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The arboretum is open every day 8:00 AM to dusk,
weather permitting.

There are 7 pedestrian gates that are always unlocked.
The most commonly used are located on Home Hill to the
right of the Knippenberg Center and on Long Valley Road
near the exit from the Pines Lake Drive West parking lot.

The Knippenberg Center for Education 
is open April 8 - October 31
Tuesday through Sunday, 12 Noon - 4:00 PM

The All Wayne String Orchestra invites the community to enjoy an afternoon of festive holiday and winter music on Thursday, December 11 at 4:30 PM at the Knippenberg Center for Education at Laurelwood Arboretum, 725 Pines Lake Drive West in Wayne.

The program will also showcase the newly formed M.A.R.S. Trio, with the orchestra’s music director, AronTopielski, performing works for strings alongside Ron Gardner and Mackenzie Miller. Students in the orchestra come from all Wayne middle and high schools. They rehearse weekly to deepen their skills and fuel their passion for string music. These young musicians embrace the beauty of playing the violin, viola, cello, and double bass—demonstrating dedication, patience, and great imagination. “Finding common purpose in making music together, Wayne students aspire to higher goals.

Through performance, we strive to develop character and an understanding of people and culture,” Topielski said. “We greatly value this opportunity to let music be the instrument for creating, sharing, and engaging our community.” Topielski is director of instrumental music at Packanack and JFK elementary schools and leads the After-School Strings Program in Wayne. A lifelong champion of string music, he is equally at home in classical, jazz, rock, and dance genres. Before moving into education, he pursued a PhD in music theory at the University of Chicago.

The M.A.R.S. Trio grew out of informal sessions between Topielski, Gardner, and Miller, where collaborative energy quickly sparked a shared vision: to spread their enthusiasm for strings through community outreach and to help mentor the next generation of musicians. Gardner serves as director of band and chorus at Ryerson and JFK schools in Wayne and is a cello/bass instructor with the Wharton Arts Paterson Music Project. Miller, a violist and oboist, directs the Symphonic Band, String Orchestra, and Percussion Ensemble at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in New Jersey.

As we wrap up another incredible year, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to the organizations and individuals who made our work possible in 2025. Your generosity helped us continue our mission and make a real difference in our community.

This year, we were honored to receive support from:

Columbia Bank generously granted us the funds to acquire a new tour cart for both public and private tours. Tours are very popular and have allowed visitors who may not be able to navigate to enjoy the full arboretum.

Bartlett’s generous Corporate Sponsorship helps Laurelwood Arboretum continue its valuable Integrated Pest Management Program.

In addition, we received this valuable support:

Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust for a much-needed potting shed.

Albert Payson Terhune Foundation for two SOAR children’s nature exploration programs.

Ira A. Roschelle Foundation granted us funds to refurbish our Welcome Garden with deer-resistant plantings.

Charles Kientzler provided funds to install sturdy handrails on the Knippenberg Center patio steps. The handrails provide a safe walk down to the brick pathway through the Welcome Garden.

E-news sponsors:

Carol ‘Lynne’ Brescia – Coldwell Banker Realty

Glenwild Garden Center and Nursery

Vila Verde Restaurant

Keil Heating and Air Conditioning

Broadfoot & Broadfoot - Fine Art

Tap into Wayne – News Online

Ingrid Patois – Weichert Realty

Event Sponsors:

Glenwild Garden Center and Nursery

F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company

Third Annual Holiday Craft Boutique

Our very successful 3rd Annual Holiday Craft Boutique was held on November 22-23.

Visitors enjoyed a variety of creations by specialty crafters and a beautiful selection of plants and crafts and natural items handcrafted by Laurelwood’s amazing volunteers.

Birding has taken flight at Laurelwood

It was a great year for birding at the arboretum - 60 bird species were spotted! With walks in spring and fall, our birders not only got to see the changing seasons, but also the influx of colorful singing birds that arrived in spring and the outgoing fall migrators eating up as many bugs and berries as possible before heading back to their winter homes.

The arboretum welcomed more than 80 birders this year, many of whom had never visited before. Our bird walk guide Sharon Lewis not only pointed out numerous birds, but also shared her knowledge of bird activity and behavior. Key migratory birds include: red-eyed vireos, common yellowthroat, black and white warbler, black-throated green warbler, magnolia warbler, American redstarts, blue-headed vireo, and Baltimore orioles. We look forward to birding again in spring and showing everyone the beauty of the arboretum!  

Volunteer News

Halloween Luncheon

Every year Laurelwood volunteers celebrate with an end-of-season Halloween party. This is always a fun event that provides an opportunity to socialize, share experiences and make plans for next year.

An IRA Charitable Rollover gift is an excellent, tax-efficient way to support Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum. It allows you to make gifts of up to $100,000 per year per individual from your IRA account. You incur no federal income taxes, and the amount of your contribution counts towards your annual Required Minimum Distribution(RMD), as long as you meet the eligibility requirements and follow certain rules.

You must be 70 ½ or older, and your IRA administrator or trustee must distribute the funds directly to Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum, not to you first. Such tax-free distributions can only be made from IRAs. Please consult your financial advisors for further information about the rules and regulations.

Gifts of Securities You can also support Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum with a gift of securities. For information on how to transfer securities to our Fidelity brokerage account, please send an email info@laurelwoodarboretum.org

A gift of Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum membership for someone who enjoys walks in nature and discovering unique plantings and special gardens, Laurelwood Arboretum offers year ‘round experiences that inspire. Your recipient will enjoy special perks, including:

Garden Network Program, which gives Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum members discounts on admission and sales at more than 380 gardens and arboreta throughout North America.

To order a gift membership, please send a check made out to Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum for $25 to Box 2433, Wayne, NJ 07474-2433 along with the name and address of the gift recipient, who will receive a membership card and benefits information.

Donations to Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum help to support the park’s maintenance, operations and public programs. Dues and donations are deductible for income tax purposes to the extent
allowed by law. Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

Donations to Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum help to support the park's maintenance, operations and public programs.

Dues and donations are deductible for income tax purposes
to the extent allowed by law.

Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum
is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Keep Our Arboretum Green!

Copyright © 2025 Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum,
All rights reserved.

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