Events & Classes
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EARTH PARTNERSHIP FOR FAMILIES
Children’s Wildflower Gardens
Saturday, May 10 • 6 pm – 8 pm
Explore the Arboretum’s children’s garden and help plant some wildflowers. Parents can earn how children view gardens and children can take home a plant to start their own garden. Dress for the weather, we will be outdoors.
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FRIENDS OF THE ARBORETUM EVENT
Native Plant Sale
Saturday, May 10 • 9 am – 2 pm
Over 100 species of quality prairie plants, woodland plants, shrubs, vines and trees under one tent. Experts on hand to answer questions. Proceeds support Arboretum projects.
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Birding before Brunch
Sunday, May 11 • 8 am – 10 am
Enjoy the chorus of returning migrants establishing their nesting territories through song. Birds that are just stopping by on their way north will also be practicing their songs.
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SPECIAL EVENT
Mother’s Day Brunch
Sunday, May 11 • 10 am – 2 pm
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Arboretum Sampler
Sunday, May 11 • 1 pm – 2 pm
Explore an Arboretum woodland, wetland and prairie for a sampler of what is happening near the Visitor Center.
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SPECIAL EVENT
Free narrated tours aboard the Badger Trolley
Sunday, May 11 • 1 pm – 3 pm
Tours aboard the Badger Trolley begin at the Visitor Center. Tours last approximately 45 minutes. See what’s in bloom in Longenecker Gardens, view our prairies and woodlands in spring color and learn more about the Arboretum’s history and purpose.
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SPECIAL EVENT
Talk to the Naturalist in Longenecker Gardens
Sunday, May 11 • 1 pm – 3 pm
rboretum naturalist Ken Wood will be in the Arboretum’s Longenecker Gardens to help visitors learn about the trees and shrubs in bloom, which should include lilacs and crabapples.
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WALK (FAMILY)
Ecosystems
Sunday, May 11 • 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
This naturalist-led walk is tailored to families with young children and explores the prairies, woodlands, or wetlands near the Visitor Center.
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TOUR (LONGENECKER GARDENS)
Flowering Crabapples
Wednesday, May 14 • 7 pm
Emeritus Professor of Horticulture Ed Hasselkus, curator of the Longenecker Gardens, will concentrate on the Arboretum’s excellent collection of flowering crabapples, and present highlights in the Garden’s large lilac collection.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (GRADY TRACT)
Grady Tract
Saturday, May 17 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot.
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WALK (NIGHT)
Spring Evening
Saturday, May 17 • 6:30 pm – 8 pm
For those who can’t attend our Sunday afternoon walks, this is an opportunity to see spring wild flowers and hear evening birdsongs.
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
West Curtis Prairie and Noe Woods
Sunday, May 18 • 1 pm – 3 pm
Noe Woods is a 41-acre white oak/black oak woods typical of those that developed on former savannas. Many of the trees date back 150 years, a time when European settlers put an end to the fires that had maintained the savannas.
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SPECIAL EVENT
Free narrated tours aboard the Badger Trolley
Sunday, May 18 • 1 pm – 3 pm
Tours aboard the Badger Trolley begin at the Visitor Center. Tours last approximately 45 minutes. See what’s in bloom in Longenecker Gardens, view our prairies and woodlands in spring color and learn more about the Arboretum’s history and purpose.
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TOUR (LONGENECKER GARDENS)
Azaleas and Rhododendrons
Wednesday, May 21 • 7 pm
Dr. Deb McCown, a specialist in woody ornamentals, will review the Gardens’ collection of azaleas and rhododendrons and discuss the care of these plants in the Madison area.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (CORE AREA)
Core Area and Curtis Prairie
Saturday, May 24 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training provided. Groups welcome with advance notice. Meet at the front steps of the Visitor Center.
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WALK (GRADY TRACT)
Oak Openings and Restored Prairies
Sunday, May 25 • 1 pm – 3 pm
Look for wildflowers and see what makes Greene Prairie one of the most spectacular prairie restorations. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway
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TOUR (LONGENECKER GARDENS)
Shade Trees
Wednesday, May 28 • 7 pm – 8:15 pm
Oak wilt, maple decline, emerald ash borer, gypsy moths, Japanese beetles, adelgids, aphids…the list of problems facing our street and shade trees continues to grow. Richard Rideout, state coordinator of urban forestry for the Department of Natural Resources, will look at several types of large trees and discuss their care.
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Indian Mounds
Sunday, June 1 • 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Hundreds of earthen mounds built more than 1,000 years ago once lined the shores of Madison area lakes. The naturalist will lead a walk to the mounds and talk about the fascinating cultures that preceded ours.
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TOUR (LONGENECKER GARDENS)
Roses and the Rest
Wednesday, June 4 • 7 pm
This tour will look at the collection of Rugosa, “Canadian Explorer” and other hardy roses, and check other late-blooming plants of note.
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FRIENDS OF THE ARBORETUM EVENT
Annual Meeting
Saturday, June 7 • 9 am
Activities include a breakfast buffet, business meeting, silent auction and a program (“It’s Kind of Fun to Do the Impossible.”) by Ken Leinbach, award-winning environmental educator. Reservations required. Phone 263-7760 for information.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (WINGRA SAVANNA)
Wingra Oak Savanna
Saturday, June 7 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the gravel parking lot along Arbor Drive just off Monroe Street.
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WALK (GRADY TRACT)
Greene Prairie
Sunday, June 8 • 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Explore Greene Prairie’s mosaic of grasses dotted with color from phlox, blue-eyed grass, yellow star grass and up to 30 other flowering species. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.
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TOUR (LONGENECKER GARDENS)
Conifers
Wednesday, June 11 • 7 pm
If you are confused about telling a spruce from a fir, join us on a walk through the Gardens’ spectacular conifer collection.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (WINGRA SAVANNA)
Take a Stake in the Lakes
Saturday, June 14 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about invasive species. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the gravel parking lot along Arbor Drive just off Monroe Street.
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EARTH PARTNERSHIP FOR FAMILIES
Caterpillar Capers
Saturday, June 14 • 1 pm
If you want to have butterflies, you have to have caterpillars. Learn about these fascinating creatures, make a rearing cage, and have the opportunity to adopt Cecropia caterpillars to rear all summer. (Please bring a clear 2 liter plastic bottle to make the cage.) Cecropia caterpillars will be growing and on display at the Visitor’s Center all summer. Dress for the weather; there will be a hike.
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Walk the Prairie with Papa
Sunday, June 15 • 8:30 am – 10 am
For Father’s Day, an exploration of Curtis Prairie and adjacent restorations features East Curtis Prairie, a rare remnant that has never been plowed.
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SPECIAL EVENT
Research Facility Open House
Wednesday, June 18 • 4 pm – 6 pm
Tour the mesocosm facility at the Arboretum, where students are able to manipulate water levels and simulate the functions of marshes.
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TOUR (NATIVE PLANT GARDEN)
Savanna and Prairie Gardens
Wednesday, June 18 • 7 pm
Celebrate the beginning of summer by visiting our savanna and prairie gardens. This tour provides an overview of the Wisconsin Native Plant Garden as well as inspiration and ideas for native plant gardening at home.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (GRADY TRACT)
Grady Tract
Saturday, June 21 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.
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WALK (NIGHT)
Solstice
Saturday, June 21 • 8 pm – 9:30 pm
Enjoy sunset on the longest day of the year, and the night before the full moon, as the naturalist points out items of interest that may not be apparent to the casual observer—all of which should add up to an “illuminating” evening.
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WALK (GRADY TRACT)
Grady Tract
Sunday, June 22 • 8:30 am – 10:30 am
If it is a warm, sunny day, you may see many species of butterflies throughout the prairie and savannas. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (CORE AREA)
Core Area and Curtis Prairie
Saturday, June 28 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the front steps of the Visitor Center.
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Curtis Prairie
Sunday, June 29 • 8:30 am – 10 am
This is a good time to see butterflies and the flowers they visit.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (WINGRA SAVANNA)
Wingra Oak Savanna
Saturday, July 5 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the gravel parking lot along Arbor Drive just off Monroe Street.
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Curtis Prairie
Sunday, July 6 • 8:30 am – 10 am
With as many as 14 new species coming into bloom each week, this walk could reveal 28 new species blooming from just two weeks ago.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (CORE AREA)
Core Area and Curtis Prairie
Saturday, July 12 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the front steps of the Visitor Center.
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CLASS
Reading the Prairie Landscape
Saturday, July 12 • 1 pm – 3:30 pm
Prior to European settlement, most of southern Wisconsin was a blanket of oak savannas and tall grass prairies. An open-grown oak surrounded by human invention, or flowering spurge lining the edge of a cornfield give us clues into the landscapes of our past. This class will help the student pay closer attention to historical clues and to develop a keen eye for reading the prairie landscapes of today. An emphasis will be placed on prairie plant adaptations, prairie plant families and identification. Recommended reading: Prairie Plants of the UW-Madison Arboretum.
Register for this class ($16)
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WALK (GRADY TRACT)
Grady Tract
Sunday, July 13 • 8:30 am – 10:30 am
If it is a warm, sunny day, you may see many species of butterflies throughout the prairie and savannas. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.
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WALK (FAMILY)
Butterflies
Sunday, July 13 • 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Warm, sunny days in July are the best times for seeing lots of butterflies and other fascinating insects that visit flowers on the prairie.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (GRADY TRACT)
Grady Tract
Saturday, July 19 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.
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WALK (NIGHT)
Midsummer Delights
Saturday, July 19 • 8 pm – 9:30 pm
Enjoy an evening walk near the Visitor Center featuring midsummer flowers and night music from prairie insects.
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Curtis Prairie
Sunday, July 20 • 8:30 am – 10 am
Celebrate a “Prairie Birthday” while examining and enjoying compass plant, prairie dock and other species that Aldo Leopold featured in his essay of the same name.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (CORE AREA)
Core Area and Curtis Prairie
Saturday, July 26 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the front steps of the Visitor Center.
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WALK (GRADY TRACT)
Grady Tract
Sunday, July 27 • 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Prairie dock is prolific on Greene Prairie. With its bright-yellow blooms and broad, roughened leaves, it dominates the vista. Looking closer brings dozens of other species into view. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.
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TOUR (NATIVE PLANT GARDEN)
Sun and Shade
Wednesday, July 30 • 7 pm
If you are wondering which native plants will thrive in full sun or which can grow in shade, find inspiration in our native prairie and forest gardens. We will feature many summer-blooming species on this tour.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (WINGRA SAVANNA)
Wingra Oak Savanna
Saturday, August 2 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the gravel parking lot along Arbor Drive just off Monroe Street. For more information: 265-5214 or mlfarrior@wisc.edu
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WALK (GRADY TRACT)
Grady Trac
Sunday, August 3 • 8:30 am – 10:30 am
With lavender liatris and yellow coneflowers, the prairies are alive with color that attracts viceroy, monarch and other butterflies. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (CORE AREA)
Core Area and Curtis Prairie
Saturday, August 9 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the front steps of the Visitor Center. For more information: 265-5214 or mlfarrior@wisc.edu
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Curtis Prairie
Sunday, August 10 • 8:30 am – 10 am
Yellow is the dominant color of prairie abundance this time of year—from sunflowers to goldfinches to swallowtail butterflies.
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WALK (FAMILY)
Pond Stuff
Sunday, August 10 • 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
This walk introduces children to the fascinating world of pond life.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (GRADY TRACT)
Grady Tract
Saturday, August 16 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the Grady Tract parking lot, located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection. For more information: 265-5214 or mlfarrior@wisc.edu
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CLASS
Discover the Curious World of Insects
Saturday, August 16 • 1 pm – 3 pm
Loved by some and feared by many, insects and arachnids have caused grief for farmers and stung many a bare foot; but they have the power to put a smile on the faces of the grumpiest of children. Explore the fascinating world of insects and arachnids, including some of their lifecycles, while discovering the important and powerful role they play in our ecosystem.
Register for this class ($$13.50)
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WALK (NIGHT)
Insect Serenade
Saturday, August 16 • 8 pm – 9:30 pm
The fields echo with the sounds of insects, including the snowy tree cricket. Learn how to tell the temperature from the timing of their calls.
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WALK (GRADY TRACT)
Prairies and Savannas on the Grady Tract
Sunday, August 17 • 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Now is a good time to see the contrast between the sandy, dry West Knoll and wet-mesic Greene Prairie. Meet in the Grady Tract parking lot located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.
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TOUR (NATIVE PLANT GARDEN)
Native Grasses
Wednesday, August 20 • 7 pm
As summer ends and fall approaches, we will take a closer look at our native grasses, from tiny mustache grass to big bluestem. Find out how to identify these attractive plants and grow them in your native garden.
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VOLUNTEER WORKDAY (CORE AREA)
Core Area and Curtis Prairie
Saturday, August 23 • 9 am – 12 pm
Volunteer for restoration activities and learn about prairies and savannas. Tools and training are provided, and groups are welcome with advance notice. Meet at the front steps of the Visitor Center. For more information: 265-5214 or mlfarrior@wisc.edu
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WALK (VISITOR CENTER)
Curtis Prairie
Sunday, August 24 • 8:30 am – 10 am
At this time of year, you can walk the prairie and imagine what it was like for settlers to see prairies for the first time—with grasses and flowers towering overhead—unlike anything in Europe.
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WALK (GRADY TRACT)
Prairies and Savannas on the Grady Tract
Sunday, August 31 • 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Enjoy early asters, sunflowers and goldenrods mixed among the grasses. Meet in the Grady Tract parking lot located at the southeast corner of the Beltline and Seminole Highway intersection.