(KIRTLAND) March 6, 2025 – Get ready to experience spring in all its beauty at the Holden Arboretum. Immerse yourself in the emerging tree canopy on the Murch Canopy Walk and Kalberer Emergent Tower, discover colorful blooms in our cultivated gardens, and explore 3,500 acres through a guided tram tour or miles of hiking trails.  From onsite experiences to classes and events, spring comes to life at Holden Arboretum. The Arboretum hours are Tuesdays – Sundays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The first official day of the spring season is Thursday, March 20, 2025. 

PHOTOS – COURTESY OF HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS 

SPRING EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES 

MURCH CANOPY WALK AND KALBERER EMERGENT TOWER – OPENING TUESDAY, APRIL 1 

Two of the top outdoor attractions in Northeast Ohio are back! The Emergent Tower is 120 feet or about 12 stories tall and provides a breathtaking view of the surrounding area to Lake Erie. The Murch Canopy Walk invites guests on a 500-foot-long elevated walkway that is built 65 feet above the forest floor. This immersive experience takes guests in and out of the forest canopy to experience everything from the middle of a mature forest to a raised view of streams and the forest floor. 

FREE ADMISSION DAY – ARBORETUM OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY APRIL 26 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

Celebrate trees with one of the best living museums in the country! Enjoy free admission to the Arboretum, live music, food trucks and a free tree seedling giveaway while supplies last. More information to come. 

HOLDEN GROWN PLANT SALE – SATURDAY MAY 17 & SUNDAY MAY 18 

Whether you are trying to naturalize your landscape or enhance a corner of your garden, this event will offer exclusively Holden-grown plants, including over 80 species of native wildflowers, ornamental perennials, shrubs, and trees, including staff favorites and selections from our living collections including rhododendrons, spicebush, milkweed, skullcap, wild senna, wild columbine, toad lily and many, many more! Visitors are encouraged to bring their own materials to transport their plants home. Holden Grown Plant Sale hours are Saturday, May 17 from noon – 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 18 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Event included with general admission. 

FOREST FORMS – OPENING SATURDAY MAY 10  

Forest Forms features eighteen sculptures ranging in height from a playful five feet to a monumental twenty feet tall. These larger-than-life works include a majestic fox family, an intricate stack of flowers, an ethereal peacock, and much more and will be on display throughout the arboretum’s grounds. An avid nature lover, artist Huelani Mei uses a distinct “line work” style to convey the form, movement, and rhythm she observes in nature.   

BUNNY’S BIG SPRING ADVENTURE – SATURDAY APRIL 5 

The Easter Bunny has overslept! He needs help finding out if spring has arrived. On Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. – noon, kids can help the Bunny find the clues that mark the arrival of spring so the Bunny can bring wonderful springtime events to life. After a kid-friendly scavenger hunt, enjoy cookie decorating, a springtime craft and of course a photo with the Easter Bunny. Bunny’s Big Spring Adventure Registration 

TRAM TOURS 

Starting Friday, April 26, Arboretum Tram Tours will give guests an overview of the campus and gardens, with a focus on seasonal highlights. You may also learn a little history and information about the scientific work that happens behind the scenes. Cost: $10 per adult, $7 per child. Tours are scheduled throughout the day every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday May through October, and tickets can be purchased in person at the Arboretum’s Corning Visitor Center. 

GET GROWING WITH SPRING CLASSES 

• AUDUBON SPRING BIRD WALKS: Celebrate Spring migration every Sunday, April 13 – May 18 from 7:30 – 10:30 a.m. with one of the oldest community science partnerships in northeast Ohio. The series is a celebration of migratory birds and the important habitats our parks and natural areas provide. Spring bird walks are led by experienced birders from local Audubon chapters and welcome birders of all ages and skill levels. Registration required. Cost: Free for HF&G members, Included with general admission. Audubon Spring Bird Walks Registration. 

• FIRST FRIDAYS GARDEN TOURS: Just like you, our Horticulture team loves to talk about plants! Join our staff on an informative tour select Fridays from 9 – 11:30 a.m. through the gardens at the Arboretum. A different garden will be featured each month, highlighting the beauty of our plant collections throughout the season, as well as new projects supporting our mission.  

• Friday May 2 – Main Display Garden | Sandi Cesarov, Horticulturist 
  This program will meet in front of the Corning Visitors Center. 

• Friday June 6 – Layer Garden | Mary Lineberger, MaryAnn Thesing, Horticulturists This program will meet in the Layer Garden service lot. Directions will be sent prior to the program. 

After the tour, enjoy light refreshments and conversation with fellow plant-lovers before heading home to work in your own garden. Horticulture & Collections staff will be on hand during the refreshments to answer any gardening questions you have. Cost: $7 per member, $22 per nonmember. First Fridays Garden Tour Registration. 

• TREES FOR BEES: Planting a meadow isn’t the only way to benefit native bees. Join us on Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. – noon for a walking tour showcasing the essential role spring-flowering trees and shrubs play in supporting native bees and other wildlife. Participants will learn which native and ornamental species provide critical nectar and pollen resources when early emerging pollinators need them most. Come away with practical insights into creating pollinator-friendly spaces, improving the ecological value of built landscapes. Cost: $20 per member, $35 per nonmember Trees for Bees Registration 

• PEAK PERSPECTIVES: DISCOVERING LITTLE MOUNTAIN THROUGH YOUR LENS: On Saturday, June 7 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. learn to photograph one of Northeast Ohio’s most stunning landscapes. 

At an elevation of 1,266 feet (571 feet above Lake Erie), Little Mountain catches the winds and storms that sweep off the lake. It gets twice as much snowfall as the rest of northeast Ohio in addition to more rain, creating its own wet, cool micro-climate. Today, all evidence of the resorts is totally gone, and Little Mountain is now home to towering white pines, diverse plant communities, unique geological formations, and abundant wildlife. As a protected site, public viewing is limited to guided hikes with Holden Arboretum staff. 

This photography workshop starts off with a brief orientation by Arboretum staff, followed by in-the-field guidance from professional photographer Debbie DiCarlo. A basic understanding of your camera is necessary. Tripods will be allowed. Cost: $70 per member, $110 per nonmember. Terrain: up to 2.0 miles, rugged, narrow, muddy, rocks, some standing water. Peak Perspectives Registration. 

SUMMER CAMPS 

We are excited to provide day camps at the Holden Arboretum this summer for children ages 4 – 13. Each unique themed camp is packed with outdoor exploration, hands-on learning, and physical and creative activities that will get kids connected and excited about nature. Full List of Summer Camps Here