Holden Arboretum in Kirtland beckons with autumnal beauty
Astronomical autumn begins this year on Sept. 22, when 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness mark the autumnal equinox. However, meteorological autumn began Sept. 1 and extends to Nov. 30. Seeking to better define the seasons, weather forecasters divided the calendar into three-month increments for summer, fall, winter and spring.
When you live around here, as I do, anticipation of autumn may be best realized at Holden Arboretum, based off Sperry Road in Kirtland. Its 3,600 acres of gentle meadows and woodlands, ponds and rugged terrain span the boundaries of Lake and Geauga counties, making it an easy escape from urban landscapes.
As I’ve edged into elderhood, my appreciation for Holden Arboretum has increased. I’ve discovered that its natural areas are almost as approachable with my mobility scooter as they were when I was able to hike and cross-country ski among its trails and gardens.
Janet Podolak pauses her mobility scooter at the end of the 500-foot-long Murch Canopy Walk at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland. Suspended by cables 65 feet above the forest floor, the bridge-like walkway allows visitors to discover the canopy of a hardwood forest. (Maureen Meehan)
Although its 500-foot-long Murch Canopy Walk has been open for more than 10 years, I only recently made my first visit. I found it to be a great place to appreciate the season.
A wooden boardwalk winding into a thick hardwood forest behind the rhododendron collection leads to the canopy trail, a one-way bridge-like trail strung by cables through the forest and elevated into the treetops. Focused on steering my scooter along its 3-foot width, I barely feel its movement as we pass. Meanwhile, my friends on foot grab at railings along its sturdy wire sides, at first feeling insecure with its slight sway.
They relax as they look around, seeing the acrobatic antics of eastern fox squirrels hustling to gather acorns on the forest floor 65 feet below. When the forest’s abundance becomes lean in winter, the squirrels’ stashed acorns become ready meals for squirrels.
Colorful and well-placed signs along the canopy walk tell us that the squirrel’s hind feet rotate to increase its agility and that those clusters of leaves we see in the dense tree canopy above are squirrel nests called dreys. They protect the squirrels from hawks cruising overhead, while tree branches and trunks protect them from fox and coyote enemies below.
In just a few weeks, the leafy canopy of trees I’m wheeling through with my scooter will begin to change into the colors of autumn — red, orange and yellow — and the forest will thin as leaves begin to fall.
The rat-a-tat-tat of a red-bellied woodpecker reveals one of the birds is nearby, just as another sign comes into view. It shows how the bird’s chisel-like beak drills holes in dead wood and conceals a long, pointy tongue perfectly designed to capture an insect meal.
At the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, a sign along the Murch Canopy Walk illustrates how a red-bellied woodpecker’s tongue is three times longer than its beak, permitting the bird to capture insects inside the holes drilled into a tree by the woodpecker. (Courtesy of Holden Arboretum)
Still another walkway sign along the canopy directs us to examine the trunk of a nearby shagbark hickory tree, where northern long-eared bats are snuggled beneath its long strips of loose bark. That’s where these nocturnal creatures spend their summer days, coming out when darkness falls to hunt the insects that are their diet mainstays. After summers spent raising their young in hardwood forests, they migrate to cool, sheltered underground caves and other spaces to hibernate for winter.
As darkness falls earlier each day, those on the canopy walk have a greater chance of spotting creatures of the evening along its length. When clocks fall back with the end of daylight savings time on Nov. 2, sunset times will approach 5 p.m.
The Murch Canopy Walk is open from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday until the end of October. In November, it is open weekends only (weather permitting) from 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Not far away, the 12-story Kalberer Emergent Tower gives those on foot the opportunity for 360-degree views from above the treetops. Visitors can see all the way to Lake Erie on clear days.
Here’s a look at the Emergent Tower at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland from the air. (Courtesy of Holden Arboretum)
The tower has 202 steps, with platforms every 30 steps or so for rest and to take in the views of the tree canopy.
Both the tower and the canopy walk are closed in the winter.
Debuting at Holden Arboretum on Sept. 20, “Skeleton Grove” will reveal up to a dozen skeletons striking playful poses in the main display gardens. Designed by artists, each of the larger-than-life-size creations will have its own style and personality, according to arboretum staffers. Meet the artists at an event from 10 a.m. to noon on Sept. 20. The skeletons will remain in place through Nov. 2. Mini-tram tours will allow everyone from toddlers to elders to get in on the fun.
The second weekend in October, typically the peak of fall color, will bring Fall Forest Fest, which will be observed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the Arboretum. That weekend, Oct. 11 and 12, will boast marshmallow roasts, garden games and crafts projects. Food trucks will be in place, and adult drinks will be available on Saturday.
A girl holds a large leaf of a yellow poplar tulip while her companion hides his face behind another one at Holden Aboretum in Kirtland. The Leaf Trail, which opens on Sept. 20 at the Arboretum, will show visitors how to identify leaves they collect. (Courtesy of Holden Arboretum)
Fall color can be tracked by tree type and location this year, starting on Sept. 20, when a color thermometer will be updated daily at holdenfg.org.
That’s also the day when the annual Leaf Trail will open. Follow the trail and learn how to identify trees by collecting leaves and organizing them by their characteristics, including tulip trees and dawn redwoods.
The Holden Arboretum
Where: 9550 Sperry Road, Kirtland.
Info: 440-946-4400; holdenfg.org.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and closed to the public on Mondays, except on Mondays Oc. 13, 20 and 27, when the Arboretum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $21 for adults and $15 for children 3 through 12; free for Holden Forests & Gardens members.
Annual memberships: Which include admission to Cleveland Botanical Garden and many other perks, such as classes and extended hours, start at $25 for those with a service-connected disability and individuals and families using SNAP, WIC, Medicaid or EBT benefits. Learn more at bit.ly/hfg-memberships.