Adkins Arboretum is offering a full slate of programs for spring and summer, including ecology, art and writing programs. Offerings include:

Nature’s Role in the Underground Railroad
Sat., April 30, 7–9 p.m.
Fee: $5 members, $10 general public
Author and historian Anthony Cohen returns to the Arboretum to lead a guided walk to explore the cross-section in history and culture that combines the story of the Underground Railroad and the natural landscape of the Eastern Shore. The walk will be followed by an informal conversation to discuss ongoing opportunities to interpret nature’s role in the Underground Railroad. Light refreshments will be served.

Basketry: Free-form Cracker Basket
Fri., May 13, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Fee: $45 members, $55 general public
Make a free-form rimmed cracker basket with wild jasmine vine and natural and dyed rattan using traditional melon basket technique. This functional, colorful, one-of-a-kind basket can be used as a serving piece or can be hung as art sculpture. Instructor Lee Zimmerman Nelson has exhibited her award-winning basketry nationally and abroad for more than 30 years. Materials will be provided. Bring a sack lunch.

Painting the Tulip Tree Flower
Wed. and Fri., May 18 and 20, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fee: $125 members, $140 general public
With its majestic stature and stunning yellow-and-orange blossoms, the tulip poplar has been designated Adkins Arboretum’s signature tree and its 2011 Native Tree of the Year. In this two-day workshop, artist Lee D’Zmura will focus on the study and creation of botanical illustrations of this stately member of the magnolia family. Some watercolor experience is required; a materials list will be provided. Bring a sack lunch.

Garden Journals
Sun., June 5, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fee: $45 members, $55 general public
Have fun making a pocket-size garden journal under the direction of artist and teacher Martha Graham. Your handmade journal will have a cover, pockets for seeds, pages for photos as your garden progresses and illustrations with space for personal notes. Bring lunch and colored pencils and/or markers if you wish.

Foraging in Native Landscapes
Sun., May 15, 1–3 p.m.
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
This hands-on workshop will immerse participants in the exciting, sustainable and nutritious world of foraging for wild plants. Participants will be taken into the field to learn how to indentify, harvest and prepare many of spring’s wild edibles. It doesn’t get more local or organic than this! Bill Schindler, Ph.D. is a professor of anthropology and archaeology at Washington College whose research focuses on prehistoric foodways and technologies. Dr. Schindler incorporates wild foods into his and his family’s diet on a regular basis. Please note that foraging by individuals is not permitted on the Arboretum grounds.

Goats vs. Weeds: A Targeted Grazing Demonstration
Thurs., June 2, 10 a.m.–noon
Sat., June 4, 10 a.m.–noon
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public per session
Invasive species crowd out native woodland plants and animals and can strangle trees and bring down limbs. Machines often can’t reach problem areas, manual removal is very labor intensive and herbicides can inflict collateral damage on water, plant and animal resources. Targeted grazing with goats can be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of controlling invasive species on your property. Goats graze in places that mowers can’t reach and humans don’t want to go, including bramble and poison ivy thickets.

This demonstration is your chance to see goats in action at the Arboretum and learn how to implement this practice on your own land. Light refreshments will be served, including goat cheese.

Nature-Inspired Pop-up Cards with Elissa O’Loughlin
Sat., June 11, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fee: $45 members, $55 general public
Learn the basics of pop-up construction and use inspiration from the natural world to decorate these fun moving cards. Using a variety of papers, explore cutting, folding and assembling components to make at least two finished cards that you can use as examples for working in your own creative space. A 1975 graduate of Moore College of Art, O’Loughlin pursued studies in paper conservation and for the last 10 years has been senior conservator at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. She has a special interest in historical artist’s techniques. Her studio is in Galestown. All materials and supplies will be provided. Bring a sack lunch.

Introduction to Wetlands
Thurs., June 16, 10 a.m.–noon
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
Arboretum visitors enter the Visitor’s Center by a bridge that spans a constructed wetland alive with flora and fauna. Wetlands are the most biologically diverse and fascinating ecosystems in the world, so it is no wonder that it can take some time to cross the bridge if you stop to observe all that is happening there. Join Leslie Hunter-Cario, nursery manager at Environmental Concern, Inc, to learn the basics of wetland ecology and wetland plants.

Plein Air Painting
Sun., June 19, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fee: $60 members, $80 general public
Learn how to capture the beauty of summer’s splendor on canvas under the guidance of local art educator and artist Dawn Malosh. Participants will learn about composition, color, basic acrylic painting techniques, and the joy of “plein air” painting while composing their own original rendition of the Arboretum in all its grandeur. All materials are included. Bring a sack lunch.

Collography with Martha Graham
Fri., June 24, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fee: $75 members, $90 general public
Collography is the art of designing the surface of a “plate,” inking it and hand printing. At the end of this session, you will have a piece ready for framing plus fun and inspiration for further work. All materials will be provided. Bring a sack lunch.

Nature Prints
Sat., July 9, 1–3:30 p.m.
Fee: $30 members, $35 general public
Join Dawn Malosh to learn the basics of printmaking while exploring the principles of art and composition using natural objects. Applications for wallpaper, wrapping paper, fabric, scrapbooking and journaling pages will be explored. All materials are included.

Nature Collage Portraits
Sun., July 17, 1–3:30 p.m.
Fee: $30 members, $35 general public, $25 per person for two or more family members
Represent yourself through fruits, nuts, grasses, flowers and leaves in this fun abstract collage portraiture class led by Dawn Malosh. While learning about the eccentric and fascinating Renaissance nature portrait artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo, students will create a portrait of themselves using pictures of fruits, vegetable leaves and nature. The program is open to all. Families, parents, grandparents and children eight years and older are welcome to attend together for a special rate.

Marvels of Milkweeds
Wed., July 27, 10–11 a.m.
Fee: $10 members, $15 general public
Milkweeds have a rich cultural and natural history. From commodity to noxious weed, they are loved by some and hated by others. Their ecology is a story unto itself as milkweeds support a whole community of insects, including the monarch butterfly. Explore the marvels of milkweeds with ecologist Dr. Sylvan Kaufman. This class will be held both indoors and outdoors.

Asters, Goldenrods, and Other Composites
Wed., August 24, 10 a.m.–noon
Fee: $15 members, $20 general public
The Asteraceae family offers a dazzling array of plants to admire in meadows, wetlands, woods and gardens, but the diversity of this family makes identifying them confusing. Learn how to tell members of the Asteraceae family apart and how to identify common species in the field. The field portion of the class will use Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Bring a hand lens if you have one. Ecologist Dr. Sylvan Kaufman will lead the class.

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GUIDED WALKS

Second Saturday Walks
Sat., May 14, June 11, July 9, and Aug. 13, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Free with admission
Come on a unique journey toward understanding native plants and how they can become a greater part of your home gardening experience. Horticulturalist Eric Wittman will lead visitors on a walk designed to help all gardeners improve their knowledge and use of native plants from containers to large-scale plantings. Each walk will cover the aspects of where and how plants of the Delmarva can find a place in everyone’s gardening space.

Soup ’n Walks
Nature, Nurture, and Nutrition
Sat., May 21 and June 18, 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Fee: $20 members, $25 general public per program
Pre-registration required; register online at www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.
Discover the excitement of spring blooms. Following a guided walk with a docent naturalist, enjoy a delicious and nutritious lunch along with a brief lesson about the meal’s nutritional value. Copies of recipes are provided.

May 21—Theme: Check out the Beautiful View Along Tuckahoe Creek and Beyond (one- or two-hour walk option; two-hour walk begins at 10 a.m.

June 18—Theme: Find the Green Summer Ferns Among the Cool Blooms

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WRITING PROGRAMS
Nature as Muse—Walk and Reflection with Nature Journaling
Sat., May 7 and June 4, 11 a.m. public guided walk followed by journaling session
Free with admission
Join one of the Arboretum’s docent naturalists for a walk through the forest. Listen to the muse of the trees, breathe in the forest air, and walk along paths dappled with sun and shadow. Enjoy the theme of the day and return to the Visitor’s Center to write/journal about your flights of fancy inspired by the wood nymphs, or just research the plants that intrigued you in the reference library. No previous writing experience is required; bring your favorite journal if you have one. Reservations requested.

Exploring Nature and Five Movements of Life through Writing, Reflection, and Community
Wed., June 29, 1–3:30 P.M.
Fee: $25 members, $30 general public
Celebrate summer as part of nature’s cycle of seasons. This is a time of warmth, joy, and playfulness with the opening of our hearts. Listen to poetry, try a few gentle writing exercises and engage in simple collage activities. No previous experience is necessary! The Arboretum provides a perfect location to immerse oneself in nature and discover how it speaks in our own lives.

Instructor Katherine Johnson is a life coach and teacher of creative practices as SoulCollage®, writing, meditation and personal growth.

Pre-registration is required for all programs. To register, call 410-634-2847, ext. 0 or e-mail info@adkinsarboretum.org for additional information.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum offers educational programs for all ages about nature and gardening. Through its Campaign to Build a Green Legacy, the Arboretum will build a new LEED-certified Arboretum Center and entranceway to broaden educational offerings and research initiatives promoting best practices in conservation and land stewardship. For additional information about Arboretum programs, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.