Follow the birdsong far enough down a trail at Hoyt Arboretum and you might stumble onto something unexpected: a musician at a picnic table, headphones on, surrounded by a small synthesizer, a tangle of colorful cables, a tree guide, and a book of Buddhist teachings. He isn’t performing. He’s listening—to the wind, the light, the … Read more
One of my favorite things about Hoyt Arboretum is the unexpected adventures you encounter on every trail. Each hike, class, or volunteer activity offers a delightful detour from the ordinary. There’s always something wonderful waiting to be discovered. The Call to Adventure Nursery and Planting Specialist, Brett Rousseau, recently asked if I’d like to help … Read more
Spring at Hoyt Arboretum arrives quietly at first—soft light, tender new leaves, and the earliest hints of colourful blooms returning to the landscape. After months of cold, stillness, and uncertainty, the season reminds us that life always finds a way. Each bud, each unfolding leaf, carries its own small message of hope: that growth continues, … Read more
On a recent visit to the Dorena Genetic Resource Center near Cottage Grove, Hoyt Arboretum staff stepped into one of the country’s leading quantitative resistance research facilities and saw, firsthand, how science is helping forests keep pace with fast-moving threats. What’s happening at Dorena isn’t abstract. It’s hands-on, large-scale, and urgent. What Is Quantitative Resistance? … Read more
At Hoyt Arboretum, our trails are more than paths through the forest—they’re galleries in a living museum, where trees and shrubs are thoughtfully arranged like exhibits. And this time of year, the Witch Hazel Exhibit steals the show as their signature, spidery flowers begin to unfurl. Some Botanical Background Witch hazels (Hamamelis) are full of … Read more