Get Growing Blog
Connecting people with the wonder, beauty, and value of trees and plants.
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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 2, 2024
Research intern funded by the National Science Foundation joins the team
By Juliana S. Medeiros, PhD, Plant Biologist
The research department at Holden recently welcomed Yasper Michael Mambrasar, M.S., who will be conducting a one-year research internship at Holden Forests & Gardens funded by the National Science Foundation.... 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 30, 2024
Meet the Birds of the Costa Rica Biome
By Traci S. Williams, Animal & Plant Care Specialist
With the butterflies mostly gone, winter belongs to the birds! The lush and green Costa Rica biome at Cleveland Botanical Garden provides ample opportunity to play “hide-n-seek” with three birds... more
January 29, 2024
Girdling and Invasive Species Management: A Recipe for Healthier Forests
By Chad Knisley, Natural Areas Manager
We have over 2,000 acres of forest at Holden Arboretum. Our conservation department cares for these forests, with goals of improving their health and function. Several years ago, we initiated... more
January 25, 2024
Garlic Mustard and Its Newly Introduced Aphid
By Kaylin Engerman, Norweb Fellow
Garlic mustard is an herb covering forest floors across North America. However, it wasn’t always found here. Garlic mustard is an invasive species brought to the United States from Europe... more
January 23, 2024
Can inoculated soils promote healthy urban trees? Preliminary results
By Claudia Bashian-Victoroff, MS, Research Specialist
Preliminary results from a Holden research project testing soil inoculations for improvement of urban tree plantings. more
January 17, 2024
Smithsonian’s Life in One Cubic Foot comes to the Cleveland Botanical Garden
The Cleveland Botanical Garden is pleased to welcome the visually-stunning “Life in One Cubic Foot” exhibit, opening Saturday, January 27, through Sunday, April 17, 2024. The exhibit follows the research... more
January 16, 2024
A Beginner’s Guide to Pruning
By Maggie Billings, Native Plant and Pollinator Specialist, AmeriCorps Member
Pruning is a must know when it comes to tree and garden care, but why? Pruning often rejuvenates plants and allows them to grow more efficiently. Taking off old growth... more
January 10, 2024
Cleveland’s Beloved Orchid Show Returns to the Botanical Garden
Orchids Forever: Golden Hour opens January 27 (CLEVELAND) – Be amazed by orchids at every turn at the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s annual flower show, Orchids Forever: Golden Hour. Opening on Saturday,... more
January 9, 2024
Protecting Eastern Hemlocks from Tiny Tree-Killing Invaders
By Albert Jackson, Conservation Seasonal
The Holden Conservation Department is on the hunt for tiny tree-killing pests. During the early and mid-20th centuries, two non-native tree dwelling insects were unintentionally introduced to the eastern United... 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
December 29, 2023
2023: An incredible year of service to plants, trees and people
By Ed Moydell, President & CEO
By Ed Moydell, President & CEO As we reflect on another year, I am delighted to share some of the success we’ve achieved together at Holden Forests & Gardens in... more
December 21, 2023
Duckweed Hits Classrooms Across Cleveland for a Science Lesson
High schoolers across the Cleveland Municipal School District are honing their research skills, thanks to an NSF-funded program at Holden. Authors: Emily Lewis, Cherise Kent, and Na Wei What started... more
December 18, 2023
Why and How We Collect and Store Tree Seeds at the Holden Arboretum
By Rachel Kappler, Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Collaborative (GLB FHC) Coordinator
Holden Arboretum is home base for the Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Collaborative (GLB FHC). As Holden’s Forest Health Coordinator, I collect a lot of tree seeds. Collected seed for... more
December 6, 2023
Snow and Dormancy: A Delicate Balance Threatened By Climate Change
By Beck Swab, PhD, Director of Conservation and Community Forestry
As winter blankets the world in a pristine layer of snow, a silent transformation takes place in the natural world. Snow cover and dormancy are interconnected elements in the delicate... more
December 5, 2023
World Soil Day: Holden’s Soil Ecologists Improving the Odds for Trees in Urban Environments
Efforts are underway to plant trees in Cuyahoga County’s urban areas by the thousands. In these cities, canopy cover is well below the county average, which brings well-documented ill effects... more
December 1, 2023
Soils Under Snow Still Carry On
By Sarah Kyker, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Winter is a time when we think of dormancy. Chipmunks have begun hibernating. The deciduous trees have lost their leaves. Herbaceous plants are resting belowground as bulbs, rhizomes, etc. But,... more
November 29, 2023
Rhododendron minus: A colorful mystery wrapped in a riddle
By Juliana S. Medeiros, PhD, Plant Biologist
Rhododendron minus is a woody evergreen shrub native to the southeastern United States, with a range that extends from North Carolina and Tennessee south into Georgia and Alabama. Across this... more
November 27, 2023
Holden Collections Team Travels South to Conserve a Rare Oak Species
By Alex Faidiga, Plant Recorder
When we think about plant conservation, things like invasive species removal, habitat restoration, and population monitoring typically come to mind. This is what’s known as in situ (“on site”) conservation–... more
November 27, 2023
The Story of Ohio Family Forests
By John Brett, Forestry Outreach Fellow
Pull on a sweater and grab something warm to drink, it’s time to reflect and be grateful as the world dozes off for the winter. Many of us are lucky... more
November 21, 2023
Every flower hosts a diverse community of pollen grains (from the wrong species)
By Anna Funk, PhD, Science Communications Specialist
New research sheds light on the factors that shape the diverse microscopic pollen collections deposited on flowers by pollinators. more
November 15, 2023
The Hunt for Tiny Biofuel Plants: Duckweed
By Emily Lewis, MS, Research Specialist
Duckweeds are the smallest flowering plants on earth. They can take in carbon from the air and convert it into biomass very quickly. In fact, when it comes to sequestering... more
November 14, 2023
Our Community Forester Jessica Miller Mecaskey, a Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 under 40 Award Winner
We are so fortunate to have a talented and devoted team of nature lovers at Holden Forests & Gardens accomplishing extraordinary things on behalf of the plants and trees in... more
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