SENSES AND SEASONS
CELEBRATING OUR 6TH ANNUAL ARBORETUM DAY
Planting season is upon us, friends! We invite you to join in the fun with us at Cypress Lawn Arboretum, for our 6th annual celebration of putting trees into the earth and growing the next generation of our diverse living collection.
This autumn’s event (Saturday November 15th, 11AM – 3PM, rain or shine!) will embrace the senses in an immersive celebration of life, featuring six “Plant Passport” learning stations, one for each of the following senses:
Sight | “A Vision for Cypress Lawn” (Monterey cypress and common oak):
Hear from Arboretum Director Josh Gevertz on the future vision of the Arboretum story, in this meaningful place of trees. Collaborating landscape architect Mark Wessels will share plans for a restoration pathway design of the East Campus entry area, a welcoming future on our shared horizon. Also, a Monterey cypress seedling will be planted aside our foundational entry archway, in celebration of the Arboretum Heritage Project.
Taste | “A Taste of Heritage” (Apple)
Enjoy libations and a story or two, with the wonderful team of the Cypress Lawn Heritage Foundation, championed by Aracele Govea and Nick Woodworth. Connect more with the storytelling team of this unique memorial park, and remember a name or two from the intergenerational heritage of Cypress Lawn.
Sound | “In Concert with Nature” (American tulip)
Witness a sound bath in the shade of the trees, shared by Dana Murphy. By slowing down and just listening, we will practice gently opening up to the presence of life and wonder all around us, and listen, too, to the music of the trees themselves.
Smell | “Scents of the Forest” (European laurel)
Join forest bathing guide Benjamin Page for a playful invitation into the world of plant smells! In the shade of the mightiest stand of oaks in the entire Arboretum, we will notice our noses in nature, and savor the symphony of scents…
Touch | “Touching Trees” (European beech)
Who’s up for a tree scavenger hunt?? Find a seedling on a short wander through the garden, and learn from nurseryman Dave Teuschler about the tending of the shoots and the roots of the youngest wooden ones. As a special part of our tree planting celebration, you may bring a young tree home with you, and perhaps plant it in a place of meaning for you.
Heart-sense | “Heart of the Arboretum” (cork oak)
In our final sensory station, we connect with the heart; our intuition, our feeling, that meaning at the center of it all. This spirit is held by our champion cork oak, the final tree of celebration on this day, and a host of so many moments here at Cypress Lawn. Join arborist Christopher Campbell and woodworker Stephen Hosford for an exploration of what trees give us, in life and in wood.
Also included in this free and fun event is lunch provided by the catering team of VanaMaria BBQ and chef Trevor May. Enjoy the musical magic of return guest BanjerDan, our friend Dan Mazer. Raffle give-aways of fresh Arboretum merchandise, wood prizes, lawn games, and more; may Arboretum Day be a festive day for you and me too!
To register and notify us of your RSVP, please follow this link.