It was a picture perfect day. Quite literally.
A sell out crowd of 1300 attendees enjoyed the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s encore performance last Sunday, benefitting the Arb’s mission to construct a new, stalwart bridge and dredge the drought-stricken Euphrates creek. Hundreds stayed for Jaime Green’s captivating documentary, Uncommon Ground, which chronicles the charming story of this historic property. The documentary will be available at BartlettArboretum.com in the near future along with 2012 calendars featuring John Morrison’s stunning arb photos. Just in time for the holidays.
The concert couldn’t have happened without these generous sponsors:
Soil Sisters & Botanical Brothers
Howerton + White
Valley State Bank
Freddy’s Frozen Custard
Beran Concrete
Jack & Kathy Manske, long-time friends of the Dirt Band who cast the spell originally.
To stay informed of future concerts and events, visit BartlettArboretum.com and sign up on our e-mail.
Here in paradise, we are busy getting ready for this weekend’s Nitty Gritty Dirt Band concert! The Dirt Band Boys aren’t the only thing to celebrate this weekend, however. Saturday the 12th, join us for the exclusive world premiere of Uncommon Ground, Jaime Green’s lyrical documentary that ventures up the garden paths and down the Euphrates Creek, exploring how this 100-year-old wood made it into our lives today.
Interested in joining us for this free event? Here are the details:
2:00 pm, Belle Plaine High School.
The film was underwritten by The Kansas Humanities Council as part of the initiative Kansans Tell Their Stories for the state’s 150th anniversary.
To whet your appetite, visit BartlettArboretum.com to watch a short trailer.
The Belle Plaine High School National Honor Society graced Bartlett Arb with their helpful presence this weekend, planting 2,500 gudoshnik tulips (meaning “artist” in Russian,) and eating nearly as many hot dogs.
Speaking of artists, meet Laura McPherson of Elephant Juice Photography based out of Winfield, Kansas, America. She is pictured here capturing a great image of our guard of the yard, therapy dog extraordinare, Miss Sam Oliver.
Don’t be mistaken. She’s a gal named Sam. Like a boy named Sue.
Join us November 13th for a fabulous concert benefiting Bartlett Arb! For more information, please visit BartlettArboretum.com .
Our new best friend, a man with two first names, Zack Phillips, visits the arboretum to consult and inspire us about unique Kansas waterways - especially during the drought. Check out his business at www.BridgeWaterAquatics.com
Mama G (a.k.a. Mary Bartlett Gourlay) spent this steamy summer afternoon tending to the boxwoods in the Formal Garden. Doing this for fifty years, she’s become quite the professional.
Tomorrow evening, the Cherokee Maidens & Sycamore Swing will be performing for Botanica’s “Tuesdays on the Terrace” series (this link will send you to more information about the concert.)
The band will play from 5:30-7:30, and cover charge is free with admission to the lovely Wichita gardens.
Hope to see you there!
This week, Bartlett Arb was both privileged and honored to be the first stop on the Kansas Nurserymen and Landscape Association tour. Soil Sisters rallied the day before ensuring that the grounds were in tip-top shape for our distinguished guests. Steward Robin Macy led the group in tour throughout the Arb, explaining the arboretum’s history and future plans alike. It was very exciting and rewarding to see so many garden enthusiasts enjoying and taking in the beauty of this unique paradise.
This Sunday, the Arb was also host to a fabulous and nationally recognized Americana band, The Greencards. Hundreds of people were in attendance despite the wicked heat that Kansas has been enduring. Thanks to a hydration station (with complimentary bottled water donated by sponsors, SKT) and cool misting fans, the audience stayed somewhat hydrated and enjoyed the sounds of music underneath the pines.
This afternoon, many angels of the arboretum wondered about the gardens, taking in the beauty, the sounds of locusts, and the effects of an “excessive heat warning.”
Luckily, Robin called in the help of a rental company, temporarily acquiring a large fan which we connect to a hose for a wonderful mist. You can see the thankful soil sisters and hard working helpers enjoying the benefits above.
After some good, hard work, the sisters of the soil traveled to Mulvane for authentic Italian food prepared by none other than the famous gang at Luciano’s.
Such a rewarding ending to an incredibly rewarding day.
