Programs, Workshops & Walks

A note about our programs:
We hold most programs rain, snow, or shine, unless we notify you otherwise. If you cancel your registration seven days or more prior to the program date, we’ll refund your fee in full. If you cancel within seven days of the program date, we are unable to refund your fee. If the Foundation of the State Arboretum cancels a program for any reason, we will refund your fee in full. Programs open to children/youth require an adult to attend with them and the adult is responsible for their supervision for the duration of the program. Advance registration is required for all programs. Space is limited.

Blandy Field Notes: Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers

5:30-6:30 PM Thursday, April 10th

Blandy Field Notes is a new monthly program series (second Thursday of the month) where you can join the arboretum’s curators in the field for a deep dive into fascinating plants and ecological phenomena. Each session will involve close observations of specific plants or animals, guided by experts in botany and ecology. This program is aimed at naturalists of all skill levels and will take place in an informal, outdoor setting in which discussion is encouraged. Join us as we follow our curiosity about the natural world – we’ll see you in the field!

For April’s Field Notes, we’ll venture into the woodland area of the native plant trail and take a close look at forest-adapted spring ephemeral wildflowers. Participants will learn all about their ecology, evolution, growth strategies and more!

What to expect: An informal outdoor program with a talk and an activity.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and older, but all are welcome. No pets, please!

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle.

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk

Registration required.

Spring Wildflower Walk at Blandy

5:30-7:00 PM Thursday, April 17th

Discover Virginia’s spring wildflowers! Tour the woodland section of the

Native Plant Trail with Blandy’s Assistant Curator Jack Monsted. Scout for trilliums, bluebells, and other “spring beauties” as you learn all about the natural history of these fascinating flowers.

What to expect: We will walk ~0.5 miles over lawn and mulch paths, with frequent stops to observe flowers.

Who can come: Adults and children aged 8 and up. No pets, please!

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle. If you’d like, bring materials to take notes and a favorite wildflower field guide or smartphone identification app (e.g., iNaturalist).

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.

Registration required.

Neotropical Migrants Bird Walk

8:00-10:00 AM Friday, April 18th

Spring (migration) has sprung! Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr in search of early breeding warblers (e.g., Pine, Yellow, Palm, and Yellow-rumped) and other neotropical migrants.

What to expect: We will walk ~1.5 miles over lawn and gravel paths with gently rolling terrain.

Who can come: Adults and children aged 12 and up. No pets, please!

What to bring: Dress for the weather. Wear comfortable walking shoes that can withstand a bit of early morning dew on the grass. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.

Registration required.

Wildflower Walk at the G. R. Thompson Wildlife Management Area (Linden, VA)

1:00-3:00 PM Tuesday, April 29th

Learn to recognize our spring wildflowers in their native habitat. Scout for trilliums, orchids, and other spring wildflowers alongside Blandy’s Assistant Curator for the Native Plant Trail Jack Monsted.

What to expect: We will walk ~1.5 on hiking trails with occasional steep uphill and downhill sections, stopping frequently to observe flowers.

Who can come: Adults and children aged 12 and up. No pets, please!

Where to meet: Meet at the Thompson Wildlife Management Area Trillium Parking Lot (directions provided following registration).

Registration required.

Peak of Spring Migration Bird Walk

8:00-10:00 AM Friday, May 2nd

We’re close to the peak of spring migration! Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr to spy on neotropical migrants. We hope to see vireos, wrens, gnatcatchers, orioles, buntings, grosbeaks, and more!

What to expect: We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and up.

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.

Registration required.

Blandy Field Notes: Flowering Trees

5:30-6:30 PM Thursday, May 8th

For May’s session, we’ll be diving into the biology of flowering trees. We’ll be taking a very close look at different flowers and discussing how they evolved to attract different types of pollinators.

What to expect: An informal outdoor program with a talk and an activity.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and older, but all are welcome. No pets, please!

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle.

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.

Registration required.

Bonus Walk: Peak of Spring Migration Bird Walk

8:00-10:00 AM Friday, May 9th

Birding in May is pretty great around here, so we’re offering this program twice! Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr to spy on neotropical migrants. We hope to see vireos, wrens, gnatcatchers, orioles, buntings, grosbeaks, and more!

What to expect: We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and up.

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.

Registration required.

Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor): What 20 years of Shenandoah Audubon/Blandy Trail Technician Data (A Citizen Science Project) Can Tell Us About Climate Change

6:00-7:30 PM Thursday, May 15th

During time meandering Blandy grounds, you've undoubtedly encountered many of the 132 bird houses erected for the purpose of providing habitat for our native, cavity-nesting birds. For the past 20 years, trained and highly dedicated volunteers have monitored the nestboxes and collected consistent nesting data for Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, House Wrens and Carolina Chickadees. Data suggests the migrating Tree Swallows are arriving earlier and earlier each spring.

Join us for a special program co-hosted by The Northern Shenandoah Valley Audubon Society and Blandy Experimental Farm to learn how climate change may be impacting Tree Swallow migration and breeding behaviors with Dr. David Carr (Blandy Director).

What to expect: A talk followed by a short walk. After the program, we will venture outdoors for an up-close look at active Tree Swallow nest boxes. We will walk about a half mile over gently rolling terrain.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and up.

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.

Where to meet: Meet at the Blandy library at the Quarters building.

Free program, but registration required.