Adkins Arboretum

06/17/2026

Picture this: It's evening on the first day of Summer, the longest day of the year. You pack a picnic or your favorite takeaway, and meet friends and family at Adkins Arboretum.

The lively sound of Choptank Little Big Band draws you to the edge of the South Meadow, where shafts of sunlight filter through the trees. You get comfy on blankets or folding chairs and enjoy dinner al fresco while sipping beer or wine from the cash bar.

A poet with her vintage typewriter creates an on-the-spot, custom haiku just for you. You play a few lawn games, and snack on complimentary fruit and cheese while the sun sets behind the band.

If this sounds like a lovely way to officially kick-off Summer, please join us for the Summer Solstice Social on Sunday, June 21 from 6–8 pm.

This event celebrates our Members, who are admitted to the event for free. General admission (non-Member) tickets are $20. Your RSVP will help us plan.

https://adkins.donorshops.com/product/sss26/summer-solstice-social

Photographs by Mike Morgan.

06/15/2026

Happy Mystery Monday! 🔎 Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1?

The answer to last week's mystery is the nest of a tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, pictured in photo #2.

The nest of tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, belongs to a native North American bird and one of the best-studied species on the continent. Though tree swallows are often seen swooping over open, treeless areas near water, their name comes from their habit of nesting in tree cavities. These habitats provide both nesting sites and the flying insects that make up much of their diet.

Tree swallows are cavity nesters, relying on natural holes in dead trees, old woodpecker cavities, or human-made nest boxes. Inside the cavity, the female builds a loose cup of dry grass, pine needles, w**d stalks, and rootlets, shaping it with her body until it forms a nest about two to three inches across. She does most of the construction, sometimes taking several days to two weeks to finish.

What makes a tree swallow nest especially distinctive is its feather lining. Males gather many of the feathers, though females collect them too, and early in the nesting season they may even appear to display or play with them. The finished nest may contain feathers from many kinds of birds, including herons, vultures, owls, ducks, woodpeckers, and even domestic birds. This soft lining helps protect the eggs and young, though nest cavities remain vulnerable to predators such as snakes, raccoons, chipmunks, weasels, crows, kestrels, and other wildlife.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

06/14/2026

Earlier in the week, our friends at DelmarvaLife visited the Arboretum to learn about what we do and have to offer.

The video, featuring Abby and Suzy, can be found here:

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/13/2026

Laura and Steffi are representing Adkins Arboretum at Delmarva Pride Festival in Easton til 4 pm. 🌈 Nature is for everyone!

06/10/2026

Big changes are happening at the Shady Play Glade, and you can help support the progress.

Local scout, Zach Lister, is working toward his Eagle Scout rank by leading a service project at the Arboretum. The project involves building an 40' long, elevated boardwalk in the Shady Play Glade.

Zach hopes to raise $6,500 to see his vision come to life. To learn more and donate to Zach's effort, visit: https://gofund.me/c1b52e978

06/09/2026

Forest Music returns to the Arboretum on Thursday, June 11 from 2–4 pm. Born of a partnership between Adkins Arboretum and the National Music Festival, Forest Music is a performance art event unlike any other.

Visitors walk the wooded trails at their own pace, stopping to enjoy live music by Festival musicians stationed throughout the forest. This uniquely intimate performance venue allows Visitors to chat to musicians between pieces and observe their playing up close.

Light refreshments will be served, and wine will be available for purchase. Advance registration is encouraged but not required.

Register today: https://adkins.donorshops.com/product/FM26/forest-music-june-11-2026

06/08/2026

Happy Mystery Monday! 🔎 Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1?

The answer to last week's mystery is American golden saxifrage, Chrysosplenium americanum, pictured in photo #2.

The American golden saxifrage, Chrysosplenium americanum, is a tiny, soft, mat-forming perennial found in wetlands, seeps, and other moist, shady places. This semi-aquatic plant thrives in light woodland settings, often growing alongside Pennsylvania bittercress, golden ragwort, jewelw**d, and skunk cabbage.

Most of its growth and flowering happens in early Spring, when sunlight still reaches the forest floor before deciduous trees leaf out. Its flowers are easy to miss, only about 1/8 inch wide, but a closer look reveals the real charm: tiny yellow-green blooms accented by brick-red anthers no bigger than pinheads, giving the flower its subtle golden-and-red sparkle.

Though small, American golden saxifrage plays its part in the damp edges of Spring. It carpets wet ground in quiet colonies, adding early-season color and texture to places where water seeps, shade gathers, and the growing season begins before the canopy closes overhead.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

06/03/2026

Every first Saturday of the month at 11 am, a representative from Delmarva Pride Center leads a guided Pride Nature Walk on the trails of Adkins Arboretum.

These free walks are open to LGBTQ+ adults, teens, parents, and allies and last about an hour.

You can register in advance or just drop-in: https://adkins.donorshops.com/product/PNW060626/pride-nature-walk-june-6-2026

06/01/2026

Happy Mystery Monday! 🔎 Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1?

The answer to last week's mystery is purple bee balm, Monarda fistulosa, pictured in photo #2.

Purple bee balm, Monarda fistulosa, is a native wildflower in the mint family. Its common name refers to its historical use as a soothing treatment for bee stings. Extract from bee balm is a common ingredient in perfumes and it is an edible plant.

Bee balm is a favorite flower among hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and hummingbird moths. In the Fall and Winter, birds are attracted to its seed heads as a source of food.

To harvest bee balm seeds, wait until late Fall, or until the petals have dropped off entirely. The cone should be completely brown and crisp.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.