Each month we offer a variety of programs to inspire, teach and engage. All Connecticut College Arboretum programs are open to the public and many of our programs are free or available at a discounted rate with membership and for current Connecticut College students. Some programs require registration to confirm your spot. Email arbor@conncoll.edu if you need assistance.
Connecticut College is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy community.
2025 Ecological Landscape Symposium
Learn how to integrate
Landscape, Ecology and Culture
into your practice
Thursday, January 16 & Friday, January 17, 2025
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day
Connecticut College, Evans Hall (in the Cummings Arts Center)
First held in 1990, this annual two-day symposium has long presented ecology-based landscape design programs for professional practitioners. Presenters reflect the diverse factors that shape our landscapes including landscape architects, landscape designers, horticulturists, ecologists, historians, anthropologists, artists and others. From theory to practical application, the series explores forward-looking and frequently overlooked landscape topics. Join us as we continue to connect the dots between ecological restoration, cultural landscape practice, and fine garden design.
Our event this year will include a varied group of presenters from Gerould Wilhelm, who developed a highly regarded technique for vegetative site analysis; to Wagon Landscaping, a French landscape architecture firm whose innovative gardening approaches apply both regionally and globally.
For more information, go to the
Free Guided Tours
Free guided tours of the Native Plant Collection are offered at 10 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month from May-October.
Free guided tours of the Caroline Black Garden are offered at 10 a.m. on the second Sunday of each month from May-October.
Woodpecker Walk
DATE: Saturday, November 16, 2024
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
When you think of the soundscape for a forest, chances are one of the sounds you think of is the drumming of a woodpecker. Woodpeckers are among the most unique groups of birds, with numerous adaptations for their lifestyle. All of the regularly occurring species of woodpecker can be found in the forests of the Native Plant Collection, and with fewer leaves on the trees, late fall is one of the best times to search for them. Join Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, Conservation & Education Coordinator, Joe Attwater, as we look and listen for these incredible birds.
This program is open to all.
COST: $10 -or- FREE for current Connecticut College Arboretum Members, current Connecticut Audubon Society Members and current Connecticut College students.
Registration required.
Space is limited.
Registration through the Connecticut Audubon Society.
Wreath Making Workshop (Members & Public Session)
DATE: Saturday, December 7, 2024
10 a.m. to 12 noon
Assistant Director Scott D'Agostino will lead participants in creating their own holiday wreath using fresh cut greens from the Arboretum.
Bring hand pruners, garden gloves and any decorative items you wish to incorporate into your wreath.
Greens, wire and wreath frames will be provided.
This program is open to all.
COST: $50 -or- $35 for current Connecticut College Arboretum Members.
NOTE FOR CONNECTICUT COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FACULTY/STAFF: This year, the Arboretum will be offering special sessions of this workshop exclusively for students and faculty/staff.
Please see below.
THIS WORKSHOP IS CURRENTLY FULL-- IF YOU WISH TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST, PLEASE FOLLOW THE REGISTRATION LINK BELOW
Wreath Making Workshop (Students)
DATE: Monday, December 9, 2024
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Assistant Director Scott D'Agostino will lead students in creating their own holiday decoration using fresh cut greens from the Arboretum.
Bring hand pruners, garden gloves and any decorative items you wish to incorporate into your arrangement.
Greens, wire and wreath frames will be provided.
This program is open to current Connecticut College Students only.
COST: FREE for current Connecticut College Students.
NOTE FOR THE PUBLIC/CONNECTICUT COLLEGE ARBORETUM MEMBERS: Please see the program listing above for the session offered to the public/Connecticut College Arboretum members.
NOTE FOR THE CONNECTICUT COLLEGE ARBORETUM FACULTY/STAFF: This year, the Arboretum will be offering special sessions of this workshop exclusively for faculty/staff. Please see below.
Wreath Making Workshop (Faculty/Staff)
DATE: Tuesday, December 10, 2024
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Assistant Director Scott D'Agostino will lead Connecticut College faculty/staff in creating their own holiday wreath using fresh cut greens from the Arboretum.
Bring hand pruners, garden gloves and any decorative items you wish to incorporate into your wreath.
Greens, wire and wreath frames will be provided.
This program is open to Connecticut College faculty/staff only.
COST: $35 -or- $20 for Connecticut College Faculty/Staff that are also current Connecticut College Arboretum Members.
NOTE FOR THE PUBLIC/CONNECTICUT COLLEGE ARBORETUM MEMBERS: Please see the program listing above for the session offered to the public/Connecticut College Arboretum members.
NOTE FOR CONNECTICUT COLLEGE STUDENTS: This year, the Arboretum will be offering special sessions of this workshop exclusively for students. Please see listing above.
Winter Waterfowl Walk
DATE: Saturday, January 18, 2025
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
As winter approaches, the ponds and lakes further north start to freeze, driving many waterfowl species south to the warmer open waters along the coast. The brackish water of the Thames River around Connecticut College’s Mamacoke Island rarely freezes, providing a haven for many of these birds. Join CT Audubon Society’s Joe Attwater as we search for the ducks, geese, and more that call this area home for the winter.
This program is open to all.
COST: $10 -or- FREE for current Connecticut College Arboretum Members, current Connecticut Audubon Society Members and current Connecticut College students.
Registration required.
Space is limited.
Registration through the Connecticut Audubon Society.
Owl Prowl
DATE: Thursday, January 30, 2025
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
When most of us are heading to bed, many owl species are just starting their day. These incredible birds have unique adaptations for hunting at night, and are loved and admired by birders and non-birders alike. Late winter is one of the best times to see and hear these birds, as they start defending territory and finding mates. Join CT Audubon Society’s Joe Attwater as we search the Connecticut College Arboretum for these mysterious birds.
This program is open to all.
COST: $10 -or- FREE for current Connecticut College Arboretum Members, current Connecticut Audubon Society Members and current Connecticut College students.
Registration required.
Space is limited.
Registration through the Connecticut Audubon Society.
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