ARBORETUM
MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2025, VOL. 44, NO. 2
Elise Bremer Editor
Brenda Drake Lesch Art Director Andrew Gapinski Executive Director
Matthew Clark, Ph.D. Director of Research
Rachelle Crosby Director of Facilities & Project Management
Timothy S. Kenny Director of Education
Jared Rubinstein Director of Horticulture & Collections
David Senior Director of Business & Finance
Susan Taylor, Ph.D. Director of Advancement
Tom Lany
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
Kathy Persian President, Arboretum Foundation
Arboretum Magazine is published by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The Arboretum is part of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) at the University of Minnesota. The magazine is a benefit of Arboretum membership. To request a copy of this publication in an alternate or digital format, please call 612-301-1257.
© 2025 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
arb.umn.edu 612-624-2200 arbpr@umn.edu
Arboretum Magazine is printed on paper containing 100% sustainable recycled fiber.
EXPLORING THE ARBORETUM’S
TOP TREE DESTINATIONS
Join us in celebrating our trees this summer with a selfguided tour of three of our favorite collections and exhibits. At the Arboretum, caring for trees is in our nature — and in our name. By definition, an arboretum is a “botanical garden devoted to trees.” While our 1,200 acres are filled with formal annual and perennial gardens — as well as wetlands and prairies — it’s the trees that define both our organization and our landscape.
From the first tree planted at the Arboretum in 1957 to the latest introductions released by the Horticultural Research Center, trees are essential to our work.
This summer, our signature annual fundraising event, Gala in the Gardens, celebrates the Arboretum’s icons with a theme of Caring for Trees. To keep the celebration going all season long, we’ve curated this guide with three tree stops along Three-Mile Drive or Walk so you can learn more about the Arboretum’s tree collections, discover new-to-you tree species and get out to explore all the Arboretum has to offer this summer.
Thinking of planting a tree this year?
The Pillsbury Shade Tree Exhibit — located near the start of Three-Mile Drive and Walk — is the first stop on our guide and an excellent place to help you choose the right tree for your yard.
The exhibit features a wide variety of mature shade trees alongside interpretive signage that highlights important considerations for choosing and planting a tree. The exhibit also features a treehouse and playhouses for kids that illustrate the cooling effects of a shade tree.
Walk below the trees to experience the different levels of shade they offer: minimal (honeylocust) or heavy (linden or basswood). Two playhouses situated near the walking path demonstrate the vast difference in temperature between structures located in the sun and those located in the shade. The playhouses — one in full sun and one in full shade — almost always demonstrate a 10-degree difference in temperature.
Before leaving the exhibit, think about which shade tree might work best for your home landscape. Trees are important for humans and wildlife, including pollinators, and help to mitigate climate change. Planting a wide variety of trees in your landscape and in neighborhoods is important for maintaining disease resistance and supporting a diversity of wildlife.
1
Pillsbury Shade Tree Exhibit
Discover mighty trees that cool homes and cities
A circle of red oaks surrounds a tree house at the center of the Shade Tree Exhibit. Photo by Caitlin Cave
Reigniting a passion for teaching
Julie Peters l Communications Strategist
For Arboretum volunteer Kathy Mischke, educating field trip students about the importance of pollinators and sharing easy ways to care for the environment sprouted her love for teaching after a long career in manufacturing.
Throughout the school year, Mischke, who was honored as the Arboretum’s volunteer of the year in 2017, spends two or three days a week at the Arboretum where she serves as a volunteer instructor for class field trips. The program draws more than 23,000 students annually who learn about nature through topics including plants and habitats, bees and other pollinators, maple syrup and apple harvests.
“What really calls to me and sets me up for a perfect day is educating students in something they are interested in yet know little about,” she said.
Mischke had planned to go into teaching when she enrolled at St. Cloud State University years ago. However, her dad encouraged her to pursue engineering, and she ended up with a fulfilling career in quality control in the electronics industry. Later, she launched her own consulting business.
Mischke’s relationship with the Arboretum began in 2010 when she brought her 2-year-old granddaughter for a visit. “If it wouldn’t have been for me exploring with my granddaughter, I never would have known how wonderful it was.”
She began volunteering a year later.
In addition to field trips, Mischke also helps with honey harvest demonstrations at the Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center, sorts and bags apples in the fall at the Arboretum’s Horticultural Research Center, lends a hand to adult education courses, and helps with a variety of other activities across the Arboretum’s 1,200 acres.
She appreciates connecting visitors to the Arboretum and exploring the natural world alongside them. “I enjoy being outside,” she said. “My whole career was inside; I thought, ‘I have to get out and enjoy nature.’ I’ve never regretted it.”
Mischke recognizes the greater calling in her role, too.
“I have the ability to show people how important it is that we have this environment — and the importance of continuing to help it exist. It’s everybody’s job.”
To learn more about volunteering at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, visit arb.umn.edu/volunteer.
Volunteer Kathy Mischke spends her weekdays at the Arboretum teaching field trip students about the natural world through topics including pollinators, maple syrup and apple harvests.
Photos by (top) Julie Peters, (bottom) Gretchen Haynes
Now Entering ... 1,200 Acres of “Ahhh”
Work begins this summer on a reimagined arrival experience at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Tentatively slated to open in late 2027, the new main entry will start at a four-way stoplight and include an immersive arrival corridor and new gatehouse with improved lane configurations to seamlessly transport visitors away from the stresses of everyday life to the Arboretum’s 1,200 acres of gardens, collections and natural areas.
As we begin work on the New Arrival Experience this summer, the Arboretum will remain open and accessible, so you can enjoy time in nature while we work behind the scenes to build a better Arboretum for today’s members and visitors as well as the gardeners, nature lovers and horticulturists of tomorrow.
STOPLIGHT-SAFE MAIN ENTRANCE AND EXIT
The Arboretum’s new main entrance will be located 1 mile west of the existing entrance at the four-way stoplight intersection of Minnewashta Parkway and Highway 5,
preventing traffic backups on the Arboretum’s busiest days and allowing for safe and seamless visitor arrival and departure. Completion of the new entry is anticipated to align closely with the adjacent Highway 5 roadway improvements, reducing the impacts of multiple construction projects on visitors.
In addition to an exit at the Minnewashta signal, our existing entrance will be converted to a right-only merge lane for traffic exiting eastbound onto Highway 5.
IMMERSIVE ENTRY CORRIDOR
Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh and Associates (MVVA), a landscape architecture firm with a long history of collaboration with the Arboretum, the new entry corridor will greet visitors with a microcosm of the Arboretum experience, immersing them in nature from the moment they arrive.
Winding through the naturally undulating landscape, the new entry corridor will lead visitors past views of upland meadows with stately oaks and low-lying wetlands dotted with tamaracks. The entry corridor will culminate at the gatehouse,
1. Prairie willow (left) and dwarf prairie willow (right) in one-gallon containers.
2. Prairie willow blooms in early spring and appears to offer an early season food source for emerging pollinators.
3. Schrader measures stem caliper for a rooting experiment. 4. Schrader with the first prairie willow she spotted in the wild.
5. Researchers rely on special techniques including a pre-rooting fungicide soak to propagate stem cuttings. 6. Prairie willow shrub in the Learning Garden for Horticultural Science on campus.
7. Prairie willow stem infected with stem canker. 8. A successfully rooted prairie willow stem cutting.
Photos courtesy of Hazel Schrader
RIDING the WIND
Matt Schuth l Naturalist
Matt Schuth is a naturalist and author of “Nature at Our Doorstep.” He has contributed a nature column to Arboretum Magazine for more than 30 years and hosts seasonal guided “Walks With Matt” exploring the natural world at the Arboretum.
Apoet who once saw a kestrel hovering in midair while flapping its wings against the wind called it a supernatural “hallucination.”
The American kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America and the second smallest in the world, weighing just 2-6 ounces, about the size of a blue jay.
Kestrels have long tails and sickle-shaped wings. The smaller and more colorful males have blue-gray wings and reddish-brown to white underparts with black spots. Females have reddish-brown wings with streaked creamy underparts. When perched, kestrels pump their tails up and down, a hallmark trait that helps to identify them.
To ward off predators, kestrels have two black spots on the back of their heads called ocelli, meaning “little eyes” in Latin. These “fake” eyes help protect kestrels from predators. Kestrels are attacked by hawks and owls many times their size but are extremely aggressive in defending their nest and territory.
Another name for the kestrel is sparrowhawk. While kestrels do prey on smaller birds and grasshoppers, their diet consists mainly of mice and voles. Kestrels see in ultraviolet light, which allows them to track their prey via urine trails that reflect ultraviolet light.
Native Americans believed the kestrel was a messenger between the physical world and the spiritual world. In European folklore, the kestrel was associated with good luck and prosperity.
Kestrels are cavity nesters and will use human-made boxes if provided. The male will find a potential nest, but the female makes the final decision on a home. Females lay three to seven eggs with both parents taking turns incubating. The young hatch in 29 days in May or June.
This past year, we installed two boxes at the Arboretum’s Lake Tamarack. Within a couple days, a kestrel pair claimed one of the boxes. Four young kestrels fledged from this box and were seen regularly in the area. If you visit Lake Tamarack this summer — located 1 mile west of the Arboretum’s main entrance and open to the public — look for our little falcon and listen for its “killy, killy, killy” calls.
The American kestrel can hover in the wind while searching for prey.
Photos by Nature by Travis Bonovsky
GALA IN THE GARDENS celebrates the Arboretum’s trees
The annual Gala in the Gardens will be hosted at the Arboretum on Wednesday, June 11 with a theme of Caring for Trees. Designed to delight the senses on a summer evening, this signature fundraising event includes a cocktail reception, dinner al fresco, live and silent auctions and an inspiring program all in the Arboretum’s main gardens.
This year, we have an extraordinary opportunity to invest in the towering giants that grace our beloved Arboretum — our trees. These trees are more than just beautiful landmarks; they are living legacies providing shade, shelter and solace to generations of visitors. But caring for our trees — from their roots to their highest branches — requires both dedication and the right tools.
At the Gala, we’ll be raising funds for a special lift our arborists can use to ascend to the very tops of these trees, ensuring their health, vitality and longevity. As Ian Vaughan, Arboretum Arborist, noted, when it comes to tree care, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
The lift will empower our arborists to safely perform
critical care year-round — pruning damaged limbs, inspecting for disease and nurturing each tree so it can thrive for decades to come. Together, we can preserve the canopy, ensuring that every visitor, now and in the future, can experience the wonder these trees bring to our world.
Support the Arboretum by purchasing a ticket to the Gala. Not able to attend the Gala but still want to contribute to our ecosystem? You can still check out the silent auction where you can bid on Arboretum items and experiences, buy a tree or shrub that will be planted on the Arboretum grounds or contribute to the Gala Fund-a-Need. More information can be found at arb.umn.edu/gala
Presenting Sponsor
Georgia and Jim Thompson
Gold Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor Jenny Verner
Carmen and Jim Campbell
Lorin DeBonte
Suspended by climbing ropes from the branches of a stately honeylocust tree, arborist Ian Vaughan captured an aerial view of the MacMillan Terrace Garden in full summer splendor.
What’s in Season
EVENTS, CLASSES AND MORE
Taste and Toast
July 23, 6-9 p.m.
Presenting Sponsor
Jeannine Rivet and Warren Herreid
Experience the height of summer among the Arboretum’s stunning gardens at Taste & Toast! This after-hours event celebrates fresh, local cuisine and regional wine and beer. Live music sets the stage for tastings from local restaurants and food trucks as well as samplings from Minnesota wineries, breweries and more, including the Arboretum’s own Horticultural Research Center, the developer of popular cold-hardy wine grapes including Marquette and Itasca. All proceeds support the Arboretum’s horticultural research, education programming and the gardens and natural areas enjoyed by nearly 700,000 visitors annually. SCAN HERE to reserve tickets or visit arb.umn.edu/taste-and-toast
Photo by Phil Zumsteg
Discover something new at the Arboretum this season. In addition to 1,200 acres of gardens, collections and natural areas, the Arboretum offers a wide range of events, art exhibitions and classes so visitors can learn something new on each visit and deepen their connection with nature.
Firefly Viewing Nights
SCAN HERE to view all upcoming events and browse by topic at arb.umn. edu/events.
June 26-28, July 3-6 and 10-12, 8:30-10:30 p.m. No event July 4.
Reserve tickets online!
Explore the Arboretum grounds after sunset as hundreds of fireflies illuminate the woods and meadows! Marvel at the wonder of these winged beetles (also known as lightning bugs) and learn about these special creatures from local experts and Minnesota Master Naturalists. Every week features information about the nighttime creatures that can also be spotted (or heard) during Firefly Viewing Nights. Wondering how to capture these glowing insects on camera? Join instructor Jason Boudreau-Landis of the Arboretum Photographers Society for Special Access Firefly Photography nights on June 27, July 11 and 12.
A separate ticket is required for this class.
SCAN HERE to register or visit arb.umn.edu/fireflynights
Photo by Jason Boudreau-Landis
Art in the Gardens
Aug. 15, 4-8 p.m., and Aug. 16-17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Hunt for handcrafted art pieces against the backdrop of the Arboretum’s gardens at this unique showcase of art and nature, featuring more than 70 local vendors offering culinary treats, crafts, fine arts and more. Arboretum guests of all ages can meet the artists, listen to live music, mingle, stroll, eat and shop. Plus, don’t miss the last two weekends of May Markets, happening May 24-25 and May 31-June 1.
SCAN HERE to learn more or visit arb.umn.edu/events/artinthegardens.
Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat
June 21, 9 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Relax your mind, body and spirit while embracing the height of the summer season at the Arboretum’s sixth-annual Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat. We will start the day off with a light breakfast in the Sensory Garden before breaking into smaller groups for the retreat. As we cycle through four different class rotations throughout the day, every participant will have the ability to select the class that’s right for them.
SCAN HERE to learn more or visit arb.umn.edu/events/yoga
CULTIVATE YOUR INTERESTS!
This summer, explore more than 100 education classes across a variety of topics, including arts and literature, food and wine, gardening and horticulture, health and wellbeing, photography, pollinators and more. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to bring you meaningful educational experiences in a relaxed, welcoming environment.
For families, the Arboretum offers fun, hands-on programs where young learners can explore plants and nature. Whatever your age or interest, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and learn this summer at the Arboretum. Find a few summer program highlights here and visit the website for a full list of offerings.
SCAN HERE to browse the full list of available classes or visit arb.umn.edu/learn.
Need help with registration?
The Education team is here to assist! They can be reached by phone at 612-301-1210 on weekdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m. or by email at arbedu@umn.edu
Photo by Mark MacLennan
Photo by Wendy
Composto
Fine Art, Crafts and Literature Classes
Spark a new interest this summer with art classes led by the Arboretum’s talented instructors. Whether you’re looking to refine your skills or try something new, our courses provide the perfect environment to explore fresh techniques, connect with fellow creatives and engage with nature all season long.
The Art of Collage
June 21, 9:30 a.m.-noon
Rhythm & Hues Watercolor Series
June 12, July 10 or July 31, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
SCAN HERE to view upcoming classes or visit arb.umn.edu/art-classes
Youth and Family Programs
The Arboretum helps kids discover the world of plants through science and engaging, hands-on programs. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly fun for preschoolers or seeking special access to explore the inner workings of a honey bee hive, there are plenty of exciting options to learn and grow together this summer.
Pea Pods for Preschoolers Day
June 5 or June 6, 9:15-10:45 a.m. or 9:45-11:15 a.m.
Special Access:
Honey Bee Hive Inspection
Select Saturdays and Sundays, May 24-July 20
Nature-Based Therapeutics Programming
The Arboretum’s on-site therapeutic programming brings the healing power of nature to you with evidence-informed experiential educational programs. In nature, we are reconnected to body, mind and spirit.
Shinrin-yoku “Forest Bathing”
Select dates in June, July and August, 9-11 a.m. or 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Awaken to Nature June 26, 6-7:30 p.m.
SCAN HERE to view upcoming classes or visit arb.umn.edu/family-programs.
HERE to view upcoming classes or visit arb.umn.edu/wellbeing-classes
SCAN
Painting by Sonja Hutchinson
Photo by Laura Cogswell
3675 Arboretum Drive
Chaska, Minnesota 55318-9613
Give today! Your gift supports the Arboretum's gardens, educational programs and horticultural research. Scan the QR code or visit arb.umn.edu/give to donate today.
by
Photo
Jason Boudreau-Landis