Press Releases

Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum invites nature lovers and walkers to a meditation walk through Laurelwood Arboretum on Tuesday, June 18. Enjoy a quiet time in the gardens on a cool late afternoon. The walk will be led by a volunteer guide.

Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum will offer free guided tours of Laurelwood Arboretum on Sunday, June 16. It is an ideal opportunity to enjoy the first blooms of summer in the arboretum. Trained tour guides will lead visitors through the arboretum, identifying many of the unique trees and plantings.

Artist and graphic designer Merrill Crowell will teach a 3-session series of watercolor classes on June 10, 17 and 24. Participants will learn time-tested techniques for using this fluid, transparent medium effectively. The series will cover material selection, preparation, color choice and mixing, and composition, plus how to create the illusion of distance in a painting.

Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum will host an exhibit of artwork from all 14 Wayne Township public school students in kindergarten through 12th grade from June 9 through June 19. The Opening Reception for the exhibit is scheduled for Sunday, June 9. The exhibit showcases student achievement at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels.

Free hots dogs, ice cream, face painting, seed planting, tours, raffles and much more will welcome families on Sunday, June 2. “We hope to welcome people who love nature to this unique oasis right in the heart of Wayne. Families can explore the arboretum’s beautiful 30 acres of winding pathways lined with colorful gardens and handsome trees.”

Environmental Photographs taken by Wayne Hills and Wayne Valley High School students will be exhibited from Sunday, May 19th, through Sunday, June 2nd. Many images are photographed on site, highlighting the beauty and diversity of the grounds. The Opening Reception for the exhibit is Sunday, May 19th.

Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum will host a Rhododendron Festival the weekend of May 18 and 19. During the two-day festival, visitors and their families can enjoy peaceful walks surrounded by majestic flowers, guided tours to learn more about the rhododendron collection, and opportunities to learn about the Knippenberg legacy of rhododendrons.

The All Wayne Orchestra will perform on Tuesday, May 7. Musicians from grades 3 through 12 will present their spring concert under the direction of Sheila Mendel. The event is free, and the public is welcome to attend.

Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum will host its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 11. This year’s sale will feature a limited number of rhododendrons, azaleas and pieris ornamental evergreens obtained from R. F. DeMarco Nursery, where Laurelwood’s founders, John and Dorothy Knippenberg, purchased rhododendron and azalea plant plugs for their nursery.

On Thursday, April 25, Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum will host Botany, Books and Buds, the first in a series of monthly book club gatherings to discuss garden-related books. Botany, Books and Buds will be held the fourth Thursday of each month from April through October.

The fourth week in April includes both Earth Day and Arbor Day. Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum invites adults and children of all ages to celebrate these events at a special Arbor Day weekend. On Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28, free native New Jersey tree saplings will be given to arboretum visitors.

Photos and names of volunteers with 1,000 hours of service over 12 years and volunteers who logged 100 hours or more in 2018.