MAY ARBORETUM SOCIETY MONTHLY MOMENTS
September 2020
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Virtual Learning Series Kicks-Off
As the temperatures cool and the days shorten, there is something about the Fall season that sparks learning, making it the perfect time to kick off our new Virtual Learning Series. Our inaugural presentation on September 21st was "Autumn Facts & Folklore," presented by MAS board member Laura Robertson—a timely topic on the eve of the Fall equinox. Participation included both members and non-members from the community. The presentation started with an overview of the equinox, as well as the various ways that ancient cultures have acknowledged this celestial event in stone and structures. We then talked about the Harvest Moon and the rare October Blue Moon, and from there, started a "trip around the world" to learn about the many ways that Fall is celebrated in various cultures. Our conversational travels took us from Europe to the Far East, and to North Africa, India and other locations, exploring related folklore and customs. |
How to Make a Corn Husk Doll |
The next segment included a discussion of harvest corn dolls, including those made by Native Americans from corn husks, as well as the corn dollies of the U.K. This inaugural presentation wrapped up with a brief instruction on corn husk doll-making.
This enjoyable kick-off to the online series was just the start with more presentations and workshops scheduled for Monday evenings throughout the winter. Upcoming virtual presentations and workshops are suitable for all ages and open to the public at no cost. Watch our virtual learning series webpage for scheduled events in the future!
This enjoyable kick-off to the online series was just the start with more presentations and workshops scheduled for Monday evenings throughout the winter. Upcoming virtual presentations and workshops are suitable for all ages and open to the public at no cost. Watch our virtual learning series webpage for scheduled events in the future!
August 2020
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Lazy Days of Summer?... Not!
The mission of the May Arboretum Society is to support, sustain and grow the May Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Earlier this year, the Board of Directors voted to fund more than $152,636 in arboretum projects and personnel for fiscal year 2021. The funds came from interest gained from the May Arboretum Society Endowment Fund in 2019. In addition to funding the arboretum's AmeriCorps educator and almost $100,000 in ground's personnel over the next year, during the month of August, many of the funded projects began and some were even completed. Upgraded irrigation in David's, Native Plants, and Rock Gardens (top right photos) was installed as well as the first of many meetings with Didier Design Studios located in Colorado, who will be designing a cactus and succulent garden to be developed in an area of the arboretum near Lear Garden and the greenhouse. Also funded by the Society and coming soon to both Burke and Dixie's Plaza Gardens are new pondless water features to bring the sound and aesthetic of running water to those popular arboretum destinations. Volunteering at the arboretum ramped as well, with many of the May Arboretum Society members spending cool August mornings maintaining the gardens and groves. If you're interested in volunteering at the arboretum or contributing your time to one of our committees, contact us. |
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July 2020
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The Scent of Lavender was in the Air...
6th Annual Lavender Day Celebration After months of planning along with fingers and toes crossed, we hosted our 6th Annual Lavender Day on Saturday, July 11th. With COVID-19 mitigation guidelines in place and everyone required to wear a face covering, this Artown event brought several hundred visitors to Saint Patrick's Grove to celebrate everything "lavender." Earlier in the week, in preparation for Lavender Day, a group of members made what is now an annual, early morning trek to harvest lavender from a 200-plant lavender garden located near Verdi. From there, 25 lavender wreaths, DIY lavender wand kits, and bunches of cut lavender were made to sell at the event. In another part of town that week, members were squeezing 50 pounds of lemons for "Susan's Lavender Lemonade," an annual favorite that sells-out each year. Under the shade of the arboretum trees, more than 160 lavender plants - ten different varieties, were sold and Master Gardeners were on hand to council visitors on how to to best grow their plants in our area. There were mini-lectures under the Red Tent on infusing lavender and using essential oils for better health and cooking with lavender and honey. Local artisans and vendors joined the event and celebrated everything lavender by making honey. jams and jellies, bath and body care products, essential oils, jewelry, mosaics and garden art, candles, fairy garden accessories, specialty face masks, delicious baked goods, and more, available for purchase. New this year, was a raffle featuring products donated by local artists with the proceeds supporting the work of the Society. Live music featuring local artist Monique De Haviland, was enjoyed by everyone, reminding us of how rejuvenating the mix of art and nature really is. Stay tuned for other events coming soon... |
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June 2020
Face Coverings & Social Distancing
Pop-up Plant Sale
While COVID-19 put damper on most of our winter and spring workshops and events, for a few days in June we were able to host a “pop-up" plant sale direct from the greenhouse featuring a selection of herbs and succulents, which were originally planned for two workshops earlier in the year.
By appointment only and following the Governor’s guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, members purchased eight variety of herbs including rosemary, thyme, lemon verbena, sage and mint, in addition to hens and chicks and several varieties of sedum. While it wasn’t the “spring plant sale” we planned for, it was nice to see some of our members – even if we were practicing social distancing.
Pop-up Plant Sale
While COVID-19 put damper on most of our winter and spring workshops and events, for a few days in June we were able to host a “pop-up" plant sale direct from the greenhouse featuring a selection of herbs and succulents, which were originally planned for two workshops earlier in the year.
By appointment only and following the Governor’s guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, members purchased eight variety of herbs including rosemary, thyme, lemon verbena, sage and mint, in addition to hens and chicks and several varieties of sedum. While it wasn’t the “spring plant sale” we planned for, it was nice to see some of our members – even if we were practicing social distancing.
December 2019
It was a Holly, Jolly Celebration
Gingerbread Festival, December 14, 2019 The 11th Annual Gingerbread Festival kicked off with a "Ho, Ho, Ho" as Saint Nick himself arrived at the May Museum while the first choral group was singing, "Here Comes Santa Claus." Throughout the afternoon, local choirs performed holiday music, while children and their families were able to share their holiday wishes with Santa, have their face painted, and make their own mini gingerbread house to take home. Twenty-five entries signed up for the annual gingerbread house competition. The entries ran the gamut - from children and families to adult, non-profit and business categories. During the morning, local weather personalities, Jeff Thompson and Angela Shilling, served as judges awarding ribbons for first, second and third place in each category following the competition guidelines. Again this year, local company, Kimmie Candy provided a special prize for the baker who used the most Kimmie's candy to decorate their gingerbread creation. |
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November 2019
Celebrating the Season with Farms Animals and Fairies
Meet the Turkey Day, November 9, 2019 For the fourth year in a row, we participated in Rancho San Rafael Park's 13th Annual Meet the Turkeys Open House. Attending this event is always so much fun and thankfully, it was much warmer this year than in year's past. This family-focused event draws close to a thousand visitors each year who can meet farm animals, practice milking a cow, and explore their creative-side by making fall crafts sponsored by invited non-profit organizations. Families visiting our Red Tent made bird feeders to share with the feathered friends that visit their yards during the winter. The bird feeders, made with peanut butter, bird seed, a pinecone and some string for hanging have become a tradition each year. On November 14th, we hosted our fourth Fairy Garden Workshop for the year. The workshop was led by May Arboretum Society member, Catherine Tollstrup, who helped the participants tap into their creative side. With a little help from a few fairies, everyone took home an indoor container garden to help beat the upcoming winter blues. Watch for our next fairy garden workshop sometime next spring. |
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October 2019
Illuminating October at the May Arboretum
Autumn Art & Boo! Lantern Workshop, October 17, 2019 Last month we welcomed the fall season with our first EVER Autumn Art & Boo! Lantern workshop. The event was held on a Thursday evening in the Ranch House, located within Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. The crowd included MAS members, friends, and family. The evening began with Rod Dimmitt, MAS Treasurer, sharing the accomplishments of the May Arboretum Society and its commitment to sustaining and growing the May Arboretum. Soon after, Laura Robertson, the workshop instructor and member of the MAS Board of Directors, lead the participants down the path of lantern creativity. With the gift of public speaking and storytelling, Laura was very entertaining as she taught the steps involved in creating a lantern; not as simple as some may think! Steps included choosing the jar to become your lantern, some of which were re-purposed kitchen containers! Each person then chose images to place on their lantern, all hand drawn by Laura and cut out by her helpful husband Lenny. One of the funnest steps in creating the lantern was covering it with Mod Podge. There is nothing more nostalgic then covering a jar in a paint like substance to make you feel like a kid again! Once the jars were ready, the next step included covering it different colors of tulle to give the lantern "some depth and drama." Lastly, each lantern was decorated with nature inspired accessories like moss, rocks, twigs, and leaves. While the newly created lanterns were drying, Laura presented a fun look back at the history of lanterns, taking a deeper look into the backstory behind Jack O'Lanterns and learning the surprising fact that lanterns used to be made from shaving thin layers from the bones of animals; just in time time for Halloween! Afterwards, each participant continued to personalize their lanterns until the very end. The Autumn Art & Boo! Lantern workshop provided another great opportunity for members of the community and the May Arboretum Society to come together in the name of art nature. It was also a great evening for Laura to teach her original take on seasonally themed lanterns, which make for beautiful gifts for the upcoming holiday season! |
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September 2019
A Perfect Day to Celebrate the Union of ART & Nature
ART & Nature Sunday, September 22, 2019
As all of us living in Northern Nevada know, the weather can change in an instant, especially during the months of Autumn, yet on September 22nd, our 5th Annual ART & Nature celebration, the weather could not have been more pleasant; sunny skies, a nice cool breeze, and not a cloud in sight.
Volunteers, artists, vendors, and staff all arrived at the gardens in the early morning hours to set up their tables and spaces. People worked together to get those not so "Easy-Ups" up, chairs unfolded, and there was even a wagon spotted, wheeling the donated silent auction items down through the arboretum to Honey's Garden.
This year, the artists settled under the canopies of Kleiner Oak Grove ready to share their one of a kind creations with visitors. Items for sale included silk dyed scarves, one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, wooden-turned bowls, paintings, and much more. There was even a plein air artist spotted painting in the grove of oaks!
We also welcomed performing artists. In addition to the poetry of Martin David, six musical acts performed a collection of covers and original music against the backdrop of Honey's Garden. Organized by MAS Board Member Laura Robertson, genres included acoustic folk, jazz inspired pop, and even a mother daughter duo that closed out the event. The diverse musical acts created a fun soundtrack for the day, not to mention the violinist who welcomed visitors at the South Entrance.
There were also some regular friendly faces to been seen; Susan Campau and Lenita Powers at the Membership table, Rod Dimmitt manning the golf cart around the arboretum, and Lynn Short preparing the ever popular Wilbur's Cart. It truly was a day that celebrated the union of art and nature, and our community.
Thank you to everyone who helped out and joined us, See you next year!
ART & Nature Sunday, September 22, 2019
As all of us living in Northern Nevada know, the weather can change in an instant, especially during the months of Autumn, yet on September 22nd, our 5th Annual ART & Nature celebration, the weather could not have been more pleasant; sunny skies, a nice cool breeze, and not a cloud in sight.
Volunteers, artists, vendors, and staff all arrived at the gardens in the early morning hours to set up their tables and spaces. People worked together to get those not so "Easy-Ups" up, chairs unfolded, and there was even a wagon spotted, wheeling the donated silent auction items down through the arboretum to Honey's Garden.
This year, the artists settled under the canopies of Kleiner Oak Grove ready to share their one of a kind creations with visitors. Items for sale included silk dyed scarves, one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, wooden-turned bowls, paintings, and much more. There was even a plein air artist spotted painting in the grove of oaks!
We also welcomed performing artists. In addition to the poetry of Martin David, six musical acts performed a collection of covers and original music against the backdrop of Honey's Garden. Organized by MAS Board Member Laura Robertson, genres included acoustic folk, jazz inspired pop, and even a mother daughter duo that closed out the event. The diverse musical acts created a fun soundtrack for the day, not to mention the violinist who welcomed visitors at the South Entrance.
There were also some regular friendly faces to been seen; Susan Campau and Lenita Powers at the Membership table, Rod Dimmitt manning the golf cart around the arboretum, and Lynn Short preparing the ever popular Wilbur's Cart. It truly was a day that celebrated the union of art and nature, and our community.
Thank you to everyone who helped out and joined us, See you next year!
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August 2019
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Grooving in Kleiner Oak Grove
Music in the Garden, August 25, 2019 How often do we get the opportunity to watch live music under the canopies of Kleiner Oak Grove? Not often. But this year’s Music in the Garden proved to be a one of a kind experience for visitors and fans of The Band Apothic. Set up in front of the bridge into Honey’s Garden, Apothic played to an audience shaded by 30-plus year old oak trees, which were appreciated on the hot August Sunday afternoon. The grove provided the ideal location for fans because of the turf covered ground and the gentle slope that allowed everyone to see the band play their sweet tunes. Apothic covered all of the hits of yesterday and today from Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton to a collection of Tom Petty classics. Playing brass, percussion, and bass, the band created music that got everyone on their feet dancing. Even May Arboretum Society (MAS) Board Member Lenita Powers was spotted grooving along! Accompanying the live music was the new MAS staple; Wilbur’s Garden Cart. Set up with garden gems and trinkets, MAS President Lynn Short, was ready to sell to visitors. Also for sale was snacks and sodas to quench the thirst and appetites of visitors. A new edition this year to the annual event was the Lucky Draw Fundraiser. With help from Susan Mullen, a MAS board member, visitors purchased sheets of tickets and placed them in the varying bags of prizes they hoped to win, including three door prizes worth over one hundred dollars from Moana Nursery, the Rattlesnake Club, and the Frame Shop! Thanks to generous donations from local businesses such as Two Chicks, We Olive and Wine Bar, Squeeze Inn, and so much more, the Lucky Draw Fundraiser was a success! The night closed around 7:30 PM with Apothic playing their last set. Visitors and fans packed up their lawn chairs and picnic blankets, celebrating what they just witnessed - one of the coolest, grooviest events the May Arboretum has ever seen! We want to extend a special thank you to The Band Apothic for creating a night of fun and relaxation. We also want to thank all the local businesses who generously donated to the Lucky Draw Fundraiser. Finally, we want to thank everyone who came and supported live music in the gardens! 
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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
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
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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
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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! |
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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. |
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