RSVP for The Longenecker Horticultural Gardens at Ninety: History and Current Initiatives

media release: 2025-2026 Friends of the UW Arboretum Luncheon Lectures

We are pleased to announce another fantastic roster of speakers this year!  Luncheon Lectures filled up quickly, so register soon. Luncheon Lectures are held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Arboretum Visitor Center. A buffet lunch, provided by Blue Plate Catering, is followed by an educational presentation. Register online at foamadison.org or send a check payable to FOA to Friends of the Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Hwy., Madison, WI 53711. The cost of each Luncheon Lecture is $48.  Registration closes 10 days before each event. The Friends of the Arboretum is a nonprofit organization that supports the missions of the UW Arboretum.

Wednesday November 19, 2025: The Longenecker Horticultural Gardens at Ninety: History and Current Initiatives by David Garison Stevens, Ed Hasselkus Curator, Longenecker Horticultural Gardens, UW-Madison Arboretum.         Registration closes 10 days before the event.                                                 

The Longenecker Horticultural Gardens are the U.W. Arboretum’s arboretum, housing the largest and most diverse collection of woody plants in the state.  First planted in 1935, they are consistently one of the most visited natural areas in Madison, where visitors come to experience the beauty and wonder of woody plant diversity from Wisconsin and around the world. Though steeped in history, the collection continues to evolve, with new plants added yearly and staying current with technologies to help maintain and interpret it. Longnecker curator David Stevens will discuss the garden’s history and bring us up to date on what’s happening in it today.