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February 12, 2024
Winter Work and Beauty at the Arboretum
By Mary Lineberger, Horticulturalist
My colleagues and I are often asked, “What do you do in the winter?” or people comment, “Winter must be your slow season.” Winter is an important time for those... more
February 7, 2024
Using Plant Protection to Push Ohio’s Plant Hardiness Zone
By Sandi Cesarov, Horticulturalist
Like any other plant collector/hoarder, I often covet the things that I cannot have. There are many plants that we cannot enjoy in Ohio because our winter temperatures are too... more
February 1, 2024
Rejuvenation Pruning of Lilac Bushes
By Danny Wylie, Gardener
As winter blankets the landscape in a serene white and the temperatures turn frigid, our responsibilities for outside work are far from over. One essential task we do during this... more
January 5, 2024
Blooms of Winter Elegance in Our Costa Rica Biome
By Sadie Smith, Horticulturalist
The long dark days of fall and winter mean fewer flowers in the Costa Rica biome, but these dreary days are when Brunfelsia looks its best. A member of the... more
November 2, 2023
The Colors of Rhododendron’s Fall Foliage
Plant lovers are aware of the vibrant, showy flowers Rhododendron exhibit in spring. But did you know that some rhododendrons can display subtle yet colorful foliage that is worth taking... more
October 20, 2023
Autumn’s Aromas: The Top 5 Botanical Scents of the Season
By Stefanie Verish, Horticulturalist
The atmosphere of autumn embraces us all, through crisp mornings, fiery foliage, and warm comfort dishes. We can’t escape the smell of pumpkin spice and cinnamon, but the Cleveland Botanical... more
September 27, 2023
It’s (Still) Poppin’: September 27th
By Ethan Johnson, Plant Records Curator
Autumn is in the air at the Holden Arboretum, and some cooler days and nights have arrived as well. Thankfully, there’s a great number of blooms to enjoy mixed in... more
September 25, 2023
Changes Coming to Beech Knoll
By MaryAnn Thesing, Horticulturalist
Since arriving at Holden Forests and Gardens, my team has worked tirelessly to transform West Layer Rhododendron Garden and Beech Knoll. My time here has taught me several things –... more
September 12, 2023
Beneath the Bark: Dead Wood Helps Wildlife Survive
By Kate Small, Gardener
As the Collections team breaks down fallen limbs obstructing pathways and fells dead trees when necessary, you will see some of the resulting logs lining planting beds in the Layer... more
August 18, 2023
Logsdon Pond: A Story of Giving
By Mary Lineberger, Horticulturalist
The story began with 2 cousins, Michael and David Logsdon, wishing to memorialize loved ones, and connect people with the wonder, beauty, and value of trees and plants. They met... more
August 16, 2023
Continuing Care for the Cornelian Cherry
By Finley Dovicsak, Assistant Climbing Arborist
As part of an ongoing work effort from the arborist teams, the crabapple collection has slowly come back to life as a collection. A joyous moment for any arborist is... more
August 11, 2023
It’s Poppin’: August 11th
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
The beginning of school is near- how is that possible? We’ve reached the summer peak! Our gardens that attract pollinators across our campuses are THE places to be as summer... more
August 4, 2023
16 Thriving Summer Plants at the Cleveland Botanical Garden
By David Lardakis, Marketing Specialist
Today, I strolled through just a fraction of our outdoor gardens, and came across more blooms, stunning greenery, and pollinators than I could keep track of. For your sake, I... more
August 1, 2023
Rescuing Edible and Medicinal Plants
By Aisha Zungu, Woodland Community Forestry Intern
Summer is a flowering and fruiting time when many of the bushes and shrubs come to life with their colors and fruits. Summer is also a time of change for... more
July 28, 2023
It’s Poppin’: July 28th
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
At the Garden this week, Asia Armour’s “Art in Bloom” display continues to look spectacular. As it grows, this palette of Coleus and Geranium just keeps looking better. On a... more
July 18, 2023
Butterfly Garden Bed Renovation
By Lori Gogolin, Horticulturist
Pollinator gardening has become a popular hobby for many people. Where pollinator gardens are both beautiful and beneficial it doesn’t take long for things to get out of control. Plants... more
June 28, 2023
A Trip to Costa Rica! (At the Cleveland Botanical Garden)
By Jacob Conrad, Lead Climbing Arborist
The Collections team recently made their annual journey to the Costa Rica glasshouse at the botanical gardens to perform some much-needed pruning work. This biome requires a hard pruning session... more
April 5, 2023
Wildflower Adventures: Engaging Your Child’s Curiosity in Nature
By Dana Lettl, Family & Youth Engagement Educator
With pockets of color popping up all over Northeast Ohio, wildflower hunting is the perfect activity for everyone in your family. Keep reading for some tips on how to create... more
March 31, 2023
Mapping Plants at Northeast Ohio’s Rhododendron Paradise
By Phil Sturm, Data and Mapping Intern
Progress continues in our quest to map the plants here at the David G. Leach Research Station. For those new to this plan, we are using a very sensitive and... more
March 24, 2023
The Challenges of Rhododendron Research
Rhododendrons are loved by many gardeners for their bright, kaleidoscopic spring flowers. They are special for many reasons, including rhododendron being one of the most species-rich genus of woody flowering... more
February 16, 2023
Planning a Plant Collecting Trip
By Connor Ryan, Rhododendron Collections Manager
On our quest to build high quality, high value, and useful plant collections, we often plan plant collecting expeditions in search of particular plants. Building on some work we started... more
November 9, 2022
The Tropical Taste of Strawberry Guavas
By Sadie Smith, Glasshouse Horticulturist
One of my favorite things about working in the Costa Rica biomes is the diverse array of tropical fruit. Where else can I have a tasty, freshly picked tropical snack... more
October 7, 2022
Science on Friday: Why are there bags on the Rhododendrons?
By Jean Burns, PhD, Department of Biology - Case Western Reserve University
Why public gardens are both beautiful and useful too. Jean H. Burns, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University If you have walked around Holden Arboretum in the... more
September 12, 2022
Growing Figs
By Matt Edwards, Animal Care Specialist
Figs have been cultivated for thousands of years and are one of the earliest plants to have been cultivated. They are originally from warm climates in western Asia and the... more
August 24, 2022
A Prickly Foe
By Lorinda Laughlin, Gardener
I’ve learned many things working as a Gardener here at the Arboretum, particularly regarding the importance of promoting and maintaining biodiversity. Much of what I’ve learned I have tried to... more
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