Friends of the Arboretum March 2022 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
In recent days, my inbox, social media feeds, and local gardening publications have all started to come alive with the latest news about the awakening of spring. There is no shortage of inspiring quotes, garden prep ideas, products that the gardener cannot live without, and stunning photos of the earliest spring flowers making their presence known. Recently our volunteer coordinators, Liz and Kim, published a few photos in the latest weekly volunteer newsletter. (Pictured here – Iris Reticulata, photo by Katharine Garrison.)
The Arboretum is not without its own multi-media story as our 300-acre canvas is coming alive as the grip of snow and sub-zero temperatures are replaced by longer and warmer days! For me, walking along the woodland trails near Wolf Creek provides no shortage of early-season sounds and views where I can get lost in the sound of the running creek water that yields to the remaining ice cover. Even the woodpeckers and squirrels are creating their own spring rhythms, which are certain to be enjoyed by all. And when I leave the rustic paths, I am equally taken by the more formal gardens and spaces that are also coming alive—where the earliest of buds are beginning to form and waiting to be discovered!
Several years ago, I wrote that just as there are 365 days in a year, there are 365 reasons to visit the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Every day—not including our engaging roster of programs and events—the gardens have a ton to offer and be discovered. As the weather warms up, bring your jacket and come out for an hour or an afternoon; pack a lunch and make a table on a rock ledge, bench or settle down on a piece of lawn; bring your children, bring your parents, or sneak away for some “you time” and discover everything that the gardens have to reveal this spring.
Read on to learn some of the ways for you to be involved and to stay up to date on happenings at the Arboretum this Spring and throughout the year!
Events and Programing
Check out our events page on our website for many more fun activities and start filing in your calendar. Coming soon:
· Spring Plant Sale. Our annual Plant Sale begins Thursday, April 28—don’t forget, FOTA members get to shop early!
· Wine Tasting on the Terrace. Join us on May 12 for the first of 8 wine tasting events. Our first evening will feature wine from White Tail Run Winery and food from Terrace Catering.
· Biergarten Thursdays. For the beer enthusiasts, we have added Biergarten Thursdays to our events line up, our first program is May 19 with 3 other evenings to follow.
· Night at the Arboretum. On March 18, come roam the trails with your flashlight, look at the stars, make s’mores on the patio and enjoy nocturnal educational opportunities after dark.
News From the Gardens
Stay current on the latest Arboretum news by following us on our social spaces. And don’t forget to share our content so your friends, family and neighbors can hear about ways to enjoy the many aspects of the Arboretum.
Volunteer
There are numerous ways to share your time and talents at the Arboretum. If volunteering is on your “To Do” list, please contact volunteercoordinator@opkansas.org.
Let Me Know What’s on Your Mind
As always, I want to hear from you. Please send me an email at fotachair@artsandrec-op.org with your thoughts and ideas about our events and programing and let me know how we are doing.
See you in the gardens,
Carlos E. Corredor, Chair of the FOTA Advisory Board