Podcasts about minnesota landscape arboretum

Summer is starting, the days are getting warmer and if you've got a garden, it's calling for your attention. Maybe you're growing tomatoes on the back deck or trying to fill your yard with vibrant flowers. Or maybe you're just trying to stay one step ahead of those pesky weeds. Whatever your gardening goals, summer is the season when gardens can really shine — or struggle. MPR News host Angela Davis talks about what grows well in our region, how to time plantings, how to fix common garden problems and how to keep your soil — and your plants — in good shape all summer long.  Guests: Catherine Grant is a horticulturalist who manages the greenhouses, medicinal garden and pollinator habitat for the Department of Biology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.   Laura Irish-Hanson is a horticulture educator with the University of Minnesota Extension. She works primarily out of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska.  Here's a list of resources that were discussed on the show:University of Minnesota Soil Testing laboratoryUniversity of Minnesota Extension“Hort Shorts” created by UMN Extension https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY7GaPXLa0w&list=PLyMOSdo2sM9tCmiTBa19yapMRxPL-04Eb&index=4Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

The warmer temperatures have gardeners across the state getting their beds ready and planting seedlings. Part of that work is keeping plants protected from critters that might snack on them, like bunnies, deer or insects. And there's a newer threat in town: an invasive species that has become common in the state. They are called jumping worms and they are causing quite a stir with soil and plants. Erin Buccholz, an integrated pest management specialist at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, joins MPR News host Nina Moini to explain.

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what's exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Somebody Say HallelujahLinda Sloan of Hopkins, Minn., is the executive director for the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage. She predicts audiences will be on their feet at the Fitzgerald Theater in St Paul this weekend, moved by “The Sound of Gospel: An Anthology Depicting the Rich History and Evolution of Gospel Music.”The play is written by Rev. William H. Pierce of 2nd Chance Outreach and directed by Academy Award-nominated artist Jevetta Steele, with musical direction by Grammy Award-winning artist Billy Steele. The all-ages show will be performed Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. Linda says: I cannot say enough about this performance. It is amazing. When I went to the show a couple years ago, I was just blown away by the caliber of the talent and then the meaning of the songs. It's just a phenomenal show. You'll hear anything from spirituals to praise and worship. It is just an opportunity for individuals who maybe have never really experienced gospel to understand the roots, the roots of where it comes from and why it is spiritual music. It's so energetic. There are a couple little somber moments, because it is a history of gospel music, and there have been things in the past that maybe occur that required spiritual music. But for the most part, it's just one of those “toe-tapping, get-on-your-feet, clapping, as if you were in a Baptist church” shows. — Linda Sloan  A play about DREAMers navigating life Actor and singer Anna Hashizume of Minneapolis recommends seeing Frank Theatre's current production of the play “Sanctuary City,” about two undocumented teens growing up in Newark, N.J., post 9/11. She describes the play as a series of very short scenes performed by an outstanding three-person cast. The play runs in the intimate Open Eye Theatre in Minneapolis through Feb. 23. Masks are required for the Feb. 7 and Feb. 16 performances. Frank Theatre, which mounted the play, specializes in works that spark conversation, and Anna says this show feels incredibly timely.Anna says: I know when [director] Wendy Knox first chose the play we didn't know the political climate that was going to be happening at this moment in time, but it is a very timely play for what is happening in our nation right now.  Theater has a lot of different functions. It can just be entertainment, which is also lovely at a time like this, but also being able to be educated and see different life experiences in front of your eyes in a relatively safe space can open something up in all of us. — Anna HashizumeA breath of spring Donna Winberg of Deephaven, Minn., loves to walk the trails at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, so she's been able to pop inside the visitor center to watch preparations for the Spring Flower show. The enchanted garden displays are now open to viewers with an Arboretum ticket daily through March 16.  In addition to the Spring Flower show, Donna recommends continuing through the Synder Building to the Conservatory, which is currently packed with orchids and tropical blooms, with a stop at the Rootstock Café for a bite to eat. Additional ticketed events include an Art Fair on Feb. 15 and 16, After Hours with Flowers and Afternoon Tea events. MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner is also a fan; see his pictures in a recent Updraft Blog here. Donna describes the scene: You'll be amazed when you see the huge tree trunks they've brought in there, and the mosses and the lichens and the mushrooms. It's just like a breath of spring, which we all need this time of year! What I really love is the local artist work that is incorporated into the displays. There'll be different artists coming in [through the course of the show.] [This week] there are mosaic glass birds and ceramic birds and all sorts of wonderful little fairy houses, bird houses. So you have to stand there and look at things for a while to have it all revealed to you, which is fun.— Donna Winberg

We're almost through the month of May and the peonies are getting ready to bloom.  Maybe you're wondering if it's too late to plant flowers or get some seeds in the vegetable plot. Well, it's not!MPR News host Angela Davis talked with two horticultural experts about how to make our yards and gardens flourish as we head into summer.  They talked about all the things you can still plant this season, ways to make your yard more friendly to the birds and the bees and how to adapt to the longer and warmer growing seasons brought by climate change.  Guests:  Laura Irish-Hanson is a horticulture educator with the University of Minnesota Extension. She works primarily out of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska.Catherine Grant is a horticulturalist and manages the greenhouses, medicinal garden and pollinator habitat for the Department of Biology at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.  Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.    

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we chat with Nancy Lawson, author of Wildscape* and The Human Gardener*. The plant profile is on Mock Orange and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Visiting the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum by Christy Page at the Food Gardening Network. Show Notes will be posted after 11-21-2023. If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to: ~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 36: Gardening for Wildlife https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/11/gardendc-podcast-episode-36-gardening.html ~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 47: Pollinator Victory Gardens https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-47-pollinator.html BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! See how at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support. We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode. And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too! Episode Credits: Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz Interview Edit and Show Notes: Christine Folivi *You can order Wildscape by Nancy Lawson at https://amzn.to/3umhrTq and The Humane Gardener at https://amzn.to/3QLrOHW. These links are to our Amazon affiliate accounts and we may earn a few pennies from their sales, but this does not impact your purchase price. Recorded on 11-18-2023. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support

In this episode, Dr. Jean Larson shows how the outdoors has healing powers! Nature-based Therapeutics, similar to integrative medicine, is a collection of practices to support a healthcare program. In NBT patients find healing by engaging with the outdoors, animals, and other sensory experiences in the "unbuilt world." Dr. Larson, a faculty member at the University of Minnesota and Developer of Nature-Based Therapeutics, joins the conversation to talk about the profound benefits of nature in therapeutic contexts. She shares her journey from studying therapeutic recreation to founding a program in horticulture therapy at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The discussion delves into the importance of relaxation and self-care found in nature, and the tangible metrics in therapeutic horticulture, animal-assisted interventions, and facilitated green exercise. Dr. Larson reflects on her educational path and how she encourages students to integrate nature-based therapeutics into their marketable skills. She touches on her vision for the future of the field along with practical ways for anyone to incorporate nature into their daily life.   Today's episode: 0-5 minutes: Introduction to Lifeyness and how nature supports health  5-10: Exploring the Concept of Nature-Based Therapeutics    The Journey to Developing a Nature-Based Therapeutics Program 10-15: The Role of Nature in Therapeutic Recreation      The Impact of Nature-Based Therapeutics on Patients 15-20: Personal Experiences and Motivations in Nature-Based Therapeutics     Understanding Biophilia and Biophobia, Animal-assisted interventions 20-25: The Role of Nature in Hospital Design and Patient Recovery      The Intersection of Nature and Education 25-35:  Practical Applications of Nature-Based Therapeutics 35-40:  Incorporating Nature into Daily Life 40-47:  The Future of Nature-Based Therapeutics   Follow me @book_of_lifeyness on TikTok and Instagram Referenced: Larson, Jean Marie. “A Partnership with Nature.” Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies, vol. 5, no. 2, 2018, p. 4–, https://doi.org/10.24926/ijps.v5i2.1074.   LINKS! Learn more about Nature-based Therapeutics: Dr. Jean Larson at The Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing The Bakken Center: A Vital Part of the University of Health Sciences at the University of Minnesota The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Youtube Video showing the participants and staff of Nature-Based Therapeutics!   More about Dr. Larson: Dr. Jean Larson began her work for the University of Minnesota in 1992, where she developed the Nature-Based Therapeutic Services (NBT) a partnership between the Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. NBT provides a range of services including direct programming, training, education, research and outreach in the fields of therapeutic horticulture, animal-assisted interventions, facilitated green exercise, and therapeutic landscapes. The partnership provides opportunities to better understand and ensure students, professionals and general public will have access to the most current research and practices. The unique partnership recognizes the strengths and expertise to make the best use of resources from both integrative medicine and nature-based science.

Spring has officially begun, which means maple syrup season is in full swing. But a sugarmaker a the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum says the beginning and end of the season has fluctuated quite a bit as the climate changes.

Arboretum Director Peter Moe plans to retire later this year. Stella Mehlhoff met with Moe and Dr. David Remucul of the Landscape Arboretum to learn the impact the Arboretum has had on both Minnesotans and state plant life.

I've been undertaking more native-plant-focused garden transformations in recent years, as I know many of you listening have, too. Today's guest is a naturalist with a background in landscape architecture who's been making wildish gardens for decades, both at home and in his public-garden career.  Alan Branhagen is here to talk about some of his own native plant adventures–and to highlight some native annuals for us that can play various key roles in our gardens as they do at his place, too. Alan Branhagen, a lifelong naturalist with a background in landscape architecture, is director of operations at the 1,200-acre Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in suburban Minneapolis. He is the former director of horticulture at Powell Gardens in Kansas City, and the author of two books on Midwestern native plants.

Brad Pappas of St. Louis Park performed in Theatre 55's concert production of “Hair” last summer. Now he's looking forward to seeing the company's performance of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” opening Friday. Pappas said the show promises strong actors in a beautiful setting, at the outdoor amphitheater at Caponi Art Park in Eagan. Lyrics will be provided for the audience to sing along to the title song during the encore, though the audience is welcome to sing along during the show as well. It runs through July 24. Tickets are $15 a person or $30 per vehicle with up to six people inside. St. Paul actor and director Greta Grosch recently discovered the Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra, and she's excited to spread the word about this community ensemble with several upcoming concerts. Formed in 1991, the Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra has about 25 musicians playing a range of classical and contemporary music on plucked stringed instruments. “It's what a community orchestra is supposed to be: people coming together because they have a passion for music,” she said. Grosch said she was delighted to learn that Minnesota has a rich history of mandolin orchestra. Because the instrument was affordable and fairly easy to learn, mandolin groups were hugely popular in Minnesota in the early 1900s, though they fell out of fashion starting in the 1940s. The Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra performs this Sunday at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. An entry ticket to the Arboretum is required. Upcoming free public performances will be at the Richfield Band Shell on July 26, the Loring Park Art Festival in Minneapolis on July 31, and Centennial Lakes Park in Edina on August 1. Escape room enthusiast Michael Larson of Minneapolis recommends a new backstage escape room set inside a theater. In “The Show Must Go On,” two to eight participants must find the missing diamonds of a visiting Broadway legend before she takes the stage in 75 minutes. The escape room is designed by David Pisa of Walking Shadow Theater. Larson appreciates Pisa's inventive shows, which explore the line between immersive theater and escape room puzzles. There are no live actors in this particular escape room but, like the best puzzle experiences, this one will leave you feeling like you've lived through the drama. “The Show Must Go On” takes place at Daleko Arts in New Prague and runs through the summer. Individual tickets go on sale Friday.

Carrie Stowers, Education Communications Specialist at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, previews the upcoming 'Corn is Everywhere' event at the Farm at the Arb.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Carrie Stowers, Education Communications Specialist at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, previews the upcoming 'Corn is Everywhere' event at the Farm at the Arb.

In Episode 16: I am joined by Amanda Weise, research Botanist with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, MN to discuss some of the things the arboretum is doing as part of it's mission. This includes vascular plant seed banking, terrestrial orchid germination research, and butternut conservation. In this episode, Amanda shares some of her identification techniques for Juglans cinerea and some of the management techniques that are going into the conservation of this historical northeastern and upper midwestern species. Also in this episode, Amanda shares with us some information on Rhodiola integrifolia, and some ponderings and research she's done on disjunct plant species. Enjoy.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=65399395)

Buchholz joins Amy & JJ to talk about pests in your yard and garden, the drought and what to use to keep them away.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Dressen is manager of the Farm at the Arb interpretive farm at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. In this episode, he talks about Farm at the Arb's mission, programming planned for September and the involvement of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bob Dressen is manager of the Farm at the Arb interpretive farm at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. In this episode, he talks about Farm at the Arb's mission, programming planned for September and the involvement of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

SPEAKERSJim du Bois, Kenny Blumenfeld Jim du Bois 00:00Will the carrot dangling in front of us be yanked back again? This is Way Over Our Heads. It's a weather and climate podcast. I'm Jim du Bois, Kenny Blumenfeld's a climatologist Kenny, are you surviving this smoky air? Kenny Blumenfeld 00:18I am. I mean, I'm here. Jim du Bois 00:19Yeah. Kenny Blumenfeld 00:20I feel bad for people who have respiratory problems, because it's been, It's been tough. How about you? Are you, are you making it? Jim du Bois 00:29Yeah, I'm lucky. I don't have any conditions that would cause problems. However, I did notice on Thursday, my eyes were burning a little bit. So, that was a really, really bad day. Friday, we actually escaped to the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. And it was interesting with all the trees and the vegetation, the air quality there was a lot better. So, we put in about three miles of hiking, which was fun. But yeah, this has not been pleasant. And it's been downright dangerous for a lot of people. Kenny Blumenfeld 00:59Yeah, yeah. You know, so we could just start there. On, I think it was Thursday, but at some point, last week, we actually had the lowest air quality ever measured in Minnesota. Now, the asterisk there is that, that we've, depending on which site, you know, there's only between several and a couple dozen years of record. So, it's not a super long record. And there must have been times before the, you know, Clean Air Act was passed, or think of the 1900s, when we were just burning coal, and just spitting it right into the air. And you know, everything was with coated with dust and coal dust. I'm sure we've had worse air quality. But in the modern era, and since there's been the kind of awesome surveillance that the Pollution Control Agency has, this was the lowest. It was measured up at, I believe it was Brainerd, and it was 422 micrograms of particulate matter per cubic meter of air. And that's a very high concentration that would be unhealthy for everyone. And especially, you know, of course, sensitive groups would be especially affected but, and on that day, we were hearing from people in northern Minnesota, because colleagues across the state, were saying, yeah, I just took my dog outside, and I had to come back in because the air was so acrid, and it was burning my eyes, and I couldn't catch my breath. My younger son, Jim, is one of those kind of bulletproof young teenagers who, you know, does everything and is super active, and he and his friend were biking on Thursday, and we're not aware of how bad the error was. And they had to take multiple breaks. I mean, you know, things are bad if, you know, vibrant, teenagers who are not generally attuned to their environment had to sort of stop and slow down and catch their breath. Again, I think there've probably been other seasons before we had the kind of surveillance that we had, where where there was so much smoke in the air. I think of, you know, the big fire seasons during other drought, particularly in the 1930s. There must have been lots of smoke in the air from fire at times. But in the modern era, we're pushing it now in terms of days with smoke. So, if listeners think it's been unusual, they're correct. You know, you can think back probably to your childhood, Jim. I mean, I remember a couple times during the 80s where a cold front would come through, and we'd get some smoke high in the air from Canadian Rocky Mountain forest fires, but I don't remember being able to smell it the way we have been recently. And having multiple days on end. And the Pollution Control Agency's relatively short record of stats does show that, you know, the last several years have had more than than kind of the typical number of smoke days. And I think this year is going to be close to off the charts. Jim du Bois 04:03Well, last week, we had some severe weather in Minnesota and Wisconsin as well. That was last Wednesday, which would have been July 28. Kenny Blumenfeld 04:15Oh, yeah. We had with the biggest storms actually came on Monday. So... Jim du Bois 04:20We gotta go back, yeah, yeah. Kenny Blumenfeld 04:23You don't have to worry. Jim du Bois 04:24It all becomes a blur after a while, Kenny. Kenny Blumenfeld 04:26Yeah. Jim du Bois 04:27So let's talk about the severe weather last week. Kenny Blumenfeld 04:30Yeah. So, so really, it was an interesting situation, I have to say, on Monday, so we're going way back Monday, July 26. Northern Minnesota in particular was in a first a slight risk and then an enhanced risk for severe weather. And it was kind of centered not too far from the Duluth area, that risk was, and it was really interesting because, you know, we've had this massive heat wave building this big ridge of high pressure and all this intense heat kind of building in from the southwest. And we're on the east side of that ridge. So I just need listeners to kind of close your eyes and picture a clock, right, because air flows around high pressure ridges in a clockwise manner. So, if you're on the right side, or the east side of a high pressure ridge, the air is basically starting to flow out of the north. It's kind of coming, you know, down, just like the hand of the clock would be sweeping downwards, the hand would be pointed horizontally, but its motion is downwards, and the air would be coming down or from the north, also. So we had this really interesting situation with very warm humid air building in from the southwest. But the winds aloft that steer thunderstorms were coming almost out of the north. This actually set up a very ripe environment for supercell thunderstorms. And you know, supercell thunderstorms are the ones that they're kind of the most intense class of thunderstorms, they rotate, they tend to self-isolate, and they tend to kind of hog the local meteorological environment. And so they they shield themselves from kind of normally destructive forces that that break thunderstorms apart. And so they can last a while. So they isolate, they rotate. And they often end up very large and producing, you know, large hail is, is something that you find with the majority of supercell thunderstorms. Some of them produce tornadoes, and a lot of them also, maybe a little bit later in their lives, start producing downburst and straight line winds. And this, this group of thunderstorms did all of those things. It produced...fortunately, nobody got hurt. That's good. It produced the tornado off of lower, that came off of Lower Red Lake, went into the Red Lake Community right there as part of the Red Lake Nation, and then continued moving southeasterly, another tornado off to its east. These both did EF-1 level damage. So they were kind of low, lower end tornadoes, winds estimated around 95 miles an hour, and then a slightly weaker one to the south of that, south and southeast of that near Tenstrike. There were also reports of baseball sized hail with these storms, again in Red Lake and Tenstrike and near Bena, and I think that's in Cass County that hill was almost three inches in diameter. So these things were producing large hail, tornadoes. And then there was also, there were also downburst winds reported not just in the area around Red Lake, but also to the east through Grand Rapids where there was a massive power outage, and into parts of St. Louis County. So, so far, this is the storm event of summer. You know, it hasn't been a very active summer, but lots of big trees went down. Lots of large hail and then also some structural damage from these thunderstorms. These storms ended up rolling into Duluth, and even produced some damage right along the North Shore. Parts of Two Harbors had trees down, and also areas in and around Duluth so, kind of a big event, Jim. Jim du Bois 08:19And Wednesday, July 28, some severe weather activity primarily in Wisconsin, correct? Kenny Blumenfeld 08:25Yeah, that one was interesting. Anyone who paid attention might have noticed that the Storm Prediction Center issued an unusually worded to severe thunderstorm watch it was called a Particularly Dangerous Situation or PDS severe thunderstorm watch. The risk for severe weather was much higher this day, even than on Monday. And the real risk was for one of these derechos which is a long lasting straight line wind storm that is expected to track, you know, over a couple hundred miles. Fortunately, I mean, this storm, the storms did erupt and they did produce a lot of damage in Wisconsin. They didn't quite hit some of the thresholds that I think forecasters had been concerned about. But you know, tell that to people who are cleaning up trees from their property. Pretty widespread damage. Yeah, so pretty active week, you know, here in the, in the Twin Cities metro, you got between nothing, and you know, maybe a half inch rain if you were lucky, not a lot of really severe weather. There was a tornado warning in parts of Washington County, so that kept things interesting. But the confirmed tornadoes were off in Wisconsin from, from that storm event. So, kind of an exciting two day period. One of the things, Jim, that kind of jumped out about that Monday storm event too, was the storms formed pretty close to Bemidji, and this is going to probably bore some listeners ,but it's an important consideration. It's really hard to see storms on radar in the Bemidji area because the Grand Forks radar to the west is over 100 miles away, and the Duluth radar to the east is well over 100 miles away. So these storms are being sampled, you know, and the beam is elevated, it's at an angle. And then when you factor in the curvature of the earth, the beam is actually way off the ground, it's sampling a part of the storm that's, you know, maybe not even relevant to what people are experiencing. This matters because on Monday, as those storms were ravaging the area around Red Lake, the Duluth radar went out, and it went out of business for the entire event. And so the forecasters, it's like they were missing, you know, their dominant eye. I mean, so now you're, so you're trying to track severe thunderstorms that are moving into the area of your responsibility, your principal piece of technology is down. It's an area that's not particularly heavily populated, so there aren't a lot of spotters. The visibility's not great. You're coming up on dusk anyway, So it's kind of dangerous to spot. So, the Duluth Weather Service office was doing this while significantly impaired. And I think they're just thankful that the storms didn't have some really nasty tricks up their sleeves, because, you know, it would have been virtually impossible for them to detect a tornado on the ground, given that there was no radar capability within 150 miles of them. Jim du Bois 11:32Well, Kenny, we just wrapped up July, the second month of meteorological summer, and some pretty interesting stats. Not surprisingly, it was warm and dry. Kenny Blumenfeld 11:43Yeah, I mean, we're still waiting for the final stats to come in from around the state. Those will come in probably early next week where we have the sort of statewide average for precipitation. But this is almost certain to be one of the 10 driest July's on record. Some stations, it's even higher up on the list. You know, the Twin Cities and St. Cloud didn't even get an inch of precipitation. And remember, normal, normally, you get an inch of precipitation in a week during the summer. And so if you can't even pull together an inch of precipitation for an entire month, that's a really dry month. So, it was dry. You know, people are gonna remember it as being hot. I mean, the Twin Cities had 90 degrees or higher ten times. But honestly, it wasn't that warm of a month. We only ended up, depending on the station, I think International Falls probably takes the cake for major stations was, you know, closer to three degrees warmer than normal. Twin Cities area was, came in at 1.7 degrees above normal. It's not a top 10 July for warmth at all, anywhere in the state. It's just a warm, generally warm July. And that's because we actually, though it's hard to remember, we had some mornings in the middle of the month, that were actually really cool, where, you know, temperatures fell into the 40s in parts of the state in the 50s. And central and southern Minnesota had a couple really kind of pleasant mornings and a couple of days that were cooler than the historical averages. So, once you factor that in to the kind of spate of above normal temperatures, we had, we just end up you know, a little bit above normal. One thing, Jim, you know, you talked about the smoke, is that smoke was also suppressing temperatures. So, it was keeping us from getting too hot. So, you know, there were times last week where we had widespread 90s in the state. And I think without the smoke, we would have been even hotter than that. So, you know, it's not anyone's favorite thing to have around. But the one benefit of the smoke, is it's been keeping us from being a lot hotter, I think July would have been, you know, potentially one to two degrees warmer, on average, if we hadn't had that smoke around, because instead of having 92 for a high, you know, some place would have had 97 or 98. I mean, it was really having an effect, especially on the high temperatures. Jim du Bois 14:11And Kenny, drought conditions continue to worsen Minnesota and no real relief in sight, correct? Kenny Blumenfeld 14:18That is true, you know, because the drought is now so well established. Much of the state is, you know, closing in on ten inches behind normal precipitation for the year. Many areas are just five inches behind just in the last two months. So, it's going to take a lot to pull us out, so there isn't any one rainfall event that's going to pull the whole state out of drought. So, it's going to take some time, and we don't see anything that's showing signs of you know, big changes on the horizon. We are moving into a more active pattern. So you know, we do have some chances of at least parts of Minnesota kind of holding the drought at bay for, for a while beginning late in the weekend and into next week where we have the chance for some heavy rain at least in, in isolated to scattered parts of Minnesota. Jim du Bois 15:11Well, Kenny, at the beginning of the episode, we talked about the proverbial carrot being dangled in front of us. And that's happened more than a few times this spring and summer, where we see perhaps, you know, the, the oasis, the mirage on the horizon. It looks like we're going to go and we're going to get that much needed water. But then suddenly, the mirage just kind of vanishes. So, we do know there is some rain possible I believe on Wednesday, that would be Wednesday, the fourth of August, into the evening. Maybe going into Thursday, and then again, perhaps on Saturday. What do you think about our chances on those days? It's worth talking about at this point? Kenny Blumenfeld 15:57Okay, yeah. I don't see much happening that's going to, you know, for the this week, there's, I don't think there's anything significant that's going to happen for most of Minnesota. The best chances looked like to me, kind of Wednesday evening in southern Minnesota, and then maybe Thursday, getting into Thursday evening, through a larger part of the state. It does look like some thunderstorms. So you know, those kind of, the nice thing about thunderstorms is they can make it rain pretty good. They can dump out on you, but they don't hit everyone is the problem. I don't see much until we get late into the weekend. That's when the pattern actually, I don't know if you ever, if anybody listening ever reads the technical discussions for the National Weather Service. So you can actually, if you're on their website, you can read the forecast. But then you can also read the thinking behind the forecast. And you know, it takes a little getting used to but it's kind of interesting. And you don't have to be a meteorologist to understand what they're saying. But it gives you a little of their rationale and tells you kind of what they're looking at. It's a deeper look. Again, there's a little bit of jargon in there, but you get used to it. In any case, they had talked on and off over the last couple of weeks about, over the last several weeks about waiting for the ridge to flatten. The ridge out west, it's northward poking area of high pressure, it's especially centered off the ground. And it's steering all of the weather systems around that big ridge, and many of them end up going over, you know, north of us off into Canada. And so, it's associated with that legendary heat dome, and most of the drought that we've experienced. So when that big ridge poking into Canada kind of flattens out, it signifies at least a temporary change in the flow. And what I like about this weekend is the ridge looks like it's going to at least temporarily flatten out, and as it flattens out, there's gonna be a couple of kind of humdinger weather systems that track right along that flattened kind of former ridge axis. And these look like the kind of systems that can produce severe weather and heavy rain. So, at least as we get into the weekend and into next week, I think the chances for meaningful precipitation will increase. I would be surprised if, you know, through Wednesday or Thursday, anyone, any, you know, area more than the size of a county gets over an inch or an inch and a half a rain. But once we get into the weekend and early next week, we could be looking at areas the size of multiple counties getting over an inch, inch and a half of rain. And that, that, you know again, it's not going to get us out of drought. But nobody's going to complain about getting an inch of rainfall in the middle of a hot dry summer. Jim du Bois 18:50Well, Kenny fingers crossed that this time, we might be able to at least nibble on the carrot if not consume the whole thing. Kenny Blumenfeld 18:58Yeah. Jim du Bois 18:58Maybe a nibble. Kenny Blumenfeld 18:59I don't think anyone's, yeah, I don't think anyone's getting a bag of carrots on this one. I think that, I think that, you know, we see the carrot on the stick, and we're hoping. But I am skeptical that, you know, we're going to get a statewide kind of wash out. I really think that we need a bigger weather system to do that. And it's not, I'm not seeing that just yet. But I tell you what, Jim, if it looks like we get into the weekend, and we've got a real major rainfall system coming, I think we could do a show about it. We may...it's gonna rain everybody and then and then we can get all the hate mail. Jim du Bois 19:36There you go. Kenny Blumenfeld 19:37When it doesn't. Jim du Bois 19:38When it fizzles out. Kenny Blumenfeld 19:40It would, it would, I mean if it looked like we were gonna get a widespread two inch rainfall that was gonna cover half of the state or more, that would be worth doing a separate show about because... Jim du Bois 19:50Absolutely. Kenny Blumenfeld 19:50...it would be the most important two inches of rain psychologically that we've had in a long time. Jim du Bois 19:58Well, fingers crossed on that, Kenny. I look forward to talking with you later this week. Let's hope it comes to pass. Kenny Blumenfeld 20:04All right, we'll be in touch, and until next time, you take care, Jim. Jim du Bois 20:09You too, Kenny. Always good talking to you. This is Way Over Our Heads. It's a weather and climate podcast. I'm Jim du Bois. Kenny Blumenfeld's a climatologist. We'll see you next time.

We're at the halfway point for this season. If this podcast speaks to you, please let us know how. We may add your comments here.

Native plants are the original ornamentals of the Midwest! Alan Branhagen is the author of the new book, Midwest Native Plant Primer (Timber Press, 2020), and director of operations at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. In this episode, Alan explains how to incorporate more native plants in your landscape, why natives are so important, and some of his favorite plants for northern gardens. To Learn MoreMidwest Native Plant PrimerAbout AlanMary's review of the book on the Northern Gardener blogThe tree collection at the Minnesota Landscape ArboretumHow to sign up to visit the arboretumBlog Post: Three Native Evergreens for Northern GardensSign up for Mary's occasional newsletterThe Northern Gardener: From Apples to ZinniasNorthern Gardener magazineFollow Grow it, Minnesota on Instagram

Joining us today is Alan Branhagen. Author of the recently released book: The Midwest Native Plant Primer. And that's what we are here to discuss.This incomparable sourcebook includes 225 recommended native ferns, grasses, wildflowers, perennials, vines, shrubs, and trees. It's everything you need to know to create a beautiful and beneficial Midwest garden.Author of :The Midwest Native Plant PrimerNative Plants of the Midwest: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 500 Species for the GardenThe Gardener's Butterfly Book________________Check out Timber Press:https://www.timberpress.com/books________________If you would like to participate in the next Mike's Mail episode, please email your gardening question to:YourMidwestGarden@bex.netOr better yet, get your 15 seconds of fame and record your question on your phone (using the voice memo app) and send that to us! Then hear yourself on the podcast!________________And as promised, a link to our Facebook page. Please "LIKE" it, follow along and even post, not only your garden pictures, but message us with questions. Plant, bug IDs, etc. Mike loves to help out!https://www.facebook.com/Your-Midwest-Garden-Podcast-104823994541594If you happen to be in the Toledo or Perrysburg, Ohio area, please stop in at our sponsor's garden centers or visit them online at:https://www.blackdiamondgrows.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/yourmidwestgarden)

There's are some lines from a TS Eliot poem that go like this : Oh, Do not ask, "What is it?" Let us go and make our visit." If you've never visited your local botanic garden this time of year, you really should go. I have a friend who recently did this, and she posted amazing pictures from her visit to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. She said this: "This is my PSA : Get yourself to the Arb ....now . Don’t wait to go just to see the change in color of the trees (like everyone else ) Go now ! The colors of the flowers are crazy ! This is just a couple quick snaps with my phone ( which doesn’t do justice) no filters, editing or enhancing. The colors are just THAT bright and bold . I’ve never gone this time of year . I go in the spring, a few times mid summer then I wait like everyone else for the leaves to change and go again. I’ve even gone in the winter but never late late summer /early fall . For some reason I thought there wouldn’t be anything to look at. I thought the flowers would be half dead ( like my potted plants at home ) I won’t make that mistake again."   Brevities #OTD  Today is the birthday of the botanist professor Mildred Mathias who was born on this day in 1906 in Sappington, Missouri. Mathias was a professor at UCLA for twelve years, until 1974. She also served as president of the American Society for Plant Taxonomists and the Botanical Society of America. Matthias is remembered as a pioneer in the area of ecotourism. She enjoyed bringing botanists and amateurs alike all over the world to study and discover plants.   From her early days with Dr. Lincoln Constance at Berkeley, back in 1937, Matthias began to focus on Umbelliferae.   The Umbelliferae ("Um-bull-iffer-EYE") is a family of aromatic flowering plants and it’s commonly referred to as the carrot, or celery, or parsley family.   It also includes other important herbs like Angelica and Annis Carraway, and chervil,  dill, fennel, lovage, and parsnip, just to name a few.   The growing habit in plants throughout the family varies. The taproots of carrot and parsnip are big enough to be harvested as food. Plants like cilantro, coriander, dill and parsley or harvested for their leaves which contain essential oils that are very aromatic. In addition, the seeds of these plants, like fennel and cumin and coriander are also harvested for cuisine.   Umbelliferae prefer soil that is cool; and, they grow best in the shoulder seasons. Umbelliferae are favorites among ladybugs and parasitic wasps.   The family Umbelliferae is named because of the tiny flowers that are clustered together to form in amble – a little flower overhang reminiscent of an umbrella. It's fitting then, that the Mathiasella bupleuroides is named in her honor. Mathiasella bupleuroides ‘Green Dream’ is native to Mexico; it was discovered in 1954. The umbelliferous flowerhead of Green Dream has these jade-green, bracts that appear from April to June. In the Fall, the flower heads turn a charming pink. Here's a fun fact; Green Dream was a bit of a sensation at Chelsea 2006. Over the course of Matthias‘s career she published over 100 articles and books about the Umbelliferae. Volume 26 of Madrono was dedicated to Mildred Mathias, and the tribute recognized Mathias' pioneering spirit and energy.  In 1993, Mathias was honored a s the Distinguished Economic Botanist of the year.       #OTD   Today in 1907, Orville Redenbacher, was born. Redenbacher was a U.S. agricultural scientist and the co-creator of a new hybrid of popcorn called "snowflake." It was lighter and fluffier than traditional popped kernels and Redenbacher became a household name with his commercials for his popcorn. To this day, Orville Redenbacher is the number one selling popcorn in the world. Nebraska produces more popcorn than any other state in the country.    #OTD  Today is the birthday of the third son of Charles Darwin, Francis Darwin - known to his family as Frank. Francis published the results of his work with his dad in a book called The Movement of Plants. The book details their experiments which showed that young grass seedlings grow toward the light.   In 1887, Frank shared a portrait of his father in a book called life and letters of Charles Darwin. The letters revealed Darwins fluid prose and clarity. Frank said that correcting his fathers proof sheets made him a better writer.   There's no doubt, Frank had been taught by a master teacher and, in turn, he became a teacher as well. At Cambridge, he taught students of pure science and medicine.   Frank Darwin received many honors during his lifetime including the President of the British Association in the 1908-1909 year. In 1913, he was knighted by the Queen.   It was Frank Darwin who said,   “The personal effect of teacher on pupil cannot be bought at a price, nor can it be paid for in any coin but gratitude. It is the possibility of earning this payment that makes the best part of a teacher's life."   #OTD  On this day in 1991, The New York Times printed printed an announcement about an upcoming symposium at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) featuring Dr. James Duke. Duke was sharing his research; the topic was plants for health and healing and  their role in modern medicine.    The article shared Duke's incredible personal experience using plants to promote his own good health. It said this:   "Dr. James Duke is one of those rare botanists who actually eat what they preach.   He loves to watch the evening primrose open within 60 seconds. But he also munches its seeds, which are high in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that can relieve pain and depression.   Purple coneflowers thrive in his rather rumpled wild garden in Fulton, Md. He eats their roots to boost his immune system.   To cure a cold, he mashes up the stems and leaves of forsythia. To help strengthen weak capillaries, he makes "rutinade" from violet and buckwheat flowers, lemon grass, rhubarb stalks, and herbs high in rutin (anise, camomile, mint, rosehips)."     Unearthed Words "Spring flowers are long since gone. Summer's bloom hangs limp on every terrace.  The gardener's feet drag a bit on the dusty path and the hinge in his back is full of creaks."   - Louise Seymour Jones Today's Book Recommendation: The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan In The Backyard Homestead, Carleen shows you how to produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre. Best of all, the book is loaded with ideas, illustrations, and enthusiasm.  It is eye-opening to see just what can be accomplished on a standard-sized home lot.   Carleen has been in garden publishing for many years, but she also lives on an organic farm outside of Boston; so she knows of what she writes. Whether your backyard ambitions are modest or you’re scaling up for complete food self-sufficiency, this wonderful guide helps you learn a range of essential skills, from starting seedlings and beekeeping basics to producing and preserving your own food; all of which brings an inordinate amount of sufficiency and satisfaction. Today's Garden Chore Start moving houseplants back indoors.    This way, they can adjust gradually to decreasing sun exposure and humidity. If your allergies can handle it, make the move while your windows are still open, to ease the transition. Don't forget to move your tropical houseplants indoors by the end of the month.      Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart I recently had the opportunity to rewatch a video featuring Dr. Oliver Sacks who practiced medicine in NYC across from the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG).   In the video, Sacks reflected on the garden and what it meant to him. I've cobbled together a few of his inspiring thoughts. Here's what he said:   "I think of this garden as treasure. First, it's a haven. In a noisy, crowded New York, we need a haven; we wander around and time doesn't matter too much.   When I worked at the hospital opposite the garden, I used to come in every day. Specifically, I would come in after seeing my patients but before writing up  my notes. And, I would walk around the garden and put everything out of consciousness except the plants and the air.   But, by the time I got back, the patient's story would have crystallized in my mind [and then] I could then write it straight away. But I needed this sort of incubation in the garden, and to go for a walk in the garden; that sort of thing is an essential thing for me in writing.   I think nature has a healing effect; the garden the closest one can come to nature.   The garden has affected me and does affect me in various ways; it's not just the pleasure of walking around but [also] the very special virtues of the library and the museum and the fact that, in some ways, this is a university as well as a garden.   I just feel very comfortable in the garden and whenever people come to New York from out of town or out of the country I say let's go to the garden. I would like quote a couple of lines from a TS Eliot poem:   'Do not ask what is it, Let us go and make our visit.'   And so, I think you can't really describe the garden you have to have to visit it."     Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

There's are some lines from a TS Eliot poem that go like this : Oh, Do not ask, "What is it?" Let us go and make our visit." If you've never visited your local botanic garden this time of year, you really should go. I have a friend who recently did this, and she posted amazing pictures from her visit to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. She said this: "This is my PSA : Get yourself to the Arb ....now . Don’t wait to go just to see the change in color of the trees (like everyone else ) Go now ! The colors of the flowers are crazy ! This is just a couple quick snaps with my phone ( which doesn’t do justice) no filters, editing or enhancing. The colors are just THAT bright and bold . I’ve never gone this time of year . I go in the spring, a few times mid summer then I wait like everyone else for the leaves to change and go again. I’ve even gone in the winter but never late late summer /early fall . For some reason I thought there wouldn’t be anything to look at. I thought the flowers would be half dead ( like my potted plants at home

In this conversation, Jeremy has a conversation with Jeannie Larson, Ph.D. about her use of nature, natural spaces and animals as a form of integrative medicine to treat a wide variety of health challenges through her relationship with the Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and through her courses at the University of Minnesota. Support the show (http://patreon.com/highwaytohealth)

Fragrance in the garden...   The most fragrant blossoms include:   Cheddar pinks (a member of the carnation family) Lavender Peony Gardenia Honeysuckle Hyacinth Lilac Mock Orange Daphne Bee balm     Brevities #OTD  On this day, in 1805, Meriwether Lewis was just one day away from reaching the Great Falls of Missouri.   He wrote his own brief description of a species that was previously unknown to science.   He wrote,   "The narrow leafed cottonwood grows here in common with the other species of the same tree with a broad leaf."   Wonder if he saw all the cottonwood seeds floating through the air...         #OTD  It was a little over 200 years ago today, in 1817, that a forest ranger, named Karl Freiherr von Drais,invented the first bicycle.         #OTD  And it's the anniversary of the death day of Edward Newman who was an English entomologist, botanist, and writer.   Newman wrote, An Illustrated Natural History of the British MothsIn 1869.   He also enjoyed writing poetry.   Just as the butterfly, child of an hour,  Flutters about in the light of the sun,  Wandering wayward from flower to flower,  Sipping the honey from all, one by one; So does the fanciful verse I've created Love amongst the experts in Science to roam, Drinking their spirit without being sated, Bringing the sweets of their intellect home.           #OTD It was on this day, in 1948, that the Michigan Botanical Club adopted its name.   It wasn't agreed upon very easily.   The Board of Directors and the executive committee couldn't agree. They decided to hold a vote. The choices included: The Michigan Association for Native Plants Protection The Michigan Wildflower Association The Michigan Native Plant Society The Michigan Botanical Club   Although the rest of the state voted unanimously for the Michigan Botanical Club, the strong-willed southeastern chapter had taken a poll and they wanted the name The Michigan Wildflower Association.   The matter was finally settled when the general membership voted. It's been The Michigan Botanical Club ever since.       #OTD  And it was on this day in 1918 that the botanist Frank Nicholas Meyer was buried in Shanghai.   Six days later, his family, back home in the Netherlands, learned of his death.   At the beginning of June, Meyer had traveled to Shanghai by way of Japanese riverboat on the Yangtze River.   He was last seen leaving his cabin on the evening of June 1; then he simply disappeared.   His body was found in the river four days later.   Meyer was just 43 years old when he either fell over board or was murdered.   In either case, his legacy continues; not only in the plants he introduced (like the Meyer Lemon), but also, in the magnificent photographs that he took in China.           Unearthed Words Here are some short sayings about June:   "If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance." - Bern Williams      "Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June." -  Al Bernstein      "What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade." -  Gertrude Jekyll, On Gardening   "June is bustin' out all over." -  Oscar Hammerstein II, 1945     Today's book recommendation: Sex, Botany, and Empire: The Story of Carl Linnaeus and Joseph Banks by Patricia Fara   Fara said,   "Banks provided a marvelous illustration of how science and the British Empire grew rich and powerful together."   Fara reveals how Enlightenment botany, under the veil of rationality, manifested a drive to conquer, subdue, and deflower―all in the name of British empire.   Linnaeus trained his traveling disciples in a double mission―to bring back specimens for the benefit of the Swedish economy and to spread the gospel of Linnaean taxonomy.   Based in London at the hub of an international exchange and correspondence network, Banks ensured that Linnaeus's ideas became established throughout the world. As the president of the Royal Society for more than forty years, Banks revolutionized British science, and his innovations placed science at the heart of trade and politics. He made it a policy to collect and control resources not only for the sake of knowledge but also for the advancement of the empire.   Although Linnaeus is often celebrated as modern botany's true founder, Banks has had a greater long-term impact.   It was Banks who ensured that science and imperialism flourished together, and it was he who first forged the interdependent relationship between scientific inquiry and the state that endures to this day.       Today's Garden Chore Add perlite to your soil.   Get a big bag of perlite like this oneand add it to the soil in your containers.   Seasoned gardeners swear by perlite.   If you want soilthat has good aeration, water retention and drainage, try adding,the mineral, perlite.   A naturally occurring mineral, perlite has a neutral pH level; so it won't change the soil in that way.   It's incredibly porous and it contains little pockets of space inside for air. It can also retain some amount of water while allowing excess to drain away.   (I get huge bag of perlite every year from Amazon.  I'll put a link to that in today's show notes.)       Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart   On this day in 2016, the Shady Acres Herb Farm closed in Chaska Minnesota after 39 years.   Shady Acres was the placeto go for plants and herbs for almost 4 decades.   Shady Acres was owned and operated by Theresa and Jim Mieseler since the mid 70s.   Theresa has started out with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. She been put in charge of the herb garden she recalled telling her boss,   "I don't know what an herb is..."     Seven years later, Jim and Theresa started Shady Acres Herb Farm with seedlings grown in Dixie cups in their basement.     Over time, they cultivated and sold over 600 varieties of culinary herbs and vegetables. Since the closing of their farm, Shady Acres has been moving in a different direction. They're now committed to teaching others about growing plants and they do that in their monthly newsletter. You can check out their website at Shadyacres.com       Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Nature-Based Therapeutics focuses on the healing power of nature through interactions with plants, animals and natural landscapes. Through research and courses, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the Bakken Center are working together to advance this emerging field. Dr. Jean Larson is our expert this episode exploring the intersection between wellbeing and environment.

072 Bruce Kerber—Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Digging Into the Past, Creating the Future—Minnesota Landscape Arboretum After 38 years of helping people grow through his career as a clinical social worker, Bruce Kerber wanted something different in retirement. He found his niche by looking to his past. Bruce remembered playing on his Uncle Tony's farm as a child. During his college years Bruce had worked for his dad in the family's nursery business. He also did some research projects as part of his university curriculum. Throughout his professional life, Bruce enjoyed his own gardens and especially his orchid collection. Looking to his past directed him to his future—right back to his Uncle Tony's farm, which had been purchased by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Now, as a volunteer with the Arboretum, Bruce assists with the research needed for returning the previously cleared and cultivated farm to its natural state of prairie and forest. One of the issues under study is how to deal with the imported—and invasive—European buckthorn tree that chokes out native plants. As a part of his volunteer contribution, Bruce plants native shrubs and monitors their growth, gathering necessary data for the project. In addition to that work, he donated a large portion of his extensive orchid collection to the Arboretum and volunteers one morning a week there to assist in the care of "his plants" and the rest of the collection. Getting out to do the heavy work of planting and tramping through the farm to monitor the progress of the new plants has been good for Bruce too. He credits his volunteer work with challenging him to keep up physically. He's looking forward to the near future when Uncle Tony's farm—restored to its native splendor—will be open to the public to enjoy. When that happens, Bruce will see not only the Arboretum's goal come to fruition but also the fruits of his own life-long love of helping people and plants grow to their full potential.  

063 Kim Carrier—Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Sampling the Fruits of Volunteering With more than 900 volunteers each year, Volunteer Coordinator Kim Carrier knows something about what keeps volunteers coming and coming back to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: "Enjoying the beauty of nature is its own lure. Even if they are not working in the garden, driving through the gate evokes an emotional and spiritual response. It's in our DNA to connect with nature and to support places like this." The Arboretum has many opportunities for volunteers to connect and support. With 1,200 acres, multiple specialized trial and display gardens within the garden, wetlands and prairie restoration projects, and apple and grape variety development, volunteers who like to work hands on and "dig in the dirt" can readily find a place and like-minded company. But as a nonprofit, the Arboretum also needs the skills of people who can contribute by raising funds, memberships, and attendance. Volunteers bring their expertise with spreadsheets, databases, and informative reports to assist the organization. Volunteers help with major events, including planning, marketing, dealing with logistics, and even cleaning up. Volunteers also educate inside the gardens as tour guides, knowledgeable tram drivers, and teachers for children's and adult classes. Outside the garden, volunteer ambassadors speak to groups about this treasure in their area while others use their skill with social media to generate enthusiasm and attendance at the Arboretum. Kim readily admits that the most popular volunteer job, however, is apple tasting! As a research facility, the Arboretum is actively developing new strains of the fruit. The popular Honey Crisp and the new Tango apples are results of their work. A newer grape-breeding program is also underway. No matter the skills, interests, or experiences volunteers bring, they can find a way to "connect with nature and to support places" like the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kim points out that across the U.S. are hundreds of other unique and wonderful gardens beckoning. Maybe they don't have apple tasting, but they will feed the emotional and spiritual needs of the human DNA. For more about the educational program of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, listen to the Retire-To podcast 057 with Fern Albertson. For more about the Arboretum, visit their website (arboretum.umn.edu) or Facebook (facebook.com/MnArboretum) or YouTube (youtube.com/user/MnArboretum). Check your local area for volunteer opportunities in gardens near you. 


057 Fern Albertson—The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum—Feeding Body and Soul Do you have an interest in plants, gardening, bees, butterflies, children, sharing your knowledge, working with like-minded people, having a meaningful and rewarding volunteer opportunity? Check any of the above, and this interview is for you! Fern Albertson volunteers with The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, where she has found all of those interests fulfilled and her soul fed. Have you eaten a Honey Crisp apple lately? Or perhaps you’ve tried the new First Kiss apple. Both of these, along with 28 others, were developed through the research at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The history of today’s 1200-acre premier facility had its beginnings in the 1800’s with government assistance and insistence to develop apples hearty enough to grow despite the Minnesota winters. The push was to attract settlers to the area by providing a viable economic opportunity. Today’s Arboretum now attracts 500,000 visitors each year! Thirty-five thousand of those come specifically to the Learning Center, where Fern volunteers. As a volunteer, she works most often with school children and children coming in the summer through the Y or Parks and Recreation day camps. Working with a curriculum that also meets state education standards, Fern, along with other volunteers has been teaching the children about bees and butterflies, as they observe the resident pollinators at work in the gardens of the Arboretum. She also takes children “shopping” at the Green Grocer. If their grocery list includes sugar or chocolate, for example, the young shoppers have to find the plant sources (sugar cane and cocoa plant) growing there. The lists are varied, but the lesson is pointed: Our food comes largely from plants! The Arboretum’s educational programs change regularly, inviting return visits and keeping the volunteers engaged as they too continue to learn. Fern is one of 900 volunteers the Arboretum relies on. Some, like Fern, lead programs or give tours; others help maintain the gardens or drive the trams. Several assist the researchers—like the ones who developed Honey Crisp and gave us our First Kiss! Arboretums and botanical gardens are scattered all across the nation. Click Here for a list of facilities around the country. You might find a garden or arboretum in your local area where you can check volunteer opportunities. Website: arboretum.umn.edu     Facebook: facebook.com/MnArboretum

Craig Mitchell Smith’s glass garden includes a bounty of massive dandelions gone to seed, graceful grapevines on bowing arbors, and brilliant fields of poppies and sunflowers. The Lansing, Michigan, artist has been creating floral forms in kilnformed glass since 2006 using revolutionary techniques that have poised him as one of the most innovative kiln glass artists in America today. Originally a painter, theatrical set designer, home restorer, and flower arranger, Smith followed a random road into fused glassmaking that has now taken him around the world. Entirely self-taught in glass, the artist believes that his eclectic background and skills with stagecraft influence his methods and how he thinks about his current medium. Smith’s aesthetic is decidedly theatrical, his style quite painterly. Split nearly evenly between private home installations and custom work including chandeliers, Smith’s glass art is displayed at the Canyon Road Contemporary Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at galleries in Orlando, Florida, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, and in two galleries in his home state of Michigan. His glass creations range in size from small precious pieces such as an ornament he fabricated for the National Christmas Tree in 2010—a red cardinal in a crystal nest designed to rest on a branch—to large multipiece installations exhibited in botanical gardens. Imagining himself painting a flower, Smith thinks of cutting glass as brush strokes and of the kiln as a canvas. Self taught in engineering and welding, the artist creates all armatures and frames for his glass flowers. To introduce movement, to allow his glass to be more organic and beautiful, custom-bent stainless steel and molded components are designed to follow the current. With grace and kinetic capability, Smith achieves the loose, organic qualities of living botanicals. Smith’s artwork has been displayed in locations such as Cooley Gardens and Michigan State University, Lansing, Michigan; Epcot Center at Disney World, Orlando, Florida; the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska, Minnesota; Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha Botanical Center, in Omaha, Nebraska, and many more. His largest show to date took place at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, and was on exhibit through August 2017. The artist designed 30 brand new sculptures for this show at the famed Climatron. Currently, Smith is developing new detailed sculptures including myriad orchids for a future botanical exhibition. He says: “I don’t want my work to be an exclamation point in the gardens. I want it to be the comma.”