Linnaeus Arboretum » Arboretum Events

Views from the Summer Solstice Garden Tour

Emily Hoefs — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:06:18 +0000

On Sunday, June 22nd, the Friends of the Linnaeus Arboretum hosted a Summer Solstice Garden Tour that included gardens in southern Minnesota. The group departed from Gustavus and headed west to New Ulm making stops at both the August Schell Brewery Gardens and the home of Gigi and Scott Rysdahl, as well as New Ulm’s German Park for a delicious picnic lunch. The tour then returned to Linnaeus Arboretum to enjoy refreshments, tours, and musical entertainment. It was a beautiful day the highlighted a few of southern Minnesota’s finest gardens. Enjoy the collection of photos taken during the tour.

Summer Solstice Garden Tour

Emily Hoefs — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:28:57 +0000

Join the Friends of the Linnaeus Arboretum for an early summer garden tour to three southern Minnesota botanical treasures. Van service from Linnaeus Arboretum will leave at 10:15 a.m. for the August Schell Brewery in New Ulm. German Park will be our destination for a picnic lunch. Then it’s on to the Rysdahl residence to view Gigi’s beautiful garden creations. Finally, it’s back to St. Peter for a mid-afternoon reception and specially guided tours of the Linnaeus Arboretum and the Melva Lind Interpretive Center. Relax at the end of this exciting tour with refreshments and live music provided by the Linnaeus String Quartet.

Cost is $39.00 for FLA members, and $49.00 for non-members. How do I become an FLA member? This includes van transportation from Linnaeus Arboretum, lunch, guided tours, and an afternoon reception with live music and refreshments.

For additional information, contact Shirley Mellema at (507)933-6181 or arboretum@gustavus.edu

Space is limited, so register today! RSVP by Tuesday June 17, 2008

BPLP Earth Day Event in the Linnaeus Arboretum

Emily Hoefs — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:37:48 +0000

Last night, the Big Partner Little Partner Program (Community Service Office) hosted an educational Earth Day event in the Linnaeus Arboretum. This was a cooperative effort that focused on small ways to “save the planet” and “connect with nature”. The event was a huge success and lots of fun for the St. Peter youth that attended. The evening kicked off with a trash relay where kids learned how to sort waste into recycling piles, compost, and the landfill. It really gave them a good idea of how much of our waste ends up in a landfill and how much we can recycle or reuse. Next little partners, hand in hand with their big partner explored the arboretum on an interactive scavenger hunt that had them hunting for specific arboretum items, but also for any trash that may need to be picked up in the arboretum after a long winter. It was a wonderful opportunity for the kids to see the small actions they can take in their community. Various other crafts and activities filled the evenings time and when 8:00 rolled around, both little partners and big partners were pleasantly fatigued. The cooperative effort was both fun and rewarding. We look forward to continuing to strengthen the relationship between the arboretum and other campus and community groups and have an Earth Day event next year that is even bigger and better. Happy belated Earth Day!

Trees for Heart, Mind, and Spirit Schedule

Emily Hoefs — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:09:54 +0000

The Linnaeus Arboretum will host a series of brief presentations relating to how nature affects us physically, mentally, and spiritually. Please join us during your lunch hour on Wednesday, April 23rd – Friday, April 25th to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the arboretum. Attendees will receive a free tree sapling with each session they attend. Some lunch options will be available for purchase in the Interpretive Center. Contact Emily Hoefs with any questions (x7199)

Wednesday, April 23^rd

11:30 – “Yoga in the Arboretum” – Kari Lipke

12:00 – “The Importance of Play and Chance to Dance” – Michele Rusinko

12:30 – “Negative Effects of Nature Withdrawal” – Bonnie Reimann & Aaron Banks

1:00 – “Local Biking Routes” – Brian Koeneman

Thursday, April 24^th

11:30 – “Expanding the Arboretum – Coneflower Prairie” – Cindy Johnson-Groh

12:00 – “Birding with Bob” – Bob Dunlap

12:30 – “Geology of the St. Peter Area” – James Welsh

1:00 – “Interpreting the Spring Landscape” – Jim Gilbert

Friday, April 25^th

11:30 – “Tai Chi in the Arboretum Meditation Area” – Gretchen Koehler

(meet in the Natural Meditation Area of the Arboretum)

12:00 – “Natural Labyrinths” – Rachel Larson

12:30 – “Sewing the Seeds of Vocation” – Chris Johnson

1:00 – “Finding Musical Inspiration” – Karl Anderson (bagpipes)

October Fireside Chat

Emily Hoefs — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:57:11 +0000

On the last Friday in October, community members gathered around the blazing fireplace in the Lind Interpretive Center to chat with Provost Mary Morton. We discussed the role of the Provost at Gustavus, and the planning Mary works on to help the vision and goals of Gustavus become a reality. It was truly a great opportunity for a diverse groups of community members to ask questions and discuss ways to fulfill the vision of Gustavus. This is just one of the many ways we utilize Fireside Chats here in the Linnaeus Arboretum. If you are interested in future fireside chats, check out our events calendar.

Cleaning Up the Pond

Emily Hoefs — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:07:23 +0000

On October 17th, the Conservation Biology class pitched in their hard work, expertise, and passion for the environment to help the Linnaeus Arboretum give the Teaching Pond a bit of a face lift. In about two hours, the class was able to remove all of the willows that had invaded the banks of the pond making the water hardly visible. It now resembles its pristine status on the day it was dedicated. Our hope is that with careful monitoring and possible future volunteer opportunities, we will be able to keep this wetland pond looking as great as it does today. Come stop by and check out their excellent work. Thank you to the Conservation Biology class!

Volunteer Day a Huge Success

Emily Hoefs — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 21:51:03 +0000

The volunteer day held on Saturday, October 6th was a huge success. Over 40 volunteers from the Friends of the Linnaeus Arboretum, Gustavus employees, and various student organizations gathered to remove the Chinese elm found throughout the arboretum. All will be happy to hear that the arboretum is now looking much better due to the hard work of our dedicated volunteers! Thank you!

Scarecrow Contest in the Arb

Emily Hoefs — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:27:14 +0000

As part of the homecoming week activities, the Linnaeus Arboretum hosted the 2nd annual Fall Fest Scarecrow Building Contest. Offices, departments, and organizations were invited to participate in this fun filled event. Ten offices and organizations partook in the fun : Church Relations, Deltas, Sigmas, Tri-Beta, Dining Service, Dance Team, Gymnastics, Post Office, Peer Assistants, and Gustie Greeters. The judging took place on Friday, October 12th. The results are as follows:

Grand Champion – Dining Service for their giant chef scarecrow that was “cooking” up the competition.

Reserve Champion – Post Office for their “Pony Express”

A special thanks to our esteemed panel of judges: Naomi Quiram, Jim Dontje, Chris Edelbrock, and Paul Matzke.

Come out to the Borgeson Cabin in the Linnaeus Arboretum to enjoy this beautiful fall landscape.