Get Growing Blog
Connecting people with the wonder, beauty, and value of trees and plants.
Most Recent
May 2, 2023
Spring in the Conifer Collection
By Max Bauders, Trails Assistant AmeriCorps Member
As the northern hemisphere continues to tilt towards the sun, the days continue to lengthen, while spring advances ever further up the North American continent. Expanding buds, new leaves, and...more
April 28, 2023
It’s Poppin’: April 28th
By Thomas Arbour , Curator of Living Collections
I go away for two weeks and wow, have our campuses bloomed! Thank you to Alex Faidiga who wrote the last two it’s poppin’ reports and provided the photos from...more
April 28, 2023
Snowballing Effects of Beech Leaf Disease Hurt Helpful Root Fungi
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Severe beech leaf disease infestation hurts trees’ relationships with helpful root mutualists, ectomycorrhizal fungi. The American beech, Fagus grandifolia, is a North American staple and the dominant...more
April 28, 2023
Acid Rain’s Effects Still Visible Belowground in Eastern Forests
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New research from the Holden Arboretum finds de-acidifying forest soils helps bring back important plant-fungi relationships. Caption: Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is an important member of the forest...more
April 27, 2023
Forest Wildflowers and their Overstory Trees Are Changing with Climate, But Not Always Keeping Pace
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE In North America, wildflowers called spring ephemerals are losing the window in which they can grow. But forest communities on other continents are seeing different trends. For...more
April 26, 2023
The Case for Violets: Sorely Misunderstood “weeds”
By Alex Faidiga, Plant Recorder
It’s springtime! The birds are chirping, the sun is shining (sometimes), and the weather is warming. As northeast Ohioans, this time of year is especially exciting for us after each...more
April 25, 2023
Pond Maintenance and Cleanup
By Danny Wylie, Gardener
As the weather warms up, we have more to tend to than just our flower beds. The Lily Pool, located in the Main Display Garden near the weeping beech tree...more
April 25, 2023
Signs of Beech Leaf Disease found in one of Holden’s Most Popular Trees
By Sandi Cesarov, Horticulturist
Beech trees are known for their smooth gray bark and the deep shade they provide. The American Beech is an important part of our local native beech/maple forest, which is...more
April 21, 2023
Wildflower Surveying in Stebbins Gulch
By Sarah Kyker, Lydia Jahn, and David Burke, Science & Conservation If you see members of the soil ecology lab out in the arboretum’s natural areas, you will typically find...more
April 20, 2023
It’s Poppin’: April 20th
By Alex Faidiga, Plant Recorder
Well, we got a cold snap last weekend… but when has that ever stopped Ohio plants? New species and horticultural varieties are still popping up every day here at Holden...more
April 13, 2023
It’s Poppin’: April 13th
By Alex Faidiga, Plant Recorder Every spring, I am amazed by how much the landscape can change over the course of a few weeks (or even days, as was the...more
April 7, 2023
Oh Deer! A Day in Bole Woods with Holden Researchers
By Claudia Bashian-Victoroff, MS, Research Specialist
The Soil Ecology Lab here at the Holden Arboretum is all about collaboration! This week members of our lab spent a day in Bole Woods to do site maintenance for...more
April 7, 2023
A Day in Bole Woods with Holden Researchers
By Claudia Bashian-Victoroff, MS, Research Specialist
The Soil Ecology Lab here at the Holden Arboretum is all about collaboration! This week members of our lab spent a day in Bole Woods to do site maintenance for...more
April 5, 2023
It’s Poppin’: April 5th
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
This week’s warmup has brought many new things in bloom, including several new trees and shrubs. It’s exciting as the feel of spring is in the air! Canada geese are...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
It’s Poppin’: March 31st
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
Daffodil Blooms Arrive! Our long steady march to spring flowers is continuing! Fortunately, this is the first week in a while where we didn’t see any significant snow. Plenty of...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 27, 2023
Behind the Scenes with Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Butterflies
By Matt Edwards, Animal Care Specialist It’s that time of year, the Return of the Butterflies. Have you ever wondered where Cleveland Botanical Garden’s biome butterflies come from, how they...more
March 24, 2023
The Challenges of Rhododendron Research
By Sharon Halkovics, Research Specialist
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
March 24, 2023
Science on Friday: The Challenges of Rhododendron Research
By Sharon Halkovics, Research Specialist
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
March 23, 2023
It’s Poppin’: March 23rd
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
Welcome to spring! Looking back, record warmth brought many early bloomers to the surface in mid-February. Flowers like winter aconites, snow drops and crocuses have had a wonderfully long season...more
March 21, 2023
The Benefits of a Healthy Forest
By Rachel Kappler, Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Collaborative Coordinator
Forests are beneficial in many ways; air quality, water purity, and erosion control, they positively impact our health and create a long-term stable environment. Happy International Day of Forests! A...more
March 17, 2023
It’s Poppin’: March 17th
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
Winter Returns but Our Earliest Bloomers Are Still Going Strong Winter returned to Northeast Ohio this week and we received several inches of snow at the Arboretum and a thin...more
March 16, 2023
Historic Holden
By Ethan Johnson, Plant Records Curator
Beautiful then and now, the Holden Arboretum is filled with history and impressive plants and trees since it was established in 1931. Follow along with these photos from the 60s...more
March 8, 2023
Welcome to It’s Poppin’!
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
Spring is a time of constant change at the Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Holden Arboretum, and It’s Poppin’ is your weekly report throughout spring to help you plan your...more
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