We want to thank all of you who spent the day with us at our Open House last Saturday. That sun-drenched afternoon was more than just a look at the exciting renovations going on around our store. More importantly, it was a chance to celebrate our community – with those of you who share this passion for the natural world, for bringing its beauty into our built spaces, and for making Omaha a healthier and more sustainable place to live and work.
Whether you came to check out our new Pavilion, to hit the native plant sale, or just to spend a beautiful day outside with live music and local businesses, we’re glad you were here. And we hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did!
Growing the Conversation
It was so refreshing to spend a beautiful afternoon celebrating Omaha’s growing community of plant-loving people – with both new and long-time friends mingling and sharing their passion for the natural world.
In the back hoop house was a great collection of native plants including those from local growers Midwest Natives Nursery and Great Plains Nursery, as well as our own farms. And the place was filled with conversation as they shared their enthusiasm and expert knowledge surrounding the critical role native plants play in our natural and urban ecosystems.
Thank You to Our Community Partners
Throughout the Greenhouse and Nursery Yard, inspiring tunes and delicious scents floated in the air along with the fragrance of mums and the flitting butterflies. We hope you had a chance to try one of those savory hand pies from Carter & Rye, a beautiful, hand-painted macaron from Magpie Bakery, or a scoop of farm-to-cone ice cream from Coneflower Creamery. The folks at The Grove Juicery and Artemis Teas were busy sharing their artisanal drinks too. And if you’re like us, you couldn’t pass by Benson Soap Mill without being drawn in by the incredible fragrance of their natural soaps.
Out in the Nursery Yard, local singer-songwriter Jocelyn tied it all together with her infectious lyrics and pure, clear vocals that put a perfect soundtrack to the beautiful afternoon.
Let’s Keep Our City Wild
With our Open House, we’re proud to have launched a new partnership with our friends at Keep Omaha Beautiful. Now when you visit our store, you’ll have the chance to round up your purchase to the nearest dollar in support of their work – planting thousands of native trees across the city, revitalizing vacant lots with pollinator gardens, engaging our community in environmental stewardship. Thanks to all of you who have already participated. And if you haven’t already, be sure to pick up your own Keep Our City Wild shirt or hat to help us spread the word.
Congratulations to Our Photo Contest Winners
And as we work to spread the word, our Keep Our City Wild photo contest on Instagram brought in an inspiring collection of photos celebrating the beauty of the natural world both in our city and across the Great Plains. Thank you again to everyone who shared their photos! And congratulations to @angiej_norman for the first-place win, along with @shakazula14 and @photosangie for taking second and third.
We Had Fun!
We want to thank each of our community partners for spending the day with us and making our Open House such a fun afternoon. We’re thankful for all the great conversations we had with so many throughout our community, and we look forward to many more as we continue working together to make Omaha a more beautiful, healthy, and sustainable place to live.
