"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love." — Sitting Bull
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL WOODLAND SANCTUARY
Photo taken by Chris Timothy, a junior Geography student at JMU.
Describing himself as a landscape photography addict, Chris Timothy's work has been published in TAMRON Magazine, JMU Geogazine, The Breeze, and so on.
Chris has artfully taken his passion for anything to do with media (photography, design, motion graphics, video, etc.) and fused it with his Geographic Science education.
It's nearly here...
2024 Spring Celebration Plant Sale!
Members-Only Sale is Thursday, April 25 | 9 AM - 3 PM
Get access to all Spring Celebration Plant Sale plants a day in advance! All plants will be available for purchase, in-person, on April 25th to Edith J. Carrier Arboretum Members.
Members! Please keep an eye out for an email on Wednesday, April 17th, for an early access link to the Pre-Sale Tree Sale plant list and order form! On Tuesday, April 23th, a follow up email will be sent for early access to our plant list and online order form for the Spring Celebration Plant Sale!
Edith J. Carrier Membership Includes the Following:
- Reciprocal Admissions Program- EJCA Membership card entitles you to special admission privileges and discounts at 300 gardens throughout North America and the Cayman Islands. (Including Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens and Maymont)
- Subscription to Better Homes & Gardens (Free one-year digital magazine)
- 10% Discount on EJC Arboretum Plant Purchases, T-Shirts, and select gift shop items
- Access to Member-Exclusive Events such as our Plant Pre-Sale!
To become a Member now, please drop off your donation ($35 or more, cash or check only) at the EJC Arboretum before you shop! You can become a member through our website with a credit card also, but please note: online membership donations via credit card after April 10th will not be processed in time for the plant sale.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Earth Day 2024
NEW! The Master Gardeners will be giving a series of talks throughout the year and into 2025! From starting a garden and beneficial insects to starting native seeds and planning a garden, the Master Gardeners will offer a wide range of talks and workshops at the Arboretum!
The first of these talks will be on Monday, April 22nd at 3 pm in the Frances Plecker Education Center!
General Events
Annual April Wildflower Walks
Join us for an educational stroll with Virginia Master Naturalist Keala Timko. On this walk you will learn about various spring ephemerals and where to locate them in the Arboretum! The first flush of color shown in the arboretum woods include: Bloodroot, Dutchman’s Breeches, Bluebells, Woodland Phlox, Spring Beauty, Trillium, Wild Ginger, Troutlily and Dwarf Larkspur. We love these wondrous wildflowers as they offer the first nectar and pollen to early insects.
Wednesdays April 17 & 24 | 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Meet at the Frances Plecker Education Center
Evenings with Bats: Bat Emergence and Monitoring
1st and 3rd Fridays beginning April 19 | 15 minutes before sunset (7:45pm on April 19)
Members of our local chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists, in partnership with Bat Conservation and Rescue of Virginia will be hosting Evenings with Bats by the pond. Visitors should arrive 15 minutes before sunset to hear a brief presentation about bat conservation and behavior, followed by the opportunity to watch the bats of the Arboretum emerge for their evening hunt. Master Naturalists and BCRV volunteers will also be hosting a bat call monitoring station as part of the evening, and visitors can watch and learn more about acoustic monitoring, and what it's telling us about the bats who live in the Arboretum. Park in the R5 lot, please! Families are welcome.
April 19 | May 3 & 17 | June 7 & 21 | and summer dates to follow!
Shamanic Sound Bath & Holotrophic Breathwork
Shamanic Sound Bathing | April 23rd & September 24th | 5:30-6:45 pm | $40 per session
Sound Bathing | May 21st, June 18th & many more dates | 5:30-6:45 pm | $25 per session
Join experienced musicians & Shamanic healers Connie Magee & Matthew DeRubertis for an unforgettable breathwork session with Shamanic sound healing, amid nature. Gong, chimes, guitar, ukulele, drums, singing bowls, and many other instruments are used creatively to guide you into the deepest possible journey space- where emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical healing can be accessed. Brainwave entrainment has been used for millennia in all cultures, for the healing of their people. Safe container, fully guided. No experience necessary! Bring a yoga mat and wear comfortable clothes.
Master Gardeners' Talk Series: Perennial Planters!
Monday, April 29th | 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
The Master Gardeners will be back during the Spring Celebration Plant Sale to give a demonstration on creating perennial planters. Curious as to what plants at the sale could work in a planter, the Master Gardeners have got the answers for you!
Forest Bathing
Sessions with Tamera Helms: May 1st, 15th, and 29th | 2:00-4:00 pm
Session with Annette Naber: July 2nd | 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Meet at the Pavilion (near the Pond parking lot)
Forest Bathing, or shinrin-yoku, was developed in Japan in the 1980s as a form of preventative medicine with many scientific studies confirming its beneficial impacts on our sense of well-being and physical health. Experience some of the mindful and multi-sensory exercises that make forest bathing an enjoyable and beneficial nature therapy. Join Tamera Helms, a Nature and Forest Therapy Guide, or Annette Naber, Ph.D. of Emerald Mountain Sanctuary in this guided walk.
Registration required. Maximum of 12 registrants per session.
Bonsai Club Meeting
First Tuesday of each month
May 7th | 6:00-8:00 pm
Meet at the Frances Plecker Education Center
Have you always wanted to explore bonsai as a hobby or are just curious about the art? Join presenters Clark Driver and Simon Jilg at the Frances Plecker Education Center for a short lecture and bonsai displays!
SPRING WINE AND CHEESE EVENT
We welcome Chef Fred German, Executive Chef of JMU Dining Services and owner of Fresh Air Farms. German will share the origin story of Fresh Air Farms, a pasture-based small animal farm that focuses on holistic approaches to animal husbandry and artisan food production. German will also give an overview of the Wine and Cheese hors d'oeuvres that he curated for our guests.
Thursday, May 23 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Non-alcoholic beverages, wine and beer will be available at our event cash bar. Registration is required. Meet on the EJC Arboretum Ernst Tree Terrace.
Registration is $35, Includes appetizers and one drink ticket
Upcoming Youth Programs
All Youth Programs are FREE admission unless otherwise specified.
WonderEarth: Rocks and Minerals
Wednesday, May 8th | 4:00-5:00 pm
Meet at the Ernst Tree Terrace (beside the Frances Plecker Education Center)
Join Dr. Chiara Elmi, assistant professor of mineralogy from JMU's Department of Geology and Environmental Science, as we explore some of the inorganic components of the Arboretum! Participants will hunt for rocks like limestone and quartzite, and we will observe and identify what we find together. Then, we will analyze the physical properties of minerals like quartz and pyrite using a series of tests. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate in the activities!
Nature Study Series
Monday(s) 3:30-4:00 pm
April 29 | May 13
Drop in for our free nature study series for families: we’ll meet at the Arboretum Pavilion (near the Pond parking lot), take a short nature walk through the Arboretum, then hone in for a close look at one of our native plants! We will make careful observations, learn some facts and lore, and do a little relaxed sketching. Bring a notebook or paper and some colored pencils, but we’ll have extras on hand. Registration is requested but not required. Rain or shine.
Storytime in the Understory
Enjoy 30 minutes of nature-themed reading. We will meet in the At Home in the Woods Family Garden in our Storytime Spot!
Thursday, May 16 | 11:00-11:30 am
Saturday, May 18 | 10:00-10:30 am | This event is a collaboration with the Massanutten Regional Library.
Thursdays, June 13 & 27 | 11:00-11:30 am
Looking ahead: In the Summer Newsletter, you'll find more information about our summer story times, Fairy House and Gnome Home Building, and the Big Bug Hunt!
Arboretum Explorer Camp: Incredible Invertebrates
Administrated by JMU's School of Professional & Continuing Education--Youth Programs but thoughtfully curated by arboretum staff, the Arboretum Explorer Camp is the perfect place for budding naturalists, animal lovers, and young outdoor enthusiasts. With explorations, activities, and crafts, this week is designed to help children deepen their friendship with nature! Instructors will include Arboretum staff, JMU students, and local naturalists.
Rising 1st-3rd graders July 29-August 2 | 9-12 a.m.
Rising 4th-6th graders August 5-9 | 9-12 a.m.
Great garden giveback
As we celebrate our 35th year, we invite you to join us in Seeding the Next 35 Years by creating and enhancing habitats within the Arboretum to make for a more diverse and resilient woodland for many years to come. With your help, we can succeed in our pursuit to usher in a future defined by Restoration, Resilience, and Reciprocity.
Native Shade Garden
While we like almost all plants where ever they’re from, native plants are perfectly adapted for the local ecosystem and provide what the native fauna (animals large and small) need for food and habitat. Layered plantings create more places for animals and insects to hide, rest, and eat; and increased biodiversity will make this ecosystem healthier and more resilient in the face of pressure in the future. This garden will be full of native plants that are happy in the shade to inspire you to consider expanding the number and kinds of natives at your home, or to support their planting elsewhere. The native shade garden is next to the labyrinth, and we invite you to visit as it sprouts and grows this year.
Hillside Wildflower Garden
By eliminating the existing turf, we have begun the process of establishing our new wildflower garden! While it’s true that the grass turf will hold the soil down to prevent erosion, its ecosystem benefits don’t extend very far beyond that. The generous blend of mostly native wildflowers planted here will provide nectar for pollinating insects; create more layers of habitat for the birds, small mammals, and reptiles; and change over time as longer-lived but slower-to-grow perennials take their place over the faster-growing ones. The increased biodiversity will make this space healthier and more resilient in the face of future challenges.
Black Squirrel Stumpery
Wonderful stumps & root plates will be featured along the upper trail where an abundance of ferns and woodland perennials will be planted to grace the trail edge and surround the stumpery that serve as natural sculptures that will provide interest for years as they slowly decompose back into the soil beneath them.
A stumpery is a type of garden developed in the Victorian era to show off a collection of ferns and encourage visitors to appreciate the amazing forms found in stumps, fallen logs, and root plates. As the natural sculpture decomposes over many years, it will also provide habitat benefits for animals—dead trees are just as important as live ones. We love the rustic nature of the upper Arboretum and are excited to enhance the scenery here with something fascinating, beautiful, and beneficial!
Why "Black Squirrel" Stumpery?
The black squirrels of the Upper Arboretum took a liking to the Stumpery. Since the installation began, there have been increased sightings of black squirrels foraging, playing, and using the stumps as their playground!
We don't know whether the melanistic gray squirrels were there first but we only noticed them more because our team has spent more time up there, or if they've just recently moved in and found their forever home. Either way, we are delighted by their presence, so much so that our landscapers informally named the Stumpery after the black squirrels!
Ways to Participate in the Great Garden Giveback
We encourage you to join and support our efforts through volunteering, becoming a member, or donating to our General Arboretum Fund. One new way you can show your support and contribute to this campaign is at our seasonal plant sales! At checkout, you can add your contribution to your total. Depending on your purchase, the proceeds will go towards the procurement of a single perennial, shrub, or a wide spectrum of plants for the various projects around the Arboretum! You will receive specialty EJC Arboretum gifts and goodies as a thank you for supporting our vision for the Arboretum in the years to come.
We welcome all people to join our volunteer team at the Arboretum, whether in landscaping work like the Forest Stewards, with our educational program team, or in other capacities according to their interests regardless of previous experience. To volunteer or to learn more about our opportunities, contact Janis Traas at traasjm@jmu.edu or visit the volunteer page of our website.
Background photo by Chris Timothy
Harrisonburg Conservation Assistance Program
The Harrisonburg Conservation Assistance Program (HCAP) awards funds to approved applicants on a rolling basis contingent on available funding. Interested property owners are encouraged to submit applications to the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District throughout the year for cost sharing new tree plantings and turf conversions to perennials and woody plantings.
March - April Art Exhibition
Edith J. Carrier Arboretum Welcomes
Kate Duffy
Visit the Frances Plecker Education Center to enjoy Kate's artwork before the end of the month!
"Terrestrial" explores the intrinsic relationship between art and nature. Drawing inspiration from The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, the body of work serves as a testament to the artist’s deep connection to the native flora and fauna of the Shenandoah Valley. "Terrestrial" seeks to cultivate an appreciation for the natural world and inspire a sense of stewardship toward the native plant life of Virginia's Valley & Ridge region.
Kate Duffy is an artist and educator living and working in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. A native of Baltimore, MD, her practice explores the beauty found in the natural world through the techniques of screenprinting and collage. She uses ink and paper to create artwork reflecting time spent outdoors observing and absorbing the environment. Her art is a method of healing. The act of repetition—printing/cutting/pasting the same image again and again—is a restorative practice. Before relocating to the Valley, Kate spent the better part of two decades teaching and participating in Richmond’s arts community.
“Spring reminds us that resilience is only a season away.” – Angie Weiland-Crosby
CHEERS TO 16 YEARS, JAN SIEVERS MAHON!
After 16 years (and 8 months) of an impactful tenure as the Director of the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, Jan Sievers Mahon has retired! After Jan's retirement announcement in the winter newsletter in January, there was an outpouring of love and support from friends, staff, volunteers, and regular visitors. Her impact on the Arboretum is palpable and undeniable, especially for those who have seen the Arboretum's transformation over the last 17 years.
In the span of nearly two decades, Jan (with the support of her limited staff and legions of volunteers) spearheaded many amazing projects that our visitors today cherish dearly, such as the ADA-compliant Plecker Pond Loop and the At Home in the Woods Family Garden.
On March 20th, we celebrated Jan's career as Arboretum Director with well-wishes and reflections on her stewardship of our woodland sanctuary from many friends and colleagues. We wish Jan the very best of life's good things in her retirement.
“Jan, you will be greatly missed, but what a beautiful legacy you're leaving us! There's no question that your path will be lined with beauty.” – David Forrer (Master Naturalist and longtime Arboretum volunteer)
Retirement Party Slideshow
Take a look at Jan's career and the Arboretum over through the years.
A Message From Jan
"It's been an honor to serve JMU as the first full-time Arboretum Director for the last 16+ years.....what a truly special place to work! The Arboretum is a regional treasure for the community and all who travel through the valley and we are so lucky to have such a wonderful woodland sanctuary to enjoy free to the public all year round. Let us all agree to continue to protect, to support and to steward this community forest into its next 35 years. May it sooth our spirits and help us all to go easy, to be filled with light, and help us to shine." - Jan Sievers Mahon