Edith J. Carrier Arboretum at JMU

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Edith J. Carrier Arboretum at JMU

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Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, a woodland sanctuary on the James Madison University campus The Edith J. The arboretum is here for you!
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Carrier Arboretum invites the public to step into a world of natural beauty and serenity. Visitors can walk winding woodland trails landscaped with Virginia native plants and enhanced with botanical gardens and wide expanses of lawns. The arboretum offers a wide range of seasonally appropriate educational and cultural events on site throughout the year. Come appreciate the beauty of nature, protected and captured amidst the hustle and activity of the thriving city of Harrisonburg and the pulse of campus life at James Madison University. Learn about environmental preservation and study one of our most valuable resources: plants and trees. Be a doer and volunteer or be a dreamer and spread a blanket on our lawns and relax or be any kind of visitor in between. Follow us on both Twitter and Instagram

10/09/2026

Feeling stressed or anxious? Join us for an evening of mindfulness at the Arboretum's Frances Plecker Education Center on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

We will learn new techniques to calm and quiet the mind, create space from past and future thoughts, and live more fully in the present moment!

Registration is free and all newcomers are welcome, no prior experience needed!

To register: email Mark Gabriele at: [email protected]

10/07/2026

Join us for our Get to Know Oak Trees Walk where we will be exploring the 12 different species of oak trees located in the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum!

This free event will take place on Thursday, October 22nd from 3-4p.m.

Learn how to tell oak trees apart and appreciate their unique role in our Eastern Deciduous Forests!

Make sure to bring comfortable shoes, water and bug spray!

Free registration at: tinyurl.com/EJCOakWalk

10/05/2026

Join us for a Fall Invasive Plant ID Walk this Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m.! Jacob Edel, Invasive Management Specialist at Blue Ridge PRISM, will lead this quarterly training at the Arboretum, where you will learn about how to identify and remove invasive plants throughout the seasons. Space is limited to 20 participants.

You also can participate in our Fall Conservation Stewards Removal Workday: a hands-on experience with Conservation Stewards as you remove invasive plants from the Arboretum. Gloves will be supplied. This event takes place Friday, Oct 16, at 10am. Space is limited to 10 participants.

Both of these events meet at the Arboretum’s Frances Plecker Education Center and are FREE!

Register at tinyurl.com/InvasivesEJCA.

10/02/2026

🌱What makes fall a great season for planting?

Summer may be over, but planting season isn't--fall is a great time to plant! Fall’s cooler temperatures and warmer soil create ideal conditions for plants to get established before winter.

🌡️Less stress heat: Cooler temperatures mean less stress while plants adjust without battling summer heat which gives better spring results.

🪴Gives roots time to grow: Planting in the fall gives them the winter to settle in and establish strong roots before spring arrives.

💧Less watering: Cooler weather and more consistent rainfall can help keep the soil moist, so newly planted plants typically need less watering than they would during the heat of the summer.

Don’t miss out! Our Fall 2026 Plant Sale ends tomorrow, on SATURDAY! Stop by the sale and find some new plants, trees, and bulbs! The sale is located at 613 Neff Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA and we are open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

09/29/2026

🌿What's a forb?

Forbs are non-woody flowering plants that provide food and habitat for pollinators and add color and diversity to gardens and natural spaces. 🐝🌻

We still have many to choose from at the Arboretum’s Fall 2026 Tree, Plant, and Bulb Sale. But, hurry, Saturday, Oct. 3, is the last day of the sale.

Just a few of the examples you'll find at our plant sale are Solidago, also known as “Goldenrod,” a beautiful native forb with bright yellow blooms that provides a valuable late-season food source for pollinators; and Conoclinium coelestinum, commonly known as “Blue Mistflower,” a herbaceous perennial with fluffy violet-blue blooms.

🌿Come check out our selection of forbs and discover some new plants for your garden! The sale is located at 613 Neff Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA and we are open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through Saturday, Oct. 3.

09/25/2026

The Fall Plant, Tree & Bulb Sale is HERE at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum!

Shop and explore a beautiful variety of houseplants, shrubs, trees, and perennials.

🌱 Location: 613 Neff Avenue - on the corner of Neff Avenue and Warwick Drive in Harrisonburg, VA

🌱 The sale runs from Sept. 25th - Oct. 3rd (Closed Sundays) from 9am - 3pm.

🌱 For more information, visit tinyurl.com/ejcplantsale or call us at (540) 568-3194.

09/24/2026

Squirrel Fest was a success!

Thank you to everyone who supported the Arboretum's first ever Squirrel Fest, whether through donating items, volunteering, or joining in on the fun. We couldn't have done it without our wonderful community!

09/22/2026

Due to inclement weather, Nature Journaling at the Arboretum -- originally scheduled for today at 2 p.m. -- has been cancelled.

Nature Journaling is held every two weeks. Our next date is Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2-3 p.m. at the Arboretum's Pavilion.

09/18/2026

The squirrels are ready for Squirrel Fest! What about you?

Join us this Saturday, September 19th, from 11am to 2pm for a day full of fun activities celebrating squirrels. We welcome the JMU and local community to join us for this free event! Visitors of all ages are invited to attend.

For more information, explore our webpage at tinyurl.com/EJCASquirrels.

We hope to see you there! 🍂

09/10/2026

Join Dr. Annette Naber of Emerald Mountain Sanctuary for a guided forest bathing walk at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum on Monday, Sept. 14, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. We'll meet at the Arboretum's Pavilion.

Developed in Japan in the 1980s as preventative medicine, forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is supported by research showing benefits for mental and physical well-being.

Register for FREE! at:
tinyurl.com/EJCAForestBathing

A maximum of 15 people can register.

We hope you will join us!

Address

780 University Boulevard
Harrisonburg, VA
22807

Telephone

(540) 568-3194

Website

https://www.jmu.edu/arboretum/index.shtml

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