MAY ARBORETUM SOCIETY MONTHLY MOMENTS

July 2019

Locally Sourced and Handmade
​5th Annual Lavender Day Saturday July 13, 2019

As the sun rose on St. Patrick’s Garden at the May Arboretum, all was still.  Birds were chirping with the early morning dawn, sprinklers were running, and pollinators were a buzz.  Amidst this seemingly regular Saturday morning, the May Arboretum Society was preparing for one of

its biggest events of the year; Lavender Day.  Board members, volunteers, Arboretum staff, and vendors arrived at the gardens hours before the event was set to begin at 9:00 AM. 

Preparation for the Society's annual Artown event began weeks in advance.  Fresh lavender was hand picked by volunteers earlier in the week to create wreaths and other lavender products.  With the help of long time Arboretum volunteers and Society members, Chris Veach and Susan Lester, lavender wands were woven days before.  Included in the wand making sessions was a lesson on how to make wands so volunteers could teach visitors this timeless skill.  

No Lavender Day would be complete without the famous lavender lemonade, lemon bars, and other delicious treats on sale at the event.  Long time Society member Susan Campau hand squeezed lemons for lavender lemonade and Lynn Short, MAS President, spent the day before making lavender-lemon bars from scratch.  To say the May Arboretum Society was busy preparing is an understatement! 
To complement the event, regional vendors sold their hand made products.  Local businesses included Dragonfly Bath and Body, the Truckee Meadow Candle Company, Missbeehaven Farm, dōTERRA Essential Oils, and Nevada Bugs and Butterflies (because we all know lavender wouldn't be possible without our local pollinators!).   

In addition to delicious treats and local vendors, the Society had nine varieties of lavender plants for sale and they hosted workshops under the big red tent on how to prune lavender taught by Nancy Strickland and the benefits of essential oils presented by Adriana Shipman.  
​
Overall, the 5th Annual Lavender Day brought families, joy, and even a Maincoon cat to the gardens of the May Arboretum.  It truly was a hand crafted day. Thank you to all those who joined us and we hope to see you next summer!

June 2019

The Ribbon Cutting of the Summer Season
​June 20, 2019

On June 20th, the May Arboretum Society welcomed community members, arboretum staff, and local officials to celebrate the newly renovated Burke Garden with a ribbon cutting facilitated by the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce. The renovations had been in the works for more than year, with ground breaking taking place this past winter.

The celebrations began in MAS fashion with homemade refreshments under the red tent, including prickly pear lemonade and mint tea, made by our very own Rod Dimmitt, Treasurer of the May Arboretum Society. As people gathered on the newly placed pavers, conversations began against a backdrop of blooming perennials of purples, yellows, blues, and whites. Ambiance of the event was enhanced by the relaxing sound of trickling water thanks to a newly installed marble fountain in the main flower bed.  

As Lynn Bethel Short, President of the May Arboretum Society, and Rod Dimmitt, Treasurer, cut the ribbon, excitement and celebration filled the English-style landscaped garden. During the event, the Society was presented with a commendation from Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto's office.

The event concluded with an engaging tour of the gardens by Phil Brazier, Assistant Horticulturist of the May Arboretum.  As people strolled through the gardens, Phil answered questions and provided insight on how the gardens are maintained with best management practices and funding from donors like the May Arboretum Society and the May Foundation.

Now that Burke Garden is home for newly planted flower beds aimed to attract birds, butterflies, and pollinators, it truly is a place of beauty and relaxation.  Stay tuned to see what garden will be renovated next. Who knows, there may be more ribbon cuttings in the May Arboretum’s future!

Artistic Creations in the Gardens: Plein Air PAINT OUT Among the Perennials
June 30, 2019

The May Arboretum Society ended the month of June with its inaugural Plein Air PAINT OUT Among the Perennials event, which was instituted by Catherine Tollstrop, a member of the Society's Board of Directors.

For those who don’t know, en plein air is french for painting outside. This form of art aims to capture the natural light of daylight and evoke a sense of being outside. Can you think of a more perfect location than the blooming gardens of the May Arboretum?

The event began in the early morning hours as artists arrived with easels, canvases, and paints in tow.  Laura Robertson and Susan Mullen, Board Members of the Society, welcomed the artists with smiles and provided maps for garden locations. 

Artists set up in Honey’s, Burke, Rock and Kristin’s Gardens, as well as by Herman’s Pond!  It was quite a beautiful experience walking through the gardens and seeing such talent and skill being inspired by the plant collections of the May Arboretum.

As the day moved along and the temperature began to rise, the artists gathered their materials and moved to shadier locations.  By late afternoon, we all gathered under the Red Tent in Kleiner Oak Grove for the judging and Wet Paint Sale.

With three judges representing Reno Arts News and Truckee Meadows Community College, the judging commenced for the three categories: Best Amateur, Best Professional, and People’s Choice.  In addition to artwork being sold, artists donated their works to the May Arboretum Society for future fundraising opportunities.
The event was truly one-of-a-kind in the May Arboretum’s artistic event history.  Karen Marburg, an artist at the event and winner of the Best Professional category, reflected “It was a beautiful day, I enjoyed everything about it! This was our first time so it was definitely a new challenge! Hope you have another one in the fall!”.  We hope to see you in the fall too, Karen!

Stay tuned for news about our next Plein Air PAINT OUT Among the Perennials event.