By Patricia R. Drackett
Director, The Crosby Arboretum, Mississippi State University
Assistant Extension Professor of Landscape Architecture

This Saturday, October 12, the Crosby Arboretum will hold two separate events that will offer the public some unique ways to enjoy our beautiful grounds and to be immersed in the natural world.  The first event is a morning 5K trail run that begins at 8:00 a.m.  The day will conclude with an encore performance of our open mic event that debuted this spring, a 3-hour evening event on the Pinecote Pavilion beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The open mic will feature local musicians and their instruments, playing for fifteen-minute time slot.  Encourage your friends and family to participate, or dust off that old guitar hiding in your closet, or just come and be part of the audience and enjoy some baked goods and coffee or tea at this free public event.

We are still continually asked, “what is an arboretum?” People want to know what they can do here on a visit. The concise answer is that the Crosby Arboretum is a public garden with three miles of nature trails that pass through Woodland, Savanna (grassland), and Aquatic Exhibits. Along the pathways, visitors will find interpretive signs that cover various topics, such as the region’s native plants or Piney Woods history and culture. Also, we are dog-friendly!

While this may be a perfectly seasonable short answer, it is only the tip of the iceberg of what one can discover at the Arboretum. An architect passing by on the interstate may stop in to pay a visit to our Mississippi Landmark structure, the Pinecote Pavilion, designed by world renowned architect E. Fay Jones.

A Girl Scout may come to earn a badge on an outdoor topic, or a Boy Scout may choose to complete his Eagle Scout community project by carrying out a project that adds to our Master Plan. A Mississippi Master Gardener or Master Naturalist may attend a special program here, or a garden club may plan a tour where they will learn about native plant species to use in their home gardens.

Walking the Crosby Arboretum’s pathways may provide a fine educational or recreational experience for visitors who choose to make the journey, but we truly shine with our ever-changing offering of educational programs and public events focused on celebrating the natural world. Whether you attend a program on hummingbirds, butterflies, wildlife gardening, home landscape design, mushrooms, insects, or carnivorous plants, our goal is to provide you with an exceptional experience that will educate and inform you, with the end result of transforming or improving your life in some way.

We hope that visitors who attend an event or program will choose to become members of the Arboretum once they get a glimpse of its unique charms. But their next trip will be completely different from their last, depending on the event they attend. It may be a large public event such as the upcoming Bugfest on October 18 and 19 or the native plant sale on October 25 and 26, or a small program such as the yoga class on the Pavilion with Jim Sones on November 2.

On October 12, attend our 5K “Run Through the Forest” trail run. Whether you’re a runner or a walker, an adult or a child, you will enjoy this early morning run through the beautiful grounds. Check-in/registration begins at 7:30 and run begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. Entry fee of $30 includes a T-shirt. Register on-line on the Arboretum website. To register, become a sponsor, or make a donation, please contact Nickie Smith.

On October 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., come to “Music Under the Pines”, an open mic night on the Pinecote Pavilion. Call to reserve your 15 minute time slot, or join the audience and kick back for an evening featuring talented local musicians and singers. Coffee, tea, and desserts will be served at this free community event.

To sign up for programs, please call 601-799-2311. Stop in to see the Arboretum’s fall gallery exhibit, photography by Jenny Bibb Ryals. Don’t forget to mark your calendar to come learn more about butterflies and other insects at the Arboretum’s two-day Bugfest, an extravaganza of all things buggy, October 18 and 19 (Friday and Saturday).

For more information, please see our Facebook page, or the calendar on our website at https://crosbyarboretum.msstate.edu. Our public garden is located at 370 Ridge Road in Picayune, at I-59 Exit 4, and open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 to 4:30. Leashed pets are always welcome!