Santa Fe Botanical Garden A FEAST FOR THE SENSES By Debbie Stone Photos Caitlin Elizabeth
series. It’s the ideal venue to showcase art, theater, dance, music and more.” The focus of Ojos y Manos: Eyes and Hands, according to Bass, will be on ethnobotanical aspects, which explore the relationship between humans and plants across history. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in an extensive array of interactive experiences while exploring this relationship within four main planting areas: food, healing, weaving and dying, and tool-making. The garden plans to grow, harvest and cook with its own crops, with the latter activity to occur in an area designated as ‘Horno Plaza,’ with two outdoor adobe ovens.
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t all began in 1987 with the vision of a small group of local gardeners, botanists and environmentally oriented citizens who sought to establish a botanical garden in Santa Fe. The vision became a reality 26 years later when the Santa Fe Botanical Garden officially opened Phase One of the project, attracting 18,000 visitors during its first six months of operation. Last year, nearly 33,000 people made the gardens a must-see destination in the City Different. Currently, two and a half acres of the 14-acre site have been developed and two more are to be completed by late October. “We are very excited about Phase Two,” says CEO Clayton Bass. “It’s called, ‘Ojos y Manos: Eyes and Hands,’ and it will be an outdoor learning landscape—the epicenter of our education programs. There will be four outdoor structures for programs, an intimate 150-seat amphitheater overlooking the Gathering Place plaza to hold events, both our own and those of our Santa Fe cultural partners. Plus three other classroom spaces will host a variety of programs.” Bass adds: “We want to bring fine arts into the garden setting; next year we will launch the ‘Shakespeare in the Garden’
The new site will also feature wildflowers and indigenous plants found in northern New Mexico and the Southwest, with an emphasis on helping people understand environmental sensitivity and water conservation, our region’s most precious resource. A variety of water catchment structures will be installed to demonstrate different ways to garden with less water.
nationally and internationally recognized sculptor who is based both in Santa Fe and New York City. Barrett is known for his abstractions, inspired by nature and created in fabricated steel, bronze, marble and polished aluminum. Visual Poetry continues through May 14, 2017. Also on tap is the garden’s Solstice Cirque Spectacular, slated for June 18th. “This will be the reinvention of the garden party,” explains Bass. “We’re going to have Cirque performances of artful and aerial feats throughout the garden. It’s going to be a thrilling event with ticket and raffle proceeds supporting continued growth of the garden’s educational mission for the Santa Fe community and northern New Mexico.” For more information about the Solstice visit www.santafebotanicalgarden.org. The garden’s future plans include the construction of a new visitor and education center to be launched in 2018, followed by the Courtyard Gardens. The botanical garden is open year-round on Museum Hill, Santa Fe’s cultural campus. Santa Fe Botanical Garden 715 Camino Lejo 505.471.9103 SantaFeBotanicalGarden.org
In celebration of summer, on June 1st the garden premiers the new exhibition, Visual Poetry: Bill Barrett Sculpture, curated by the garden’s CEO, Clayton Bass. The show features 16 works by the
Saturday, June 18, 6:30 to 9 pm
SPECTACULAD at Santa Fe Botanical Garden
Celebrate the Solstice sunset with Cirque performances in the Garden, cocktails and delicious bites at the garden party of Santa Fe! Purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a South America Exploration, Ritz-Carlton Maui Adventure or Ireland Experience. Proceeds benefit the Garden’s special programs. Party & Raffle tickets are available at santafebotanicalgarden.org/solstice.
505.471.9103 santafebotanicalgarden.org