The Bridge | Spring 2016 by Myriad Botanical Gardens

The Myriad Gardens Foundation wishes to thank our sustaining partners, leaders in providing major ongoing annual support:

BancFirst

The Chickasaw Nation

Continental Resources

Devon Energy Corporation

Herman and LaDonna Meinders

Robert H. Meinders

Newmark Grubb Levy Strange Beffort

OGE Energy Corp.

The Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust

The City of Oklahoma City

Join these community leaders as a partner with Myriad Botanical Gardens and you will be connected to one of Oklahoma’s venerable community resources

MISSION STATEMENT

The Myriad Gardens Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization which manages and supports the Myriad Botanical Gardens by providing capital and operating funding, increasing public awareness and support and promoting the highest of horticultural, education and administrative standards.

On the cover:

Dancing in the Gardens last June on the Seasonal Plaza. Photo by Doug Hoke.

Myriad Gardens Foundation

Executive Board of Directors

Chairman

J. Larry Nichols*

Chair Emeritus

James R. Tolbert III*

Treasurer

Matt Cole*

Mark Beffort

John Hart

Herman Meinders

Gary Pierson

David Rainbolt

Lynn Robberson*

Meg Salyer*

Avis Scaramucci*

Myriad Gardens Foundation Staff

Executive Director

Maureen Heffernan

Chief Financial Officer

Chuck Davis

Deputy Director

Debora Morey

*Also a Community Board Member

Community Board Members

Lynn Robberson, President

Brian Alford

Robert Allee

Gerry Bonds

Lindsey Brock

Bob Calvert

Janie Comstock

Irma Elliott

James Everest

Dr. Warren V. Filley

Charles L. Freede

Ginny Greenberg

Cary Grenrock

Linda Haneborg

Seyan Hefner

Dannie Bea Hightower

Linda Horn

Gail Huneryager

Dixie Jensen

Michael Laird

Paul Lefebvre

Jean McLaughlin

Robert Meinders

Jim Morley

Allen Paine

Morton Payne

Kent Phillips

James. A. Pickel

D. Joe Rockett

Wendi Schuur

Kim Searls

Marsha See

Carl Shortt, Jr.

Beth Wells

Roy H. Williams

DEAR MEMBERS & GARDENS FRIENDS

When there is an ominous financial bubble forming in some market, it’s often compared to the speculation of the 17th century Dutch tulip craze called Tulipmania, when a single tulip bulb might be bought or sold for an astonishing sum. Fortunes made and lost over a short lived spring flower. But what a flower! Providing a transporting, high voltage jolt of exuberant color, cheer and joy to our senses, they serve as botanical alarm clocks, waking us up winter fatigue to spring fever. When planted in masses or long border sweeps, the effect is like entering an enchanted Technicolor kingdom. Along with their beauty, tulips and other spring bulbs, provide a spiritual balm too. When flowering in a still bleak landscape, it’s like the consoling genius of the earth is roaring back to life in its full artistic and reassuring strength, dare we think there are no second chances in life after loss.

It’s difficult to overstate the exhilarating and encouraging delight we feel, (ode to the Wordsworth poem) “coming upon a field of daffodils” or tulips. At the Gardens, we see thousands of visitors smitten and smiling over our spring bulb displays. So, we were thrilled to receive a generous matching grant from The Robert Glen Rapp Foundation, that when met, will create a permanent endowment to support spring bulb displays every year.

It’s now mid-April and tulips are ceding center stage to other flowers and leafing out trees and shrubs. Tulipmania is giving way to what we hope will be “Prairie and Monarch Mania” this summer with our new prairie garden showing off its beauty, toughness and fascinating ecological interconnections especially with monarch butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

Our prairie garden faces a large asphalt parking lot directly to its south. The asphalt sits forlorn, decaying, mute and unmoving. While the prairie garden grows, flowers, hums, buzz and sways in the winds. Perhaps this contrast can create a Prairie Mania in OKC. Gardeners digging up lawns and hardscape to re- plant swaths of prairie grasses and flowers with garden centers and nurseries unable to keep up with the demand for little bluestem grass, liars, coreopsis, and coneflowers. In late summer, when hundreds of monarch butterflies descend on the prairie’s asters, milkweed, butterfly weed and other butterfly-attracting plants, we hope it generates Monarch Mania, i.e. the thrill of seeing these beautiful winged creatures fluttering and alighting throughout a garden. Monarch mania will also focus attention on the need for gardeners to plant plants that help them survive.

There is always some form of plant or program mania happening at Myriad Gardens. Look for new education programs for all ages on prairie plants and pollinators throughout the summer. A Prairie Plant Sale is scheduled for May 27-28. Our popular Dancing in the Gardens series returns May 5 and The Jungle Book family festival will bring this classic tale to life in horticulturally and artistic ways in our Children’s Garden May 6-22.

Thank you for your support that enables us to fulfill our mission to be a beautiful urban garden and park with horticultural programs and community events for all.

I look forward to seeing you at the Gardens.

Maureen Heffernan Executive Director

Splendor in the Gardens, our fabulous outdoor farm-to-table dinner benefit, returns June 16. Please consider supporting it as a sponsor or by purchasing a ticket by calling (405) 445-7090.

“Tulipmania is giving way to what we hope will be ‘prairie and monarch mania’ this summer.”

Maureen Heffernan

THE JUNGLE BOOK presented by

Look for the bare necessities in our Children’s Garden as we transform the area into a jungle haven. Experience Rudyard Kipling’s story of how the man cub, Mowgli, adapts to life in the jungle with the help of Baloo, Bagheera, Kaa, and those pesky monkeys. Enjoy crafts, activities and imaginative displays that capture India’s rich culture and will educate us all on the adventures in this heartwarming story.

10am - 5pm daily

Sponsored by Express Employment Professionals & Tinker Federal Credit Union

Please note that the Children’s Garden is closed to the public May 2 to May 5 for set up of The Jungle Book; it reopens with admission from May 6-22. May 25 it will reopen for FREE to the public.

THE JUNGLE BOOK EVENTS

Fridays and Saturdays during The Jungle Book, 1 – 1:45pm STORIES FROM THE JUNGLE Bagheera’s Bungalow in the Children’s Garden FREE with Admission to The Jungle Book (Admission is FREE for members!) Best for Ages 4-9

Join us Fridays and Saturdays during The Jungle Book for an interactive reading of jungle-inspired books. Audience members will have the chance to participate in the story and be the elephants, monkeys, and other jungle friends as we read through charming stories.

Saturday, May 7, 11am – 12:30pm JAMMIN’ IN THE JUNGLE Garden Room and Crystal Bridge Members $2; Nonmembers $4 Best for Ages 5-10 Register by Tuesday, May 3

Learn all about the instruments from the jungle! In this interactive class we’ll talk about the myriad of instruments we get from the jungle and

Friday, May 13, 6-10pm NIGHT AT THE JUNGLE

Children’s Garden

Activities in the Children’s Garden, 6-8pm

Screening of Disney’s 1967 The Jungle Book, 8-10pm Members $7 per child ages 4-12, $5 per adult Nonmembers $10 per child ages 4-12, $8 per adult Register by Wednesday, April 27

Calling all adventurers! Come to The Jungle Book after hours to explore the Children’s Garden as the sun sets in the background. There will be jungle games, activities and treats. All guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite character and get in the jungle spirit. The evening will wind down with a screening of Disney’s 1967 animated classic, The Jungle Book. Space is limited so reserve early by registering online at myriadgardens.org

Saturday, May 14, 11am-1pm PAINTING IN THE GARDENS

SERIES WITH WINE AND PALETTE Pavilion Lawn or South Lobby of Crystal Bridge depending on weather Members $20, register by phone (405) 227-0230

Nonmembers $25, register at wineandpalette.com/ calendar.asp

Bring scenes from The Jungle Book to life on canvas! This session will also offer a kidfriendly option to choose from. One 11”x14” canvas is offered to each participant. Make it a family day! Mom or dad can paint alongside with their young artists after being inspired by the displays seen in the Children’s Garden.

ON-GOING IN THE JUNGLE

HENNA TATTOOS

Friday-Sunday, May 6-8, 10am-5pm $5-10 per design

LAVENDER VALLEY ACRES

Saturday, May 7, 10am-5pm

SAVORY SPICE SHOP DEMOS

Saturdays, May 14 & 21, 11am & 1pm

JUNGLE YOGA FOR KIDS!

Saturday & Sunday, May 21 & 22, 11am & 1pm

NRITA-ARPAN DANCE SCHOOL PRESENTS Saturday, May 7, 1 & 2pm

CLASSICAL/FOLK FUSION

Saturday, May 7, 1:30pm

PUNJABI FOLK DANCE

Sunday, May 8, 2 & 3pm

BOLLYWOOD DANCE

Sunday, May 15, 2 & 3pm

INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE

Friday, May 15, 2:30 & 3:30pm

RAJASTHANI FOLK DANCE

AALIM DANCE COMPANY May 20-22, 2 & 3:30pm

DAILY SCAVENGER HUNTS

9am-5pm in the

THE MYRIAD GARDENS’ ANNUAL SPRING FESTIVAL

Splendor IN THE GARDENS

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Splendor in the Gardens Returns

Thursday, June 16, 2016, 6pm

Aimee Harlow & Steve Mason co-chairs

Splendor in the Gardens, now in its third year, is a one-of-a-kind, farm-totable gala dinner served in grand style on the Great Lawn at the Myriad Botanical Gardens.

Limited to 375 guests, the evening begins with a champagne Patron Party at our Event Center. As the sun sets, guests stroll through the Gardens to our Great Lawn where a magnificent dinner of signature dishes is served by a bevy of OKC’s top chefs including Kurt Fleischfresser, Kamala Gamble, Allison Dake and John McBryde.

This event serves to raise funds that help support the gardens and grounds, Crystal Bridge Conservatory and educational and special event programming at the Gardens. Sponsorships are available starting at $600 and includes admittance to the Patron Reception and dinner for two.

For more information on becoming a sponsor and ticket information, please contact Tatianna Cannon, Director of Development at (405) 4457090 or tcannon@myriadgardens.org. Information on sponsorship is also available online at our website, myriadgardens.org.

Aimee Harlow

Steve Mason

Splendor in the Gardens photos by Carl Shortt Jr.

Another FUN Season Ahead At The Myriad Gardens

The warmer weather arrives and so does another busy season in the Myriad Botanical Gardens. Last summer we welcomed more than 200,000+ people to either a SONIC Summer Movie or Dancing in the Gardens, Full Moon Bike Rides & Runs and more. This year we truly believe we’ll see ever more participants thanks to the excellent word-of-mouth generated. The Gardens is pleased to welcome back these tried and true successful signature events. We could not do these without the generous support of our sponsors including Gardner TanenBaum Holdings and SONIC, America’s Drive-In, as well as our partners like Schlegel Bicycles and Ultramax Oklahoma Sports, just to name a few.

Dancing in the Gardens presented by Gardner Tanenbaum Holdings

Thursday, May 5 — Salsa

Friday, June 3 — Swing Dance

Friday, July 8 — Line Dancing

Friday, August 5 — Tango Dancing

Friday, September 2 — Cha-Cha dancing

On Thursday, May 5 Dancing in the Gardens returns and with two more nights added to the schedule! This season, Dancing in the Gardens will last from May to September. Join us as we transform the Seasonal Plaza into an urban dance space. Beginning at 7 p.m., instructors from 3Sixty Dance Studio will give a dance demonstration followed by a FREE lesson for all. At 8 p.m., our DJ will crank up the Salsa tunes to get the dancing started. Drink and food specials will be offered to highlight the night.

NEW THIS YEAR: DANCE LESSONS

On the evening before Dancing in the Gardens dates, a onehour dance lesson will be held. The first one is Wednesday, May 4 featuring Salsa. 3Sixty Dance Studio will break down the steps and get your truly prepared for a fun night of dancing so you can teach others the proper moves when the time is right. Limited space available. Cost is $10 for members, $15 nonmembers.

Full Moon Bike Ride & Run Takes You On Unique Ride Through Downtown

Monday, May 23

Monday, June 20

Tuesday, July 19

Thursday, August 18

Friday, September 16

Sunday, October 16

Your favorite Gardens’ health and wellness activity is back! Beginning May 23 and every Full Moon night through October. Join other runners in a 5K run, led by Ultramax Sports Oklahoma, through the scenic downtown area as the sun sets. Bring your bike and meet up a for a leisurely one hour ride. Downtown-area routes are specially planned by Schlegel Bicycles.

SONIC Summer Movies Returns to Wednesdays in June

June 22 — The Little Rascals (1990s version)

June 29 — Hotel Transylvania 2

July 6 — Three Amigos

July 13 — Minions

July 20 — Hook

July 27 — Spiderman (2002 version)

August 3 — 35th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark

A much-loved summer tradition is back thanks to our sponsor SONIC, American’s Drive-In! Join us each Wednesday on the Great Lawn for movies, activities, food and lots of fun. Thanks to SONIC these movies are completely FREE. Come early to get a great seat. Bring a picnic or enjoy a hamburger and fries from the Ice House, hot dog from J’s Ice Cube or from our line-up of food trucks.

BHorticulture Happenings

By Nate Tscheann, Director of Horticulture

Introducing Garden Explorer, Our Online Plant Database

y definition, botanical gardens are supposed to maintain an active record of their plant collections. A wellmaintained plant records database helps maximize the value of a garden’s plant collections by increasing the potential for educational opportunities, research, conservation and enjoyment of the gardens. It also helps us maintain a historical record of our plantings and make decisions about future plantings.

Over the past few years we have had major changes to the outdoor gardens at Myriad with hundreds of new plants being added each year. In order to effectively manage our plant records, we purchased a plant collection management program called IrisBG. Our horticultural staff has been working diligently over the past couple years to input the plants in our collection into this database, fill in relevant information and add photos. This software has already been proving useful internally. Now we are making this useful resource available to the public by providing online access to the database through Garden Explorer. Garden Explorer is an online tool created by IrisBG with several cool features that allow a more in depth look at our plants and gardens.

The primary feature is the search feature. Guests can search for a specific plant by common or scientific name or a group of plants in a certain family or in a specific area of the Gardens. Clicking on any of the plants returned in the search results will give information on that plant including photos, if available, and even show all the locations of that plant on a map of the Gardens.

Guests can also use the map feature to explorer the plant collection by zooming in on an area of the map to reveal the plants in that section. Guests with mobile devices that have GPS can actually use the Garden Explorer map out in the Gardens. It

will track their movement throughout the Gardens and help them find a specific plant or simply reveal more information about the plants around them.

Another fun feature of the Garden Explorer site is the option to select a tour through the Gardens. These thematic tours are prepared by our knowledgeable staff and include detailed descriptions of highlighted plants. Current tours available include drought tolerant and colorful plants for each season and fragrant tropical plants of the conservatory. Look for additional tours in the future that might highlight medicinal, edible, pollinator plants, staff favorites or other groups of plants. Tours can also be accessed on a mobile device.

For our guests without access to a mobile internet device, we will be installing a computer in the Visitor Lobby of the Crystal Bridge Conservatory with access to Garden Explorer this spring. We will also be providing print-outs of some of our seasonal self-guided tours at this location.

Memorial Day Weekend Prairie and Pollinator Plant Sale

Friday and Saturday, May 27 & 28

This year’s Oklahoma Gardening School generated so much enthusiasm about prairie gardens that we decided to invite two of our speakers and local nursery owners back for a plant sale! We are pleased to have Bill Farris, owner of Prairie Wind Nursery in Norman, and Marilyn Stewart, owner of Wild Things Nursery in southeastern Oklahoma, setting up shop at our Pavilion for a special two-day sale with a special Members’ Preview sale Friday, May 27, 9-10am.

Bill’s nursery specializes in native plant material including unique herbs, perennials, and groundcovers while Marilyn specializes in native and wildlife plants with an emphasis on larval host plants for butterflies and moths. Bill and Marilyn will be selling an assortment of prairie and pollinator-friendly plants and herbs and Oklahoma natives. They will both be on hand to answer questions and share information about some of their favorite plants.

DFood of the Gods

By Anna Cook, Conservatory Specialist

id you know that Americans consume around 3 billion pounds of chocolate per year?

Considering this, it’s not surprising that one of the most popular plants in our Crystal Bridge is the chocolate, or cocoa, tree. The plant itself has a colorful history. Many ancient cultures considered it sacred. Its scientific name, Theobroma cacao, means “food of the gods.” The Aztecs even used the beans as a form of currency and had many rituals to honor the plant and its sacred fruit.

Chocolate has had many uses over the years from drinks and culinary dishes to popular holiday gifts and has even been utilized for therapeutic purposes. Even with all of chocolate’s uses, many of our visitors are surprised to find that such a tasty treat comes from such an odd looking seed pod. The pod is somewhat football-shaped, and unlike most fruit, it grows right off the trunk or larger branches of the tree. They turn a golden-yellow color when ripe, and once harvested, they must go through quite a process before they become the delicious, sweet chocolate that we are so fond of.

Once picked from the tree, the pod is cut open to reveal cacao beans covered in a sweet-tasting white

Wpulp. The beans and pulp of hundreds of pods are piled together and left to ferment for about a week. As they ferment, the beans absorb the flavor from the pulp, transforming them from a bitter-tasting seed to something closer to cocoa. After the beans are dried, they can be shipped to processing plants around the world. While at the processing plant, the beans are roasted and their shells removed, leaving only the cocoa nib, which is the main ingredient in chocolate. The cocoa nibs are squeezed at extremely high pressure, separating the nibs into cocoa butter and cocoa powder. These ingredients are mixed back together with various other ingredients to make all the different kinds of chocolate we see today.

Here at the gardens, we utilize our chocolate tree’s ripe seed pods as teaching tools. They are used in many of our educational classes to show visitors what chocolate looks like at the very beginning. The chocolate tree is just one of the many plants we have that grows edible fruit. It’s always good to know where your food comes from, so swing by the Gardens and take a look; you may just learn something new about what you chew.

Russian Sage-Delicate Durability

By Abby Curry, Gardener

hen I was approached to write an article about one of my favorite plants in the entirety of the Myriad Gardens, my choice came as a surprise to some. Perovskia atriplicifolia, known commonly as Russian sage, will not be winning any grand beauty contests and could almost be described as modest. A flowering perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae), it is not actually a sage, though it is closely related.

Its bright, fresh scent immediately draws one in for a closer look, and with careful inspection, the beauty of Russian sage can be truly appreciated. Its dainty, delicate blue and lavender-colored blossoms are arranged in long branching panicles, which can reach up to 15 inches in length. Typically, the total height of Russian sage reaches between 2 and 4 feet, but its airy appearance gives it an almost ethereal quality in the garden.

It reaches for the sky and thrives in full sun, and also does extremely well in drought conditions. Even with a bit of neglect, Russian sage holds up splendidly during our long, hot summers making it perfect for the Oklahoma gardener who may not have time to water their plants every day.

All of these aspects make Russian sage a hidden gem not only for humans, but for wildlife as well. If you’re looking to attract some winged friends to your garden, this plant will bring them buzzing straight for you. It’s beloved by bees and butterflies alike, and with blooms lasting all summer, you can be assured the pollinators will appreciate this fragrant beauty.

Horticulture Staff Updates

Nate Tscheann has been named Director of Horticulture and Matt Janda was named Gardens and Grounds Manager. Welcome to the Gardens David Jameson, Gardener, and Roberta Rowland, Conservatory Specialist. Together with Abby Curry, Anna Cook, Josh Berry & Kerry Rapp, they are the team that make sure the Gardens are beautiful all year long.

Matthew Janda

Roberta Rowland

David Jameson

Chocolate tree pod growing in the Crystal Bridge

Russian Sage

Kids & Families

Saturday, April 9, 11am – 12:30pm DRAW A FEATHERED FRIEND

Terrace Room and Crystal Bridge Conservatory

Taught by Abrakadoodle Art Educators

M $20; NM $23

Best for ages 4-8

Kids will have a blast while learning in this hands-on, instructive workshop. More than just arts and crafts time, this workshop will have children exploring the basics of art technique, while encouraging creative expression. We’ll check out our birds in our Conservatory, create a beautiful bird drawing to take home, and gain the confidence and skills for future doodling! Ages 4-5 and 6-8 will each create their drawing with materials and techniques best suited for their age.

Friday, April 22, 10am – 2pm EARTH DAY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Great Lawn FREE

On-Going in the Gardens

Tuesdays, 5:45pm

YOGA IN THE GARDENS

No Late arrivals after 5:50pm Pavilion or inside the Crystal Bridge

M FREE; NM $10

Must be 16 & older

This is a great, all-levels class led by Lisa Woodward. Class participants should bring a yoga mat and water. Classes will meet under the Pavilion as weather permits; when it doesn’t they will meet inside the Crystal Bridge. Drop in for a session or two or enjoy the entire series!

Wednesdays, 10 – 11am

BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE

Crystal Bridge South Lobby FREE, Best for ages 2-5

Bring your youngster for story time each Wednesday at 10am. Books are nature-themed and selected based on the season. Children will also enjoy creating a small craft after the story. Groups of 10 or more call Lily Christman at (405) 445-5162.

Join us for an Earth Day Celebration! We are excited to be partnering with the Kirkpatrick Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, and other naturelovers for a day of education, music, food, and fun on the Great Lawn.

Wednesday, April 27, 11 – 11:45am BRINGING GARDENS TO LIFE

Terrace Room

M $2; NM $3

Best for ages 2-5

Stick around after “Bringing Books to Life” for this fun indoor activity that brings gardens to life. It’s the last one until next year, so don’t miss the fun where we’ll be making nature crafts from egg cartons! We’ll plant different kinds of seeds to take home in your own carton garden and then make a snake to get ready for our Spring Festival when we’ll bring “The Jungle Book” to life on May 6th! Groups of 10 or more call Lily Christman at (405) 445-5162.

Note: Starting June 8, we’ll pair up with our Weekly Walkups to bring you Reading Wednesdays, 10am-noon, Children’s Garden

April 4-May 27, 2016

Last Saturday of Every Month, 10am GARDENS WALKING TOUR

South Lobby and Garden Grounds FREE, Walkups Welcome!

Join us for our Myriad Gardens Walking Tour program! The tours, “Plants for Color” or “Plants for Water Conservation,” highlight plants in each season around the Gardens. Enjoy guided tours at 10am the last Saturday of each month or pick up a self-guided tour handout in our south lobby.

O. GAIL POOLE: FLORA AND FELINES

ART EXHIBIT

Exhibition run: April 4-May 27, 2016

South Lobby, Crystal Bridge

Opening reception Thursday, April 7, 5-7pm hosted by The Avant Gardeners, the Myriad Gardens young professional group, co-hosted by Catalyst (Allied Arts)

Exhibit is FREE to the public

O. Gail Poole (1935-2013), while now revered as an Oklahoman in the canon of American Masters, privately enjoyed a whimsical, illustrative style. ‘Flora & Felines’ is an exhibit of Poole’s fantastical cats and flowers, purrfect for the awakening of spring at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. The original paintings are owned by the Estate, which has licensed the first public offering of large-format, limited edition canvas giclées of Poole’s whimsy. A portion of proceeds will benefit Oklahomans for the Arts, to help ensure the arts have a solid place in Oklahoma’s future and the Myriad Gardens.

O. Gail Poole 1935-2013

SPONSORED BY

Adults

Saturday, April 9, 1–4pm MYRIAD GARDENS SKETCH CRAWL

Terrace Room and Outdoor Grounds; if bad weather, Crystal Bridge Conservatory M $45; NM $50

All levels welcome

Artist/illustrator Debby Kaspari will guide sketching enthusiasts on a drawing jaunt through the Myriad Gardens. We’ll sketch our way around the Gardens, stopping at special “sketchop” spots to capture views of the Conservatory’s indoor rainforest, outdoor landscape and spectacular architecture. Material list will be provided closer to class.

Saturday, April 16, 11am-1pm PAINTING IN THE GARDENS SERIES WITH WINE AND PALETTE

Pavilion Lawn or South Lobby of Crystal Bridge depending on weather M $10, to register please call (405) 227-0230 NM $15 register wineandpalette.com/calendar.asp

One Saturday each month from April to October, Wine and Palette will be at the Gardens to assist in creating a unique piece of art. This month transform a bird house and a clay pot into a masterpiece inspired by botanical themes. Each participant will receive their own bird house and a clay pot.

Saturday, April 16, 5pm – 8pm INTRODUCTION TO WILDCRAFTING DINNER

Park House Event Center

M $50; NM $65

Jackie Dill, expert Wildcrafter, will give an introduction to wildcrafting. She’ll partner with Mike Givens, Wildcrafting Chef, to prepare a delicious four course meal that has all been Wildcrafted from the Oklahoma wild. You can’t get more local than that! Mike will lead diners through preparation of the first course, while discussing some of the more commonly found wild edibles. Jackie will then talk us through each of the other delicious courses and discuss the basics of Wildcrafting safety and ethics.

Thursday, April 21, 6 – 8pm COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION WITH MIKE MCGRATH: ONLY YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR NATIVE BEES

Water Stage and Water Plaza Room

$5 admission; Cash bar will be available Register by Friday, April 14

Join us for this unique, entertaining and enlightening event with one of our favorite Public Radio personalities, Mike McGrath, of You Bet Your Garden. From 6 – 7pm enjoy light appetizers, purchase a pollinatorinspired cocktail and enjoy the chance to talk with Mike and other earth-lovers. From 7 – 8pm enjoy a fascinating talk where Mike will convince you that only you can protect your native bees. Mike will speak on the importance of bees, native plants and our role in their lives and we’ll wrap up with questions.

Saturday, April 30, 11am – Noon HORT 101 SERIES: PLANTING UNDER TREES

Crystal Bridge 2nd floor Conference Room and Garden Grounds

M FREE; NM $5

Join Matthew Janda, Gardens and Grounds Manager, as he takes us through the ins-and-outs of navigating a tough planting space, under trees. Matthew will discuss landscape design tips and the best plants for this tricky area of the garden. He’ll then take us around the grounds to look at examples and discuss maintenance tips.

Special thanks to our speaker sponsor, KGOU, and our reception sponsor, The Kirkpatrick Foundation, for making this event possible.

PINGEL RIESENBERG

MANAGER & DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE (405) 445-7089 jriesenberg@myriadgardens.org

Wednesday & Thursday, May 4 & 5

DANCING IN THE GARDENS

LESSONS & DANCING IN THE GARDENS

SEE PAGE 6 FOR DETAILS

Sunday, May 8, 11am-5pm

MOTHER’S DAY IN THE GARDENS SPONSORED BY Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory Mother’s receive FREE admission with one paid family member admission.

The Myriad Gardens pays tribute to all mothers and motherhood. Honoring one’s mother, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.

Monday, May 2, 6-7pm BARRE3 FREE COMMUNITY WORKOUTS IN THE GARDENS Great Lawn and Bandshell FREE, Bring mat & water

Monday, May 23, 7pm Run, 8 pm Bike Ride FULL MOON BIKE RIDE & RUN

Meet at the Band Shell by the Great Lawn Suggested donation of $5 per person

Monthly through October

SEE PAGE 6 FOR MORE DATES

Your favorite health and wellness activity is back!

Join other runners in a 5K run, led by Ultramax Sports Oklahoma, through the scenic downtown area as the sun sets. Those who make their $5 donation will be entered in a drawing for prizes from Red Coyote Running and Fitness.

Bring your bike and meet up a for a leisurely one hour ride. Downtown-area routes are specially planned by Schlegel Bicycles. Don’t have a bike? Rent a Spokie! Lights and helmets are required.

Adults

Saturday, May 14, 2 – 4pm PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES: PHOTOGRAPHY 101

Terrace Room, Crystal Bridge Conservatory and Gardens’ Grounds

M $28; NM $35 Register by Tuesday, May 10

Barre3 returns to the Gardens for more of their popular FREE community workouts. Other workouts are June 6, July 11 & August 1.

Friday, May 13, Noon – 1pm PLANT WALK SERIES: WILDFLOWERS

South Lobby and Garden Grounds FREE (Suggested $5 donation)

Walkups Welcome!

For this plant walk we will explore the beauty and benefits of growing wildflowers. Jody Lesch, wildflower expert and wildlife lover, will lead us on a walk around the Garden’s grounds showing examples of wildflower plantings and discussing the benefits they offer you and our pollinator friends.

Join passionate and experienced photographer, Don Risi (www.donrisi.com), as he teaches you the basics of photography. He’ll show you how to turn a mediocre snapshot into a beautiful photograph, considering various aspects such as composition and lighting. All digital camera styles are welcome from basic compact digital to cell phone to digital SLR cameras.

Friday & Saturday, May 27 & 28

PRAIRIE GARDEN PLANT SALE Pavilion

Friday May 27, 10am - 4pm with Members only preview sale, 9-10am Saturday May 28, 9am-4pm

Bill Farris, owner of Prairie Wind Nursery in Norman, and Marilyn Stewart, owner of Wild Things Nursery will provide the finest in quality plants for sale. READ MORE ON PAGE 5

MONDAY – FRIDAY, 10AM - NOON

Children’s Garden Porch Drop-in activities

$2 suggested donation per child

Kids & Families

Saturday, June 4, 10am - Noon

EDIBLE PORTRAITS

Terrace Room

M $8; NM $10, Ages 6-10

JUNE 2016 | CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Friday, June 24, 1:30 – 3pm

BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES

Terrace Room and Children’s Garden Porch

M $; NM $10

Best for Ages 6-10

Join us for this entertaining, informative and edible class as we make (and then eat!) goofy portraits all out of fruits and veggies. Together we’ll read a couple books, learn interesting facts about fruits and veggies and why they’re good for us. We’ll then play with our food to make silly faces and enjoy our creations as a snack.

Sunday, June 19, 7am 5K, 8am Fun Run

FATHER’S DAY 5K

Great Lawn and Band Shell

EARLY REGISTRATION

M 5K: $25; NM 5K: $30

M Fun Run: $20; NM Fun Run: $25 Kids - 12 & Under Fun Run: $20

REGISTRATION AFTER JUNE 5

M 5K: $30; NM 5K: $35

M Fun Run: $25; NM Fun Run: $30 Kids - 12 & under Fun Run: $25

Come celebrate Dad at the Myriad Gardens Father’s Day 5K and Fun Run. Run with your father or in honor of your father.

Ultramax Sports

Oklahoma will host and time the run. Awards will be given to the best Father/ Son Duo, Father/ Daughter Duo and the Biggest Support Group for your Father. All registrants will receive a finisher medal and a t-shirt. Refunds will not be given for this event.

In this class we’ll talk all about butterflies, not just how beautiful they are, but also how important and impressive their lives are. We’ll see butterflies up close, learn all about them with a fun game and make butterfly antennae and proboscis (that’s a butterflies tongue!) to wear home. Butterfly wings are encouraged.

Wednesday, June 29, 10am - Noon

INTERNATIONAL MUD DAY

Pavilion Lawn and Thunder Fountain

Mud Activities: M $3; NM $5 OR Mud and Clay Activities: $10

All ages welcome Register by Monday, June 27

Saturday, June 18, 7-9pm

TASTE OF OKLAHOMA: DINNER FEATURING KAMALA GAMBLE AND BARBARA MOCK

Meinders Terrace Cash Bar, Ages 21 and Older

M $65; NM $70

Join us at the Meinders Terrace for an intimate dinner under the stars and in the gardens.

Chefs Kamala Gamble and Barbara Mock will guide guests through how to make their own appetizer from locally grown foods that they could grow in their own backyard. After the appetizer lesson, the Chefs will treat us to a farm-to-table dinner made with fresh, local ingredients from their Urban Farm, Guilford Gardens. Limited seating is available.

Friday, June 24, 6 – 8pm

MONARCH EXHIBIT SNEAK PEAK AND CELEBRATION

Come experience the magnificence of MUD and you’ll see why playing in the dirt is proven to make you happier, healthier, and even smarter. We’ll make mud pies, mud fairy houses, and so mud more! You can even roll in the mud if the spirit moves you. House of Clay will be on site for some “make and takes” like pinch pots, mud medallions, seed bombs, and snails for your fairy house! A rinsing area will be available, but remember to wear your play clothes and shoes— and kids, don’t forget to bring your swimsuit for the Thunder Fountain!

Adults

Saturday, June 11, 11am-1pm

PAINTING IN THE GARDENS SERIES WITH WINE AND PALETTE

Pavilion Lawn or South Lobby of Crystal Bridge depending on weather

M $30, register by calling (405) 227-0230

NM $35 register at wineandpalette.com/calendar.asp

Get in touch with your roots to create an Oklahoma Indian Blanket painting! Each participant will receive a 16” x 20” canvas to create a masterpiece that can be enjoyed for years to come.

Crystal Bridge South Lobby and Conservatory $10 admission includes appetizers, 1 drink and a sneak-preview of the Conservatory Exhibit Register by Friday, June 17

Ages 21 and up

Did you know the monarch population has decreased by 90% in recent years?

Artist Christie Hackler has long been fascinated by this creature and is focused on creative ways to turn the decline around. Join us and get the first glimpse into our conservatory at Christie’s captivating and beautiful exhibit. Pollinator-inspired food and drinks will be served and Christie will be around to discuss her works, her efforts to save the monarch, and to share a little about the smaller pieces we’ll have for sale during the exhibit.

Saturday, June 25, 11am – 2pm POLLINATOR WORKSHOP

M $35; NM $40

Terrace Room & Children’s Garden

In this informative and fascinating workshop we’ll focus on why pollinators are so important and the little things you can do to help pollinators and their favorite plants thrive in Oklahoma.

11am– Noon Beekeeping 101 with Randy Brady, Beekeeper and Owner of Cripple Creek Farms

Noon–1pm Lunch with Monica Arndt, Herbalist and owner of Skyridge Farm Café

1–2pm Lovely Lavender with Lori Coats, Myriad Gardens Employee and Herb Expert

DDid you know that every third bite of food you take is there because of a pollinator?

-Ann Fleener, PhD

Education Spotlight

By Dr. Ann Fleener, Director of Education

id you know that every third bite of food you take is there because of a pollinator? Additionally, the monarch population has declined by about 90% in recent years. While that statistic is staggering it’s not too late! There are many things we can do to prevent further decline of pollinator populations and to even encourage regrowth of the population. At the Gardens we’re partnering with many other organizations around the city this year to focus on these important creatures. That’s why this year has been dubbed The Year of the Pollinator in Oklahoma City.

Already this year we’ve done some behindthe-scenes work with other organizations and also hosted an event that focused, in part, on pollinators:

• In January: We joined with the National Wildlife Foundation and around 25 other organizations for a day of considering how to save the Monarch. We’re continuing our work with them in these efforts.

• In February: We hosted a Pollinator Meet & Greet for organizations around the city who were making an effort to protect and attract pollinators. At this Meet & Greet, individuals who might never have met were able to discuss their efforts, and in many cases, form partnerships to produce events together, promote existing events, and educate one another.

• In March: We hosted the 16th Annual Oklahoma Gardening School and this year focused on the Prairie Garden, a garden that is very pollinator friendly. One of our speakers, Marilyn Stewart, spoke about plants to attract pollinators and other steps you can take to attract and protect them.

UPCOMING EVENTS THIS YEAR

April

• Cocktails and Conversation with Mike McGrath: Only You Can Protect Your Native Bees

• Earth Day Birthday Celebration

June

•National Pollinator Week, June 20-26

~ Beautiful Butterflies

~ Pollinator Workshop

~ Monarch Exhibit Sneak Peak and Celebration

September

• Pollinator Garden Tour

• Monarch Festival at the OKC Zoo Look for these events in our upcoming calendar!

We hope to see you this spring and the rest of 2016 for all the exciting happenings!

WMyriad Gardens’ Pollinator Prairie Garden

By Maureen Heffernan, Executive Director

hen I moved to Oklahoma City from Maine over four years ago, I was captivated by the Great Plains’ endless stretches of wild prairie landscapes. Rolling in the winds that blow as constantly as ocean breezes, the prairies are like the oceans of the Plains. These vistas of grasses and flowers are stunningly beautiful and the plants are stoic and tough to thrive in such a challenging climate. When the summer heat meets up with drought, these plants still appear seemingly joyous as they bask and sway in the brilliant sunshine and shimmering Plains’ heat and winds. Their bright flower colors dot the fields like red, yellow, purple and pink stars.

The Myriad Botanical Gardens is smack dab in the middle of a region richly blanketed with prairies. Last year, when we decided to create a new garden in a sunny, south facing site near our south entrance, we quickly decided on a prairie theme. It met all our wants for a new garden. Botanical sense of place? Check. Outdoor classroom to teach about heat and drought tolerant plants? Check. A garden to help sustain bees, butterflies, (especially Monarchs) and other pollinators? Check.

Indeed, a Prairie garden solves most challenges that gardeners face in this region. The weather in Oklahoma is a meterological rodeo. Very rough and unforgiving.

But like many gardening problems, observing what grows well naturally where you live, is a good place to start in order to solve them. Oklahoma gardeners can look out at prairies and see plants that thrive in hot and dry summers and red clay soils.

While we wanted a natural looking prairie, we didn’t want it too wild. We were after an ‘urban prairie’ result. This aesthetic could inspire home gardeners to install such a landscape yet not draw the wrath of neighbors or municipalities with a too ’weedy’ look.

To date, there are a total of 55 different (taxa) kinds of plants and a total of 5,082 were planted. Grasses formed the backbone of the plantings and included: Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Switch grass (Panicum virgatum) and Mexican Feathergrass (Nasella tenuissima). Sweeps of flowers included: Coneflowers (Echinacea sps.), Handsome Blazing Star (Liatris aspera), Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) Large Penstemon (Penstemon grandiflorus) Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii ‘Pink Preference’) Prairie onion (Allium stellatum) Helen’s Flower (Helenium autumnale) Yellow Wild Indigo (Baptisia sphaerocarpa), Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida) and more.

We carefully prepared soil by amending ph to make it less alkaline before planting. Prairie plants don’t need a highly fertile soil but they do need well-drained, wellworked so their roots can grow deep to access water which helps them withstand drought. A few inches of new compost and topsoil were worked down to a depth of about 8” in the planting area to improve texture and drainage. The site had previously been a parking lot and building site, so it wasn’t possible to cultivate soil much deeper than 8.” A more ideal depth would be 18”- 24.” After planting, all plants were mulched and then deeply watered for the first few months as roots got established. Careful and frequent weeding of this type of garden is critical so weeds don’t choke out the grasses and flowers.

Coming into its second year, our Prairie Garden is developing into one of our more popular gardens by visitors and butterflies.

For visitors who would like to plant their own prairie plants, we are planning a Prairie Plant Sale May 27-28 at the Gardens. Prairie plant experts will be available to help answer questions and help you select plants for your gardens.

A Heartfelt Thank you to Our Donors!

Listed are financial and in-kind donors to the Myriad Gardens Foundation from January 1, 2015 to February 2016.

$50,000+

The Chickasaw Nation

Devon Energy Corporation

The Meinders Foundation

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

OGE Energy Corp.

$25,000-$49,999

The Anschutz Foundation

Bancfirst

Continental Resources

Kirkpatrick Family Fund

Mr. Robert H. Meinders

Newmark Grubb Levy Strange Beffort

Parks & Public Space Initiative

$10,000-$24,999

Downtown OKC Inc.

Express Employment Professionals

Gardner Tanenbaum Holdings

E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation

McGee Foundation, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. David McLaughlin

Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits

Scaramucci Foundation

SONIC, America’s Drive-In

Tinker Federal Credit Union

$5,000-$9,999

Ad Astra Foundation

American Energy Partners

Cox Communications

Delta Dental of Oklahoma

Mariner Wealth Advisors

McGladry

Quinn Oil and Gas, Inc.

Records-Johnston Family Foundation, Inc.

Resnick Family Foundation

Simmons Foundation

Thunder Community Foundation

Urban Land Institute of Oklahoma

$2,500-$4,999

Allied Arts Foundation

Boathouse District

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

The Jean I. Everest Foundation

Dr. and Mrs. Warren Filley

HoganTaylor LLC

JAX Investments

Mr. Don A. Karchmer

Lingo Construction/ Greenshade Trees

Marco Capital Group

Mason Realty Investors, LLC

Mattison Law Group PC

Midtown Vets

Mr. and Mrs. James R. Tolbert, III

Mr. and Mrs. Miles Tolbert

$1,000-$2,499

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Alford

Mr. and Mrs. Van and Pat Barber

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Batchelor

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Beals

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Calvert

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Champlin

Clements Foods Foundation

Cox Enterprises, LLC

Mr. James B. Crawley

Crowe & Dunlevy

Ms. Irma B Elliott

Fred Jones Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Greenberg

Mr. and Mrs. Steve C. Haneborg

Mr. and Mrs. John Hefner

Mrs. Dannie Bea Hightower

Mr. and Mrs. Kenny W, Holloway

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Jirous

KIND Healthy Snacks

Mr. and Mrs. James R. Morley

Mrs. Jeaneen Naifeh

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Paine

Mrs. Glenda Payne

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Pugh

Marsha and Carson See

Mr. R. L. Sias

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Allan Smith

Smith & Pickel Construction, Inc.

Total Environment, Inc.

Triple C Lighting & Controls

Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Wiggin

Contributing Members at Garden Leader Level

Peter, Hillary, and Rowan Farrell

$250-$999

Ms. Marie Ackerman

American Fidelity Foundation

American Plant Products

Bank of Oklahoma

Bill Gumerson & Associates

Mr. and Mrs. Ken Bonds

Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Booker

Mr. Justin Brady

Mr. Lindsey Brock

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Browne

Mr. and Mrs. John Budd

Mr. James Burnett

Calvert’s Plant Interiors

Center For Economic Dev

Mrs. Joanna M. Champlin and Mr. Shawnee Brittan

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Clark

Mr. Andy Coats

Cosmo Energy LLC

Ms. Christy Cronin

Cuppies & Joe LLC

Shirley E. Dearborn, MD

Dobson Technologies

Mr. Richard Dulaney

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Edwards

Ms. Elizabeth Eickman

EVOKE

Mr. Charles L Freede, Jr.

Mrs. Josephine Freede

TLC Florist & Greenhouses, Inc.

Havenyield Tree Farm, LLC

Ms. Maureen Heffernan

Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Hill

Mrs. Jann Hook

Mr. and Mrs. Dale Hume

Junior League of Oklahoma City, Inc.

Ms. Jean Laughlin

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Mavon

Mr. Tony Miles

Minick Materials

Mock Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Ron Morey

Mr. Phillip Moyer

Mr. and Mrs. Greg Mullen

Oklahoma City Community Foundation

Oklahoma City Gynecology & Obstetrics

Oklahoma City University

OU Health Center

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Page

Panhandle Oil and Gas Inc.

Paycom

Mr. Kent Phillips

Precure Nursery & Garden Center

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Reynolds

Mr. and Mrs. John Robberson

Mr. and Mrs. D. Joe Rockett

Roxy’s Ice Cream Social

Ms. Meg Salyer

Scissortale Salon LLC

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Searls

Mrs. Tiffany Self

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Shortt

Dr. and Mrs. Gregory Skuta

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Stover

Dr. and Mrs. Andy Sullivan

Uptown Kids Clothing Boutique

Ms. Erin M. Van Laanen and Mr. John Myles

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Wells

Dr. Ellen Jayne Wheeler

Ms. Linda Whittington

Whole Foods Market OKC

Williams Box Forshee & Bullard P.C.

Wonderful Giving

Mrs. Anne Workman

Mr. Charles Michael Zeeck

Contributing Members at Benefactor Level

Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Hudson

Mr. Lee Marrs

Mr. Gene Rainbolt

$1-$249

Andrews Davis

Ms. Sylvia Andrews

Annefranc and Grady Brewer

Mr. and Mrs. William Archibald

Arts Council of Oklahoma City

Ms. Gurpreet Atwall

Mrs. Judith Fell Austin

Mr. John Bachle

Ms. Susan Barber

Barkocy Construction

Ms. Karen Beckman

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Bendorf

Ms. Eloise Bentley

Ms. Alison Berger

Dr. and Mrs. Bob Blackburn, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Black

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Blaney

Mrs. Annie Bohanon

Mr. David Bozalis

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bright

Mr. and Mrs. Steve Bruno

Mr. Kris Bryant

Mr. Jay Burns

Ms. Leisa Burton

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Campbell

Ms. Teresa Carter

Catholic Charities

Mr. and Mrs. David Cheek

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Clark

The Honorable Nancy L. Coats

and Mr. Charlie Ashley

Cole + Reed

Communication Federal Credit Union

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Comstock

Mrs. Teresa Cooper

Mr. Brad Craver

Ms. Linda Crawley

Mr. and Mrs. David Dautenhahn

Mr. Steven Davis

Mrs. Libbi Davis

Dean A McGee Eye Institute

Mr. and Mrs. Rowland Denman

Ms. Pam McDermott

Mr. and Mrs. RT Devero

Mr. Max D’Souza

Ms. Kristy Elam

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Evans

Ms. Carol Eyster

Mr. and Mrs. Jay Farber

Dr. and Mrs. James M Flynn

Mrs. Mary Fitzsimons

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Frankfurt

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Furseth

Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Glover

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Gordon

Greater Oklahoma City Chamber

Greg and Glenda Crotchett

Ms. Andrea Griggs

Mr. and Mrs. Barry Grove

Ms. Debbie Hane

Dr. and Mrs. Don W.

Haskins, DDS

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Hays

Ms. Nita Henderson

Mr. and Mrs. Edward D. Hervey

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Herzel

High Caliper Growing, Inc.

Dr. and Mrs. Dodge Hill

Ms. Elizabeth Hines

Ms. Teresa Helt

Mrs. Kristen Holmes

Mr. Robert Horn

Ms. Linda Horn

Ms. Mary Houston

Ms. Betsy Hyde

Ms. Dixie S. Jensen

Mr. Tom Johnson

Mrs. Brenda Johnson

Ms. Charlene Jones

Ms. Jo Lynne Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Kennedy

The Kerr Foundation, Inc.

Ms. Linda Koenig

Ms. Mary Krieg

Mr. Mike Krywucki

Ms. Peg Kunneman

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen LaFollette

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Larason

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Leake

Ms. Jeanine Limberger

Dr. Donald Liss

Mr. and Mrs. James Loftis

Ms. Sue Loftis

Ms. Carol Magness

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Marshall

Ms. Patricia C. McAboy

Ms. Sharon McGukin

Merco Energy

Ms. Lori Merhib

Mr. and Mrs. John Michalski

Ms. Karen Miller

Mr. and Mrs. Hank Moore

Mr. and Mrs. David Neff

Mr. and Mrs. J. Larry Nichols

Ms. Kristin Nixon

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy O’Connor

OKC Beautiful

Ms. Melinda Paine

Richard and Gayle Parry

Ms. Mary Pearson

Ms. Melissa Pepper

Mr. and Mrs. R. Curtis Phillips

Phillip Truss Insurance Agency

Mr. George Prendergast

Ms. Jan Prestwood

Mr. James Prock

Dr. Roger and Joy Quinn

Ms. Anjani Rao

Ms. Susan Rao

Mr. and Mrs. John Reid

Mr. and Mrs. Brent Richards

Mr. and Mrs. Terry J. Schuur

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Segell

Mr. & Mrs. Mike and Patrica Seney

Mr. and Mrs. John Seward

Mr. & Mrs. David Shapard, III

Mr. Jason Shepherd

Ms. Ann Simank

Ms. Sally Simon

Mr. Richard Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Weston Solomon

Ms. Judith Clouse Steelman

Mr. and Mrs. Roger Stong

Mr. and Mrs. Allan Storjohann

Mrs. Marilyn Summers

Mr. and Mrs. Hatton Sumner

Mr. and Mrs. Udho Thadani

Ms. Jennifer Thomas

Tree Bank Foundation

Ms. Andrea Tsatoke

Ms. Nancy Hill Tucker

Weeders and Seeders

Garden Club

Mr. Dean White

Wilshire Garden Market

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Woods

Mrs. Brittany Yeager

Mr. and Mrs. James J. Yoch, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Don Zachritz

Ms. Claranell Zimmerman

Contributing Members at Patron Level

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin

Michael Arnett

Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Braun

Mr. Jonathan Bryant

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Capucille

Mr. and Mrs. Cory Chambers

Ms. Sally Dasovich

Mr. and Mrs. Craig Evans

Mary Ellen and Bill Gumerson

Mr. and Mrs. David Harlow

Kim and Suzette Hatfield

Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Hill

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Page

Mr. and Mrs. William Paulk

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Shdeed

Mr. and Mrs. Roger Stong

Ms. Nancy Hill Tucker

Sidney Dunagan and Sherry Wood

Mrs. Anne Workman

Donors In-Kind

405 Magazine

Accel Financial Staffing

Always Greener

BC Clark Jewelers

Blue River Construction, Inc.

Bricktown Starbucks

Broadway Wine Merchants

Cedar Valley Nurseries

CocoFlow

Colcord Hotel

Cox Communications

Cottonwood Salon Spa

Cultivate Garden Market

Devon Energy Corporation

Devon Ice Rink

DG Productions

Dust Bowl OKC

Earl’s Rib Palace Bricktown

Express Employment Professionals

First National Bank of Oklahoma

Flint

Full Circle Bookstore

Great Plains Coca-Cola

Greenshade Trees

JRB Art at The Elms

Louie’s Grill and Bar

LUSH Cosmetics

Midtown Renaissance

Ms. Andrea J Limberger

Oklahoma City Party Tent & Events

Ozarka Water & Coffee Service

ParkHouse

Petco

Red Coyote Running and Fitness

S Design

Sam’s Club

Signs by Tomorrow

Smart Pots

Southwest Airlines

Southwestern Stationery & Bank Supply

Sprouts Farmers Market

The George

The Painted Door

The Park House Restaurant

THG Financial Advisors

This Land Yoga

Topgolf Okc

TRADE Men’s Wares

Whole Foods Market OKC

Wild Birds Unlimited

Wine and Palette

Zone 4 Fitness

Seeking Young Professionals: Become an Avant Gardener

The Avant Gardeners are a fun group of young professionals who love Oklahoma City’s unique treasures – especially the Myriad Botanical Gardens. They’re a fun group who knows that it’s up to the next generation to make sure our city’s urban oasis continues to thrive, and that they need to give their support so everyone can enjoy the Gardens for years to come! Join this fun young professionals group for lawn games, happy hours, yoga classes, concerts, movies and more throughout the year!

Membership cost is $125 per year. For more information, contact Jessi Riesenberg, (405) 445-7089 or email jriesenberg@myriadgardens.org

“Each time I visit the Myriad Botanical Gardens, I’m reminded of how special it is to be an Avant Gardener Member. Oklahoma City is lucky to have such a gorgeous, world-class backyard that is open to all in our community. It is important to me that my husband and I contribute to its longevity through our annual membership and our time as volunteers. I am proud to be part of the Myriad Botanical Garden’s history and look forward to seeing it continue to thrive and grow for years to come.”

—

Rachel Durham, President, Avant Gardeners

“The Myriad Gardens is a special place in Oklahoma City. It serves as a gathering place for many, and has an energy that reflects that of the city itself. Becoming a member of the Avant Gardeners provides a unique way to become involved in this active community, and provides young people the opportunity to invest in the future of the Gardens. From casual Avant Gardener happy hours to larger events, I enjoy getting to meet young professionals from across the city-people who share the same passion for giving back to this city and who are excited about contributing to its future.”

— Michael Nash, Treasurer, Avant Gardeners

Take Advantage of your Gardens’ membership with our Green Thumb Partners

Members of the Gardens now receive discounts at participating garden and nursery related stores throughout Oklahoma City. To receive your discount, just show your current Myriad Garden membership card at the time of purchase.

These merchants offer a 10% discount. Check our website for restrictions:

ADORN CALVERT’S PLANT INTERIORS CENTRAL POWER EQUIPMENT FOSTER’S NURSERY AND TREE FARM NEW LEAF FLORAL ORGANICS OKC PRECURE NURSERY AND GARDEN CENTER TLC GARDEN CENTERS

TONY’S TREE PLANTATION WILSHIRE GARDEN MARKET

WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED 15% off entire purchase

Making Travel Plans? Your Membership Gets Your Family Into 300 U.S. Botanic Gardens

Members of the Myriad Gardens receive special admission privileges and discounts at more than 300 gardens through the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Admissions Program (RAP). Membership supports the Gardens’ continued success and is 100% tax deductible. Members also receive free admission to one of Oklahoma’s most treasured landmarks, the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. Individual/ Dual membership is $50 and the family membership is $65.

Photo by Doug Hoke

From Cat Videos to Easter Bunnies, Tinker Federal Credit Union Supports the Fun!

Oklahoma’s largest credit union, Tinker Federal Credit Union began partnering with the Myriad Botanical Gardens in 2013 when they held Save-A-Tron 5000’s, TFCU’s SaveAbles Kids Club mascot, birthday party at the gardens. Since then, TFCU has been glad to be a corporate sponsor of the Myriad Botanical Gardens.

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

“The best part about partnering with the Myriad Gardens is the variety of events we get to be a part of. Our time with them is never boring,” said TFCU Marketing Representative Anthony Garcia.

TFCU has been a part of several events including the Internet Cat Video Festival, Star Wars Day, the annual Easter Egg Hunt, and most recently, Deceptive Orchids. The Internet Cat Video Festival has been the most fun and surprising event TFCU has been a part of. “We had no idea thousands of people would come out to watch cat videos,” Garcia said. “It brings a wide range of people from teenagers to families, and everyone loves the cat glasses we give away. The

DMyriad Gardens is so innovative when it comes to bringing new things to OKC. They have helped shape what this city has become and it is an honor to be involved with them.”

TFCU is excited for a third year of the Internet Cat Video Festival, scheduled for Saturday, August 6, 2016. They don’t know if they will give away cat glasses again, but guarantee that attendees will have a great time.

IT’S THE PURRRFECT FIT!

Midtown Vets Sponsors Animal Related events: Internet Cat Video Fest, Doggy Easter Egg Hunt & Spooky Pooch Parade

r. Leonardo Baez, born and raised in Cuernavaca, Mexico, is very well known in Oklahoma City, especially to his fourlegged patients. Nestled in Midtown next to Bleu Garten, his mid-century modern styled office tells you, the visitor, that he’s fun, artful, and cares greatly for his patients and community. The Myriad Gardens is grateful to Dr. Baez for especially sponsoring our animal-related events. Midtown Vets came aboard for first-time events that have proven to be very popular!

Leonardo and his wife, Margaretta, live in Mesta Park with their rescue dog Thunder, and their French bulldog Franquie. They have

three beautiful daughters, Gabriela, Tess, and Amanda. Dr. Baez is an avid tennis player and a die hard Thunder fan. He and his wife have worked with several pet humane organizations and like to get involved in community events. Their favorite traveling spot is Akumal, Mexico.

At the end of 2013, after two months of retirement, Leonardo and Margaretta decided to open Midtown Vets with the help of friends and neighbors. Dr. Baez works to help spay and neuter stray animals found at the Garden and he also treats animals free of charge for members of OKC’s disabled and homeless population. We are grateful for his support and the work he does in the community.

Team Tinker Federal Credit Union (left to right) TJ Relerford, Bailey Brooks, Anthony Garcia and Lesley Clark.

The Doggy Easter Egg Hunt saw close to 150 dogs participate this year.

The Spooky Pooch Parade last October was a wonderful first year success!

Dr. Leonardo Baez

Robert Glen Rapp Foundation’s Matching Grant To Create a Spring Bulb Endowment at Myriad Gardens

Maureen Heffernan, Executive Director

In 2012, we started planning ways to celebrate the Gardens 25th anniversary date on March 25, 2013. We decided what better way to mark that early spring date than with an extra dazzling spring bulb display. We raised funds to plant 25,000 bulbs in late 2012 and the resulting display the next year fittingly and memorably marked this milestone date and delighted visitors with a richly colored rainbow of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths throughout the grounds.

Having seen how smitten visitors were with the bulbs, we wanted to again plant at least as many bulbs for the following year, indeed, in every future year.

Of course, to achieve this vision every year takes significant funds. Fortunately, generous and forward thinking donors in our community stepped forward to help us. Thanks to Tony and Jil Boghetich, residents of Oklahoma City and La Jolla, California, and who both serve on the board of the Robert Glen Rapp Foundation, we were awarded a $25,000 Rapp Foundation grant in 2014 to primarily purchase extra bulbs for our 2015 spring display.

Tony and Jil were delighted with the results and saw first-hand how taken visitors of all ages and walks of life were with the beauty.

They share our vision of having striking bulb displays in the heart of downtown, to not only uplift and delight individual hearts and spirits, but to also add a wonderful quality of life dimension to further burnish OKC’s reputation as a city transforming itself.

We were thrilled when the Robert Glen Rapp Foundation recently awarded the Gardens a $200,000 matching grant to establish, when fully matched, a $400,000 permanent endowment to grow and be used toward funding spring bulb displays.

We extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation to the vision and generosity of The Rapp Foundation. Their legacy gift, along with donors who help us meet the match, will bring beauty and joy to countless people every spring for generations to come.

To make a donation, of any amount, to help the Gardens raise matching funds for the Robert Glen Rapp Foundation grant, please visit our website’s support page or call our development office at (405) 445-7090.

Jil and Tony Boghetich enjoying the 2016 spring bulb display at Myriad Botanical Gardens in the Meinders Terrace.

Tulip photo by Carl Shortt Jr.

WVolunteer Program: Partner Volunteers vs. Occasional Volunteers

By Lori Coats, Volunteer Coordinator

hat a wonderful time to be part of the Myriad Botanical Gardens! I’m excited to be working with the fantastic volunteers that were in place, as well as the new ones who have come on since I arrived in January. We’ve had great discussions with many of the volunteers and have received valuable feedback about our program. We’ve made some adjustments and improvements and are so happy about the direction that our volunteer program is moving. There are many ways that people can help at the Gardens. Partner volunteers make a commitment, and in return receive a wonderful list of benefits for their time and effort. Occasional volunteers participate when they are available or when an activity or event of interest to them is going on. Our high school volunteer program is really growing and we are excited for the second set of VolunTeens to come through this summer. If you are looking for a great place to give back, please consider joining us!

Become a Partner Volunteer

Requirements

• Must agree to volunteer a minimum of 36 hours per year

• Must be 18 years of age or older

• Complete a simple application and background check

Benefits

• Receive a free parking pass to use while volunteering at the Gardens

• $20 off Myriad Botanical Gardens Membership

• Reduced/Complimentary access to various Myriad Gardens’ special events, including all education programs at staff price

• Receive free, instructional orientation and trainings

• Receive free admission plus 10 free passes to our Spring and Fall Festivals to share with your family & friends

• Invitation to our Annual Appreciation Banquet and Holiday Party

• Opportunities to guide indoor and outdoor garden tours

Opportunities for Occasional Volunteers

With so much going on at the Gardens we always need and appreciate the help that our Occasional Volunteers provide. Due to a variety of reasons, these volunteers cannot commit to being a Partner Volunteer. However, they are faithful to come help whenever we have special activities and events.

For more information email Lori Coats at lcoats@myriadgardens.org

Partner Volunteers Nelda Paden, Roger Quinn, Patsy Dodson and Sue Loftis stuffing Oklahoma Gardening School Packets

Occasional volunteers: Students from the University of Central Oklahoma volunteering on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Giving.

Occasional volunteers: Bishop McGuiness Catholic High School students volunteering in the Gardens in March.

Wedding? Corporate Dinner? Birthday? Book the Park House Events Center for Your Next Event

With beautifully landscaped acres of formal and natural gardens, the Myriad Botanical Gardens offers you a choice of so many striking places to gather for your next happening. The Park House Events Center is new in the line-up to rent for your special occasion. It’s perfect for corporate events, weddings, wedding receptions, networking events, birthday celebrations and more. With its natural light and striking panoramic views of the Gardens, breathtaking sunsets and nighttime glow of the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, the Events Center will make your next gathering a truly special occasion. The Events Center holds 120 people for a ceremony, 120 guests for dinner and 200 for a standing reception. Prices vary depending on day of the week and more.

Contact Jessica Rahill, (405) 200-1547 jrahill@myriadgardens.org

Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park Returns to The Water Stage

Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park launches it’s 32nd season with Shakespeare’s romantic comedy masterpiece, “Much Ado About Nothing” (director Lance Marsh) at the Gardens in June and “Romeo and Juliet”(director Kathryn McGill) in September. Tickets are $20 but for Gardens’ members, you receive two, non-transferrable tickets to each performance. Show your membership card at the ticket table at the Myriad Gardens’ Water Stage.

Much Ado About Nothing

Thursdays - Saturdays, June 2-25

Love’s in the air when Don Pedro’s army, drunk with victory from the war, descends upon Leonato’s country estate in Messina. Traveling with him is Claudio, who wants to marry Leonato’s daughter Hero. Meanwhile, Claudio’s friend Benedick and Leonato’s lively niece Beatrice hide their mutual attraction behind a volley of witty insults. But their world is shattered when Claudio, influenced by a scheming malcontent, levels a shocking accusation at Hero. A linguistically challenged guard and his sidekicks uncover the plot, casting a beam of hopefulness in this tempestuous landscape of love.

Romeo and Juliet

Thursdays - Saturdays, September 8- 24

The intense feud between the Montague and Capulet families devastates the city of Verona and foreshadows tragic consequences for young Romeo and Juliet. Revenge, passion and a secret marriage lead the world’s most famous starcrossed lovers to a harrowing end.

For ticket information visit oklahomashakespeare.com or call (405) 235-3700

Wise Guys presented Summer Concert Series at Ice House Plaza

The Wise Guys band will perform monthly at the Ice House. The concerts are FREE and open to the public on the beautiful patio at the Ice House Restaurant at Myriad Gardens.

Concert performances are tentatively scheduled for the following dates: Friday, May 27; a special Thursday edition on June 30; Friday, July 15; Friday, August 19; Friday, September 23 and Friday, October 21. Band performances are 8pm to 11pm.

Avis Scaramucci pictured second to the left enjoys iced tea with staff Deborah Morey, Maureen Heffernan, Kerry Rapp, Jessi Reisenberg, Tatianna Cannon, Erin McPhall