Van der Brohe Arboretum

06/20/2026

It's a lovely morning to have some Barnwood Coffee at the Arboretum!

06/12/2026

Did You Know: the Van der Brohe Arboretum is an e-Bird hot spot! With over 140+ bird species identified on our site, there's plenty of feathered friends to spot on any walk.

Don't know your birds? There's an app for that! The Free Merlin Bird ID app is a great way to identify the birds on your walk, like this sample from a recent loop around our trails that captured 20 different birds in total! (Info on the app here: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org)

Create a free account and add your birds to our eBird list! Check it out here: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L13731461?yr=curM

06/11/2026

There's still time to sign up for our workshop TONIGHT at 6 p.m. It's supposed to 🌧️ and we have a fully operational building so why not use that as an excuse to get out of the house?

Register here:

6 p.m. June 11 / The Science of Healthy Soils Understand the physical, chemical, and biological factors that affect soil quality and health and how to improve soil quality in your garden and landscape. Workshop is hosted by Allen Pyle, Horticulture Outreach Specialist of UW-Madison Extension. This w...

06/10/2026

We are so incredibly thank you to Barnwood Coffee Company for partnering to support our mission!

💵 $1 from every bag (or K-Cup box) will go directly back to the Arboretum to help us continue in our efforts to help the birds!

We are just in love with the name Barnwood Coffee Company gave our roast: Joya oculta or "hidden gem" to honor the community treasure that Van der Brohe Arboretum is to this community.

Here's a description of the coffee roast from Barnwood:

☕ This lovely, medium roasted coffee, has notes of toffee, praline, and mellow fresh citrus zest; with a juicy citric acidity and a candy-like sweetness.

A portion of the proceeds from every bag sold will not only support the Van der Brohe Arboretum's mission, but the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's mission as well.

Order your bag at this link: https://barnwoodcoffeecompany.com/shop-coffee/ols/products/xn--barnwood-bird-friendly-joya-oculta-hidden-gem-z2b

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Barnwood will be joining us on select Saturdays this summer with brewed coffee and roasted bags for sale. They'll be in the parking lot, so you can grab a cup of joe and hit the trails to hang out with the birds!

Check out the rest of the schedule here: https://vdbarboretum.org/select-saturdays-coffee-w-the-birds/

06/05/2026

Thank you so much to the students at the Two Rivers High School for their hard work to bring this memorial bench to life. From start to finish, this crew really made this dream a reality.

We also added a touch of garden art to accentuate the symbol on the bench. We would love to talk to anyone interested in helping us add more art to the grounds - big or small. Just reach out to [email protected] to discuss your ideas!

06/03/2026

Our Propagation Center is fully functioning! Water to the building was the last piece of the puzzle, and we now can officially flush, rinse, wash - you name it 🚽🚿🧼 Excited to stay busy in the PC during the 2026 season, and to share more about what has been going on here!

05/31/2026

Kick off your summer with a membership to the Green Guardians Society. Members keep the grounds and trails beautiful and free for all to enjoy. By becoming a member, you are showcasing your commitment to ...

🌻Environmental conservation

🦌 Wildlife preservation

📗Education

👒 Artistic Appreciation

Memberships are a vital piece of our annual operating budget, and allow us to maintain the gardens in a beautiful state all summer long.

Learn more and sign up here: https://givebutter.com/vdbamember

05/30/2026

Struggling to get things to grow in your garden? Generally looking for a better understanding of your yard’s health? Our workshop might just be the ticket!

JOIN US at 6 p.m. June 11 for the Science of Healthy Soils by Allen Pyle, Horticulture Outreach Specialist of UW-Madison Extension. The program will help participants understand the physical, chemical, and biological factors that affect soil quality and health and how to improve soil quality in your garden and landscape.

Workshop fee of $7 helps the Arboretum continue to plan and coordinate this and other wonderful community events!

Register today: https://givebutter.com/scienceofsoils

05/28/2026

Brian Henrickson, VDBA Board Secretary, oversees our Nest Box Program with students from the Two Rivers High School. He recently published this wonderful recap article now available on our blog. Below are some highlights from the season!

2026 Spring occupancy of the 24 onsite Nest Boxes:
🪺Eastern Bluebirds have occupied 5 nest boxes (21%)
🥚Tree Swallows have occupied 6 nest boxes (25%)
🪶House Wrens have occupied 7 nest boxes (29%)
🪺Black-capped Chickadee have occupied 1 nestbox (0.04%)
🥚House Sparrows have occupied 1 nestbox (0.04%)
🪶Only 2 nest boxes are still empty (8%)

🌟🌟 Results show 22/24 (92%) nests were occupied by cavity nesters!

Read the blog ➡️ https://vdbarboretum.org/feathered-lives-at-the-arboretum/

05/21/2026