Get Growing Blog
Living collections
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June 14, 2021
Pretty in Pink
By Lorinda Laughlin, Arboretum Gardener
Among the countless plantings that delight and surprise visitors, one that never fails to garner attention when in bloom can be found at the northern entrance of the Myrtle S.... more
June 10, 2021
Springing to Life: A Photo Essay
By Alyssa Zearley, Nursery Technician
Late Spring is always a beautiful time of year at the Holden Arboretum. The same is true for our nursery production area. The rains and warmth have ushered in blooms... more
May 13, 2021
Plants in the Lakeside Terrace Garden
These beds address the unique needs of each plant species, are low maintenance and support beneficial insects. The Perennial plants in this bed grow close together leaving little space for... more
April 21, 2021
Discovering the “True-Blue” Flowers of Spring
Blue. Underneath that big, blue April sky the color blue nevertheless remains a rare gift when found in nature. Due to the proscriptions and particulars of its biochemical pathways biological... more
April 21, 2021
An Inside Look at Mapping HF&G Collections
This March, Margeaux Apple and I are focusing on one of my favorite tasks, cartography. I love maps. Maps are useful for orientation and for planning. We use a survey... more
April 20, 2021
Which Witch Hazel? – Sorting Through Hamamelidaceae Species During Winter Months
In Northeast Ohio, and other regions of the country with similar climate, winter holds trees and shrubs accountable for their actions. One family is resilient, or defiant, refusing to hold... more
April 20, 2021
Beneficial Insects in the Holden Nursery
My name is Alyssa and I started working at the Holden Arboretum as a nursery technician in January. I help with all parts of plant growing, but my specialty is... more
April 20, 2021
A Deep Dive into Bleeding Hearts
As Valentine’s Day comes and goes, one can’t help but be reminded of the Bleeding Heart plant (Lamprocapnos spectabilis). It is a beautiful plant originally from Asia with a tragic... more
February 12, 2021
A Lady’s Slipper Update on the Eve of Orchids Forever
By Connor Ryan, MS, Rhododendron Collections Manager
A lot of science and conservation is learning by doing, so I would like to provide an update on our lady’s slipper orchid conservation project. This is our first time growing orchids from seed. On December... more
January 20, 2021
Tropical Rainforests of Costa Rica and Deciduous Forests of Northeast Ohio
Though they vary from place to place, forests around the world share important similarities. Neotropical rainforests of Costa Rica share some similarities to our temperate deciduous forests in Northeast Ohio.... more
January 15, 2021
Meeting the Grand Botanic Garden Challenge at Holden Forests & Gardens
By Juliana S. Medeiros, PhD, Plant Biologist
When we consider the major challenges facing humanity today, it is exciting to think that plants can provide a myriad of sustainable solutions. Problems with water quality, our dependence on... more
October 23, 2020
Curating a Collection
By Connor Ryan, MS, Rhododendron Collections Manager
As Rhododendron collections manager at Holden Forests & Gardens I wear many ericaceous hats, but at the core of my job is curating the Holden Rhododendron Collection. This role differs... more
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