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    • Jacek Smolicki listening to tree sounds.

    Rescheduled Nature Amplified: The Secret Sounds of Trees

    *Rescheduled from April 19 due to rain.* If our ears were 100 times more powerful than they are, we would be able to hear the sounds produced by trees themselves: water moving through the trunks and branches, the creak of the wood in the wind, and small critters moving around in the wood or the canopy. We would even be able to hear how plants receive and respond to sound waves produced by other beings. Our ears are not this powerful, but artist, researcher, and Harvard Graduate School of Design fellow Jacek Smolicki has created microphones and recording systems that are.

    Join Jacek for an indoor introduction to his specialized microphone technology, then move outside for a walk to try out the microphones around the landscape and listen to the amplified sounds they create.

    Hunnewell Lecture Hall
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    Aerial photograph of flowering crabapples

    Crabapples Up Close

    The Arnold is considered the “Mother Arboretum” for the modern crabapple, with over 50 species and 91 cultivars represented throughout the landscape. Join Assistant Curator of Living Collections Miles Sax and Horticulturist Lindsay Davies for a tour of the flowering crabapples on Peters Hill as they reach peak bloom in late April and May, and learn about the history and conservation of this fascinating collection.

    Peters Hill Gate
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      • A clump of plants with small leaves and flowers

      Rescheduled Herbaceous Plant ID

      *Rescheduled from April 4 to May 2. As small, herbaceous plants begin to pop out of the soil and carpet the landscape, early spring is a great time to learn what some of these plants are and how to identify them. Join Manager of Adult Programming and Events Sarah Nechamen for a plant ID walk in the landscape and learn how to identify plants like chickweed, creeping charlie, and stinging nettle.

      Washington Street Gate
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      A woman looks up at the trees and smiles

      Terapia de Bosque en Español: Escuchando a la Tierra

      La terapia de bosque, también conocida como baño de bosque o shinrin-yoku, es una práctica basada en evidencia que te conecta con la naturaleza de manera amable, curiosa y consciente. En el ritmo acelerado del mundo de hoy, esta experiencia cuidadosamente diseñada te invita a tomar una pausa, despertar tus sentidos y disfrutar de lo que nos ofrece la naturaleza.

      Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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        White shelf mushrooms growing on a tree trunk

        Mushroom Hunt

        Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.

        Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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          Aerial view of the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden

          Rescheduled Leventritt: From Design to Living Landscape

          *Rescheduled from May 14 due to rain.* As the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden nears its 25th birthday, join the garden’s original architect and our own Keeper of the Living Collections to learn about the garden’s history, its design goals and principles, and how it has evolved in the past two decades. This program will begin with a short talk in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall, then move outdoors for a tour of the garden itself with Michael Dosmann and architect Gary Hilderbrand.

          Hunnewell Lecture Hall
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          • Close-up of vibrant green leaves on tree branches, sunlight shining through and illuminating the leaves, creating a bright and fresh spring or summer atmosphere.

          Identifying Common Trees and Shrubs

          Can you identify the trees around you when you’re walking through the streets of Boston or hiking in New England forests? Join experienced horticulturist and plant science teacher Nicole Forsyth for a class on identifying common trees and shrubs in Massachusetts, from elms and honeylocust to lindens and witch-hazels. This class will begin indoors with a presentation in the lecture hall, and then move outside for some identification practice in the landscape.

          Hunnewell Lecture Hall
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            Pentagonal white flower with symmetric stamens

            Mountain Laurels Up Close

            Mountain laurels are as fascinating as the are beautiful, with stamens that catapult pollen onto their pollinators and wood that is so easy to carve that it was nicknamed “spoonwood.” Join Horticulturist Brendan Keegan for a walk to learn about the botany, ecology, and cultural significance of these beautiful flowers at peak bloom.

            Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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              Zoomed in image of the berry-like fruit from a scale-like cone on female Yew plant

              Rescheduled Poisonous Plants

              *Rescheduled from May 30 due to weather.* Hidden among the beautiful flowers and innocent-looking shrubs of the Arboretum are some of the world’s most sinister poisons. White snakeroot, yew and even the beloved rhododendron are all filled to the brim with toxins that have both enticed and tormented people for generations. Join Manager of Adult Programming and Events Sarah Nechamen for a walk to learn about these poisonous plants, the chemicals they contain, and the strange histories they carry with them.

              Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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              Three vibrant pink roses are in full bloom on a green bush, with a blurred garden background of soil, grass, and other plants.

              Rose Collection Up Close

              The Bradley Rosaceous Collection has beautiful roses on display in a stunning rainbow of colors–but roses are not the only thing you will find in this garden. There are many other plants in the rose family, from crabapples and cherries to hawthorn and medlar. Join Horticulturist Rachel Lawlor for a tour of the Bradley Rosaceous Collection and learn about the wide variety of Rosaceae species, the susceptibility of this family to pests and disease, how the Arboretum is handling these challenges, and how this unique garden came to be.

              Bradley Rosaceous Collection
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                • A stone path winds through a lush, green forest at dusk, illuminated by glowing fireflies scattered among the trees and grass.

                Finding Fireflies

                When the sun sets and darkness settles on the Arboretum for the night, every now and then the dark is interrupted by the flash of a firefly. Join Professor Adam South of Tufts University for an evening Firefly Walk to learn about the lives of the fireflies that live here, the mechanics of how they light up, and how these unique insects are being impacted by pesticides and light pollution.

                Peters Hill Gate
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                  White shelf mushrooms growing on a tree trunk

                  Mushroom Hunt

                  Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.

                  Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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                    A stone path winds through a lush, green forest at dusk, illuminated by glowing fireflies scattered among the trees and grass.

                    Rescheduled Finding Fireflies

                    *Rescheduled from June 23* When the sun sets and darkness settles on the Arboretum for the night, every now and then the dark is interrupted by the flash of a firefly. Join Professor Adam South of Tufts University for an evening Firefly Walk to learn about the lives of the fireflies that live here, the mechanics of how they light up, and how these unique insects are being impacted by pesticides and light pollution.

                    Peters Hill Gate
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                    • Closeup of a bee on a flower

                    Bees and Beyond: Pollinators at the Arboretum

                    Join pollinator expert Nicole Bell for a walk through the Arboretum’s meadows to find bees and other pollinators in their natural habitat. Bell will use a sweep net to find and catch bees in the landscape so participants can see them up close, while we talk about the most common bees found in Massachusetts, where they live and what they eat, and the importance of places like the Arboretum for pollinator conservation.

                    Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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                      6 bats in a grid pattern

                      Rescheduled All About Bats

                      *Rescheduled from August 14* As the sun sets, the bats come out! Join Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan and Matt Kamm, Associate Director of Field Conservation at Zoo New England, for a Bat Walk in the Conifer Collection, using specialized microphones to listen for and identify bat species in the landscape.

                      Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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                      A young woman sits outdoors in a lush garden, writing notes in a book filled with colorful sticky notes. She appears focused and is surrounded by greenery and sunlight.

                      Sketch Your Way to Tree ID

                      Use the power of art to hone your tree ID skills in this interactive class. The group will walk through the landscape, learning to identify common trees and shrubs and sketching out key identification characteristics. By the end of the program, participants will have a packet of identification tips and drawings for various plants, and a deeper understanding of the characteristics that make each tree species unique. No prior art skills necessary—this class focuses on seeing shapes, patterns, and details that make each species identifiable. Join us for a creative and hands-on approach to tree identification!

                      in front of the Hunnewell Building
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                        • A sketch of a multi-trunked tree

                        Sketching Trees with Erica Beade

                        Explore the amazing variety and beauty of trees at the Arnold Arboretum with pencil and paper. Taught by artist and educator Erica Beade, this walking program will focus on capturing the shapes and volume of trunks and branches as well as techniques for drawing foliage. All skill levels are welcome.

                        in front of the Hunnewell Building
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                          A white gilled mushroom growing out of a tree trunk

                          Mushroom Hunt

                          Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.

                          Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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                            • Tree with smooth bark and curved branches

                            Rescheduled Beeches Up Close

                            *Rescheduled from September 26 due to rain.* The stately beeches of the Arboretum used to tower over other trees–and some still do–but pests, diseases, and other pathogens have taken their toll in recent years. Join Arborist Delia Mahoney for a walk in the beech collection and learn about the challenges these trees have faced, what the Arboretum is doing in response, and what the collection looked like in years past.

                            South Street Gate
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                            A white gilled mushroom growing out of a tree trunk

                            Mushroom Hunt

                            Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.

                            Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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                            • A white gilled mushroom growing out of a tree trunk

                            Mushroom Hunt

                            Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.

                            Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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                            A great horned owl with striking yellow eyes perches on a weathered tree stump, surrounded by blurred green foliage in the background.

                            Owl Prowl

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

                            Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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