by Chris Earley

I can hear you all now, "Goldenrod? Why is he writing about goldenrod?" I'm afraid my favourite flower has a bit of a bad image. Most of this is due to the fact that so many people think they are allergic to it. But in most cases, it is ragweed they are allergic to. Goldenrod has heavy pollen that doesn't float around in the air like wind-pollinated ragweed pollen does. Goldenrod is insect-pollinated, so it is using its glowing yellow blooms to attract potential pollinators. Since everyone is likely within walking distance of a patch of goldenrod, I thought a goldenrod critter quiz would be the perfect September topic. Can you recognize any of these goldenrod visitors?

The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter. And after the quiz, be sure to hike out to that goldenrod patch and look for other cool beasties hanging out on this fall wildflower.

               

Check out some of our recent posts below from our social media accounts. If you are interested in seeing more of what is happening and being seen at The Arboretum then please consider liking or following us on one or more of our social media accounts. We are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr. Search for us at uogarboretum. If you click on the posts below it will take you to the actual post so you can read the text.

Join Jenny or Kitty every Wednesday at 12:15 as they explore the grounds on a 50 minute hike. It is a wonderful way to explore The Arboretum grounds as the season changes to a fall splendor of colours. The walk is free and you should meet at the kiosk at the end of the promenade closest to campus if you are interested in participating.

Outside it looks like fall is here or just around the corner. Soon it will be Christmas. Although that isn't really what we want to be thinking about as the hot weather winds down, it is time to think about booking your company Christmas party if you haven't done so already. We still have dates available. Contact Dawn Ann, our Bookings Co-ordinator to check dates and get more information. She can be reached at [log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 54110.

Our Arb Expo and Plant Sale was this past Saturday and was a great success. Thank you to all that attended and purchased plants or enjoyed one of the activities and displays. Thank you to all our fabulous volunteers who helped make the event happen!

Visit our website to purchase our publications and merchandise or stop by the Arboretum Centre Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. to purchase in person.

Mushrooms through Summer and Fall, Shinrin- Yoku Walk, Spiders, workshops / programs are approaching. The dates and registration deadlines can be found in our Coming Events listing in the column on the left side of this newsletter. A detailed description of each course is available on our website. Help us promote our programs… please forward this e-mail on to your friends and colleagues who may be interested. The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

Registering early is important for us because we need lead time to decide if there are enough people registered to run the workshop or not. To encourage registering before the deadline, we have an Early Bird Fee. You can still register after the deadline, but it will cost an extra $10, so why not register early?

Registration is available on-line, which allows you to register for our programs at anytime, not just during our regular business hours. A secure link is provided on our website for this easy registration process.

If you do not have internet access, registration can still be made by phone or in person at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 as in the past. Please remember that a decision is made on the registration deadline as to whether the workshop will run or not, based on the minimum number of required registrants. You may still register after the deadline as long as the workshop is running and there is space.

back to quiz

Your donation can be directed to The Arboretum online through the secure University of Guelph donation page: https://secure3.convio.net/uofg/site/Donation2?df_id=3321&mfc_pref=T&3321.donation=form1&single_designee=arboretum

If you prefer not to make an online donation, there are several other ways to provide your financial support. You can choose to donate by telephone, mail, fax, or in person:

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Attention Alumni Affairs 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 Tel: 1-888-266-3108 ext. 56934 Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56934 Fax: 519-822-2670 Email: [log in to unmask]

If you would like information on bequests and planned giving to The Arboretum please contact:

Jayne Whitfield
Gift Planning Manager
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 56196 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]