Past Events
A look back on all the incredible events we have had.
Deep Rooted Tour Series
Multiple Dates
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Dates:
February 8, 2025
March 15, 2025 April 12, 2025 - Cancelled
May 10, 2025
What can art tell us about the relationship between plants and humans? Join Maeve Bassett, Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Director of the Beal Botanical Garden, for an immersive tour unearthing the historical, social, and political narratives growing within works of art from the MSU Broad Art Museum’s collection. Registration for this free tour is encouraged.
Deep-Rooted is an ongoing tour collaboration between the Beal Botanical Garden and the Broad Art Museum, where art and plants intertwine in a conversation about the extraordinary ways our natural world has influenced art and human societies throughout history. This event takes place at the MSU Broad Art Museum, in The CORE.
Photo credit: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Beal Botanical Garden Tour: Spring Ephemerals
May 8, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Join Arboretum and Invasive Species Coordinator Carolyn Miller for a garden walk exploring the spring ephemerals that are so brief in their floral display. Bring binoculars, we may catch some early spring birds migrating north! Meet at the garden pond.
Where the Light Gets In Closing Reception
April 25, 2025
8:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Location: Installation site, NE corner of Trowbridge Rd. and Harrison Rd. (west of Holden Hall)
Part of MSU Science Festival, Where the Light Gets In is a public art installation in which LED tube lights are mounted on 43 trees marked for removal for a future construction project. The lights are positioned such that they appear to be piercing the heart of the tree, creating a symbolic death ritual, allowing the community to honor the trees and reflect on changing landscapes. This art installation is on view at the Northeast corner of Trowbridge and S. Harrison Roads, and will be illuminated daily April 1‒30 from dusk to dawn.
There will be a closing reception and workshop on April 25 from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. at the installation site. This will be a choose-your-own-adventure style workshop where participants will be given a series of ways to interact with the art through sound, movement, drawing, and more. Hot beverages, snacks, and supplies will be provided. No experience with forestry is required. There will be limited seating, so we recommend bringing a blanket or camping chair if you would like to sit amongst the installation.
Where the Light Gets In is a collaboration between doctoral student Hailey Becker and artist Patrick N Taylor.
Photo credit: Hailey Becker
Wellbeing Wednesdays
Every Wednesday in April 2025
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Library courtyard near main garden gate
Join us every Wednesday in April leading up to finals. Take a short break on your way to and from the library with drop-in activities and crafts.
Dates:April 2 - Cancelled due to predicted severe weatherApril 9 - Cancelled due to weather
April 16
April 23
Beal Botanical Garden Tour: Sensing Spring
April 10, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Join Botanical Steward and Horticulturist Mackenzie Hiatt to learn about the science of nature exposure benefiting physical and mental wellbeing and how plant communities support each other plus some ways we can be supportive in return. Meet at the garden pond.
Baker Woodlot Invasive Species Workdays
Multiple dates in March 2025
Dates:
Friday, March 7; 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. - CANCELLED
Saturday, March 22; 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 29; 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - CANCELLED
Help preserve the crown jewel of MSU's Campus Natural Areas, Baker Woodlot. Spend the afternoon helping remove trash and invasive species with Beal Botanical Garden, led by Carolyn Miller. We will be meeting at the northwest entrance to Baker Woodlot (on Farm Ln.). Parking is available (for a fee) in the visitor lot located on the north side of Service Rd. between Farm Ln. and Bogue St. Please dress for the weather.
If you have questions, please email Carolyn at miller94@msu.edu.
Restore Your Roots: An Immersive Beal Experience
Wednesdays, February & March, 2025
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Dates:
- February 5, McDonel Hall, Room 45 (Basement Lounge)
- Kickoff event featuring DIY tea blends, therapy dogs, and mindful activities
- February 12 - Event postponed due to weather. Check back for the rescheduled date.
- February 19, McDonel Hall, Room 45 (Basement Lounge)
- Create recycled flowers with Spartan Upcycle
- February 26, North Kedzie, Room N217
- A sound bath with Dr. Ruth Nicole Brown from AAAS
- March 12, Wilson Hall, Room E10
- Wood cookie photo holder with Spartan Upcycle
- March 19, McDonel Hall, Room 45 (Basement Lounge)
- Cardio dance with MSU Recreational Sports and Fitness Services
- March 26, North Kedzie, Room N217C
- Poetry workshop with Dr. Liv Furman from AAAS
Relax and reconnect with nature as we bring the garden to life in an immersion space with dynamic projected videos exploring the garden and its many inhabitants. Experience Beal Botanical Garden from the warmth of indoors, reminding us of greener days to come!
Thank you to the generous partners who made this program possible: the MSU Museum, Spartan Upcycle, MSU Dept. of African American and African Studies, MSU Recreational Sports and Fitness Services, and the Neighborhood Student Success Center. This event features wellbeing resources from Beal Botanical Garden’s Nurture Your Roots program.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Pixelated Plants: Flora in the Gaming World
February 20, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place from different Beal staff members!
Pixelated Plants: Flora in the Gaming World
Join Mackenzie Hiatt (Botanical Steward & Horticulturist) and Maeve Bassett (Education Director) in a discussion on the role and use of plants in video games. Whether they establish the setting, act as an antagonist, back-up support, or motivation, plants play an important role in our physical and digital lives.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Plants and Passion
February 12, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place! Please note that this specific Lunch and Learn will take place on Wednesday. The remaining events in this series will be on Thursdays.
Plants and Passion
Join ethnobotanist and Beal's Education Director, Maeve Bassett, to learn about the plant stories of Valentine's day and the many 'love' plants throughout history! This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Red Cedar River Invasive Species Removal Workdays
February 7, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
February 8, 1:00-3:00 p.m. - This event has been cancelled due to weather
Meet at Beal Botanical Garden pond
Help us restore the Red Cedar River! Join Beal Botanical Garden to remove and treat invasive species along the river. The MSU and greater East Lansing community are invited to participate. Please make sure to dress appropriately for the weather. In the event of heavy snowfall, this event will be cancelled. Check back here or follow us on social media for updates.
If you have any questions, please email Carolyn Miller at miller94@msu.edu.
Please note: The invasive species event on Saturday, Feb. 8 has unfortunately been cancelled due to weather. The event on Friday, Feb. 7 is still happening. We hope you will be able to join us!
Beal Lunch and Learn: Winter Plants and Where to Find Them
February 6, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Winter Plants and Where to Find Them
Join Jennifer Apland, MSU Herbarium Collections Coordinator, as she describes some of the Natural Communities in Ingham County and the early spring ephemerals within these communities. This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Rewilding Beal Botanical Garden
January 30, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Rewilding Beal Botanical Garden
Join Alan Prather, Director of Beal Botanical Garden, to explore our 2025 theme 'Rewilding Beal Botanical Garden.' Explore rewilding; what we mean, why it's important, and expanding the concept of rewilding beyond the garden's and the campus's borders! This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Black Botany: Resilience and Adaptations Tour & Workshop
January 26, 2025
Location: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Resilience and Adaptations Tour
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Explore the resilient relationships between plants and people in the African Diaspora. Join Angelica Bajos, Community and Sustainability Coordinator, for a botanical deep dive into Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Resilience and Adaptations Workshop
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Ready to get chat-TEA? Join Beal Botanical Garden and Kelsi Smith from the Allen Neighborhood Center for DIY tea blends and conversations about the resilience of people and plants in the African Diaspora.
Tours and dedicated workshops complement each other, but can be enjoyed independently. Registration for these free events are required.
The Black Botany series is a collaboration between Beal Botanical Garden and the Broad Art Museum exploring the relationship between plants, people, and the African Diaspora.
Image credit: Broad Art Museum
Beal Lunch and Learn: Planting for the Birds
January 23, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 pm
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Planting for the Birds
Join Jennifer Hunnell, Beal's Communications Coordinator, to learn the best layout, plantings, and practices for a flourishing garden that will attract and support our feathered friends! This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Botanical World of Witchcraft
January 16, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 pm
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Botanical World of Witchcraft
Join Maeve Bassett, Education Director, for an introduction to the historical association between women, plants, and witchcraft. This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Dreaming of Spring
January 9, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 pm
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Dreaming of Spring
Throughout the cold of winter, humans turned to stories and the resilience of plants to help reassure themselves that spring would come again. Join Education Director Maeve Bassett to learn about the historic symbols reminding us that winter will once again end.
Baker Woodlot Workdays
Most Fridays November 15 - December 20 2024
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
*Update* The remaining 2024 workdays have been cancelled. We hope you can join us for future campus natural area workdays in 2025!
Help preserve the crown jewel of MSU’s Campus Natural Areas, Baker Woodlot. Weather permitting, workdays will be most Fridays starting November 15 until December 20, 2024 (no workday on Nov. 29). Spend the afternoon helping remove trash and invasive species with Beal Botanical Garden led by Carolyn Miller. We will meet at the northwest entrance to Baker Woodlot (on Farm Ln.). Parking is available (for a fee) in the visitor lot located on the north side of Service Rd. between Farm Ln. and Bogue St. Please dress for the weather.
If you have questions, please email Carolyn at miller94@msu.edu.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Solstice Celebrations
December 19, 2024
12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Solstice Celebrations
Join our Horticulturist/Garden Coordinator, Mackenzie Hiatt, to learn all about plants of the winter solstice.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Our Many Milkweeds
December 12, 2024
12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Our Many Milkweeds
Join Carolyn Miller, our Arboretum and Invasive Species Coordinator to learn about all the different kinds of milkweeds you can find in Michigan and how to choose which ones will work best for your garden.
Beal Lunch and Learn: The Christmas Tree
December 5, 2024
12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
The Christmas Tree
Get ready for the holiday season and learn about everything to do with the Christmas tree! Join our Beal Scholars for this lunch and learn where we'll cover the tree's history, the Michigan Christmas tree industry, species to watch for, and even the best way to dispose of them in the new year.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Connections Through Collections
November 21, 2024
12:10 - 12:55 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday to learn from Beal staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Connections Through Collections
Join Katie Fry, Beal's Collections Manager to learn more about exciting changes in the garden with a new collection plan strengthening our collection's message of the interconnectedness of people, plants place.
Sustaining Roots Walks
Select Dates in October & November
12:00 p.m.
Meet at Beal Botanical Garden along the Red Cedar River trail
Dates:
October 9, 2024
October 23, 2024
November 6, 2024
November 20, 2024 - CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
Come walk with us!
This fall, take time to step away from your desk, explore campus, and be active with colleagues. The 'Sustaining Roots Walks' series is a collaborative program designed to bring Spartans closer to MSU's beautiful campus spaces while learning from experts and engaging in a restorative wellbeing practice during the workday. This series will also incorporate wellbeing practices before and during our walks. Stops will utilize the 'Nurture Your Roots' stations in the garden as well as grounding techniques or forest bathing concepts. Comfortable shoes recommended.
This program is a collaboration between Beal Botanical Garden and University Health and Wellbeing.
Black Botany: Shea Tour & Workshop
November 17, 2024
Location: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Shea Tour
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
What can Shea tell us about the relationships between plants, people, and the African Diaspora? Join Angelica Bajos, Community and Sustainability Coordinator, for a botanical deep dive into Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Shea Workshop
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
From tree to daily routine - experience the journey of shea with Beal Botanical Garden and Hillary Coleman, owner of 1991 Greenery Homestead. Join us for a DIY Shea Butter workshop in conjunction with Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Tours and dedicated workshops complement each other, but can be enjoyed independently. Registration for these free events are required.
The Black Botany series is a collaboration between Beal Botanical Garden and the Broad Art Museum exploring the relationship between plants, people, and the African Diaspora.
Image credit: Broad Art Museum
Beal Lunch and Learn: Growing Thanks
November 14, 2024
12:10 - 12:55 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday to learn from Beal staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Growing Thanks
Join Angelica Bajos, Beal's Community and Sustainability Coordinator to discover the many ways cultures express gratitude through plants and botanical arrangements.
November 7 2024
Beal Lunch and Learn: Planting for Pollinators
12:10 - 12:55 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday to learn from Beal staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Planting for Pollinators
Not sure what to plant for pollinators and wildlife? This lunchtime talk will cover the areas you should “study up” and cover native plants that will thrive in your yard. Join Carolyn Miller, Arboretum & Invasive Species Coordinator as she gives you awesome native plant info!
October 28 - November 1 2024
Fall Drop-In Activities
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Beal Botanical Garden pond
Join us at Beal Botanical Garden during Halloween week for plant-tastic fall drop-in activities! Weather cancellations will be made two hours prior to event start through social media and registration emails.
October 28 - Falling for Tea
October 29 - Beal's Gone Batty
October 30 - Cornhusk Dolls
October 31 - Carve a Pumpkin or Turnip
November 1 - Paint a Sugar Skull or Alebrije Ornament
October 28-30 2024
Bizarre Botany Tours
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Beal Botanical Garden pond
Join us at Beal Botanical Garden during Halloween week for plant-tastic sunset tours of the garden. Weather cancellations will be made two hours prior to event start through social media and registration emails.
October 28 - Fall Plant Lore
October 29 - Toxins, Thorns, and Tricks
October 30 - Plants and Witchcraft
October 18 2024
Sanford Natural Area Workday
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Join Beal Botanical Garden in beautifying the Sanford Natural Area. We will be cleaning up this jewel of campus by removing trash and invasive species. The MSU and greater East Lansing community are invited to participate. Please make sure to dress appropriately for the weather and working in a forested natural area. Meet at Sanford Natural Area between McDonel and Holmes Halls.
If you have any questions, please email Carolyn Miller at miller94@msu.edu.
October 16 2024
Historical Trees of Campus and Their Stories
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Join former Beal Botanical Garden Director, Frank Telewski, to wrap up the 150th anniversary of the Campus Arboretum with a tour of MSU's historic trees and their stories. Meet by the garden pond.
Instructor: Frank Telewski, Former Director
October 13 2024
Black Botany: Weeds Tour & Workshop
Location: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Weeds Tour
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
What can weeds tell us about our perspective on the values of plants and people? Join Angelica Bajos, Community and Sustainability Coordinator, for a botanical deep dive into Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Weeds Workshop
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Harness the power of weeds with Beal Botanical Garden and Candice "The Oracle," owner of Oracles Apothecary. Make medicinal materials out of weeds in conjunction with Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Tours and dedicated workshops complement each other, but can be enjoyed independently. Registration for these free events are required.
The Black Botany series is a collaboration between Beal Botanical Garden and the Broad Art Museum exploring the relationship between plants, people, and the African Diaspora.
Image credit: Broad Art Museum
October 12 2024
Beal Botanical Garden Tour: Taking a 'Peak' of Autumn
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden, meet at the shed
Join us for a lunchtime tour of the Beal Botanical Garden to enjoy the signs of fall, vibrant changing leaves, splitting seed pods, and plants getting ready for a cozy Michigan winter.
Instructor: Bethany Troy, Lead Gardener
This program is a collaboration with the MSU Library.
September 25 2024
Wellbeing Wednesday: Sip & Spill Some Tea
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Create a masterpiece while mastering peace at Beal Botanical Garden. Become familiar with the heart of campus while enjoying nature and art for your wellbeing. All programs will proceed while supplies last and with weather permitting.
Tea & Journaling: Take a moment to enjoy a personalized tea blend and journal away. Don't have a journal? No worries, we have one you can pocket.
Multiple Dates
Fresh Air Fitness: Yoga in the Beal Botanical Garden
Tuesdays in the garden
12:15 - 1:00 p.m.
12:15 - 1:00 p.m.
Get outside and active for free. Enjoy the garden as you make time for your health and wellbeing. Please bring water, dress appropriately for weather, and bring a yoga mat or towel! Classes will meet under the gingko tree in the garden. These classes will be cancelled if there is significant weather. Check University Health and Wellbeing's social media accounts for weather updates. No pre-registration required this year, but there will be a QR code registration prior to the start of class.
Yoga in the Garden is a partnership between the Beal Botanical Garden and University Health and Wellbeing.
Summer Session 1 Dates
May 21, May 28, June 11, June 18, June 25
Summer Session 2 Dates
July 9, July 16, July 23, August 6, August 13
Fall Session Dates
September 3, September 10, September 17, September 24
September 3, September 10, September 17, September 24
September 21 2024
Celebrating Citizen Science
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Join us at the Beal Botanical Garden for a celebration of citizen science! The celebration will include a brief iNaturalist and SEEK (the youth version) training, a garden bioblitz, unveiling of our new photo stations, a tree give-away, and more!
This program series is a collaboration between the Beal Botanical Garden, MSU Herbarium, and the East Lansing Public Library.
September 18 2024
Wellbeing Wednesday: Painting in the Garden
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Create a masterpiece while mastering peace at Beal Botanical Garden. Become familiar with the heart of campus while enjoying nature and art for your wellbeing. All programs will proceed while supplies last and with weather permitting.
Painting: Allow the garden to be your muse and paint to your heart's desire. Bring your own material to paint on such as canvas, a bag, maybe even some shoes! Supplies will be limited. The first to come will be the first to paint!
September 12 2024
BealFest 2024: The Apple of MSU's Eye
4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Join us for Beal Botanical Garden's annual fall celebration. Honoring 150 years of MSU's Campus Arboretum, this year's theme will highlight trees, with headliner, the much beloved apple! This event will include something for everyone with activities, performances, demonstrations, treats, and trees to adopt!
Featured guests:
- Sparty
- Zeke the Wonderdog
- River, the MSU DPPS comfort dog
September 12 2024
Beal Botanical Garden Tour: Fall and Winter Plant Lore
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden, meet at the shed
Join us for a lunchtime tour of the Beal Botanical Garden to hear some of the plant lore created to explain or protect against the shortening days and darker, colder nights of winter. What’s the connection between corn and Dracula, Santa and Mario, which plants will protect you, and which ones to avoid?
Instructor: Maeve Bassett, Education Program Director
This program is a collaboration with the MSU Library.
September 11 2024
Wellbeing Wednesday: Shapes & Patterns & Mosaics, Oh My!
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Create a masterpiece while mastering peace at Beal Botanical Garden. Become familiar with the heart of campus while enjoying nature and art for your wellbeing. All programs will proceed while supplies last and with weather permitting.
Mosaics: Be inspired by the shapes and patterns of nature and create a crafty mosaic out of textured materials you may not always think of. Use your mosaic to decorate your dorm or give to a friend. Allow your imagination to run wild!
September 4 2024
Wellbeing Wednesday: Create Your Own Botanical Blueprint
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Create a masterpiece while mastering peace at Beal Botanical Garden. Become familiar with the heart of campus while enjoying nature and art for your wellbeing. All programs will proceed while supplies last and with weather permitting.
Cyanotypes: Utilize one of the oldest photographic printing processes in history to capture the essence of Beal with botanical materials.
August 23 & 24 2024
Screen on the Green
8:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Bring a blanket and a friend and join us in the Beal Botanical Garden for a movie under the stars! Popcorn provided while supplies last. Follow us on social media for featured movie hints!
August 11 2024
Music and the Garden: Quartet Fiume (saxophone quartet)
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Join us for an interactive experience of music, art, and science at the heart of the MSU campus. The Beal Botanical Garden and the MSU College of Music present free, family-friendly events on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer. Bring your lawn chair or a blanket and get ready for a musical experience!
This year we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of our campus arboretum. Each of our themes is inspired by the ways in which trees positively impact our lives!
Breathe With Us
Take a deep breath - trees release oxygen and keep the air around us safe to breathe. What else is important for your personal wellbeing?
Quartet Fiume
The award-winning quartet from MSU's saxophone studio will present a range of musical selections that reflect nature and wellbeing. Quartet members include Nathan Salazar, Parker Fritz, Owen Kilpatrick, and Michael Keeler.
Event Schedule
1:00pm - Take part in educational activities for all ages
2:00pm - Music performance
3:00pm - Plant Perspectives Tour through the garden
2:00pm - Music performance
3:00pm - Plant Perspectives Tour through the garden
Events happen rain or shine. In the event of rain, activities may take place within the Music Building across from the garden on West Circle Dr. Signs will be posted to direct patrons where to go.
The Music and the Garden Series is presented by Beal Botanical Garden in partnership with musicians coordinated by the MSU College of Music.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Season Sponsor
Dr. Craig Fedore
August 10 2024
Citizen Science: iNaturalist (app) Training and Library BioBlitz
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48823
Interested in becoming a Citizen Scientist or just want to learn more about the natural world around you? Join MSU Life Sciences Librarian Jodi Coalter and ELPL's Dr. B for an introductory workshop about iNaturalist, a free app that allows everyone to collect observations of nature that can be shared with scientists around the world as it becomes part of a global network of research data. At this workshop, you'll learn how to use iNaturalist and about some of the amazing ways in which scientists and others use the observations collected to better understand and protect nature. Weather permitting, we'll then head outside to survey the biodiversity around the Library in our own local BioBlitz! You'll also be able to utilize these skills at upcoming BioBlitz events across the community.
This program series is a collaboration between the Beal Botanical Garden, MSU Herbarium, and the East Lansing Public Library.
August 8 2024
Beal Botanical Garden Tour: Etymology of Naming Plants
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Beal Botanical Garden, meet at the shed
Join us for a lunchtime tour to explore where plants get their names, including the stories of the good, the potentially problematic, the downright weird, and debate common vs. scientific names!
Instructor: Maeve Bassett, Education Program Director
This program is a collaboration with the MSU Library.
Multiple Dates
Garden Edition: Deep Rooted Tour Series
Location: Beal Botanical Garden
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Dates:
June 16, 2024
July 14, 2024
August 4, 2024
What can art tell us about the relationship between plants and humans? Join us for the summer garden edition of this popular tour series as we gather at the Beal Botanical Garden with Maeve Bassett, Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Program Director. Together, we’ll unearth the historical, social, and political narratives growing within plants in the garden and artworks from the MSU Broad Art Museum’s collection.
Registration for this free tour is encouraged. Use the links above that correspond to the date you wish to attend.
Deep-Rooted is an ongoing tour collaboration between the Beal Botanical Garden and the MSU Broad Art Museum, where art and plants intertwine in a conversation about the extraordinary ways our natural world has influenced art and human societies throughout history.
Deep-Rooted is an ongoing tour collaboration between the Beal Botanical Garden and the MSU Broad Art Museum, where art and plants intertwine in a conversation about the extraordinary ways our natural world has influenced art and human societies throughout history.
July 24 2024
What is an Herbarium?
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48823
Join us at the East Lansing Public Library to talk about herbaria! During this talk, you’ll learn what an herbarium is, their origin and history, and how plants are curated into an herbarium collection. At the end of this talk, you’ll be given resources to start collecting and you’ll be able to practice mounting your own herbarium specimen to take home.
This program series is a collaboration between the Beal Botanical Garden, MSU Herbarium, and the East Lansing Public Library.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Pixelated Plants: Flora in the Gaming World
February 20, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place from different Beal staff members!
Pixelated Plants: Flora in the Gaming World
Join Mackenzie Hiatt (Botanical Steward & Horticulturist) and Maeve Bassett (Education Director) in a discussion on the role and use of plants in video games. Whether they establish the setting, act as an antagonist, back-up support, or motivation, plants play an important role in our physical and digital lives.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Plants and Passion
February 12, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place! Please note that this specific Lunch and Learn will take place on Wednesday. The remaining events in this series will be on Thursdays.
Plants and Passion
Join ethnobotanist and Beal's Education Director, Maeve Bassett, to learn about the plant stories of Valentine's day and the many 'love' plants throughout history! This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Red Cedar River Invasive Species Removal Workdays
February 7, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
February 8, 1:00-3:00 p.m. - This event has been cancelled due to weather
Meet at Beal Botanical Garden pond
Help us restore the Red Cedar River! Join Beal Botanical Garden to remove and treat invasive species along the river. The MSU and greater East Lansing community are invited to participate. Please make sure to dress appropriately for the weather. In the event of heavy snowfall, this event will be cancelled. Check back here or follow us on social media for updates.
If you have any questions, please email Carolyn Miller at miller94@msu.edu.
Please note: The invasive species event on Saturday, Feb. 8 has unfortunately been cancelled due to weather. The event on Friday, Feb. 7 is still happening. We hope you will be able to join us!
Beal Lunch and Learn: Winter Plants and Where to Find Them
February 6, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Winter Plants and Where to Find Them
Join Jennifer Apland, MSU Herbarium Collections Coordinator, as she describes some of the Natural Communities in Ingham County and the early spring ephemerals within these communities. This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Rewilding Beal Botanical Garden
January 30, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Rewilding Beal Botanical Garden
Join Alan Prather, Director of Beal Botanical Garden, to explore our 2025 theme 'Rewilding Beal Botanical Garden.' Explore rewilding; what we mean, why it's important, and expanding the concept of rewilding beyond the garden's and the campus's borders! This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Black Botany: Resilience and Adaptations Tour & Workshop
January 26, 2025
Location: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Resilience and Adaptations Tour
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Explore the resilient relationships between plants and people in the African Diaspora. Join Angelica Bajos, Community and Sustainability Coordinator, for a botanical deep dive into Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Resilience and Adaptations Workshop
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Ready to get chat-TEA? Join Beal Botanical Garden and Kelsi Smith from the Allen Neighborhood Center for DIY tea blends and conversations about the resilience of people and plants in the African Diaspora.
Tours and dedicated workshops complement each other, but can be enjoyed independently. Registration for these free events are required.
The Black Botany series is a collaboration between Beal Botanical Garden and the Broad Art Museum exploring the relationship between plants, people, and the African Diaspora.
Image credit: Broad Art Museum
Beal Lunch and Learn: Planting for the Birds
January 23, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 pm
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Planting for the Birds
Join Jennifer Hunnell, Beal's Communications Coordinator, to learn the best layout, plantings, and practices for a flourishing garden that will attract and support our feathered friends! This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Botanical World of Witchcraft
January 16, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 pm
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Botanical World of Witchcraft
Join Maeve Bassett, Education Director, for an introduction to the historical association between women, plants, and witchcraft. This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Dreaming of Spring
January 9, 2025
12:10 - 1:00 pm
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Dreaming of Spring
Throughout the cold of winter, humans turned to stories and the resilience of plants to help reassure themselves that spring would come again. Join Education Director Maeve Bassett to learn about the historic symbols reminding us that winter will once again end.
Baker Woodlot Workdays
Most Fridays November 15 - December 20 2024
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
*Update* The remaining 2024 workdays have been cancelled. We hope you can join us for future campus natural area workdays in 2025!
Help preserve the crown jewel of MSU’s Campus Natural Areas, Baker Woodlot. Weather permitting, workdays will be most Fridays starting November 15 until December 20, 2024 (no workday on Nov. 29). Spend the afternoon helping remove trash and invasive species with Beal Botanical Garden led by Carolyn Miller. We will meet at the northwest entrance to Baker Woodlot (on Farm Ln.). Parking is available (for a fee) in the visitor lot located on the north side of Service Rd. between Farm Ln. and Bogue St. Please dress for the weather.
If you have questions, please email Carolyn at miller94@msu.edu.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Solstice Celebrations
December 19, 2024
12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Solstice Celebrations
Join our Horticulturist/Garden Coordinator, Mackenzie Hiatt, to learn all about plants of the winter solstice.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Our Many Milkweeds
December 12, 2024
12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Our Many Milkweeds
Join Carolyn Miller, our Arboretum and Invasive Species Coordinator to learn about all the different kinds of milkweeds you can find in Michigan and how to choose which ones will work best for your garden.
Beal Lunch and Learn: The Christmas Tree
December 5, 2024
12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
The Christmas Tree
Get ready for the holiday season and learn about everything to do with the Christmas tree! Join our Beal Scholars for this lunch and learn where we'll cover the tree's history, the Michigan Christmas tree industry, species to watch for, and even the best way to dispose of them in the new year.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Connections Through Collections
November 21, 2024
12:10 - 12:55 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday to learn from Beal staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Connections Through Collections
Join Katie Fry, Beal's Collections Manager to learn more about exciting changes in the garden with a new collection plan strengthening our collection's message of the interconnectedness of people, plants place.
Sustaining Roots Walks
Select Dates in October & November
12:00 p.m.
Meet at Beal Botanical Garden along the Red Cedar River trail
Dates:
October 9, 2024
October 23, 2024
November 6, 2024
November 20, 2024 - CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
Come walk with us!
This fall, take time to step away from your desk, explore campus, and be active with colleagues. The 'Sustaining Roots Walks' series is a collaborative program designed to bring Spartans closer to MSU's beautiful campus spaces while learning from experts and engaging in a restorative wellbeing practice during the workday. This series will also incorporate wellbeing practices before and during our walks. Stops will utilize the 'Nurture Your Roots' stations in the garden as well as grounding techniques or forest bathing concepts. Comfortable shoes recommended.
This program is a collaboration between Beal Botanical Garden and University Health and Wellbeing.
Black Botany: Shea Tour & Workshop
November 17, 2024
Location: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Shea Tour
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
What can Shea tell us about the relationships between plants, people, and the African Diaspora? Join Angelica Bajos, Community and Sustainability Coordinator, for a botanical deep dive into Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Shea Workshop
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
From tree to daily routine - experience the journey of shea with Beal Botanical Garden and Hillary Coleman, owner of 1991 Greenery Homestead. Join us for a DIY Shea Butter workshop in conjunction with Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Tours and dedicated workshops complement each other, but can be enjoyed independently. Registration for these free events are required.
The Black Botany series is a collaboration between Beal Botanical Garden and the Broad Art Museum exploring the relationship between plants, people, and the African Diaspora.
Image credit: Broad Art Museum
November 9 2024
Baker Woodlot Work Day
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Help preserve the crown jewel of MSU’s Campus Natural Areas, Baker Woodlot. Spend the afternoon helping remove trash and invasive species with Beal Botanical Garden led by Carolyn Miller. We will be meeting at the northwest entrance to Baker Woodlot (on Farm Ln.). Parking is available (for a fee) in the visitor lot located on the north side of Service Rd. between Farm Ln. and Bogue St. Please dress for the weather.
If you have questions, please email Carolyn at miller94@msu.edu.
Beal Lunch and Learn: Growing Thanks
November 14, 2024
12:10 - 12:55 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday to learn from Beal staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Growing Thanks
Join Angelica Bajos, Beal's Community and Sustainability Coordinator to discover the many ways cultures express gratitude through plants and botanical arrangements.