Education

Gardens Continues its Focus on Pollinators By Dr. Ann Fleener, Director of Education

At the Gardens we are passionate about the natural world. One of the areas we’ve focused in recent years is pollinator conservation. In 2016 we added pollinator garden beds to our Children’s Garden and we installed our Oklahoma Prairie Garden. Both of these areas are huge attractants for wildlife. On any given summer day you can walk out to the Prairie Garden, stand among the abundance of grasses and flowers, and listen to the sounds of nature. Cicadas, crickets and many other beneficial insects are singing their summer songs and it is glorious.

Among the many beneficial insects who flock to these spaces are pollinators: hummingbirds, bees, wasps, and butterflies, including the Monarch butterfly. We recently took the next step in focusing on pollinators, certifying these two spaces as Monarch Waystations through Monarch Watch. Monarch Watch is an organization focused on researching, conserving and educating the public in Napa, CA. Dundee trained with some of the that got her thinking. Following her talk, Dundee about the Monarch Butterfly. Certifying a space as a Monarch Waystation is fairly simple, and is open to organizations, homeowners, and public spaces. During the certification process you are asked a series of questions ensuring your Ann Fleener space provides the ingredients needed for a Monarch habitat: shelter, host and nectar plants and sustainable practices.

The next step we will be taking is in tagging Monarchs as they come through on their fall flight. Tagging Monarchs helps with the gathering of data about the Monarch’s flight pattern, how weather influences them and possible contributions to the Monarch decline. In gathering this data, we increase our chances of reversing the decline.

For more information on Monarch Watch visit their

OSU-OKC Floral Design Students Win Scholarship to Prestigious Floral Design School

In May of this year the Myriad Gardens hosted worked with OSU-OKC’s school of horticulture the Art of Flowers, with one of our most and her own partner at Russian River School to fascinating speakers yet, Dundee Butcher, underwrite costs for these students to attend a founder and owner of Russian River Flowers week-long Russian River floral design school. most celebrated floral schools Hilary, KJ & Chelsea and companies in London, attended the flower school including McQueen’s Flowers, at the end of September

Jane Packer Flowers and the which was a special

Academy of Flowers in Covent collaboration between

Garden. During this time, Russian River School and

Dundee arranged flowers for McQueens Flower School everyone from Gwyneth Paltrow in England. The week was to the Queen. She did all this as an intensive introduction a forty-something mother with a to traditional English floral busy family life. design. Hilary Clark said

When Dundee spoke in May, attend the school and three floral design students finds Dundee’s creativity from OSU-OKC were in and business acumen attendance. Hilary Clark, KJ OSU-OKC floral design students Hilary Clark, KJ inspiring. Hilary is a

Kane and Chelsea Hughes were Kane and Chelsea Hughes with Dundee Butcher. mother of young children, thrilled to be invited to the Art just as Dundee was when of Flowers to hear from an inspiring leader in the she began her career, and she is honored that floral design industry. Little did they know that Dundee saw enough in each of them to offer

Dundee would see something in each of them them for this amazing learning opportunity. website monarchwatch.org. that she was thrilled to

VolunTEENs Make an Impact at Gardens This Summer

By Megan Brown, Volunteer Program Manager

As we began cleaning up after the VolunTEEN End of Summer Celebration, I looked around the room and was amazed at what a difference ten weeks can make. When I first started at the Myriad Gardens, the VolunTEEN Class of 2017 was just about to kick off. During their training in May, I remember thinking how young and green they were. Getting them to speak up when we asked questions seemed impossible, as they were shy and uncertain. But here we were ten weeks later and they didn’t want to leave. They knew their parents were waiting for them outside, but they still wanted to talk and hang out with the staff and each other. After hugging them goodbye, we sent them out to their parents, but not without a bit of sadness on our

VolunTEENS at the end of summer celebration are from left: Ella Owen, Chloe Hume, Vanessa Heath, Noah Coats, Dalton Westover, Jada Evans, Rylliee Hutchison, Emily Smith

part. These eight students volunteered between 50 and 120 hours each during the ten week program. They helped with our Children’s Garden Festival, Bug Out! Lady Bug Release, Weekly Walkups, International Mud Day and worked alongside our horticulture staff. Each day they were given more responsibility, and each VolunTEEN Dalton Westover helps release Lady Bugs into the Children’s Garden time they rose to the occasion. Through this process they learned how to interview; speak professionally to the public; work with children; care for plants and more. All seven of the students who would qualify again next year will be warmly welcomed to return to the program. As we continue to grow the program, our goal is to ensure that the VolunTEENS receive more training, knowledge of horticulture and general preparation for future careers. It is an honor to be a part of educating and shaping young people. They say that the youth are our future, and from where I stood at the VolunTEEN Celebration, the future looks bright.

Megan Brown

Meet Megan Brown, Volunteer Program Manager

Megan Brown has joined the Myriad Gardens as Volunteer Program Manager. Megan was born and raised in Shawnee, Oklahoma and has a deep love for the Sooner state. She studied SociologyHuman Services at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Her passion is for people and she enjoys getting to know them and their stories.

Prior to working for the Myriad Gardens, Megan worked as a Senior Community Development Manager for the American Cancer Society, where she fundraised and worked with volunteers. She was drawn to the Gardens because of her love for downtown Oklahoma City and her desire to be a part of the exciting growth taking place. Megan understands the value of a volunteer and believes that volunteers are vital for the growth and longevity of an organization. She is looking forward to growing the volunteer department and sharing her love of the Gardens with others in the community.

Adopt-A-Spot Opportunity Now Available T he Myriad Gardens is currently looking for groups for our new Adopt-A-Spot program. Friends, family, social Benefits: organizations, or corporations can participate in the program. Each adopted area of the gardens will require a group of • A plaque with your company or five to ten people being on-site for three hours monthly or group name in the area bi-weekly (depending on the area) for one year to pull weeds, • Mention of your company during mulch, pick up trash, and assist the horticulture staff with outdoor guided tours maintenance of the area. • Corporate membership to the Myriad Botanical Gardens Please contact mbrown@myriadgardens.org or (405) 445-7087 • One 20% off coupon for one for more information or to book a private tour of the Myriad corporate event at our facility Gardens grounds to choose your spot.