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June 20, 2025
It’s Poppin’: June 20
Hot and sticky weather arrived this week! This week I teamed with Angelica Vasilatos, Ferry Foundation curation intern at the Botanical Garden, to detail what’s poppin’ in Kirtland and Cleveland. ... more
June 13, 2025
It’s Poppin’: June 13
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
As I walked the campuses this week, I was struck by the number of beautiful, calming white blooms. Before we move into the heat of the summer, let’s take a... more
June 6, 2025
It’s Poppin’: June 6
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
After a few weeks on a plant expedition to China, it was my pleasure to stroll the grounds of the Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden to see what was... more
May 29, 2025
It’s Poppin’: May 29
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
Cleveland Botanical Garden Last Saturday was the opening day of our summer exhibit Between Water and Stone, a 50th anniversary celebration of our Japanese Garden. When you step out onto... more
May 23, 2025
It’s Poppin’: May 23
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
It’s been a strange couple of weeks weather-wise—remember when it was 80 degrees and sunny, and now it’s rainy and chilly? No matter! The cool weather actually helps prolong the... more
May 15, 2025
It’s Poppin’: May 15
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
This week, the Rhododendron Gardens at the arboretum are in their full glory, and flowers are lighting up various pockets and corners at the botanical gardens. With the recent rain... more
May 13, 2025
Finding Familiar Roots in the Forests of China
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
I’m about to embark on an exciting adventure to explore China, home to incredibly diverse deciduous forests that look remarkably like our own. Holden Forests & Gardens is a founding member... more
May 8, 2025
It’s Poppin’: May 8
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
The photos speak for themselves this week—it’s definitely poppin’ out there! The arboretum really shines in May with fragrant lilacs blooming in the Display Garden and rhododendrons of every color... more
May 2, 2025
It’s Poppin’: May 2
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
Welcome back to It’s Poppin! This week in the gardens, time is flying—some of the trees and shrubs we highlighted just last week, like fragrant viburnums and serviceberries, have already... more
April 24, 2025
It’s Poppin’: April 24 (Tulip Time!)
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
The weather seems to have finally broken this week and you can tell in our gardens. Magnolias, fragrant viburnum, tulips and wildflowers abound at both campuses, and new plants are... more
April 17, 2025
It’s Poppin’: April 17
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
Tulips, Magnolias, & Wildflowers Shine Blue Skies returned to northeast Ohio this week and many new blooms, lying in wait for the last several weeks, have popped. Wildflowers are now... more
April 10, 2025
It’s Poppin’: April 10
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
We had some very cold temperatures this week, and while those put a damper on some of our early blooming trees, including our earliest blooming magnolias, there are still many... more
April 3, 2025
It’s Poppin’: April 3
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
Things are poppin’! Here’s a quick roundup of the highlights this week! At the garden, magnolias, cherries and daffodils are all at peak. Look for the following: At the Arboretum,... more
March 27, 2025
It’s Poppin’: March 27
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
While it’s been cold, things are still poppin’ at the Holden Arboretum and the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Things have slowed down this week after very warm temperatures last week. That’s... more
March 21, 2025
It’s Poppin’: March 21
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
Welcome to spring! The equinox is here, spring has officially arrived. With the warm temperatures this past week, things have been happening fast. Daffodils are blooming, the dwarf Irises are... more
March 13, 2025
It’s Poppin’: Spring 2025 has Arrived
Welcome to It’s Poppin’, 2025. This is the third year for this series- we hope you follow along as we explore our beautiful gardens over the next months. We’ll write... more
March 12, 2025
Lawn Alternatives for Shady Sites
By MaryAnn Thesing, Horticulturist
Beech Knoll is an untapped area of the Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden. It is a quiet retreat which lends itself to meditation. Soon after my arrival at HF&G, my... more
February 24, 2025
The Power of Plant Records: How Tracking Plants Helps Save Species
By Anna Funk, PhD, Science Communications Specialist
If a plant has ever died in your care, you’re in good company. It turns out that even in the world’s botanical gardens, managed by full-time professionals, plants don’t live... more
January 30, 2025
Witch Hazel: The Unexpected Beauty of Winter
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
When you hear “witch hazel” (sometimes spelled witch-hazel), you might think of the ingredient that is commonly used as an astringent in cosmetics and an antiseptic in topical ointments. But... more
January 8, 2025
Holden’s Wildflower Garden Is a Living Laboratory for Climate Change Research—Here’s What Our Researchers Have Learned
Public gardens like the Holden Arboretum and the Cleveland Botanical Garden are great places to visit. But patrons exploring the latest Frost event might miss that behind the scenes, these... more
August 30, 2024
Fall Color Arrives in Northeast Ohio
By Ethan Johnson, Plant Records Curator
A significant number of trees and shrubs have been sporting fall foliage in recent weeks in the fields and gardens of the Holden Arboretum. Tupelo, red maple, Manchurian ash, silky... more
August 2, 2024
It’s Poppin’: August 2nd
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
Don’t let the August heat keep you from enjoying summer— cool off in the shady, forested gardens at the arboretum, or bring a little one to splash in the Hershey... more
July 31, 2024
The Strange and Astonishing Strangler Fig
By Sadie Smith, Horticulturist
If you’ve ever walked through the Costa Rica biome, you’ve probably noticed the enormous tree in the center of the room. While not a living tree, this structure is a... more
July 19, 2024
It’s Poppin’: July 19th
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
It’s mid-July and the summer wildflowers are putting on the type of show you dream about in the dead of winter. Treat yourself this weekend and come get inspired by... more
July 12, 2024
It’s Poppin’: July 12th
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
The prairies are poppin’ at the Arboretum and the Roses are still blooming in the Garden – Here’s a sampling of what I observed this week as I visited our... more
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