Friends of the Arboretum April Newsletter
Dear Friends,
As the Co-Chair of the Friends of the Arboretum Advisory Board, I’m often asked “What’s going on at the Arboretum?”, or “What can I do at the Arboretum?” My answer is always “Plenty!”
As we move through the Spring season and into Summer, I thought I’d share some of my favorite things to do at the Arboretum. I hope this listing gives you some new ideas.
Tour the Gardens The Arboretum volunteers and staff can arrange for a guided walking tour or a golf-cart tour for you or your group to visit the gardens. These tours are guided by volunteers who love talking about the Arboretum and all of its features. There is always something new to discover on these tours. Tours only cost $10 per person plus your normal entry fee and can be arranged in advance by calling the Arboretum. A minimum of 14 days advance notice is requested in order to schedule the tour guides.
Take a Hike There are so many trails throughout the gardens and Arboretum. The gardens alone have over 2 miles of paved walkways where you can enjoy the flowers, trees and water features. The best part of the Arboretum, however, is “off the beaten path”! There are more than 10 miles of wood-chipped paths through the Arboretum and Prairie to explore. Visit each of the seven different eco-systems represented at the Arboretum. Pick up your map of the gardens, Arboretum trails or Prairie trails from the Greeters Desk at either LongHouse or the Education Center. (My favorite trail is the Upper Bluff Loop Trail).
Visit the Sculptures The Arboretum is home to dozens of sculptures throughout the Gardens. In addition to the International Sculpture Garden path (a half-mile paved loop through the trees featuring approximately 20 large sculptures) to the smaller pieces sprinkled in all of the garden areas, you’re sure to find something of interest. Ask the Greeter’s Desk volunteers for information.
Visit the Train Garden One of the most popular areas of the Arboretum is our Train Garden which features a total of 10 tracks that run “G-Scale” (garden scale) trains. This area also features a full-size caboose, railway crossing signal and miniature towns and buildings throughout the display. The Train Garden also contains a model of the Strang-Line Street Car running through Downtown Overland Park in the early 1900’s. The trains are maintained and run by volunteers daily, weather permitting. Please feel free to call ahead to ensure the trains are running.
A Place for the Kids Looking for something for the youngsters to do during the summer? The Arboretum is the place. In addition to the beauty of the outdoors, make sure to visit the Environmental Education Center for Family Discovery Kits, Rosie’s Adventure Cards, our Quest Hunts, coloring activities and story books to thumb through. These items are available any time the Arboretum is open. There are also educational displays about snakes, birds, butterflies, etc.
Need a Gift or a Bite to Eat? In addition to visiting our brand new LongHouse Visitor’s Center, make sure to stop by the new Gift Shop right as you enter the front door. There you can find tons of unique gifts for you or anyone on your shopping list. Come on by and see what’s new. And don’t forget to walk down to the other end of LongHouse and visit Café Celeste. The Café serves sandwiches, wraps, salads, drinks and all sorts of sweet treats. Grab a bite and enjoy eating lunch with a beautiful view on the patio.
Volunteer at Your Happy Place The Arboretum is a wonderful place to visit. It’s even a better place to volunteer. Whether you have just an hour or two, or want to give a few hours every week, the Arboretum has a place for you! We always welcome gardeners, greeters, train “engineers”, and those who just want to help out at one of our events. Your time and talents are always needed. Volunteers receive support and training for any job they want to do. Just call the Arboretum to get started. I know it was one of the best things I ever did!
Events and Activities Don’t forget about all of our upcoming events and programs at the Arboretum.
There are plenty of reasons to stop in and visit. Make it part of your Summer plans to see us soon. See you in the Gardens!
Mike Hopson,
Co-Chair of the FOTA Advisory Board