2012 Calendar of Annual Events

Updated: 03/06/12

  • February 12 & 14, 2012, Valentine’s Day Horse Drawn Carriage Rides, Tuesday, 5 - 8 pm, Romantic horse drawn carriage rides by moonlight on Valentine’s Day, afternoon rides the Sunday before Valentine’s Day, 1:00-4:00 pm, advance reservations required.
  • February 12, 13 & 14, 2012, Valentine's Day walk-in Indoor Blooming Plant Sale, Frances Plecker Education Center, (FPEC), 8 am- 5 pm, shop from a selection of blooming potted plants in the FPEC, for your Valentine that can be enjoyed all growing season long.
  • February 15, 2012, Winter Ferns Terrarium Workshop, noon - 1:30 pm in the FPEC. Participants will create a fern terrarium using a covered two gallon apothecary jar. Jan Sievers Mahon, Arboretum Director, will lead the workshop along with a lecture and overview about ferns and their environment, and how to best take care of your fern terrarium. Call and reserve at (540)568-3194 or on-line at www.jmu.edu/arboretum.
  • March, 2012, Winter Children’s Art Workshop, date to be announced on jmu.edu/arboretum, 1 - 3 pm, in the FPEC, the workshop offers children’s education on plant identification as well as basic botanical drawing, all materials included in a $35 cover charge. Registration needed.
  • March 1, 2012, Frances Litten Lecture, Bringing Nature Home, 7 - 9 pm Doug Tallamy, is a professor of over thirty years and Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, as well as director of the Center for Managed Ecosystems at the University of Delaware and an author of over seventy research articles. Dr. Tallamy will speak on how professional landscapers to hobbyist gardeners can better understand the many ways insects interact with landscape plants and how their interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His book ‘Bringing Nature Home; How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens” published by Timber Press in 2007, is awarded the 2008 silver medal by the Garden Writer’s Association.
  • March 1, 2012 Frances Litten Invitational Memorial Dinner, Festival Ballroom, 5:30 - 7 pm by invitation only, a gathering of EJC Arboretum friends, donors, volunteers, JMU and Arboretum staff and faculty, and Litten family members, honoring colleague and friend, Frances Litten, educator, flower show judge, and early Arboretum Board Member and volunteer.
  • March 17, 2012 St. Patrick's Day Dinner Lecture Saturday, offered annually on St. Patrick’s Day date, enjoy Irish cuisine and brew, and a virtual botanical tour to a new region of the globe with a guest lecturer each year. A per person cost each year covers 3-course dinner, tax, tip, beverages, and a libation of choice. Advanced reservations required seven days in advance. To reserve, call (540) 568-3194., 6:15 pm cash bar opens, dinner served 6:30 pm, lecture 7:30 pm, FPEC
  • March 17, 2012, St Patrick’s Live Highland Pipes, free public performance 5:30 - 6:15 pm, from the lawn area of the arboretum, live performance by piper Fred Holbrook of Massanetta Springs Conference Center, with a JMU student violinist performing Celtic fiddle 5 - 5:30 pm.
  • March 28, 2012, Birding Workshop, Diane Lepkowski, avifauna notable and photographer of Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley avian species, songbirds to raptors, in partnership with the Rockingham Bird Club, gives an annual spring lecture in the FPEC, noon to 1:30 pm, this workshop partners with guided birding trail walks in April.
  • April, 3, 4, 5, 2012, Children’s Spring Nature Art Camp, 10 am-noon, and 1-3 pm Children create their own spring nature journal. For ages 7-12. Children will learn about spring season woodland wildflowers including plant identification, plant lore and Native American plant culture, and basic science skill alongside botanical drawing techniques. A $35 charge covers all materials needed.
  • April 4 & 11, 2012, Annual Daffodil Walks Wednesdays at 10 am, Arboretum Exploration Series Tours with the Arboretum Director, enjoying hundreds of varieties on exhibit at the EJC Arboretum. Walks meet at the Pavilion, lasts approximately 30-40 minutes. No advance registration.
  • April 8, 2012, RISE Faith Community hosts the annual Easter Sunrise Service at 6:45 am at the arboretum amphitheater. All are welcome! If you have questions, email riseharrisonburg@gmail.com.
  • April 7, 2012, Easter Egg Hunt, 11:00 am, An annual garden egg hunt for young children with the Theta Nu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta, Saturday, pre-registration required. Phone the Executive Board of Theta Nu Chapter at JMU, to register your child. The egg hunt will start in the arboretum Pavilion. Cost, $2 per child. To register (703) 424-0287 or email: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XS95KZB .
  • April 9-21, 2012, Online Summer Bulb Sale, Order at the arboretum website from a selection of summer blooming calla and fragrant oriental lilies, and gladiolus to enhance summer color and fragrance in home and business gardens. Order pick up in FPEC April 18-25.
  • April 14, 2012, Guided Bird Walk, led by birding expert, Greg Moyers, in partnership with the Rockingham Bird Club, 8:00 a.m. meets in the Pavilion. Advance Registration online is requested, walk-ups also welcome.
  • April 15, 2012, Campus Cookies Easter Egg Hunt for JMU students, Sunday, 1-4:00 pm, Sponsored by the Office of Residence Life, JAC card required, JMU students with JAC cards search for hidden Easter eggs holding valuable coupons and discounts to area merchants and a free cookie from Campus Cookies!
  • April 20 & 21, 2012, Arbor Day Trees and Native Plant Sale, 9 am - 3 pm in the parking lot of the FPEC, with an on-line list of plants and bulbs offered at the sale. In the prime time of spring, the Arboretum offers a wide selection of wildflowers, contrasting foliage plants like native ferns, with unusual shrubs and trees, and summer bulbs. To honor those who educate youth, city and county public school teachers receive 15% off tree purchases presenting a school ID!
  • April 21-28, 2012, Virginia Historic Garden Week at the EJC Arboretum: starting at the FPEC, Arboretum grounds are open free to public, dawn to dusk. Tours will be lead by Jan Sievers Mahon, Arboretum Director and will focus on the arboretum’s bulb collection, wildflowers and flowering shrubs and trees. Tours will start at the Frances Plecker Education Center. Preregistration is not needed
    • Earth Day Wildflower Walk, April 23, 10:00 am
    • Historic Garden Week tour, April 25, 1:00 pm
    • Virginia Native Trees Tour, April 27, 1:00 pm
  • April 22, 2012, A Latte` Jive, Alzheimer’s Benefit 5K Run and Concert, 1:00-3:00 p.m., Sigma Kappa sponsors an annual 5k benefit for the Central and Western Virginia Chapter of the American Alzheimer’s Association, on the arboretum grounds, “A Walk You’ll Remember!” with live bands performing at the 5k conclusion, cool down and enjoy coffee, decaf, tea, and water served for walkers and runners after the run. Registration link from arboretum website to JMU Sigma Kappa website.
  • April 23-27, 2012, Virginia Arbor Day Elementary School Gift Tree Planting Ceremonies, Elementary school students, faculty, staff and parents gather for an Arbor Day observation and ceremony to plant a tree at their school and learn about the value of greening Harrisonburg’s elementary school campuses, as the EJC Arboretum grows into its community. Schools can apply to be selected for a tree planting ceremony by emailing the Education Coordinator on the arboretum website Contact Us page.
  • April 24 to October 15, 2012, Walk-Up Plant Sale, Beginning in mid April, and projected to continue until the first hard frost in the region which will be about mid October. Sale opening and closing dates to be announced on the arboretum website. Shop from a selection of currently in bloom natives, exotics and cultivars of perennials, shrubs, and trees at the FPEC
  • April 24 to October 15, 2012, Private Greenhouse Shopping by Appointment, Beginning in mid April, and projected to continue until the first hard frost in the region which will be about mid October. Shop from the entire greenhouse inventory of natives, exotics and cultivars of perennials, shrubs, and trees, by advance appointment only, with $50 minimum purchase required. Sale opening and closing dates to be announced on the arboretum website. Call (540) 568-3194, or visit the arboretum website to schedule the appointment.
  • April 25, 2012 - Historic Garden Week Tour, Enjoy the art and history trail of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County's historic homes and their gardens. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advanced tickets: $20. For more information, please visit the Spotswood Garden Club's website http://spotswoodgardenclub.wordpress.com/
  • April 27, 2012, Arbor Day Tree Tour, with the Arboretum Director at 1:00 pm meets at the FPEC
  • April 28, 2012, third annual RMH Hospice Butterfly Picnic, noon to 3:00 pm, grieving families and individuals may bring a brown bag picnic and participate. Share in the beauty of a butterfly release, a walk to remember, and live music. For more info, contact RMH Hospice Bereavement Coordinator at (540) 433-4430 or email: Andree.jeannotte.7133@rhcc.com
  • May, 12, 2012, Annual Spring Notable Wildflowers Field Trip, Dress for an expedition to a wild mountain location to view wildflower species in their natural mountain setting with a Virginia Native Plant Society and Arboretum Board member as guide. Register in advance. Trip will be to the Hone Quarry/Reddish Knob area in time for peak bloom. Spring field trips are a “drive and meet” event. For details on the arboretum website and by calling, (540) 568-3194.
  • May 2, 2012, Amphibians and Reptiles of the Arboretum noon to 1:30 pm, Professor Billy Flint leads a workshop with live amphibians and reptiles exhibited that are found at the EJC Arboretum. Registration online in advance. Limited seating. Held in the Pavilion. Brown bag lunches are welcome!
  • May, 5, 2012, Wildflower Walk with The Virginia Native Plant Society Saturday, 10:00 am, VNPS docent tour guide and wildflower expert leads arboretum visitors to notable arboretum wildflowers, starting in the FPEC
  • May 7-11, 2012, Mother's Day Blooming Indoor Plant Sale Walk into the FPEC 9 am – 4 pm business days or shop online from select inventory. Celebrate Mother’s Day or a loved one’s graduation with beautiful locally-grown blooming plants. Order at jmu.edu/arboretum a week in advance for later pick up at the Frances Plecker Ed Center.
  • May 11, 2012, National Public Gardens Day, EJC Arboretum, a Shenandoah Valley public botanical garden and native plants preserve is open free dawn to dusk
  • May 12 & 13, 2012, Mother's Day Carriage Rides by twilight 6-9 pm Saturday evening, and 1-4 pm Sunday afternoon, in the Arboretum, FPEC Saturday, give a special mom a memorable celebration by a carriage ride through the natural beauty of the Arboretum, costs vary per person for adults and children, and per private carriage, phone for cost and to reserve (540)568-3194 or email.
  • May 19, 2012, Herb and Garden Festival, 9-3pm, lecture, educational activities vary and may be demonstrations, ask-an-expert, lecture, live music, and a butterfly release and expert talk. Shop from a variety of nursery vendors displaying a wide selection of herbs, summer bulbs, native plants, and many other beautiful cultivar plants.
  • June 12, 2012, Storytime in the Understory, 11a.m. to approximately 12 noon, monthly program begins in June on the second Tuesday, and continues through September, second Tuesday each month. Children will develop an understanding of the importance of nature from children’s literature selections. Bring a picnic blanket or lawn chairs, and a brown bag picnic lunch for after Storytime. Meets at the Stage Garden.
  • June 11-14, 2012, Summer Children’s Art Workshop, date to be announced on jmu.edu/arboretum 1 - 3 pm, Children will learn summer trees and flowers of the arboretum. The workshop offers education on plant I.D. and basic botanical drawing, materials included in a $35 fee.
  • June through July, 2012 Summer Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series in the Pavilion, Wednesdays at noon, free, no advance registration needed, enjoy lunch and a great topical lecture. Series lecture topics will post to the arboretum website in the spring of 2012.
  • June 23, 2012, Solstice Under the Stars, 7:00-10 pm, reserve a picnic or plated dinner for two, enjoyed on a (carried in) blanket, lawn chairs, or (provided) linen covered table! Make it a wild and wonderful Solstice celebration with dancing on the arboretum lawn to live music and fine wines, outdoors closest to each year’s longest day, on the grounds of the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum.
  • August 31, 2012, Blue Moon Summer Carriage Rides, 7-10:00 p.m. Enjoy being drawn through the woodlands of the Arboretum by beautiful Belgium or Percheron teams of horses and an experienced coachman on a warm summer night in a romantic convertible carriage under the light of a summertime Blue Moon!
  • September, 2012, Fall Annual Remarkable Trees Tour, date to be announced on jmu.edu/arboretum, See the Remarkable Trees of the Shenandoah Valley region traveling with the EJC Arboretum Director as guide. Visit the arboretum website for details for this annual educational and enjoyable field trip, and to register. Every fall the Arboretum leads a guided tour to a remarkable trees site in northwestern Virginia in the height of autumn color.
  • September 10 to October 8, 2012, On-Line Bulbs Sale, with pick up in the FPEC for orders placed online.
  • September 22, 2012, Monarch Migration Tagging Workshop, Saturday, 10 am – noon in the Pavilion, with Linda Marchman, educator and butterfly farm owner. Enjoy a lecture and various activities, for children age seven to adults, along with tagging and releasing Monarch butterflies to start their seasonal migration. (Also available as a class field trip.) For more details, call (540) 568-3194.
  • September 28-29, 2012, Fall Plant and Bulb Sale, Friday and Saturday 9 am - 3 pm held at the FPEC, shop a huge inventory of Virginia Native wildflowers and cultivar perennials, shrubs and trees, and spring bulbs, at just the right time for fall planting.
  • October, 2012, Fall Children’s Art Workshop, date to be announced on jmu.edu/arboretum, 1 am - noon, in the FPEC, children will study and create botanical drawings of leaves, their forms and colors, and berries found within the arboretum, as well as plant I.D. $35 charge includes materials.
  • October 2, 9, and 16, Bonsai Workshop, noon – 1:00 each session, Arboretum Grounds Manager and Bonsai Master, Mike Hott, attend in the FPEC to create a ‘wee-tree’ to enjoy at home or office. $35 fee covers all materials inclusive to create a Bonsai tree.
  • October 5, through October 8, 2012, 9 am - 4 pm, On line bulb order pick up in the FPEC.
  • October 5, 2012, Private Nursery Shopping Appointments with an Arboretum Green House Manager 10 am – 1 pm. Call (540) 568-3194 to reserve a half-hour appointment to shop the growing season closeout plant, shrub, tree inventory at the arboretum greenhouse.
  • October 5 – 6, 2012, Fall Bulb Sale, Friday and Saturday, 9 am - 3 pm, choose beautiful and rare bulbs, plants, shrubs and trees to plant in home or business landscapes. Indoors at the FPEC
  • October 20, 2012, Children's Harvest Festival, Saturday 1 - 5 pm, with dance exhibitions and lessons, crafts, singers, musical instrument performance and demonstrations, story time, trails tours, snacks, seed collecting trail activity and much more offered at this free fall children’s festival. Horse drawn wagon rides are available for the whole family with ticket purchase.
  • October 27, 2012, Fall Color and Homecoming Carriage Rides in the Arboretum, 10 am - 2 pm, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage through the autumn colors of the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum.
  • November, 2012, Festive Holiday Plants and Evergreens Decor on-line Sale, date in late November to post fall 2012. Ends early December, dates to be announced. Bring the beauty of fresh blooming holiday plants and the scent of evergreens unto your home for the Holidays. The EJC Arboretum offers locally grown, high-quality plants. Visit late fall when on-line sale posts www.jmu.edu/arboretum.
  • December, 2012, Festive Greens Workshop, Create a versatile holiday décor piece that can be used to beautify any holiday home or business under the guidance of a floral expert. Register at (540) 568-3194, late fall when event posts on arboretum website.
  • December,2012, Moonlight Holiday and Winter Commencement Carriage Rides, date to be announced on jmu.edu/arboretum, 1 - 8 pm, reserve to enjoy a horse drawn holiday carriage moonlight or daytime ride. Horse teams are harnessed in jingle bells for this festive Holiday celebration. For the cost of a movie ticket, create a holiday memory of a lifetime! Browse arboretum website, late fall for information when posted.
  • December 21 (noon) -31, 2012, Winter Holiday, EJC Arboretum offices closed to reopen January 2, 2013

* "FPEC" Frances Plecker Education Center, found on the grounds of the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum,

780 University Blvd., Harrisonburg,VA 22807, 540-568-3194