was built in the spring of 1999 in honor of the 25th Anniversary of the Friends of Matthaei Botanical Garden. (This was before the merger with Nichols Arboretum.) It was designed by Paul Little who designed some of the tribute benches that can found throughout the display gardens. Paul also designed many of the sets for the Ann Arbor Flower and Garden Show. Paul chose a style that would complement the architecture of Alden Dow who designed the entire building complex.

The Friends Pavilion was the last major component of the Gateway Garden of New World Plants as originally conceived. It was constructed as a result of a $25,000 challenge the Board of the Friends put to the membership. It was dedicated on June 26, 1999 at a ceremony attended by University President Lee Bollinger.

Note: The Erich Steiner Fountains in the pools were added later as a memorial to the Director who spearheaded the formation of the Friends in 1974.

A Rustlin' in the Bushes

2008-10-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

I love going for walks outside and keeping an eye out for wildlife. I'm not nearly as good a spotter as I'd like to be. More often than not, I'll hear something rather than see it. Here in Michigan, often what's lurking just beyond your sight in the underbrush is a little mammal--chipmunk, red or gray squirrel, sometimes a rabbit. Only that tiny rustlin' in the dry leaves lets you know that someone else is there. I've just returned from a short trip to south Texas, where I had the chance to enjoy some terrific late summer weather. My daily walks were complete with little rustlings here and there, but instead of furry critters, I was thrilled to see all kinds of lizards! Brown-spotted ones, pinkish-orange ones, and some just boring ol' gray, but they were the coolest looking things! Usually I could only glimpse the ends of their tiny little tails as they skittered under some rocks or to a shady spot under a plant.
Looks like we'll have some good weather this weekend, so keep your eyes open for who else is in the forest or garden with you. Be sure to say Hi! Or Howdy!

Take A Child Outside Week

2008-09-24T11:07:00.001-07:00

September 24-30 is Take a Child Outside Week, and we here at MBGNA would like to fully endorse this effort. We've got trails and gardens in abundance that are just perfect for exploring with kids and grandkids. Have you counted the bugs in the bug meadow on Willow Pond? Have you watched for painted turtles and snapping turtles in the Constructed Wetland? Have you listened for deer in the quiet woods between Dix Pond and Fleming Creek? At the Arb, have you ever looked for mammal tracks at the School Girls Glen delta? Or counted how many chickadees live in the Heathdale? Seems like a million at least! The weather forecast for this week is looking great, and now's the perfect chance for all of us to step outside and enjoy the nice weather while we've got it.

Swing by the front desk at the Gardens and you can pick up a scavenger hunt sheet to help you with your explorations, or feel free to free-style! You can also get a cool challenge sheet from the Leslie Science Center folks here: http://www.lesliesnc.org/GetOutChallenge.php with some great ideas for getting outdoors in the next month.

I'm April Pickrel, and I approved this message!

2008-09-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

This just in from Catriona Mortell, our Education Coordinator:
Strangely, I am looking forward to the upcoming Community Education class: After You’re Gone: Earth Friendly Funerals & Burials. Death is a difficult subject. We all know we are heading for it but very few of us really want to deal with it, until of course we absolutely have to and by then our family or friends do. Having had those experiences with friends and family, I am perhaps a little more ready to think about the end. I am not thinking of any spiritual awakening rather a more practical approach. Scattered ashes, a cemetery, or medical research? Having spent my life’s work in the environmental field, shouldn’t I factor the environment into my last event? This is why I am looking forward to the two part lecture, I look forward to getting the information and being able to ask questons.
Join us for After Your Gone on September 23 & 25, 7 - 9pm at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. $5 registration required, call 647-7600 for more info.

Another Blast from the Past

2008-09-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Students and staff enjoyed many picnics at the Botanic Gardens when it was located on Iroquois Street (1916-1960). Director Harley Harris Bartlett (Uncle Harley to generations of students) was most likely the photographer. He was known for grilling a mean steak at these affairs. We can date it from the dates of matriculation of the various students pictured (1926-1931). Freida Cobb Blanchard was the Associate Director (1919-1957), all others pictured were grad students.

From right to left - Edavaleth Kakkat Janaki-Ammal, Eileen Erlanson, Frieda Cobb Blanchard, unknown, Dr. Bradley Mooer Davis, 2 unknowns, Bill Steere, Dr. Felix Gustafson, unknown, Catherine Fellows

Our thanks to Dorothy Blanchard (Frieda’s daughter) for her identification of the people in this photograph. Dorothy was an elementary student at the time, and has many memories of both the Arb and Gardens through the years.

Do you? Please share them with us. We’d love to hear your stories.

Harvest Hootenanney for Project Grow

2008-09-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

If I can find the time between my son's soccer game and our curator's tour (for MBGNA members at the $100 and above level), I hope to be able to attend Project Grow's Harvest Hootenanney at Zingerman's Roadhouse this Saturday. I've been watching the donated veggies pile up in our volunteer coordinator's office for about two weeks now. My mouth is already watering for the stuffed fresh veggies, courtesy of Zingerman's outstanding chefs (for the preparation) and Ann Arbor's generous community gardeners (for the fresh ingredients). Live music by our own caretaker, Nick White, and a cash bar add to the fun.

Meanwhile, back at the Gardens, we'll be unveiling our new mosaics featuring eight Michigan ecosystems. They are a lovely addition to the rear portico. We are grateful to Yulia Hanensen and all the community volunteers who stepped forward to make this beautiful art piece.

I'll Take Mine Extra Crispy!

2008-09-05T09:46:00.000-07:00

So yesterday's rain notwithstanding, the Arb is still pretty crunchy and dried out. And while I won't be the first to admit it, I have to say that parts are looking pretty sad. Much of the undergrowth along the roads and trails is all brown and wilty. I think no amount of rain is going to help some of the plants at this point! But there are some bright spots to look out for when you come for a nice walk in the shade (the trees are still nice and green). The pokeweed berries are just about ripe. Don't eat them! But the berries are such a pretty color, and their juice is an amazing fushia color. I've always dreamed of using it as an ink or paint but I've never gotten around to it. In addition, the jewelweed flowers are out, and bring a gorgous splash of color to the deep woods. Look for orange and yellow flowers now, and in a few weeks in their place will be small seedpods that look like they're about to burst. And they will be--only plant I know that disperses its seeds by explosion! The goldenrod is also looking quite lovely. Finally, and this is my favorite, the critters are easier to see when the brush isn't as thick. I saw more chipmunks today than I have all season, PLUS one of our semi-rare black morph gray squirrels! They're usually pretty hard to spot, but this little guy was cruising along a fallen log between the Heathdale and the wetland boardwalk. Hope you get a chance to spot one yourself this weekend!

Sweet Rain

2008-09-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's rain was all the sweeter after almost a month of drought. I hear this was the dryest August in over 100 years.

Although all our gardens are looking parched, the pre-50s lawn demonstration at the Gardens (and all the lawns there) look especially crispy. We've struggled with the decision as to whether to water the lawns for greater beauty, or to leave them as they are as a demonstration of sustainable gardening practices. I suspect that before the 1950s, few homeowners actually watered their lawns. On the other hand, as a botanical garden, we want our gardens to be beautiful.

Yesterday's .28 inches wasn't enough to make up for the scant .31 inches we had in the entire month of August. These recent sunny days have been great for outdoor play, but we at MBGNA are all hoping that the short- and long-range forecasts for rain pan out.

Quiet Day at the Arb

2008-08-22T12:27:00.001-07:00

How quiet is a quiet day at the Arb? It's so quiet, you can hear the brown grass crunching under your feet! It's so quiet, you can almost year the leaves starting to fall. It's SO quiet, that I just saw a doe and two fawns cruising across the main valley, in the middle of the afternoon! And all this just to say that if the idea of move-in traffic is getting you down, and the thought of another hot sticky day is just too much to bear, come take a stroll in the Arb. It's cool, and quiet!

A little history at the Arb

2008-08-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in 1955 the year before the coed in this picture graduated from LSA and married. While studying here, she enjoyed many visits to the Arb with her husband-to-be. Whenever she returns to Ann Arbor, and she does so frequently, she always takes the time for a stroll. “I love the beauty of the Arb, its serenity. It was a favorite retreat from the hustle and bustle of the rest of campus. We were near… and yet so far. Today, my husband and I feel like it is “ours.” We bring our grandchildren with us sometimes and they are getting to know it as well.”

Please share your Arb story with us.

A Bevy of Benches

2008-08-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

This time of summer I find I'm much less ambitious than I was, say, in June. Before, I might have been interested in hiking up and down all the Arb's hills and making sure I got to every corner to see what's in bloom. August, however, always finds me looking for a good spot to lounge and just soak it all in.

Today, I took a tour of some great benches--perfect for whatever you'd like to experience. First, by the yellowwood at the end of the peony garden: a GREAT spot to view the construction at the new Mott Children's Hospital. Watching that crane in action is just so cool! Next, I cruised down to the riverfront, where a whole host of benches awaits. There you can watch the paddlers navigate the rocks in the Huron and offer advice if they get stuck. Up the trail a bit, to one of our staffer's favorites: at the northern end of the main valley, just by the larches, big white oak and black cherry trees is a bench that serves as the best spot to just watch the wind play in the leaves, and see how the light moves on the grass. Perfect contemplation spot! And finally, back up the (amazingly spiffy and new) steps around Heathdale to the Poet's Bench. This time of year all you can see is the lush growth in the Heathdale canopy, but it was fun to listen to the squirrels scamper through the underbrush and hear the red-tailed hawks talking to each other.

So if you don't have any plans this weekend, I'd highly recommend just coming to the Arb for a good sit!

Cultivating Community – New Herb Spiral

2008-08-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

Cultivating Community volunteers recently completed an herb spiral at our demonstration garden at the Ginsberg Center. Building the spiral was hard work, especially breaking apart the reclaimed concrete slabs and building the spiral walls with our new “rocks.”

An herb spiral allows you to grow a variety of herbs in a relatively small space. The design creates various microclimates: sunny, well-drained areas near the top for Mediterranean herbs such as sage and thyme, and shaded, wetter areas near the bottom for moisture-lovers like parsley and cilantro. The rock walls absorb heat from the sun, helping to moderate soil temperatures.

Thanks to volunteers for all their help, from researching herb spirals to shoveling compost. If you’re near the Ginsberg Center at Hill and E. University, check out the herb spiral!

Tribute to Peggy Norgren

2008-08-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

I was deeply saddened by Peggy Norgren's death last week. In her role as assistant dean for operations in U-M's College of Literature, Science & the Arts, Peggy was instrumental in helping the Arb and Gardens with our July 2004 merger. She continued to be a resource for us in her role as Associate Vice President for Finance as we began our journey into becoming a single, seamless administrative unit. She was always available to talk with me about everything from internal controls to restoring the historic barn out by the Marilyn Bland Prairie at MBG.

I worked directly for Peggy for three years in LS&A. Her door was always open. She never came down on anyone for making a mistake, but always looked toward finding solutions. I don't think I heard her complain once. I did hear her laugh, though, and often.

Thank you, Peggy. You will be missed.

Swallowtail in a rainstorm

2008-08-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's rainstorm caught me out on the trails at Matthaei and unprepared to get wet. As the rain was getting heavier, I thought I'd find a sheltered spot and found a great patch of buckthorn that was so thick it was going to be perfect. It was just on the far side of the little wooden bridge over Fleming Creek, on the yellow trail. So I crossed the bridge and stood under the brush to wait out the storm. Just as I turned around, a swallowtail butterfly breezed right by me, crossing the bridge at a good clip as if to say, "Get out of the way, slowpoke!" The rain picked up though, and the swallowtail came back and fluttered around looking for shelter just like me. And in a moment it found the perfect twig under the buckthorn to settle down. So the two of us enjoyed the view while the rain came and went. I watched the swallowtail for a long while as it slowly opened and closed its wings, just perched there under cover. It was really nice to find out what butterflies do in a rainstorm!

2008-08-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

Q. How should I care for my lawn in an environmentally friendly way?

A. Make these simple changes as you care for your lawn.
1. Mow high (2.5-3”) – the grass will act as its own mulch, suppress weed seed germination, have more surface area for photosynthesis resulting in a healthier lawn.
2. Leave clippings – they will return nitrogen and other nutrients to the lawn which will require much less fertilizer as a result.
3. Fertilize no more than twice a year – spring and fall.
4. Use slow release fertilizers – they won’t burn the grass nor will they be washed away in a rainstorm and pollute local waterways.
5. Water infrequently and deeply – encouraging the roots to grow deeper where they can find moisture.

Square Foot Gardening

2008-07-31T12:59:00.001-07:00

I am just beginning to enjoy the harvest from the four square-foot gardens I installed at home this year, using techniques I learned from Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening. I've been able to grow some crops I could never have hoped for in my dense clay soil: asparagus and strawberries, to name two. The square-foot gardens haven't been quite as productive, nor as weed-free, as the book had me hoping, but I did thoroughly enjoy the black brandywine tomato I picked and ate for lunch today.

By coincidence, my neighbor two doors down is experimenting with How to Grow More Vegetables. I'll let you know who gets the biggest pumpkin.

If you are interested in having your own square-foot garden, I bought the kits at our 2008 plant sale for $20 from Growing Hope, along with heirloom veggie seedlings. The books and tools are available in the Gardens gift shop, and you can even rent a community garden plot at the Gardens from Project Grow.

Let me know how yours turns out.

Photo credit: The Tasteful Garden

HerbFest

2008-07-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

The People's Food Co-op just called. The 125 cobalt blue bottles, two gallons of grapeseed oil and several pounds of lavender, calendula petals, flaxseeds and lemon balm we ordered are waiting for me. Now, how to get there in 90 degree heat in the midst of art fair?

Curious about what we'll do with all this? Join us at the HerbFest on August 3 from noon to 3 to find out.

Completed Boardwalk

2008-07-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the hard work of the Ford volunteers our Arb boardwalk is now complete and ready for you to enjoy the intimate views of the wetland area in the Arboretum.

Thank you Ford Volunteers!

2008-07-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

In May, a group of Ford volunteers came to Nichols Arboretum to help us complete the Wetland Boardwalk.

The Wetland Boardwalk project was designed by University of Michigan students who were led by their instructor, and MBGNA project Manager, Sarah Weiss, to protect the delicate wetland ecosystem near the center of the Arb. It will also provide barrier free access so all Arb visitors can enjoy and learn in this unique and marvelous area.

Thank you, again, Ford volunteers!

Riverfront

2008-07-10T11:45:00.000-07:00

The Huron River is high this year; we've had half again as much rain this year to date as average. Our wetland trees in the Arb's riverfront are up to their ankles in water. If you're floating by, notice also the three rock vanes we've installed. These help prevent erosion of the riverbank and the nearby road. By the way, the Arb's river road is open again after several weeks of closure for repairs.

Miracle Petunias

2008-07-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

If you've enjoyed lunch on the terrace at the Botanical Gardens lately, you've noticed the miracle petunies growing in the crack where the terrace floor meets the brick walls. Maybe you've wondered, how did we do it?

The answer? We didn't! These beautiful heirlooms seeded themselves from petunias growing in pots in prior years.

If you try it at home, remember: heirlooms reseed the best. Yet another good reason to choose heirloom plants.

Prickly Pear in bloom!

2008-07-01T09:36:00.001-07:00

A prickly pear is in bloom by the Urban Pocket Garden with many more blooms yet to come. Make sure you stop by to check them out!

Welcome to the MBGNA blog

2008-07-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new blog hosted by Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum -- your insiders guide to what is happening! If a flower is in bloom, you will be the first to know about it. If we have unanticipated construction - you will know.

We love feedback, so if we can answer any burning plant related questions, or if you have any feedback about this blog, let us know.

Thank you and welcome!