 |  | | May 15, 2025 It's gardening season. Not according to me — according to Google: Searches for "plant sale" spike in early May each year, both in Madison and beyond.
The annual Friends of the Arboretum Native Plant Sale returns this Saturday. Since I don't have much of a green thumb myself, I paid a visit to Judy Cardin, a bumblebee educator who has spent several years turning her front and back yards into a paradise of pollinator-friendly plants. (She calls it "Bee Town.")
Cardin recommends planting native wildflowers like anise hyssop, bee balm and Culver's root, which provide nectar and pollen to support the endangered Rusty patched bumble bee. A garden kit curated by Cardin with these flowers — and more — will be available at the sale.
P.S. The Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale at Dane County Extension Office also takes place this weekend, and Olbrich Botanical Gardens' online-only Summer Pollinator Plant Sale starts on June 3. Also in this week's newsletter:
🎨 Gallery Night is back on Friday, plus two more art events this weekend
🎉 Celebrate Madison Public Library's 150th anniversary this weekend
🥉 A podium finish for a pro triathlete from Cottage Grove
Anna Kottakis is digital editor at Madison Magazine. | | | |  | | The most recent highlights from Josh Spreiter's "In the 608" morning segment on News 3 Now | | | From Josh: The 2025 Dairyland Games, a multi-sport competition for athletes with physical disabilities, returns for the eighth year this weekend in Verona. On Tuesday, I was joined in the studio by Deb Jenks, Dairyland Sports' vice president and event director, and Hayden Smith, one of the athletes competing this weekend. Fine a preview of the competition here.
News 3 Now is a proud sponsor of Stoughton's annual Syttende Mai Festival, which is a weekend-long celebration of Norwegian heritage. In tomorrow's segment, I'll be dressed to impress (see the photo below, taken at a previous year's festival) and to dance with the Stoughton Norwegian Dancers. Watch the rest of this week's In the 608 segments here.
Josh Spreiter is an Emmy award-winning anchor/reporter for News 3 Now This Morning. | | | | | |  | | A round-up of weekend events in the Madison area | | | Madison Gallery Night at participating venues throughout Madison | May 16, hours vary
Spring Art Tour (Mount Horeb, Black Earth, Arena, Barneveld, Belleville, Blanchardville, Blue Mounds, Mazomanie, New Glarus and Argyle) | May 16-18
Art Walk Middleton (downtown Middleton) | May 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Trans Joy 2025 at Warner Park (2930 N. Sherman Ave.) | May 17, 1-4 p.m.
Grand opening of Roundhouse Studios (1741 Commercial Ave.) | May 18, noon-5 p.m.
Madison Radicals v. Pittsburgh Thunderbirds at Breese Stevens Field (917 E. Mifflin St.) | May 17, 6-9 p.m.
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" at The Glen Golf Park (3747 Speedway Road) | May 18, 4-8 p.m. | | | |  |  | | | Amid federal funding cuts, MPL celebrates 150 years — and a groundbreaking for a new library. | | | | | | Andrea Debbink's new book, "Urban Trails: Madison," is a guide for local exploration. | | | | |  | | The latest from a longtime Madison Magazine columnist | | | |
