Events Calendar

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.

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, Esther Portnoy, and Annalesa Albright--for a volunteer work day (or three) on the grounds. Each year, we drain Little Lake, a shallow, man-made pond, to prepare it for one of our most popular summer camps, Pond Voyage. Little Lake is home to waterfowl and a substantial algae population. If you have an interest in the algae for your papermaking or compost, or if you’d just like to lend us a hand, we will be raking out algae (wet and dry) daily from July 11-13. Pack your rubber boots and bushel baskets (if you want to take some home) and bring along a pitchfork if you have one.

Water and additional tools will be provided. Each participant will receive a Sara Caron Big Lake enamel pin.

FREE

The HOME Refugee Steering Committee at the Lynden Sculpture Garden invites you to observe World Refugee Day in a series of outdoor events and programs that celebrate Milwaukee’s refugee communities through art, food, fashion, and performance.

For HOME Music and Dance Day, emcees Moe Aung of the Burmese communities and Tessy Sheidun of the Rwandan community welcome back returning performers including Congo Gospel Music Band (Congolese), Golden Melody Band U.S.A (Burmese), and C&K Music Band (Chin and Karen). Maggie Bushiri's troupe of dancers will perform Afro-Pop music in English and Swahili, representing both East and West Africa. New performers include Spring Star Music Band (Burmese), and dancers Dian Novita (Indonesian) and Fizal (Rohingya). Maggie Bushiri (Congolese) also returns with a group of African dancers.

Bring your dancing shoes and learn some new dances: each dance performance will be followed by a participatory session.

Pack a picnic and a blanket to enjoy the outdoors with friends, family, and community. Or bring along cash to purchase food and refreshments prepared by chefs from the Burmese community.

Gather around the dye vat with artist-in-residence Arianne King Comer who will open her outdoor batik dyeing studio from 11 am to 3 pm for t-shirt making.

PROGRAM
11 am – Golden Melody Music Band U.S.A. (Burmese)
12 pm – Fizal (Rohingya)
12:20 pm – Spring Star Music Band (Burmese)
1 pm – Dian Novita (Indonesian)
1:20 pm – C&K Music Band (Chin & Karen)
2 pm – Maggie Bushiri dance group (African)
2:20 pm – Congo Gospel Music Band (Congolese)
3:20 pm – Golden Melody Music Band U.S.A. (Burmese)
Program and timing are subject to change.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, a major sponsor of HOME 2023, will provide community resources, PHE unwinding materials, and health and wellness educational information.

About the Artists
Golden Melody Music Band U.S.A. (Burmese) is led by Burmese Muslim Mohammad Hasan alongside volunteer singers and managed by Burmese grassroots community worker Moe Aung. Hasan captures his audience with a nostalgic style and persona, both poised and enigmatic, and with sounds of yesteryear. He plays international music, oldies, and classic rock songs in Myanmar, English and Hindi (Bollywood). Hasan and his rotating band members perform at farmers’ markets, community fundraisers, and practically anywhere that they are called for. At the Lynden Sculpture Garden, Golden Melody has performed at HOME celebrations since 2019. In 2021, inspired by community activism and the Spring Revolution in his homeland and locally, Hasan advised and arranged music for the Spring Star Music Band consisting of musicians from the Karen, Kachin, Chin, and Burmese communities.

C&K Music Band (Chin & Karen) was founded in 2020 by Saw Klo Futurestar and Kyaw Mu. Kyaw Mu now leads the band of music lovers from both the Chin and Karen community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They enjoy performing varied genres of music but are most inclined to rock and heavy metal.

Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Congo Gospel Music Band (Congolese) is led and organized by drummer and frontliner Bodack Mondembe. Based at their local church, Congo Gospel Music Band also performs at street and neighborhood events, churches and weddings, and community-led events. They have performed at Beet Street, the annual Fall Harvest Festival at Cactus Club, Friends of Zion worship concert at Benediction Lutheran Church, as well as at HOME World Refugee Day celebrations at the Lynden Sculpture Garden. Their album and music video is forthcoming, and their sound, described as rhythmical, upbeat and infectious, is in high demand.

Born and raised in East Java, Dian Novita (Indonesian) has a deep love and passion for dancing. Through her performances, workshops, and interactions with the community, she shares the richness and diversity of Indonesian traditions, allowing others to experience the magic of her country's cultural expressions. She will be performing Gandrung for HOME Music and Dance Day. Gandrung is a traditional dance from the Indonesian island of Java, specifically from the region of Banyuwangi. It is a vibrant and expressive dance that is accompanied by traditional Javanese music called gamelan. Gandrung reflects the rich cultural heritage of Java and embodies the community's values, traditions, and beliefs. The dance continues to be passed down through generations, preserving the cultural identity and traditions of the Banyuwangi region.

Within a few months of resettling to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Fizal (Rohingya) set his sights on dance and music opportunities, including World Refugee Day 2023. Originally from Myanmar, Fizal lived in Malaysia for many decades with his family and worked in various occupations, including performing at weddings and community events.

Maggie Bushiri dance group is organized by Margurite Bushiri, known as Maggie Bushiri. Bushiri a Congolese-born American rapper, songwriter, and actress. She was born in Congo but raised in Tanzania and Mozambique. Maggie and her family lived in Tanzania for 6 years and eventually made their way to the United States as refugees when she was 9 years old. She settled in Salt Lake City, Utah; moved to Minnesota, where she found her creative light through dancing and acting; pursued her acting career in Los Angeles; and has since lived in Milwaukee. She earned public attention after releasing her first single, Fly Like That, in late 2016. She later released her second single, Swing Your Body. For HOME Dance Day, Maggie Bushiri will perform Afro-Pop music in English and Swahili with her troupe of dancers, representing both East and West Africa. She has previously performed with HOME at Lynden. For Music and Dance Day 2023, as an exciting experiment, she is gathering a small but mighty new African dance group to present to the audience.

Inspired by community activism and the Spring Revolution in Myanmar in 2021, a group of Burmese musicians and activists gathered to organize Spring Star Music Band, represented by diverse ethnic groups from Karen, Kachin, Chin, and Burmese communities. They performed at HOME Music Day in 2021 at Lynden, and will return in 2023, to remind us of their sound, and love and passion for their homeland.

About HOME
HOME is the theme of our work with refugee community leaders, community members, Call & Response artists, and allies. The HOME Refugee Steering Committee is building a space of leading, coming together, and celebrating refugees.

World Refugee Day 2023 celebrations extend into three additional HOME “days” featuring music, dance, food, fashion (both ethnic and traditional), and two markets offering handicrafts and homemade goods. For all HOME 2023 programming, click here.

HOME 2023 is sponsored in part by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Refugee Programs; Anthem Blue-Cross Blue-Shield; and Hanan Refugee Relief Group.

Additional partners include Milwaukee Public Library, UWM Libraries, Tables Across Borders, Wisconsin for Ukraine, Community Center for Immigrants, and more.

FREE. Pre-registration required. Register online or by phone at 414-446-8794.

Available sessions:
July 14, 2023 – 10:30 am-3:30 pm
July 17, 2023 – 10:30 am-3:30 pm
July 20, 2023 – 10:30 am-3:30 pm

You are not required to attend the entire session.

Join Arianne King Comer at the dyeing vat as she relates the history of indigo and teaches different resist-dyeing methods, particularly traditional batik, adire (Yoruba), and shibori (Japanese) techniques of designing on cloth.

We began working with artist and indigo advocate King Comer in 2017. Her annual residency, IBILE! Ancestral Call in Cloth, went virtual during the pandemic, but in 2022 she returned and her outdoor, all-ages studio is, once again, under the big tent.

We will have some muslin yardage available, as well as muslin garments that will be available for purchase should you want to dye your own “healing coat.” You may bring your own garments or yardage (up to three per person).
Pre-registration is required. Dress for dyeing and consider bringing your own rubber gloves (dishwashing variety).

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!

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.