Eventful Week at Landis, the Capital Region’s Arboretum:

Twilight Garden Party, Herpetology & Wildflower Walks Beckon

ESPERANCE, NY (06/08/2008)(readMedia)-- The spectacular 548 acre Landis Arboretum will host two popular programs this week that are sure to show the former Oak Nose Farm estate at its seasonal best.

June 14, Saturday , 9 am -Noon WILDFLOWER WALK with Ed Miller This late spring wildflower walk, will start at the bog garden and then walk the Willow Pond trail (aka The Miller Native Plant Collection Trail). With its good drainage, it should be the driest and most walk-able of trails and with it being open to sunlight, it should have the most wildflowers in bloom. By June 14, we should also have some of our woody shrubs (maybe azaleas) and trees in bloom. We plan to end the walk by taking the spur trail bridge and continuing up the foot trail to the Willow Pond. It is steep but we have planted some ferns and herbaceous plants like violets, wild ginger, trillium etc. on the richer soil of that hill. (Alternate return route available if hills are a challenge to participants).

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Ed Miller: Curator, Native Plant Collection, Landis Arboretum. Although formally trained as an engineer, Ed Miller has nurtured a lifelong interest in nature. Following retirement more than 20 years ago, he studied plants seriously with Ruth Schottman, Jerry Jenkins, Nan and Sue Williams, and others. Today, Mr. Miller serves as curator to the Native Plant Collection, which he started at the Landis Arboretum nearly a decade ago. He has twice served as the Chairman of the northeastern section of the Botanical Society of America.

June 14, Saturday. 5 -9 pm SUMMER SOLSTICE SOIREE/GARDEN PARTY and FUNDRAISER at Landis! Twilight dinner by Sweet Tooth Caterers. Live entertainment with John Scarpula and Tom Wadsworth. Silent Auction. All under the Great Tent among the rolling hills of the sweeping Schoharie Valley countryside. Proceeds to benefit the Van Loveland Memorial Gardens at Landis. $45. To purchase tickets, call 518- 875-6935.

To donate to the Silent Auction, please call Donna Vincent at 518- 895-8263. Always a night to celebrate and remember – especially with a table of friends.

June 15, Sunday, 2–3:30 pm FATHER’S DAY HERPETOLOGY HIKE Celebrate Father's Day with an enjoyable walk about the fields, forests and ponds in search of amphibians and reptiles at the incomparable Landis Arboretum! Look for salamanders, frogs, snakes, and turtles and learn about their habits and habitats. A great family event to share with dad! Suggested donation, $5

LEADER, GEORGE STEELE, Science Educator: George Steele is a seasoned and award-winning environmental education consultant and a popular guide at Landis, the Capital Region’s Arboretum. Since 1992 he was worked with a wide range of programs for children’s summer camps, museums, nature centers, outdoor education centers, state agencies, libraries, and schools throughout the Northeast.

Multifaceted Natural Jewel The Landis Arboretum is a multifaceted natural jewel. Long a destination of choice among Capital District gardeners, environmentalists, nature lovers, hikers, perambulists, and birders, the Landis Arboretum may be one of the best-kept secrets among Capital Region residents.

The Landis Arboretum includes a nationally recognized collection of oaks and is registered with the North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC). The Arboretum also is included in the New York State Route 20 Bluebird Trail, bringing even more birdwatchers to the site. The Arboretum’s vast dark sky and wide horizons attract area astronomers to its meeting house and parking field for sky-watching events

The Arboretum is central to the New York State Wine and Spa Trails and in close proximity to historic Sharon Springs. And, it is a natural stop for those traveling to the high-volume tourist attractions between the Albany, Cooperstown, and Finger Lakes Regions.

For more information about the Landis Arboretum and Adventures in Schoharie County:

  • The Landis Arboretum may well be the northern Catskill Region’s best-kept secret. With centuries of history and the riveting beauty inherent in the Arboretum’s world-class, global collections, generations of extraordinary plantings continue to impart their secrets to its visitors. www.catskillregionguide.com/articles/article.php?id=995

Experience the place where Mother Nature hits her high notes – every day of the year!

The Landis Arboretum is located 1.5 miles off Scenic designated Route 20 in Esperance, NY, a beautiful and easy drive from within the Capital Region. For more information, call 518-875-6935; www.LandisArboretum.org.