"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way." - Walter C. Hagen
Dear Friends of the Arboretum,
The past winter's vacillating cold-to-balmy spring weather has been peculiar, but it has made for an undemanding winter for many of us. Wacky weather seems to be the new norm, whether it's 6 weeks of snow on the ground or no snow on the ground from one winter to the next. The Arboretum is approximately 2-3 weeks ahead of an average spring with the wildflowers emerging quickly now. Come experience the wonderful ephemeral flush of color and pop. And Happy Spring to everyone!
I’m excited to share that this year’s Arboretum projects will include a focus on the pond and pond beautification, especially near the old waterfall and pond bridge areas. Mast Landscapes will be helping us implement a design completed a few years back by Jessica Primm, Landscape Architect. They plan to get started on this project in May.
We also plan to embark on Phase 2 of our signage project that includes wayfinding signage, educational sign upgrades, and new trail markers. This will make navigation in the Arboretum so much smoother and clearer. I hope that you will enjoy the sign changes once installed in fall or by the end of the year.
An exciting new project coming to the Arboretum!
The Arboretum has embarked on a collaboration with a national library literacy program, the city of Harrisonburg's Urban Wood Program, and the JMU Architecture Design class "Design Build Dukes" to design and install a StoryWalk® trail, a Reading Roost, and a Little Free Library. StoryWalks® have been installed in 50 states and 13 countries including Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea! Design Build Dukes will begin installing these wooden "Bookmarks" in April, and we will celebrate on Friday, May 5th with a trail and roost dedication. See our feature about this project toward the end of this newsletter.
Enjoy the early season and the many gorgeously warm days ahead. Come hike a trail and visit us!
Warmly,
Jan Sievers Mahon, Arboretum Director
“Concerning trees and leaves... there's a real power here. It is amazing that trees can turn gravel and bitter salts into these soft-lipped lobes, as if I were to bite down on a granite slab and start to swell, bud and flower. Every year a given tree creates absolutely from scratch ninety-nine percent of its living parts. Water lifting up tree trunks can climb one hundred and fifty feet an hour; in full summer a tree can, and does, heave a ton of water every day. A big elm in a single season might make as many as six million leaves, wholly intricate, without budging an inch; I couldn't make one. A tree stands there, accumulating deadwood, mute and rigid as an obelisk, but secretly it seethes, it splits, sucks and stretches; it heaves up tons and hurls them out in a green, fringed fling. No person taps this free power; the dynamo in the tulip tree pumps out even more tulip tree, and it runs on rain and air.” -Annie Dillard
P.S. In case you don't know, Heartflame Garden, Elkton's privately owned but seasonally public garden, is going up for sale at the end of April. Owners Inanna and Gabriel Garretson will have their last open houses at the end of April and early-mid May on the weekends. This beautiful property adjacent to Shenandoah National Park land supports an enormous, magnificent legacy oak tree and deserves to be adopted by a person or group who will carry on the beautiful gardens there with the continuing care that Inanna and Gabriel have given it for many years. If you are interested in finding out more about their open houses or to send an inquiry (serious buyers only, please), message them via email or phone through their website.
MAY THE FOREST BE YOUR SANCTUARY
It's nearly here...
2023 Spring Celebration Plant Sale!
Members-Only Sale is Thursday, April 27 | 9 AM - 3 PM
Get access to all Spring Celebration Plant Sale plants a day in advance! All plants will be available for purchase, in-person, on April 27th to Edith J. Carrier Arboretum Members.
Edith J. Carrier Membership Includes the Following:
- Reciprocal Admissions Program- EJCA Membership card entitles you to special admission privileges and discounts at 300 gardens throughout North America and the Cayman Islands.
- Subscription to Better Homes & Gardens or Martha Stewart Living (Free one-year print magazine)
- 10% Discount on EJC Arboretum Plant Purchases, T-Shirts, and Cards
- 10% Discount for various EJC Arboretum Programs
- Access to Member-Exclusive Events such as our Plant Pre-Sale!
To become a Member, please drop off your donation ($35 or more) at the EJC Arboretum by April 14th (cash or check only)! Please note: online membership donations via credit card after April 14th will not process in time for the plant sale.
Upcoming Youth Programs
All Youth Programs are FREE admission unless otherwise specified.
Nature Study Series
Tuesday(s) 4:00-4:30pm
April 11 | April 25|May 9 | May 23
Explore the Flora! Drop in for our free nature study series for families: we’ll meet at the arboretum pavilion, take a short nature walk through the Arboretum, then hone in for a close look at one of our native plants! We will make careful observations, learn some facts and lore, and do a little relaxed sketching. Bring a notebook or paper and some colored pencils, but we’ll have extras on hand. Registration requested but not required. Rain or shine.
Storytime in the Understory
Monday(s) at 11 a.m.
April 10 (Presented in English &Spanish) | April 24 | May 8| May 22
Bring a blanket and come enjoy 30 minutes of nature-themed reading. We will meet in the At Home in the Woods Family Garden in our new Storytime area! In the event that we have inclement weather, we will meet inside the Frances Plecker Education Center with the exception of the special May 6 event in collaboration with Massanuten Regional Library below.
Fairy Homes and Gnome Homes: Imaginative Building
Thursday, April 6 at 12 p.m. | Saturday, May 6 at 11 a.m. | Wednesday, May 10 at 12 p.m.
Meet us in Fairy World in the At Home in the Woods Family Garden to explore the magic and wonder of the outdoors with a story together, then have free space to build a habitat out of found natural materials for our fairy and gnome friends!
WonderEarth: Rocks and Minerals
Tuesday, May 16 | 4-5 p.m.
Located on the Tree Terrace
Join Dr. Chiara Elmi, assistant professor of mineralogy from JMU's Department of Geology and Environmental Science, as we explore some of the inorganic components of the Arboretum! Participants will hunt for rocks like limestone and quartzite, and we will observe and identify what we find together. Then, using a series of tests, we will analyze the physical properties of minerals like quartz and pyrite. Parents and caregivers are welcome to attend.
“Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil.” – Bishop Reginald Heber
Forest Stewards Spotlight
"We have approximately ten Forest Stewards who volunteer regularly. The Forest Stewards include those who have been involved since 2018 and some who have joined within the last year. The Forest Stewards are retirees which include a few master naturalists, master gardeners and others who have worked in local forestry positions." --Volunteer Coordinator Janis Traas
Why do you volunteer at the Arboretum?
Our service at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum gives us a strong sense of purpose while also allowing us to give back to our community and learn something new each week. -- Forest Stewards
How did you learn about volunteering at the Arboretum?
"I was eager to volunteer for the the Arboretum shortly after touring the grounds with Arboretum Director, Jan Sievers Mahon." - David Forrer
What makes volunteering with the Forest Stewards group such a rewarding experience?
"The camaraderie and brotherhood amongst the forest stewards is strong, which is why we come together each and every week." Mark Briehl, a volunteer of almost 5 years.
We welcome all people to join our volunteer team at the Arboretum, whether in landscaping work like the Forest Stewards, with our educational program team, or in other capacities according to their interests regardless of previous experience. To volunteer or to learn more about our opportunities, contact Janis Traas at traasjm@jmu.edu or visit the volunteer page of our website.
Harrisonburg Conservation Assistance Program
The Harrisonburg Conservation Assistance Program (HCAP) awards funds to approved applicants on a rolling basis contingent on available funding. Interested property owners are encouraged to submit applications to the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District throughout the year for cost sharing new tree plantings and turf conversions to perennials and woody plantings.
March- April Art Exhibition
Edith J. Carrier Arboretum Welcomes
Janet Pearlman
We invite you to visit the Frances Plecker Education Center in March and April to enjoy the artwork of Janet Pearlman. She describes her work and process below:
In this exhibit I include both impressionistic landscapes and intuitive paintings, two styles produced in the last ten years. When I face a blank canvas, I want to use color to express aliveness and beauty.
Tuning to a flow of impulse, I stroke on color. Inside me, it is as if an inner companion is whispering in my ear, directing my arm. I listen, receive inspiration for what is next, toward a harmony calling me.
For the landscape work, I study a photograph that I had taken and fill myself with the glory of that view. During the creation of either work I paint, rest, apply layers, pause to refocus often, feeling into each stage of the developing work. My painting process teaches me about living: Guidance shows up in the present moment. So much magnificence is provided all around me, there to perceive and enjoy.
One viewing my art put it this way, "Your work conveys... the reality that the world is a blend somehow of spirit and form, emotion and a place to live." I want viewers to feel the beauty of the scene and perhaps find a taste of celebration.
Janet began her painting career in 1977 when she was encouraged by New York Times Art Critic, Harry Holtzman. Over the years, she has studied intensively with two artists: Lena Marchi, abstract expressionist painter in MA and Carla Mattioli, certified teacher in the artistic approach of Rudolph Steiner using watercolor on wet. More recently, Ms. Pearlman studied landscape painting with local artist Isabelle Abbot. Throughout her forty-six years of painting, Janet has immersed herself in many and varied forms of personal growth, developing her craft with paint as an inspired expression of her rich inner life. Currently, she creates work in Crozet, VA, sells and shows throughout the area.
Contact Janet Pearlman at 434-566-8479 or jpearl555@earthlink.net for information about purchasing a piece.
Welcome Todd Martin!
Todd has more than eight years of experience coordinating special events and musical productions. Since 2019, he has successfully collaborated with local non-profit organizations to develop marketing strategies and improving accessibility across social media and web platforms. Todd is very excited to continue his experience in web development, building strong marketing partnerships, and serving alongside the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum staff.
Welcome Shawn
Shawn's love of the outdoors, growing all kinds of plants, and staying actively engaged in outdoor recreation are a good match for helping Arboretum staff to maintain the gardens and grounds.
Welcome Ben
Ben is very excited to be serving the Arboretum team and to share his extensive background in outdoor recreation, plant ID, and education.
Spring Wine and Cheese Event
Wine and Cheese in the Trees
featuring Robin and Alan Ulmer presenting on Hydroponic Vegetable Growing
Thursday, May 18 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Non-alcoholic beverages, wine and beer will be available at our event cash bar. Registration is required. Meet on the EJC Arboretum Ernst Tree Terrace.
Registration $25, Includes appetizers and one drink ticket
Did You Know?
Information and photos from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, www.xerces.org
The Xerces Society's Western Monarch Count, completed by citizen scientists last Nov. 12-Dec. 4th, 2022, totaled 335,479 monarch butterflies from surveys of 272 overwintering sites in coastal California and interior California and Arizona; the highest total counted since the year 2000! Communities have been counting these sites for 26 years through this group. The Arboretum is thrilled to reintroduce our monarch-tagging event this summer--stay tuned!
SHED NEW LIGHT on YOUR YARD There are over 2,000 different species of fireflies or lightning bugs in the world and 23 species in Eastern N. America. Like birds, they are declining across North America; every single species of them. Here are some ways you can help:
- Create firefly habitat at your home and in your neighborhood. Fireflies thrive in secluded, moist (consider adding a water feature or pond), organically rich environments. They feed on worms, slugs and snails as underground larvae and inject a chemical to disable them. Adults feed on pollen and nectar and other fireflies.
- Designate space in your yard or land where things can go a little wilder. Allow for a diverse mixture of native grasses and flowers and let them grow taller than the manicured lawn. The female fireflies send their signals from perches in grasses and trees.
- Avoid using insecticides..........find other options for pest control.
- Leave leaf litter in the fall. This encourages the soft-bodied insects to show up.
- Turn off outdoor lights: If they can't find each other, then they won't be laying as many eggs in the ground.
- Talk to your neighbors about putting into play the same strategies.
PLANT NATIVE grasses & perennials; trees and shrubs (for height)!
Upcoming Projects at Edith J. Carrier arboretum
EJC Arboretum and Design Build Dukes collaborate for an exciting literacy project along the John Clayton Trail.
How did the StoryWalk® project come about?
It all started with last year’s students reaching out to us. A previous team shared some very simple and quick ideas about the texture wheel, located in the Family Garden, and how it would be appealing to add more interactive opportunities for kids to learn through the arboretum. From there, the new group came along and contacted me about a project that we'd like for them to take on. After several ideas were explored, an Arboretum volunteer, Mary Handley, proposed the idea of the StoryWalk & this trail project was born.- Arboretum Director, Jan Sievers Mahon
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
Interview with design build dukes Professor Nick Brinen
What funding made StoryWalk® Trail possible?
I received two grants in 2022, one was through the 4-VA collaborative research grant and the Madison Trust, both of which cover material and tool costs, aside from the lumber. The lumber is provided by the Department of Public Works of Harrisonburg, who we have a working relationship with to utilized pest-infested wood on community based projects.
What inspired you to create the Design Build Dukes?
The design-build experience has a profound impact on architecture students. Instead of conceptual designs in a studio setting, they gain experience with other aspects of the design process, such as community/client engagement, physical site analysis and understanding, material capacity, prototyping, budgeting constraints, schedule constraints, and collaboration with each other and the clients/users. All of these layers prepare them to become confident, resourceful, and most importantly thoughtful architectural designers.
Ribbon Cutting for StoryWalk® Trail
Please join the staff at Edith J. Carrier Arboretum and the Design Build Dukes as we celebrate the unveiling of the new StoryWalk® project. The StoryWalk® trail will feature sixteen separate book marks featuring seasonal stories to read and a reading roost and library for children of all ages.
May 5 | 4PM-6PM
Upcoming Programs and Events
Annual April Wildflower Walks
April 5 | April 12 | April 19 | April 26
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Meet at the Frances Plecker Education Center
Join us for an educational stroll with Arboretum Director, Jan Sievers Mahon, during this exciting and beautiful time of year. On this walk you will learn about various spring ephemerals and where to locate them in the Arboretum! The first flush of color shown in the arboretum woods include: Bloodroot, Dutchman’s Breeches, Bluebells, Woodland Phlox, Spring Beauty, Trillium, Wild Ginger, Troutlily and Dwarf Larkspur. We love these wondrous wildflowers as they offer the first nectar and pollen to early insects.
Harrisonburg Songtuary:
Community Song Circle
Saturday, April 15 | 2:00-3:30 pm
Location: Edith J. Carrier Arboretum Pavilion
Join us in this musical melding of contemplation and play. We joyfully join voice in song, evoking a rich mix of easily learned songs and chants. All voices are welcome. "If you can talk, you can sing."
The Blackberry Herbarium Presents:
Dandelion & Friends: Herbs for Digestion and Elimination
Saturday, April 15th | 10:00am-2:30pm
In this workshop we will learn about complimentary herbs for optimal digestion function, and how to create safe and easy-to-use herbal aids from plants that grow in our area!
Participants will:
- touch taste and smell and feel the herbs we discuss in class
- learn the basics of digestive function in the body
- sample a variety of herbal preparations
- create and take home "digestive bitters" made from all organic and locally sourced ingredients
- Go home with our custom created reference booklets that include: herbal materia medica, recipes, resources and references
Cost is $95
The Furious Flower Poetry Center Presents
Earth Day Poet-Tree Workshops
(Check-in on the lawn between 10:30 & 11 a.m.)
April 22nd | 11am-1pm
In celebration of Earth Day and National Poetry Month, Furious Flower is teaming up with the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum for an all-ages workshop and a sharing of poems. L. Renée will facilitate writing workshops for kids ages 12 and under, and Lauren K. Alleyne will facilitate workshops for teenagers and adults. For those who want to spend time contemplating and writing on their own, a poetry prompt will be provided at the on-site labyrinth.
Please bring your own Brown Bag lunch, as well as picnic blankets. Lemonade and cookies will be provided. The event will conclude with sharing and displaying poems at a Sweetgum tree. This event is free, but registration is required, as each workshop can hold a maximum of 20 participants.
Book Discussion: Silent Spring
April 22 | 2:00-3:00pm
Part of the "A Book for the 'Burg" collaborative event series. Grab your copy of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson from JMU library, EMU library, or Massanutten Regional Library and join us at the Frances Plecker Education Center to talk about it over light refreshments.
Free, please register here.
Introduction to Energetic Herbalism
April 25 | 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cost- $25
Award winning author, Kat Maier, will present a two-hour lecture on her latest book Energetic Herbalism: A Guide to Sacred Plant Tradition Integrating elements of Vitalism, Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine. Kat will introduce foundational aspects of what makes this form of herbalism invaluable when working with health and prevention of illness and why it has lasted over 6,000 years. To bring it home and practical, we will look at how ancient systems work with the seasons and we will look at spring cleansing formulas and practices. Copies of her book will be available.
Energetic Herbalism Workshop
May 24 | 9am – 3pm
Join us for an exciting day as we explore the study Energetic Herbalism with award winning author Kat Maier. This day will be an introduction to the six elements and six tastes and take a deep look at how these energetics are foundational to a safe and time-honored way of working with herbal medicines for yourself or with family. Using her book, Energetic Herbalism: A Guide to Sacred Plant Tradition Integrating elements of Vitalism, Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine. Kat will also offer a fascinating look at the history of our Western energetics and how they relate to the thousand-year-old systems of the ancients. And of course, how can we hold a plant day without a visit to the garden to meet the medicines themselves.
Cost- $95
