Events Calendar

FREE
Advance registration required. Click here to register online.

Throughout the month of May, art collective-in-residence Open Kitchen (OK) will gather around a pedagogically speculative installation celebrating spring ephemera. A rotation of ceramic sculptures and wares will accompany three public courses coinciding with a forthcoming publication, The False Expectations of Food; stories and recipes from one ruin to another.

Course One: The False Expectations of Food, Introduction/Reading
In OK’s research as Lynden artists-in-residence, collective members work towards a field guide that explores our everyday relationships to what we eat. We ask ourselves, what do we expect from food amidst a seemingly disastrous constellation of social, cultural, technological, political, economic, and environmental conditions creeping into our digestive ways?

Fee: $85/$80 for Lynden members/$50 for MBS members. Fee includes a juniper bonsai tree, all supplies, a one-year individual membership in the Milwaukee Bonsai Society (for non-members), and free registration for a repotting class.
Registration: Space is limited; advance registration required. Register by phone at 414-446-8794.

Bonsai is living sculpture. Unlike traditional sculpture however, it changes from day to day, season to season, and year to year. Because it is never finished, it celebrates all of nature: its cycles, its harshness, its resilience, and its balance. Bonsai is for people who enjoy art, nature, trees, gardening, and sculpture. It combines the principles of design with the science of horticulture.

In this hands-on workshop, members of the Milwaukee Bonsai Society will teach you the basic techniques of styling a juniper bonsai tree. We will also discuss proper care of your bonsai. As a new member of the Milwaukee Bonsai Society, you will have access to knowledgeable members to help you care for your tree after the workshop. Your tree will need time to rest before moving to the next step: repotting. The cost of the repotting class, and a new pot, is included in the cost of this first workshop. The repotting class will be scheduled for spring 2023.

If you wish to document your tree’s progress, bring your camera. Bring an apron or wear appropriate clothing, and bring a bag lunch/beverages, if you like.

Fee: $10/$5 members. Space is limited; advance registration required. Click here to register. Please note: online registration closes for each session the Friday before. You can register by phone at 414-446-8794 or in person day-of.

Join birder Chuck Stebelton the second Sunday (usually) of each month for a small-group, socially distanced bird walk on the grounds. Keeping to the perimeter of the garden, we’ll watch for seasonal migrants and resident bird species and seek out the best bird habitats to identify as many species as we can. Please dress for the weather and plan to walk in varied terrain. Bring your binoculars if you have them; no previous birding experience required. In the winter months (January-March), the walk begins at 10 am. In the spring, the walk begins at 8:30 am.

About the Artist

Chuck Stebelton is author of An Apostle Island (Oxeye Press, forthcoming) and two previous full-length collections of poetry. As a birder and Wisconsin Master Naturalist volunteer he has offered interpretive hikes for conservancy groups and arts organizations including Friends of Cedarburg Bog, Milwaukee Audubon Society, Woodland Pattern Book Center, Friends of Lorine Niedecker, and the Lynden Sculpture Garden. He edits Partly Press for Lynden Sculpture Garden and is currently a participant in Lynden's residency program.

2023 Summer Session (June 6-August 29): Tuesdays, 10:30 am-11:30 am
2023 Fall Session (September 5-December 19:) Select Tuesdays, 10:30 am-11:30 am

Tuesdays in the Garden, designed for children aged 1-3, provides a nurturing environment where children’s curiosity and wonder are extended through play and exploration, and children and their caregivers learn and discover side-by-side. Join art educators Claudia Orjuela and Denice Niebuhr for hands-on art making and all-senses-engaged exploration of the outdoor world at Lynden. We’ll consider different themes, each designed to connect Lynden’s environment with children’s interests. We will encourage experimentation and the manipulation of art and natural materials to tell stories, solve problems, and develop relationships.

Fee: $16/$12 members for one adult and one child.
Registration: Group size is limited; advance registration is required. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration does not guarantee admission. Once we receive your completed registration form, we will follow up via e-mail with an invoice for payment – or a notification that you've been added to the waitlist – and a confirmation after payment is received. Register online now.

To view a list of the session themes, click here.

January-May: Reyna Grande's The Distance Between Us. Click here for more information.
June-September: Saeed Teebi's Her First Palestinian. Click here for more information.
October-December: Beth Nguyen's Owner Of A Lonely Heart: A Memoir. Click here for more information.

Fee: Free.
Registration: This discussion takes place via Zoom; advance registration required. Click here to register.

The Lynden/HOME Refugee Steering Committee book discussion group, moderated by Lynden’s Kim Khaira, is for those interested in firsthand accounts of displacement. We consider works of non-fiction and fiction, including autobiographical and semi-autobiographical works, by writers who have faced or are facing forced displacement as refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. Where stories of persecution, historical trauma, and loss of livelihood are effortlessly conveyed by storytellers, journalists, and humanitarians who search out or stumble upon the lives of refugees, we seek out the words of those to whom these stories belong: the narrators who are the closest to their own stories, and the stories of their people, friends, family and, of course, refugees. Newcomers always welcome!

FREE

Visitors are welcome to stop by the bonsai patio to observe world-class bonsai artist Suthin Sukosolvisit as he conducts a workshop for the bonsai volunteers who staff the pavilion at Lynden. Suthin, the artistic director of the Milwaukee Bonsai Foundation, will focus on refinement of the exhibit bonsai: the skills to keep “finished” trees looking their best are very different from those needed to develop a new bonsai. Born in Thailand, Suthin and his wife operate the Royal Bonsai Garden in Stoughton, Massachusetts.

To learn more about Suthin Sukosolvisit, watch this video from last year's visit: https://vimeo.com/705500114

FREE

Registration is closed. To be added to the waitlist, email staff@lyndensculpturegarden.org. Please include your name and the number of attendees.

Throughout the month of May, art collective-in-residence Open Kitchen (OK) will gather around a pedagogically speculative installation celebrating spring ephemera. A rotation of ceramic sculptures and wares will accompany three public courses coinciding with a forthcoming publication, The False Expectations of Food; stories and recipes from one ruin to another.

Course Two: Early Lessons in Beekeeping
In preparation for (and eager anticipation of!) a new learning branch at the Lynden Sculpture Garden —the Lynden Apiary— Open Kitchen collective members Rudy and Alan Medina will lecture informally on the many (and one) way/s of beekeeping. The lecture will drift from one imagination to another across histories and peoples, into the curious and generous patterns of bees.

Fee: $20/$16 members
Registration: Registration is closed.

Join horticulturist Justine Miller on a plant walk through Lynden's grounds with a primary focus on Wisconsin native spring ephemerals. These plants are the earliest flowers to bloom and keep their growing season brief as they take advantage of full sunlight in the bare woods. Participants will learn about their ecology, cultivation, and how they can promote these beautiful species in their own yards.

About Justine Miller
Justine Miller is a horticulturist with a background in landscape design and public gardens. As a designer her emphasis is on the utilization of Wisconsin-native plants, recreating natural communities or in combination with nonnative specimens, to create beautiful and ecologically functional gardens. She currently works as the Desert Dome Horticulturist at the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory.

Fee: Free.
Registration: Advance registration required. Click here to register online. Work days are weather dependent.

Join the Lynden land team—Kyle Welna, Alyx Christensen, and Annalesa Albright--for a volunteer work day on the grounds. The Lynden Sculpture Garden is transforming its natural habitats and formal landscapes into sustainable and diverse ecosystems that highlight the natural beauty inherent in them. The Lynden's goal is to steward healthy habitats for an array of native plants and wildlife while adding a vibrant mosaic of color and texture to this sculptural landscape through every season.

With over 40 acres and more than half a dozen specialized garden spaces, the Lynden provides many volunteer and learning opportunities, from removing invasive species to planting new trees and plugs, weeding, pruning, collecting, and spreading seeds. If you or someone you know has a few hours or are looking for regular, ongoing volunteer work that keeps you outside, you are welcome to join us. With a small land staff, volunteer help is essential to the evolution and restoration of the Lynden grounds.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring their favorite gardening gloves and digging tools (if you have them)! Water, snacks, and additional tools will be provided.

Schedule

April 25, 10 am-12 pm
In April, we will assist artist-in-residence Kim Khaira with spring cleanup in her tinctorial garden (a garden of plants that can be used in natural dyeing). Work alongside Khaira and the land team to remove invasive species--from burdock to buckthorn. Khaira will introduce the native plants she has chosen for the garden and talk about their many uses beyond their role in natural dyes.

May 23, 10 am-12 pm
Lynden’s two forested ravines are treasures: shady oases in the summer, home to many species of tree and plant life. Unfortunately, some of the older transplants are crowding out native species. In May, we will be removing daylilies from the upper ravine and learning about how to replace this fast-spreading plant with other, pollinator-friendly options.

June 27, 10 am-12 pm
Now that the fragrant lilac bloom has ended, it's time to prune all the dried-up buds. Pruning spent lilac buds helps promote the growth of more flowers next year. Spend a couple of hours in the formal gardens with us sprucing up the lilacs and learning about blending native and non-native plants to enhance the beauty and pollinator value of the aesthetic gardens here at the Lynden.

July 25, 10 am-12 pm
Upon your arrival at the Lynden Sculpture Garden, you are greeted by a picturesque waterfall and formally landscaped hill, home to an array of unique shade-loving perennial species, evergreens, and shrubs. Waterfall Hill has undergone many changes as we work to incorporate this small ecology into the larger Lynden landscape and to create a design that serves as an introduction to the tranquillity and the excitement that unfolds across the grounds. One month into summer, we are knee-deep in peak growing season and could use your help keeping Waterfall Hill tidy.

August 29, 10 am-12 pm
On the western edge of Lynden’s formal gardens, leading up to and embracing The Bremen Town Musicians, is our annual display garden. This traditionally styled garden plays with symmetry, structure, and color using annually grown plant species—species that don’t survive the Wisconsin winter--and it changes each year. Annuals play an important role in feeding pollinating insects because they bloom throughout the growing season. This is also a garden that accentuates a sculptural focal point, making an impact on visitors. In addition to acknowledging that flowers play an important role in pollination and visual engagement, we also like to understand and encourage the many functional uses of the plant communities we engage with. As we weed, prune, and deadhead the annual garden, we will be collecting the plant detritus to create floral teas or bath soaks to take home.

September 26, 10 am-12 pm
The stone path leading up to the patio is nestled between an evolving native shade garden and a sprawling beech tree that is more than 100 years old. In September, we will be removing thistles and dandelions and sprucing up this welcoming walkway. We will also let you in on our new plans for this area. While standing under such majestic trees as the beech or the neighboring elms is always awe-inspiring, over time our steps have been compressing soil and root structures, leaving little space for them to breathe. In 2024 we plan to extend the walkway garden to encircle the beech tree. This will minimize traffic under the tree, and adding plants will help support the beech tree's roots by regulating water availability and giving the soil a chance to recover through herbaceous plant root development. Not to mention adding plant diversity for the other living species we host at the Lynden. It will be a healthier and more beautiful environment for all, and we look forward to including you in that growth next season.

October 24, 10 am-12 pm
In October, we prepare the formal gardens for winter: a final round of pulling thistles and dandelions, pruning trees and shrubs, and responding to the ways plants have evolved, spread, or struggled in their current locations. The majority of the dormant plants will stay in place throughout the season, or as long as possible. The hollow stems benefit overwintering insects, seed heads provide food for birds, the plant skeletons house garden critters, and we are able to enjoy some extra color in winter’s palette. We will also sow the annual bed with a cover crop of rye, oats, peas, and radish to reintroduce nutrients, protect the soil from harsh winter winds, and avoid compaction by encouraging root growth. Join us on what is sure to be a beautiful day in the gardens.

November 14, 10 am-12 pm
In November, we shield the soil from the harsh winter conditions by spreading fallen leaves and tucking in all the bare spots within the gardens. This leaf mulch—which we will till into the ground next spring before planting--will protect the top layers of soil, reintroduce nutrients, and boost fertility for next season’s barrage of flowers. Join us for one last garden work day as we say goodnight to the gardens until spring, jump in crisp piles of leaves, and enjoy the musty scents of autumn.

Fee: Free.
Registration: Advance registration required. Click here to register online. Work days are weather dependent.

Join the Lynden land team—Kyle Welna, Alyx Christensen, and Annalesa Albright--for a volunteer work day on the grounds. The Lynden Sculpture Garden is transforming its natural habitats and formal landscapes into sustainable and diverse ecosystems that highlight the natural beauty inherent in them. The Lynden's goal is to steward healthy habitats for an array of native plants and wildlife while adding a vibrant mosaic of color and texture to this sculptural landscape through every season.

With over 40 acres and more than half a dozen specialized garden spaces, the Lynden provides many volunteer and learning opportunities, from removing invasive species to planting new trees and plugs, weeding, pruning, collecting, and spreading seeds. If you or someone you know has a few hours or are looking for regular, ongoing volunteer work that keeps you outside, you are welcome to join us. With a small land staff, volunteer help is essential to the evolution and restoration of the Lynden grounds.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring their favorite gardening gloves and digging tools (if you have them)! Water, snacks, and additional tools will be provided.

Schedule

April 27, 10 am-12 pm
In April, help us control invasive garlic mustard within the forested ravine. Learn about invasive species control and leave with a handful of garlic mustard and a recipe for Garlic Mustard Pesto as a thank you for your time.

May 25, 10 am-12 pm
In May, we are back in the ravine to control garlic mustard and the now-blooming dame’s rocket. As we move through the season, we will be tracking different species of plants as they pop up around the grounds. Catching these plants at the correct time will help prevent them from seeding and spreading next year. While we may not want dame’s rocket in our landscapes, the leaves are edible; some compare them to a "sweeter arugula" (also known as rocket) or spinach.

June 29, 10 am-12 pm
In June, we're on the lookout for white sweet clover in Lynden's prairies and savannas. This clover tends to outgrow ecologically significant species, shading out the sun-loving plants we are working to cultivate in these microhabitats. While sweet clover is not so desirable in the landscape, it can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable or dried and used for vanilla flavoring in sweets and tea.

July 27, 10 am-12 pm
In July, we're still on the lookout for white sweet clover in Lynden's prairies and savannas. This clover tends to outgrow ecologically significant species, shading out the sun-loving plants we are working to cultivate in these microhabitats. While sweet clover is not so desirable in the landscape, it can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable or dried and used for vanilla flavoring in sweets and tea. We will also be watching for wild oregano, particularly in and around the labyrinth. Help us remove this vigorously spreading but pleasantly pungent plant to make way for native Wisconsin prairie. While we prefer to not keep this oregano in our natural areas, it can be a good companion in the form of fresh tea or when dried and used as a spice. Wild oregano is also thought to have some properties that are beneficial to human health.

August 31, 10 am-12 pm
In 2019, artist Jenna Knapp and the Lynden land team created a five-circuit walking labyrinth, 69 feet in diameter. Thoughtfully “nestled away from Lynden’s formal lawn, this labyrinth is carved into the tall grasses of the native prairie and evolves with the seasons, peaking in the early fall when the field is bright with goldenrod." In
August, we will spend some reflective time in Lynden’s labyrinth while also encouraging the native prairie plants to fill out by removing competitors like wild oregano, Queen Anne’s lace, Shasta/oxeye daisies, turf grass, and smooth bromegrass.

September 28, 10 am-12 pm
Lynden’s back areas are not open to the public, but they are home to heritage oaks and other unique tree species, ephemeral and native herbaceous species, and many land restoration projects. In September, we will take you behind the scenes to clear paths to ensure that staff can continue to traverse these landscapes, tending to projects and plant life.

October 28, 10 am-12 pm
October is for seed collecting and dispersing in our prairie areas. We use many tools to revitalize these areas and encourage high plant diversity--controlled burns, the ever-popular goat visits—and seed collection is one more step we take to encourage these plants to spread and outgrow unfavorable plant species, leading to a high-quality, rich prairie ecosystem. Come learn about our restoration projects and take a few seeds home for your backyard garden.

November 16, 10 am-12 pm
Winter is a critical time for managing buckthorn, one of the most persistent and prolific plant species that competes against diverse plant ecosystems. Buckthorn has characteristics that allow it to outcompete other plant species; it grows and matures much faster than other plants and rapidly colonizes, leaving little time or room for the growth of anything else. In November, we will be on the eastern side of the grounds, tending the understory of our, within the understory of our paper birch island by manually removing buckthorn using the “cut-stump” method. This will clear the area and relieve competition for future native plantings.