A bright fiery pop of color in the winter garden...witch hazel. Spring will be here before you know it!

Dear Friends,

Although the first day of spring is still several weeks away, you can’t deny that the days are getting longer, the birds are starting to sing, and the snowdrops and winter aconite are blooming! As much as I love winter, once we turn the calendar page to March, I am ready for spring to come! Come take a stroll and witness for yourself the awakening gardens; every day there is a new discovery. I look forward to seeing you in the gardens or at one of our many programs planned for this month.

Until next time,

P.S. THANK YOU for your patience while our website and email systems were down! We have so many wonderful spring programs and events coming up so please check them out in this newsletter and register. We hope to see you in the garden soon!

CYRILLE AIMÉE + MATHIS PICARD

Sunday, March 23, 7-9 pm

Grammy-nominated artist, Cyrille Aimée and virtuoso pianist Mathis Picard promise a dazzling evening of jazz in historic Wisner House. Join us after the concert for a glass of Champagne and a sweet treat. Click here for tickets.

YAY FOR DAFFODIL DAY!

Sunday, April 13, 11 am - 3 pm

Celebrate spring among 50,000+ blooming daffodils and enjoy spring games and crafts, story and history walks, entertainment, vendors, photo opportunities, and more! It's our favorite day of the year and will surely become yours too! Special thanks to our Title Sponsor: The Oldendorp Group. Member registration is open. Non-member registration opens March 18 at 9 am. **Advance registration is required. Tickets will not be sold at the gate.** Register here.

VIRTUAL PRESENTATION RECAP

Take a virtual tour of our future Path for All with Executive Director, Jackie Kondel, and landscape architect, Jarrett Kest. They will guide you through the concept, design, and timeline for this initiative, and the experiential opportunities this accessibility project will provide to all members of our community.

• Click here to view the presentation and Q&A. Presentation Passcode: Ep!S%6uW
• Email Jackie Kondel at j.kondel@reeves-reedarboretum.org with any questions/ideas.
• Click here to participate in the campaign to fund this vital initiative.

Click on program titles for more information and to register.

Registration is required unless otherwise noted.

Discovery Weekends Return beginning March 8 (families w/ children ages 3+)

Saturdays and Sundays, 9 am - 3 pm

Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center for this self-guided program. Borrow a magnifying glass, grab an interactive activity guide, and head out to see what wonders, big and small, await on the grounds of the Arboretum. Each weekend is a new discovery!

Homeschool Adventures (ages 5-12)

Thursday, March 13, 10-11:30 am

Thursdays, April 24 - May 15, 1-2:30 pm - Just added!

Using an active-learning approach, we will explore the amazing world of plants and animals at the Arboretum, engaging in hands-on adventures designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and appreciation for all that nature has to offer.

Let's Get Growing! (ages 5-10)

Saturdays, 9:30-11 am

Hands-on gardening workshops covering a variety of topics.

March 15 - Create a Gardening Journal

March 29 - Sowing Seeds of Wonder!

Weekly Winter Programs Continue...

Little Wonders / Mondays, Feb 3 - March 17 / 10-11 am / ages 0-3 w/adult (program full)

Oaks & Acorns / Wednesdays, Feb 5 - March 19 / 1-2 pm / ages 3-5 w/adult

Nature hikes, stories, and a unique project each week focusing on the winter season.

Arboretum Afternoons / Select Thursdays, Feb 6 - March 20 / 4-5 pm / ages 5-8

Enjoy winter hikes, stories, themed games, experiments, and one-of-a-kind projects.

Weekly Spring Programs - Registration is open!

Oaks & Acorns

Wednesdays, April 2 - May 14 / 1-2 pm / ages 3-5 w/adult

Nature hikes, stories, and a unique project each week focusing on the spring season.

NEW! Nature Creations

Select Thursdays, April 3 - May 15 / 4-5 pm / ages 5-10

The natural world is our inspiration and the source of our materials in this new afterschool art offering! Our first theme will be Woodland Friends + Fairy Homes!

Little Wonders

Mondays, April 7 - May 19 / 10-11 am / ages 0-3 w/adult

Infants, toddlers, and caregivers will engage in active nature play designed to stimulate your child’s curiosity and sense of wonder.

NEW! Kids Can Cook: Teatime and Etiquette (ages 7-12)

Thursday, March 27, 4-5:30 pm

This program is designed to reveal why good table manners matter, will introduce the concept of etiquette, and culminate with a delightful afternoon tea. Member registration is open; Non-member registration begins Friday, March 7 at 9 am.

Summer Camp Registration is open!

Sign up for a summer of nature fun! Click here for details.

You Can Celebrate Your Child's Birthday at the Arboretum!

Fun themes include Animal Lovers, Terrific Terrariums, Arboretum Explorers, and Paint-A-Pot! Click here for details and to register.

SAVE THE DATE for this Earth Day Event for Tweens!

The Climate Initiative: Youth Climate Leaders (ages 10-13)

Tuesday, April 22, 4-5 pm

More information coming to our website soon!

THIS SUNDAY! Forest Bathing Mini-Retreats

Sundays, March 9, April 6, and May 11, 9:30 am - 12 pm

Reduce stress, improve well-being, and foster a sense of calm on these meditative walks.

The Secret Tea Room

Enjoy the spring season with an enchanting tea experience in historic Wisner House.

Cream Tea: Wednesday, March 12, 26, April 2, 9, 23, 30

Afternoon Tea: Saturday, March 15; Sunday, March 16, 30, April 20 (Easter)

Mahjong Club

Tuesdays through March 25, 9:30-11:30 am

Join us for cozy mornings of Mahjong! Includes full Mahjong setup and coffee.

Square Foot Gardening 101: Learn the Basics

Wednesday, March 26, 6:30-7:30 pm (virtual only)

Empower yourself in 2025 by learning how to grow healthy organic food for you and your family with the most efficient use of space and time with square foot gardening!

Registration is required for all volunteer opportunities. Click on the titles below for more information and to register. Questions? Email Trish Cassin here.

SEASONAL PAID POSITION - FRONT GATE ATTENDANT

Warmly welcome guests, provide event information and collect entry fees during our Daffodil Days, April 1-15. Morning (9 am-1 pm) and afternoon (1 pm-5 pm) sessions are available, or work a full day. Attendants must be available to work at least 2-3 shifts during this two-week time period. For more details and to apply click here.

CORPORATE VOLUNTEER DAYS - Register now for spring!

Book your team's volunteer day in our gardens, trails, and woodlands. Projects run Wednesday-Friday, March-May, and September-October. Click here for details.

EDUCATIONAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Assist our educators with children's programs including Kids Can Cook, Let's Get Growing, Nature Creations, and more.

WEEKLY VOLUNTEER SESSIONS

Ground Force (ages 14+, 12-13 w/ an adult)

Thursdays & Saturdays, 1:30 pm-3:30 pm

Join our staff outdoors to maintain and enhance the beauty of our grounds.



Woodland Restoration (ages 14+, 12-13 w/an adult)

Fridays, February-April, 10 am -12 pm

Help restore existing trails, plant native trees, remove invasives, and more!

DAFFODIL DAYS!

April 1-April 15, 9 am-5 pm (excluding Daffodil Day on April 13)

Can't attend our Daffodil Day Festival? Visit the Arboretum on Daffodil Days and explore the beautiful Daffodil Bowl and grounds. To protect, preserve, and replenish this stunning floral showcase, we will collect a $10/person entry fee during the time noted above. RRA members and children under 10 are free. For more details, click here.

NEW ART EXHIBIT: Gardens on the Hill

February 11 - May 23

This exciting show brings together a curated selection of works by artists from across the United States, including celebrated talents from New Jersey. Through a range of techniques and styles, each artist offers a unique perspective on the garden, capturing its diverse beauty and inspiration. Click here for more information about the exhibit.

BE A CORPORATE PARTNER in 2025!

Corporate Sponsorship is a fantastic way to showcase your brand and show your support for the Arboretum. Opportunities are available at nearly every level. For more information contact Jackie Kondel at j.kondel@reeves-reedarboretum.org.

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to our MAPLE SUGARING FEST!

We hope you had an awesome day learning about maple sugaring, partaking in our Maple Sugaring Challenge and enjoying maple syrup and other treats. Thank you to our Title Sponsor Price Group/Compass Realty and to the following vendors for helping to make this community event possible: Crown Maple, The Danish Baking Girl, Maple Magic, Contemporary Headwear, The Secret Tea Room, Pizza Vita, Rosie's Empanadas, Java's Compost, and Deer DeFence.

SAVE THESE SPRING DATES!

Fusion Tea - May 1 and June 14

Member's Only Reception - May 8

Fashion Show Tea - May 9

Spring Plant Sale - Mother's Day Weekend - May 9,10, 11

ART in the Garden - June 7

Enjoy these photos from our recent trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

@reevesreedarboretum

Reeves-Reed Arboretum programs and events in 2024 were made possible, in part, by support from:

Grants / E.J. Grassmann Trust; Investors Foundation; Mary Reinhart Stackhouse Foundation; NJ Historic Trust; Overlook Foundation; The Summit Foundation; Summit Garden Club; Union County Board of County Commissioners, a division of the Department of State, through a grant administered by the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Department of Parks & Community Renewal; Union Foundation; Citizens Foundation; NJ Committee of Garden Clubs; ADP, Union County Means Green

Corporate/Business Sponsors / Bartlett Tree Experts; Barth’s Market; Bassett Associates; Beacon Hill Club; Cambridge Wines; Chubb; Compass Realty/The Price Group; Country Club Services; Creative Digital Solutions; David Ellis Events; Deloitte; Elisse Glennon Consulting; The Farm at Green Village; Fisk Foto; Fountainhead Advisors; Fusion Staffing Partners; Great Swamp Nursery; Hadley Peterson Landscaping & Design; Harbour Bridge Advisors; Infantini Landscaping; J. Kest & Co.; JAM Graphics; James M. Wood, CPA; Java’s Compost; Jennifer Hinger Photography; KPMG LLP; Landmark Hospitality; Lees Peck Group/Prominent Properties; Lois Schneider Realtor; Lucid Motors; Natale's Bakery; Nexgen Sources; The Oldendorp Group; Peapack Gladstone Wealth Management; Peerless Beverage Co.; Polestar; PwC; Rosen Kelly Conway Architecture & Design; Shoprite; The Secret Tea Room; Tea & Oranges LLC; Virtu Financial; Zita’s Homemade Ice Cream