Visit the website http://www.holdenarb.org/ Explore the interactive displays, frequently changing art shows or the annual Photography Contest before departing the Visitor Center in search of flowers, shrubs and trees . . . oh my! Tour the many trails, which offer a variety of lengths and difficulty, from easy to rugged; something for everyone. Walk through gardens, fields and woods, past ponds and down into the valley. Guided hikes are available year-round and are listed in the quarterly Class Schedule. Self-guided walks are fun too! For the more adventurous hiker, guided hikes are available through Stebbins Gulch and up Little Mountain, the Arboretum's two natural history landmarks. These rugged, three-hour hikes take the visitor through geologically and historically significant areas. Access to Stebbins Gulch and Little Mountain is restricted to monthly, guided hikes in order to preserve them for future generations. Check the Class Schedule for dates and times. The Arlene and Arthur S. Holden Butterfly Garden is directly behind the Visitor Center. This fabulous garden is over two acres and home to two ponds, a waterfall and a profusion of plantings geared to attract caterpillars, butterflies and hummingbirds. Summer brings an explosion of color that attracts birds, butterflies and people alike. There is nothing more appealing on a warm summer afternoon than sitting on the patio listening to the waterfall and watching the nectar gatherers visiting the flowers. Many gardens are a short walk from the Visitor Center. The Main Display Garden, is home to our Lilac, Hedge and Viburnum Collections, and is bordered by the Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower Garden. This five-acre garden is devoted to native Ohio wildflowers and protected species, cultivated through the Center for Plant Conservation. The diversity of plantings keeps the garden blooming from April through October. The Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden is a popular late spring attraction. Twenty acres of rhododendrons, azaleas and mountain laurel provide a dazzling display of color from April through July, peaking in early June. The Rhododendron Garden in bloom is a spectacular sight and a photographer's paradise. It is also home to two ancient oak trees, a white oak over 350 years old, and a red oak over 250 years old. ---------------------------- The goal of natural areas management is to maintain and ultimately increase species diversity of both flora and fauna. In order to preserve our native habitats, plant community surveys are conducted by Arboretum staff to inventory the composition of the existing flora. Wise management of unique areas such as Bole Woods, Pierson Creek Valley, Stebbins Gulch, and Little Mountain cannot begin until there is an understanding of the plant communities which comprise these areas. Diseases, pests and human threats have the potential to severely affect our natural areas. In order to reduce their impact these problems need to be monitored and researched. Current critical issues under study include: exploding gypsy moth and deer populations, beech bark disease, and water quality. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Little Mountain With its forests of towering conifers, its dramatic rocks and crevices, and its unusual plant communities, Little Mountain is a unique natural area of mysterious beauty and scientific interest. Today, The Holden Arboretum owns and preserves parts of Little Mountain with two goals in mind: first, to maintain a responsible commitment to scientific study and management of this natural area, which is home to hundreds of plant and animal species; and second, to provide Arboretum members with an opportunity for learning and enjoyment. The upland vegetation is typical of woodlands normally found farther north — a community of white pine, eastern hemlock, and northern hardwoods. At lower elevations is a beech-maple forest, more typical of the surrounding area. The Arboretum preserves parts of Little Mountain as a unique natural legacy. On Little Mountain, our challenge is to maintain this unique area's integrity and diversity, and at the same time to balance natural process and human impact. Because this natural area has a unique geological history and is home for hundreds of plant and animal species, Holden limits access to its Little Mountain property to members and visitors only with special permission or on guided hikes, which are scheduled throughout the year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stebbins Gulch Stebbins Gulch is a bedrock ravine system. The deep ravine traps cool air and reduces the mean annual temperature. Summer temperatures rarely rise above 75 F. In winter the ravine walls block the wind and moderate the temperatures. Geology profoundly affects ecology in Stebbins. The plant and animal communities follow in response to three major factors: the massive bedrock formations which comprise the Gulch, the ravine system, and the interplay between stream and groundwater. Several plant communities dominate Stebbins: hemlock-northern hardwoods on the slopes and terrace bluffs, oak-maple along the highest Berea bluffs, beech-sugar maple in the older middle terraces and upland flats, and mixed mesophytic in the valley bottoms. The evolution of geological events makes the Gulch a dynamic natural area to visit, and the many unique native species which inhabit Stebbins make it a conspicuously beautiful area. Rugged geology and abundant flora combine to make Stebbins Gulch one of the Arboretum's prizes. Stebbins Gulch is a restricted natural area, designated in 1968 by the U.S. Department of the interior as Natural History Landmark. Monthly hikes are led by an Arboretum guide. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Does the Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower Garden serve a conservation purpose? Aside from being an aesthetic and educational garden, the five-acre Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower Garden, currently displaying over 700 taxa and over 165 rare Ohio Heritage Species, is also a repository for rare Ohio plants. For example, seed from the only Ohio population of labrador tea was collected and planted in the wildflower garden bog. If need be the wild population can be restored with offspring from the original population. Saving native germ plasm is important since genetic factors enable the population to survive in a particular location. The Holden Arboretum displays and conserves rare Ohio plants designated by the Heritage Network, a program to protect rare Ohio plants. In 1997, thirty-five rare species were recorded on Arboretum property. These populations are monitored to see if they are increasing or decreasing, to see how successful changes in the environment alter the populations, and to calculate the percent fruit set and seed viability. We are also the Midwest regional representative for The Center for the Plant Conservation, a national organization dedicated to preserving rare and endangered plants throughout the United States, presently displaying 27 species of federal concern The Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) is a national consortium of 28 leading arboreta and botanical gardens that are working together to stem the tide of extinction. In 1984, The Holden Arboretum was selected to serve as the Great Lakes — Midwest Regional Garden by the newly-formed CPC. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The primary objectives of The Center for Plant Conservation are: Develop a National Living Collection of endangered species for public display, genetic conservation and research Establish long-term germplasm preservation through seed storage at a federal seed bank Create a comprehensive data bank that will assemble, catalog, and share basic information about the biology and horticulture of endangered species Educate the public about the threats to our endangered flora. The Center for Plant Conservation's National Living Collection has grown to nearly 435 endangered plant species in the program's first eight years; The Holden Arboretum's contribution is 27 of its region's estimated 100 federally listed and threatened plant species. This collection represents more endangered species conserved in a shorter period of time than any other program in the history of American conservation Brochures and literature are available on everything from the history of Holden to collection information, class schedules, landscape bulletins and trail maps. Friendly, knowledgeable staff is on hand to answer questions, give directions and accept class registrations and memberships. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Directions to THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM From Cleveland and West : I-90 East to Mentor, Kirtland exit (#193), turn right onto Rt. 306 continue on Rt. 306 to the bottom of the hill. Turn left on to JCT 615. At the first traffic light, turn right on Kirtland-Chardon Road. Travel 3.6 miles to Sperry Road. Turn left on Sperry Road. Travel 1.4 miles, turn left to Visitor Center. From Chardon and East : Travel West on Rt. 6 (Chardon Road), turn right on Sperry Road. Travel 2.8 miles on Sperry Road, and turn left into Visitor Center. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Holden Arboretum Home Page Mission Statement of The Holden Arboretum The Holden Arboretum connects people with nature for inspiration and enjoyment, fosters learning and promotes conservation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- History Albert Fairchild Holden, a mining engineer and executive, had considered making Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum his beneficiary. His sister, Roberta Holden Bole, convinced him that Cleveland deserved its own arboretum. Thus Mr. Holden established an arboretum in memory of his deceased daughter, Elizabeth Davis. When he died in 1913 at age 46, Mr. Holden left a trust agreement in which he provided that funds be designated for an arboretum after a life interest for his two daughters, Emery May and Katharine Davis. Fortunately, Albert Fairchild Holden's vision caught the imagination of his family and others, who realized that an arboretum was a long-term project and should be started as soon as possible. After a study of possible sites, Roberta Holden Bole and her husband, Benjamin P. Bole, donated 100 acres in Kirtland Township. In 1931 the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas approved establishment of The Holden Arboretum. The Holden Arboretum indeed took root! Trees were planted, collections established, and programs begun. Mr. Holden's daughters, Mrs. R. Henry Norweb and Mrs. Katharine Holden Thayer, continued their active interest and generous support. Many others have given land and operating funds vital to The Holden Arboretum's growth. In particular, Mr. and Mrs. Warren H. Corning were responsible for the Corning Library of Horticultural Classics, the availability of Lantern Court, major land acquisitions and much more. In December, 1988, 75 years after Albert Fairchild Holden's original bequest, the Holden Trust began to benefit the Arboretum as he and so many others had envisioned. His permanent endowment, together with the gifts of other contributors and supporters, make possible the development of a truly first-class arboretum. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Administration Executive Director Elaine A Price Email -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The museum store stocks a vast amount of quality nature related gifts for all ages — garden books and supplies, birdhouses, T-shirts and much more. Hours: Monday - Sunday 10 AM - 4:45 PM Manager/Buyer: Diana Lapinskas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-mail addresses: General correspondence: holden@holdenarb.org Education Department:educ@holdenarb.org