Adkins Arboretum

Adkins Arboretum Announces Fall Native Plant Sale—Online!

July 30, 2020 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Prepare for fall in the garden! Adkins Arboretum, offering the Chesapeake gardener the best selection of landscape-ready native plants for more than 20 years, announces its Fall Native Plant Sale. All proceeds benefit the Arboretum’s rich variety of education programs, scheduled to resume in 2021, that teach about the Delmarva’s native plants and their connection to a healthy Chesapeake Bay.

Due to recommendations regarding COVID-19, the fall sale will be conducted entirely online. Orders will be accepted through Thurs., Aug. 27 at adkinsarboretum.org and will be fulfilled via timed pickup. There will be no in-person shopping at the Arboretum.

Fall is the best season for planting, and the Arboretum offers the Chesapeake region’s largest selection of ornamental native trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns and grasses for the fall landscape. Many native plants produce seeds, flowers and fruit in fall that attract migratory birds and butterflies. Brilliant orange butterfly weed and stunning red cardinal flower attract pollinators to the garden, while native asters add subtle shades of purple and blue. Redbud and dogwood dot the early-spring landscape with color, and shrubs such as chokeberry and beautyberry provide food and habitat for wildlife.

Native asters add color to the fall landscape and attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators to the garden. Photo by Kellen McCluskey.

For those not sure how to integrate native plants into their landscape, the Arboretum’s Native Landscape Design Center has launched a new service targeted to smaller areas. In a 90-minute smartphone or video call, professional landscape designer Christina Pax will meet with participants to help devise beautiful and sound ideas for an area targeted for design. The ideas will incorporate native plants, support practices that clean and reduce runoff, and bring colorful support for pollinators and birds to the landscape. At the end of the meeting, participants will have a plant shopping list and a sketch that shows where to plant the plants. The fee for this service is $240. To learn more or to sign up, send email to design@adkinsarboretum.org.

As always, Arboretum members receive a generous discount on plants that varies according to membership level. Leon Andrus, the Arboretum’s first benefactor, lived to the age of 101. In honor of his long and fulfilling life, the Arboretum is seeking 101 new members during 2020. To join, visit adkinsarboretum.org or contact Kellen McCluskey at kmccluskey@adkinsarboretum.org.

For more information on plants, purchasing or pickup procedures, visit adkinsarboretum.org, send email to nativeplants@adkinsarboretum.org or leave a message at 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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Adkins Arboretum Releases Field Guide Series, Virtual Education Materials

July 12, 2020 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Want to learn more about native trees and plants? Adkins Arboretum has released a series of family-friendly field guides as an introduction to some of the more than 600 species of native shrubs, trees, wildflowers, ferns, grasses and vines found on the Arboretum site.

While the Arboretum’s public education programs are on hold due to safer-at-home advisories, grounds are open daily for exploring. The new Adkins Field Guides provide a helpful starting point for exploring the natural world or introducing a young naturalist to the wonders of the wild.

Each guide includes a video and printable support activities with select points of identification and examples of each species’ ecological benefits and cultural significance. All allow ample opportunity for exploration. Currently, guides are available for American beech, paw paw, shining sumac and white oak.

The field guide series was produced by Schoolhouse Farmhouse of Cordova and was made possible through generous funding by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area. Music for the first four guides was performed by National Music Festival musicians during the Arboretum’s 2019 Forest Music program. The bassoon composition, titled “Arboretum,” was written by Brad Balliett specifically for this performance.

The Adkins Field Guides comprise just one of several initiatives to make outdoor education accessible, both to those who visit the grounds in person and those who visit online. Each Thursday, staff release a new, family-friendly “Take It With You!” activity that visitors can use to add an extra layer of fun and adventure to their walks at the Arboretum. Visitors can download a PDF or simply snap a photo of the activity with their phones. A paper copy is posted on the back door of the Visitor’s Center, along with other information to keep members and friends up to date.

Sylvan Kaufman, the Arboretum’s science advisor and the principal of Sylvan Green Earth Consulting, has developed a series of short education videos about the natural history of some of the plants on the Arboretum grounds. Each video is packed with information on identification, plant-animal interactions and some human uses for the plant. In addition, monthly “What’s in Bloom?” guides, information for birders, and the Arboretum’s recently revamped Native Plant Database provide valuable resources for exploring nature at Adkins and beyond.

The Adkins Field Guides and all other virtual resources are available at adkinsarboretum.org.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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Adkins Arboretum’s Spring Membership Drive Now Through May 30

May 12, 2020 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

There’s never been a better time to become a member of Adkins Arboretum! Amid closures and stay-at-home orders, the Arboretum is committed to keeping its paths open for the many dog walkers, bikers, runners and nature enthusiasts who seek solace in fresh air, open space and the health benefits of spending time outside. Grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk.

These health benefits are numerous. Studies show that time in nature reduces stress, improves mood, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep, accelerates recovery from illness and boosts the immune system. Forests play a particularly important role in healthy immune systems—when we breathe in fresh air, we breathe in the same chemicals that plants release as protection against insects. These chemicals, in turn, help us fight disease.

Photo credit: Kellen McCluskey.

By joining the Arboretum, members support their health and the health of the greater community. In addition, members enjoy free admission throughout the year, as well as discounts on native plants, programs, events and gift store purchases. Although many 2020 programs and events have been canceled due to COVID-19, the Arboretum is re-envisioning its offerings to include creative, self-directed activities for visitors to enjoy on their own. These will be highlighted in a forthcoming calendar and on the Arboretum’s website.

Even as the Arboretum looks to the future with optimism, closures and cancellations are presenting financial challenges. This means that member support is more important than ever. To learn more about membership and all that the Arboretum has to offer, visit adkinsarboretum.org. New members will receive a $10 discount if they join by the end of May.

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Adkins Arboretum Announces 2020 Summer Nature Camps

March 5, 2020 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

From caterpillars and frogs to songs and games, from toasting marshmallows to learning wilderness skills, an exciting season awaits children ages 2 through 12 with Adkins Arboretum’s lineup of 2020 Summer Nature Camps this June and July.

While the term “day camp” has seen its meaning diluted over the years through over-application to virtually any and every activity (even indoor ones), the abundant woods and meadows of Adkins Arboretum offer area kids the true classic childhood experience of outdoor summer fun.

“Making mud pies, wading in streams, catching tadpoles, climbing trees—these are experiences that should be part of every childhood,” said Adkins Arboretum Assistant Director Jenny Houghton. “The freedom to explore nature with friends is the best boredom buster.”

While there’s a whole lot of learning about the natural world woven into the camp experience at Adkins, the salient ingredient is the carefree enjoyment of the great outdoors. “Children learn through play,” Houghton said, “and summer camp is all about play!”

Adkins Arboretum Assistant Director Jenny Houghton introduces summer campers to the Arboretum’s goat herd.

And there’s a camp for every kids’ age group:

For ages 2–3, there’s Camp Bumblebee, “Little Acorns,” June 22–26, from 10–11:30 a.m. (Grown-ups are asked to join their little ones throughout for this one.) Bumblebee campers will snack on blueberries in Emily’s Play Garden, splash in the sprinkler, search for striped monarch caterpillars among the milkweed, dip their toes in the stream and visit the goat herd. Healthy snacks along with crafts, songs and stories will all help the young ones start their summer off in great fashion.

For ages 4–6, there’s Camp Pollywog, “Nature’s Treasure Chest,” June 29–July 3, 9:30–11:30 a.m. Campers will discover the simple joys to be found in the wonders of nature, floating leaf and twig boats down the stream, creating leafy magic carpets on the forest floor, and savoring lots of other adventures along the Arboretum’s meadow and woodland paths. Stories, crafts and healthy snacks will complement the games and guided nature exploration.

Also for ages 4–6, there’s Camp Turtle, “Stream Splashers,” July 20–24, 10 a.m.–noon. Campers will enjoy a whole week of water fun, from splashing through the stream in search of frogs to making rainbows with the garden hose. Along the way, they’ll learn about the water cycle and the fascinating plants and animals that live and grow in watery places.

For ages 7–9, there’s Camp Paw Paw, “Summer Magic,” July 6–10, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Children will experience that special magic of an outdoor summer, picking blackberries, climbing trees, toasting marshmallows, building forts—and, when temperatures rise, cooling off with sprinkler time in the Funshine Garden and whipping up a batch of icy mint tea. Camp songs, games and nature crafts also will be part of the fun. The week will wrap up with a hike to the Tuckahoe Tire Park, stopping along the way to wade and search for freshwater clams, crayfish and other stream critters.

For ages 10–12, there’s Camp Egret, “Wilderness Survival,” July 13–17, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. As the Arboretum’s oldest campers, 10- to 12-year-olds enrolled in Camp Egret will hone their wilderness survival skills, navigating with compasses, creating forest shelters, baking in solar ovens, training in first aid and foraging for native plants—all while learning valuable teamwork and leadership lessons. Healthy snacks will be provided; campers are asked to bring a bagged lunch.

The popularity of the camp experience at Adkins Arboretum is attested to by the desire of the participants to return summer after summer. “Over the past 13 years, I’ve watched my campers become counselors,” said Houghton. “One day, they’ll bring their children to Nature Camp. That’s the goal: It’s all about planting seeds.”

Enrollment is limited, and Summer Nature Camps do tend to fill, so don’t hesitate to register. For more information, and to sign up, visit adkinsarboretum.org.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum is the region’s resource for native plants and education programs about nature, ecology and wildlife conservation gardening. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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Poet Catherine Carter to Read March 10 at Adkins Arboretum

February 25, 2020 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Catherine Carter

In Larvae of the Nearest Stars, her latest collection of poems, Catherine W. Carter offers deeply serious verse that packs profound emotional and spiritual power while encouraging her readers to laugh out loud. Carter will give a reading on Tues., March 10 at 3 p.m. at Adkins Arboretum, Ridgely. The public is invited to attend.

Carter grew up in Caroline County, the daughter of a master gardener and a biologist, and her quirky, accessible works reflect those influences. The poems in Larvae of the Nearest Stars bridge and question binaries: human and nonhuman, science and magic, lyric and narrative, river trash and galaxies. Subjects range from dowsers and liver spots to the mysteries of two-seater outhouses. The collection begins and ends by confronting the necessity—and the promise—to bear witness to the world as it is, addressing how we can manage to love the world in the face of everything that makes doing so a challenge. The poems in this engaging and meditative collection are sometimes dark, often funny, but always surprising.

A professor of English at Western Carolina University, Carter is the author of several poetry collections, including The Swamp Monster at Home, The Memory of Gills and Marks of the Witch. Her poetry has appeared in Best American Poetry 2009, Orion, Poetry magazine, Ecotone and Ploughshares, among others. Her work has won the North Carolina Literary Review’s James Applewhite Prize, the North Carolina Literary and Historical Society’s Roanoke-Chowan Award, the North Carolina Poetry Society’s poet laureate’s prize and many other awards.

The reading will be followed by discussion and light refreshments. It is free, but advance registration is appreciated at adkinsarboretum.org or by calling 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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Adkins Arboretum’s 2020 Juried Art Show on View through March 27

February 4, 2020 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Viewers will find both beauty and food for thought in Discovering the Native Landscapes of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Adkins Arboretum’s 21^st annual Juried Art Show. On view in the Arboretum Visitor’s Center through March 27, the exhibit was juried by Heather Harvey, Associate Professor and Chair of the Art and Art History Department and Studio Art Coordinator at Washington College. Both she and the artists will be on hand for a reception on Sat., Feb. 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. to talk with visitors about the work in the show.

In reviewing the 137 entries submitted for this show, Harvey chose 24 that she felt were most in keeping with the show’s theme and would create a compelling range of work, mood and mediums.

She said, “I was looking for works that reference or evoke nature, landscape, flora/fauna, human versus natural tensions, local histories, etc., whether generally or specific to the Eastern Shore.”

The show includes a remarkably wide range of work—from “Yellow Abstract,” a vibrant oil painting by John Moran of Chester, to Centreville photographer Kellen McCluskey’s spectacular flurry of snow geese, and from the dreamily naïve quality of Easton artist Doris B. Gerlach’s watercolor “Deer on the Lawn” to the exquisite precision of St. Michaels botanical artist Lee D’Zmura’s watercolor “Jack-in-the-Pulpit/Arisaema.”

Many of these works reveal a subtext. Harvey is especially interested in art that stimulates thought and questioning.

She explained, “I am drawn to challenging or distinctive work, work I don’t immediately understand, that requires time to explore and analyze and that yields interesting, complex, multivalent meaning. I am drawn to nuanced work that is contradictory, experimental or exploratory and has a unique voice or perspective.”

“his own carbon” by Carol Minarick

Her choices for the annual Leon Andrus Awards reflect this interest. She awarded first place to Easton artist Carol Minarick’s mixed media work “his own carbon,” in which a textured mass of gray appears in a landscape just barely defined by strokes of graphite. The title brings two terms to mind: Star Trek’s “carbon units” and the “carbon footprints” we all create.

Second place went to Chris Mona of Annapolis for his lithograph “Joanna Lumley in the Afternoon, Eastern Shore,” a curious image of the well-known actress and activist strangely positioned beside a tangle of vines in a lush woodland.

“It’s funny and dark,” Harvey said. “Some kind of offbeat commentary on the state of our world, our dysfunctional relationship to the natural world, ourselves, each other and the strange pop cultural mash-up we live in today, with the parallel degradation of the environment.”

Harvey’s fascination with looking deeply into the concerns that motivated the artists in this show are also evidenced in Honorable Mentions awarded to Mark Nelson and Joseph Minarick, both of Easton.

These two works capture familiar Easton Shore scenes, but while Nelson’s “Unionville Oak” is a stunningly beautiful photograph of a lonely oak standing in the flat expanse of a snowy field, Minarick’s “Rural Electrification (Trappe – Centreville Road)” is a little bit eerie. It shows a roadside cedar whose uppermost branches have been cut away to make room for electrical lines, turning it into a dark heart shape standing alone in the foreground of a wide-open rural landscape.

Harvey said, “It’s a familiar or clichéd landscape image but also dense, dark, almost ominous. I also see the shadowy undercurrents and think of the social-historical events that have unfolded on the Eastern Shore for centuries, both the beauty and the not so beautiful.”

This show is part of Adkins Arboretum’s ongoing exhibition series of work on natural themes by regional artists. It is on view through March 27 at the Arboretum Visitor’s Center located at 12610 Eveland Road near Tuckahoe State Park in Ridgely. Contact the Arboretum at 410-634-2847, ext. 0 or info@adkinsarboretum.org for gallery hours.

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Adkins Arboretum Offers Nature Fun for Preschoolers

January 8, 2020 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Snowflakes, foxes, pollywogs and more! Welcome 2020 and engage your young child with nature with Adkins Arboretum’s Acorn Academy Nature Preschool programs. The series of 10 classes for three- to five-year-olds is offered in either Wednesday or Thursday sessions beginning Feb. 26 and 27.

Programs run from 10 to 11:15 a.m. and include nature walks, stories, songs, snacks and an art project to take home. The fee for the 10-class series is $100 for members and $125 for non-members. Thanks to a generous grant from the PNC Foundation, the fee is waived for residents of Caroline County. Advance registration is required, and early registration is recommended. For more information or to register, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

Adkins Arboretum Assistant Director Jenny Houghton shows a bluebird nesting box to children in the Arboretum’s Acorn Academy Nature Preschool program.

Programs include:

Journey of a Snowflake

Feb. 26 and 27

Let’s pretend we’re snowflakes journeying through the winter sky! We’ll make a glittery snowflake craft, look for Jack Frost in the forest and warm up with hot chocolate and the beloved children’s book A Snowy Day.

Mitten Mice
March 4 and 5

Do you have a mouse in your mitten? We’ll read Jan Brett’s classic children’s story The Mitten and sing a song about Mimi Mouse. In the forest, we’ll look for signs of animals and find out how they keep warm when mittens aren’t an option.

Fox Trot

March 11 and 12
Where do foxes go when the cold wind blows? In their cozy dens, of course. Follow a winding trail to an Arboretum fox den, sing and dance to the “Fox Trot” and make pop-up fox finger puppets during this fun-filled class.

Seed Starters
March 18 and 19

It’s time to start thinking about your summer garden! Learn how seeds grow, dissect seeds and plant flowers in a nifty egg carton tray. Then visit the Arboretum greenhouse and enjoy a picnic snack.

Bunny Hop
March 25 and 26

Spring is here, are so are the rabbits! Have a thumpin’ good time exploring the world of the bouncy cottontail. We’ll dance the Bunny Hop, munch on rabbit snacks and meet our friend Hoppity Rabbit.

Which Nest is Best?
April 1 and 2

The birds are busy building nests for their babies! Take a peep inside the Arboretum’s bluebird houses, hold a nest in your hands and learn about the different ways birds build their homes. We’ll sample a bird’s nest snack and try building our own nests with mud and twigs.

Pollywog Adventure
April 8 and 9

No need to feel stuck in a bog—it’s peeper time at the Arboretum! We’ll stomp our feet to the “Pollywog Wiggle,” make a frog craft and use nets to scoop up tadpoles and other critters in the wetland.

Garden of Giants
April 15 and 16

Let’s make some garden magic and grow a giant beanstalk! We’ll learn about plant parts and enjoy a healthy picnic snack at Emily’s Play Garden, with a stop at the goat enclosure to say hello to the Arboretum’s goats.

Spring Beauties
April 22 and 23

April showers bring May flowers…along the Arboretum’s woodland paths! We’ll look for Virginia bluebells, lady slippers and spring beauties in the forest, stopping to play at First Light Village. A crunchy tissue paper flower craft will be perfect for Mother’s Day.

Wiggling Worms
April 29 and 30

Welcome to the wiggly world of worms! Did you know that worms are a gardener’s best friend? Enjoy a walk to Emily’s Play Garden, where we will peek into a composting “worm hotel” and dig for worms in the soil. We’ll also sing a “Wiggle and Waggle” song and snack on garden veggies.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum offers educational programs for all ages about nature and gardening. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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Adkins Arboretum Transforms Living Collections Database

December 16, 2019 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Adkins Arboretum recently upgraded and increased the accessibility of its Living Collections Database. The upgrade was made possible with a $25,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), awarded through its most competitive grant program, Museums for America, in the category of collections stewardship. Adkins Arboretum is considered a living museum, as its exhibits are in the forms of living plant material, land preservation and educational resources.

The upgrade transformed the Living Collections Database into a robust, user-friendly database, geographic information system (GIS) and web mapping platform for broader public access and to improve monitoring and management of the Arboretum’s living collections. The end result is an easily navigable Living Collections Database that may be accessed online for all who are interested in learning more about the Arboretum’s flora. The expanded inventory of mapped plants makes it easier for visitors to locate species of interest, and it links to outside resources such as the Maryland Plant Atlas, further enhancing the learning experience.

Adkins Arboretum Horticultural Consultant Leslie Hunter Cario, at left, and volunteer Laura Rocco.

The project was completed over a two-year period by Adkins staff, including Executive Director Ginna Tiernan, Land Steward Kathy Thornton, Chesapeake Bay Trust Chesapeake Conservation Corps Members Emily Castle, Nathan Simmons and Blake Steiner, Arboretum volunteers, and local contractors Sylvan Kaufman of Sylvan Green Earth Consulting, Thayer Young of Cicada Systems GIS Consulting and Leslie Hunter Cario of Chesapeake Horticultural Services.

Founded in 1980 as Maryland’s official state arboretum, Adkins Arboretum is now a native plant preserve. Located adjacent to Tuckahoe State Park, the Arboretum operates and maintains a visitor’s center, 400 acres of meadows, woods and wetlands, and five miles of paths under a 50-year lease with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Its diverse collection includes more than 600 species of trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers native to the Eastern Shore and the Mid-Atlantic coastal plain. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 120,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Its mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning and cultural and civic engagement. Its grant making, policy development and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit imls.gov or follow IMLS on Facebook and Twitter.

Join Adkins Arboretum for A Longwood Christmas Bus Trip

November 25, 2019 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Experience the joys and wonders of the holiday season when Adkins Arboretum hosts a bus trip to Longwood Gardens for A Longwood Christmas on Mon., Dec. 16. Join an afternoon and evening of organ singalongs, strolling carolers, fountain shows and plenty of yuletide cheer—all without the stress of driving and parking.

The annual celebration showcases more than 6,000 seasonal plants and more than a half-million lights in the gardens and on the grounds. Explore holiday displays in the Conservatory, then venture outdoors to view gloriously illuminated trees, stroll beneath floating orbs of light and watch as trees and branches take on new illuminated life. Sounds of wonder will fill the air as fountains dance to seasonal music.

Photo credit: Kellen McCluskey

The bus departs from Aurora Park Drive in Easton at noon and will pick up passengers at the Routes 50/404 Park and Ride and from the Routes 301/291 Park and Ride in Millington. The return time is approximately 9 p.m. The trip fee is $75 for members and $95 for non-members. Advance registration is required at adkinsarboretum.org or by calling 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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