For its 49th year, the Munroe-Meyer Guild's Garden Walk is offering a change of pace.
In addition to four visually arresting private gardens, this year's event will also feature the Helping Omaha People Eat (H.O.P.E.) Garden on the grounds of Faithful Shepherd Presbyterian Church, 2530 S. 165th Ave.
"Master Gardeners from the Douglas County Extension Office run the garden," said Luann Rabe, president of the Munroe-Meyer Guild, which is holding this year's Garden Walk from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on June 11. "They provide six to seven tons of fresh fruits and vegetables to different food banks in the summer." The H.O.P.E. garden also features a certified pollinator garden, designed to attract butterflies, and aronia berry bushes.
"There will be Master Gardeners at the H.O.P.E. garden to talk about how visitors can start their own pollinator garden and how aronia berries, which are high in antioxidants, are good for your body, and how the H.O.P.E. Garden benefits the people of Omaha," Rabe said. "This is the first time we've had an 'educational' garden."
But they're not skimping on beauty, either. The five gardens on this year's tour include items such as a fish and lily pond, a small waterfall, cherry trees and a "Fairy Garden."
"The quality of the gardens that we choose, they are some of the best in Omaha," Rabe said.
Rabe added that the gardeners who open their homes to visitors are completely behind the mission of the Munroe-Meyer Guild – to raise funds to support research and programs at the Munroe-Meyer Institute.
"The Guild is proud to fund research and programs that the MMI staff can't get funded other places," Rabe said. "We are known for providing funds for initial research – once a researcher can do a year or two of basic research, then they can give that information to the National Institutes of Health and hopefully get the larger grants.
"We also provide support for programs that both children and adults can take advantage of, such as the Go Baby Go! Program and a truck for the Wheel Club."
Rabe said the Guild has been excited to work with new MMI Director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D.
"Under Dr. Mirnics, things have just taken off," she said. "He's such a visionary and so supportive."
Ticket information
Tickets are available at all the following locations prior to the event for $15. (Tickets will be $20 on the day of the Garden Walk at all gardens.) Tickets are available at:
— Blue Pomegranate Gallery
— Canoyer Garden Center
— Hy-Vee Stores
— Indian Creek Nursery
— Moore's Nursery
— Mulhall's Nursery, Inc.
— Westlake Hardware at 140 & W. Center
Munroe-Meyer Institute is committed to unlocking the potential of children and adults with developmental disabilities and genetic disorders through exceptional patient care, education and research. MMI health care providers annually diagnose and treat more than 10,000 children and adults with special needs.
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