Spring ‘25

Are we in false spring, or is third winter going to happen? It’s the time of year where I never know what to wear. Do I dress for the morning cold, or the afternoon heat? Regardless, signs of true spring are everywhere! Forsythia, Corneliancherry dogwood, daffodils, cherries, Lenten rose, flowering quince, and the magnolias are all saying, ‘Spring is Coming’. The trees are slowly leafing out, the days are getting longer, the sun is out and about more frequently, and all of us are excited for plants, planting, and more garden activities!

Dormant Winter Pruning

The horticulture team, OSU’s Facilities and Arborist team, as well as a crew from Ahlum and Arbor did a lot of dormant pruning this winter (Some pruning was done by these rather cheeky deer – not our first choice for pruning!). The large hackberry in front of Howlett Hall had a crack down the middle that was growing larger, and thus had a lot of work, pruning, and cabling/bracing to help the tree live a longer life, and that one of the ‘staple trees’ that we all love will continue to provide shade! Many of the larger trees were thinned this winter which should allow more light in some of the older areas of Chadwick. Hopefully, we will be able to get some more flowering shrubs back in the gardens in the future.

The recent storms did some damage, and we are working on cleaning out the brush and dead branches.

The “Keyhole Garden” in the Van Fossen Wildflower Garden

 The death of two large river birch (NE side of Howlett Hall) created a sunny spot where there used to be shade. My landscape design course is using the area to come up with a new design. In Jan they took measurements and started creating a base plan. Over the course of the semester they learned about design principles and elements as well as various styles of form composition. Our Horticulture Operations Manager, Lisa Metcalf, provided some details on what she might like to see in the garden. The last week of the semester, they will present their design ideas to Lisa. I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with!

Director Ramblings

Spring is a time of rejuvenation (or at least it should be). New flowers, birds calling, and life bursting out everywhere. The weather is cooler (generally), and the rains ‘feed’ our plants. Every day I notice something new, and watching new leaves emerge and change on the trees is always fascinating for me.

I very much look forward to working with the Chadwick team (employees and volunteers) to improve, expand the number of species we have, create walks we can post online for visitors to follow and in general continue our joint quest of making Chadwick the best place to take a stroll!

Events

I thought winter was the time of events. Spring is also the time of events! Apparently at Chadwick we are all about events and this is just amazing! The best way to keep track of our events is to visit our events page! https://chadwickarboretum.osu.edu/events

• Arbor Day Celebration. Please join us as we celebrate trees, and folks who love trees! This free event will be Friday, April 25 (Arbor Day) from 10-11:30. Enjoy the camaraderie with folks who also love trees, have a piece of cake and support the folks who help Chadwick continue caring for, loving, and talking to the trees!
• Want something to do with kids? Come to We Grow Scientists! This is a COSI Community Event hosted by CFAES and will take place April 30 from 3-7pm. There will be tours, and plenty of hands-on activities for everyone! Make sure to stop by the Chadwick booth where we'll be teaching kids about propagating houseplants. 
• Our biggest fundraiser of the year is quickly coming up! Our annual Spring Plant Sale & Auction Fundrasier! Thursday, May 8 from 4-8 will be our Member’s Only Night where members get first pick of the cool plants we will have for sale at a 10% discount, as well as getting to enjoy live music and hors d'oeuvres. The main event will occur Friday, May 9 from 12-6 and Saturday, May 10 from 9-3. We will have vendors, student groups, and both a silent and ‘loud’ auction for some cool items and plants. There will be food trucks, a place to get your tools sharpened, and quick educational demos. What could be better than learning, shopping, and plants?! I say nothing. Rain or shine (as anyone who was there last year knows).

For more information about the Spring Plant Sale & Auction, including the schedule of events for each day, visit go.osu.edu/springplantsale

Happy Horticulture!

Laura