June 2, 2026 • 20 mins
Mia Jenkins and Kyle Cippera from Lauritzen Gardens talk about the way the gardens are shaping up this summer and the birth of the first satellite location, Polina Gardens in Old Market.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
It's the Emory Songer podcast on the iHeartRadio app talking
about all things Omaha, what you can do, what you
can see, all around this fantastic city that we live.
And we have a couple of very special guests here
and live with us. Is Mia Jenkins, our good friend
from Lords and Gardens, Director of Marketing, Nia.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome back.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Thank you. It's always a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I have also joined by the horticulture specialist, a person
who is going to explain exactly what that means, Kyle Sipra,
who's sitting here with us today. Kyle, welcome into the show.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Okay, let's go ahead and start first and foremost. Mia,
we have talked on the radio a time or two,
and I'm always so fascinated by what you guys do.
It's a true wonderland of plants. It's a wonderland of culture, honestly,
of different cultures from around the world that you may
not get an opportunity to see these plants anywhere else
the entire time you're alive on this earth, except for
(01:04):
at Lords and Gardens. So can you kind of take
us through kind of what your guys's mission is as
a place that people can gather for a very very interesting,
you know, group of plants and experiences.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Sure, we're one hundred acre botanical garden. We really exist
for the enjoyment and education for the community. We do
that through horticulture display, educational programs, special events, and then
plant conservation research. We're really trying to curate educational experiences
and unique experiences for people that really enhance the lives
(01:42):
of everyone in our community and connect them to plants
in some way, shape or form. And so with our
latest addition, we're really hoping to take some of that
mission into the heart of Omaha's Old Market.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
You know what, if anybody has not been there, you
are missing out because every single time that I've gotten
to go, I've gone the last couple of years during
Christmas time, which is absolutely unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
But there is so much to it all year long.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
And Kyle, you're here to kind of talk about this
as a horticulture specialist in a place that has such
a diverse group of plants. I know, you guys, in
the last twelve months a lot has changed for people
who may not have been for the last couple of
years to lords and gardens So tell me about how
you describe the diversity of the plants and where they
(02:32):
come from that people can see when they're at the gardens.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Yeah, so, I mean it's changed a lot recently too,
like as we try to focus on ecologically mindful of horticulture,
so like we're adding more natives into the gardens, we're
working with other things that art native, but that are
adapting to our changing climate, to our changing ecosystems. But
(02:58):
then you know, also trying to bring in new and
interesting things that are going to wow people and things
that you can't see anywhere else besides the gardens that
really make it that special place for people who love
plants and people who everyone really So.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
How did you get here?
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Like how does one become a horticulture specialist in a
place like this?
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Yeah, you know, I like went to school for art
is what I went to school for. So I did
ceramics and photography in college, and like landscape always informed
those processes for me, and then just started kind of
working in the landscape instead. So worked for the Forest
(03:40):
Service for a while, did some organic farming for a while,
and then did your more kind of like commercial landscape
for a little bit. And then made my way to
the gardens. So I've been there for seven years this
month actually, and you know, and then it's really like
a lot of learning yourself. And like I think the
(04:03):
coolest thing about it is the plants like teach you
more than anything, like just paying attention to that and
like seeing they respond to every input. They respond to
the things that aren't getting input. So like if you
really pay attention to those things, you're gonna learn like
exponentially more than i'd say, even from a book, you know,
(04:25):
like because it's different in everybody's own yard, it's different
in every different garden at the gardens.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So, yeah, you.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Were there the entire process then of the kind of
change over to kind of what you guys have now. Mia,
you and I have talked about the different microclimates that
have you know, been allowed to exist with different humidity levels,
different temperatures, to try to allow every single plant to
thrive from kind of the structural standpoint of what you
(04:54):
guys do, how is that even allowed to be possible
with the design of your building and even the place
is outside to try to make it as viable as
possible for so many different plants from all over the world.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Well, the Conservatory and the Marjorie Caterority Conservatory when that
was renovated, it was we learned a lot from the
first ten years of operation, and a lot of that
knowledge and the information that was captured kind of informed
of the decisions that were made in the types of
(05:27):
plants and the types of regions we were going to
represent moving forward. So that space is really unique because
we can control what the soil composition is, what the
humidity levels are, what the temperatures are outside. We don't
have that, you know, we were at the mercy of
the weather and the climate and as Kyle said, it
(05:51):
is you know changing, and that opens up some plants
that we may not have ever been able to display
before that now will survive through our winters, and so
you try to take those positives. But you know, like
the dry winter, it was rough this this spring, we
did not have the showy bulb display, and we we
(06:12):
just kind of keep moving forward and look for other
opportunities and ways to enhance what we have, ways to
maybe do something a little different. And I really applied
or horticulture team for looking at ways to evaluate what's
happening in the garden. Beds and how else could we
add color, ad texture, add seasonal interest. When you are
(06:33):
at that you can't control everything out there. But you know,
we don't have a lot of irrigation on our property.
I don't think people realize the amount of work that
our team, you know, does to provide what plants need
when you don't always get it from Mother nature.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, it's a really good point. We uh.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
At my house, I'm much more the observer. My wife
has gotten a bit you know, interested in plants, and
she planted a few tulip bulbs in our front yard
just to kind of see what would happen. And we
were very surprised how early this year that they bloomed
and they were basically done by the end of April.
It you just don't really know. There's so many different factors. So,
(07:18):
Kyle as a horticulture specialist and you have you're taking
care of plants that are from all over the world,
and you know, what is that education process like? Is
that something that you obviously there's okay, well this plant
needs this, and this plant needs this. But from your experience,
like you said, you learn a lot from just being
there with the plant. What are some of the examples
(07:41):
of maybe some plants that you learned the most from
here recently, especially with the change in weather from you know,
kind of a dry winter into this spring that seemingly
has quite a bit of water that's been dropping on
us outside as well.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Yeah, you know, I think like at a teach is
a word that comes to mind, Like the plants adapt
and then you have to adapt with them. But like
I mean, even like at our new gardens, Polina Gardens,
like we planted like very late fall last year, and
like just learning, like just seeing now like some stuff
(08:20):
didn't make it, you know, like and that's part of
the process, like when you do plant that late and
then you know you don't have water year round because
your pipes freeze in the ground, and so you know,
you're kind of like learning, Okay, maybe we have to
adapt that way again, like when we replace these things.
(08:41):
As far as like certain plants that I've learned the
most from. Oh, that's a hard question, but I mean,
you know, I feel like it's more like not singular plant,
but more like plant ecosystems as a whole, or like
the biggest teachers. I think, like when you look at
like an natural environment and kind of see like where
(09:03):
these certain plants exist, like in their natural environment. That's
where you kind of start to realize how they work
together and like what conditions they want, and then how
you can better suit that to your own garden.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Yeah, So for a guy like you, you know, I've
gotten really into bird watching, so I'm gonna like draw
a parallel to bird watching. And I had a spark bird,
the Baltimore oriole because it was a beautiful bird, but
also it's a bit finicky. You have to kind of
work to try to attract them. You have to put
(09:38):
different food out, you have to know when they're coming
and when they're going kind of thing. Is there a
spark plant that really got your interests in? Like, man,
I really want to do this, so I want to
learn as much about all plants as possible. Was there
a singular plant that got that interest kind of moving
for you?
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Yeah? I think the I mean the first thing was
trees is what really hit me. And like there was
this time I saw like this probably like sixty year
old white pine and in Nebraska, like you don't see
that very often, and like this is when I was
with the Forest Service, but like seeing like that huge
(10:18):
old growth like pine.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I think that was my spark.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
I think that was like okay, wow, like this is
kind of like the power that these things hold, and
like I want to try to be a.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Part of that so that that's awesome, you know, And
I think the stories that people have whenever they get
pulled into something like this, you don't really know what
this world is like until you start to actually dabble
and you see how deep it is. And we talked
about this, maybe you can remind me of how many
species just in the conservatory alone that people can see
(10:52):
as they're walking through. They're let alone, like on the
entire property that you guys have.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Yeah, I know there's still the constantly, but there's thousands
and thousands, and you know, we've been working so hard
to open Polina Gardens in the Old Market. And when
Kyle was talking about trees, it just made me think
of like what an amazing process it was to plant.
It's like eighty trees in a city block that are
(11:19):
all brand new and twenty two some thousand perennial plants
out there that it really is amazing when you cover
space in plants. How it also ties back to his
art field, because it is this color and its texture
and its layers and its curves and it all blends
(11:42):
together to kind of create this really amazing experience. So
and then on the property, gosh, I'm not sure how
what the total number is currently. I know in the conserve,
like when we talked in the conservatory it was thousands,
and we're constantly adding and changing it up. And that's
(12:02):
part of the beauty of a garden is it's really
never finished. You can constantly adapt and change it and
make it into something different. So it's really not the
same experience two times in a row for the public
as well. And so now that we kind of have
this satellite garden, we can provide different experiences.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
At each location. Yeah, so let's go ahead and talk
about it.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
The Polina Garden you mentioned in the Old Market those
who know where lords and gardens is not super far
away from there.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Two point six miles.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Yeah, I mean, it's a it's a walk. You can
take one of those cool little scooters on down and
get there pretty easily. But take me through kind of
the concept of this and what the idea was of
trying to bring it to a much more kind of
you know pedestrian traffic and you know vehicular traffic area.
You know that maybe will introduce people to and I like,
(12:55):
like just a tiny taste of what they could get
if they went just a little further out to the
lower and gardens.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
What was the inspiration behind Polina Gardens.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Well, this was really spearheaded by Paulina and Bob Schlott,
and they are lovers of nature and art and beauty
and they just have this deep rooted passion for making
the community and city, as they kind of said, you know,
a place that they want their daughter to grow up in,
(13:24):
and they look for the things that their daughter or
friends are doing and they want to improve that and
make sure that other kids in the future have those
same opportunities. And they love gardens, They love naturalistic gardens.
They have a shared affection for the gardens of Pete
Adolph and so they really brought this to the table
(13:46):
and they have been working with our team and with
others in the community for the past five years to
make it happen. And there's a lot of parallel, you know,
parallels for the founding of Lords and Gardens too, where
was people from the community who wanted a It was
a grassroots effort from the community to create a space
for the community to come and celebrate horticulture. And now
(14:09):
we have that second location downtown with the same intent.
It's just free for all to experience. But we hope
that it's still managed to the same expectations as what
people have grown to love at Lorts and Gardens, and
that there is kind of a traffic from one to
the next, that people discover us at Polina Gardens and
(14:32):
then come see more at Lords and Gardens, or people
who've been coming to Lorts and Gardens for years then
go downtown on their way home to experience more time
in nature because we all need more of it. So
it's just great to have this second space and Kyle
and his team have done just such an amazing job
to really bring it to life.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Yeah, well, what an awesome thing you mentioned. You can't
be in nature enough. It's one of the things from that,
you know. As the pandemic hit was when it kind
of woke me up. I went camping for real for
the first time, when that became like the only thing
to do, and I was like, why haven't I been
doing this? This is such an enriching thing. For me,
it's enriching for the relationships that I have. It makes
(15:15):
me feel like a very different person. I feel super
recharged after I've just been sitting around trees and around plants.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
So, you know, for Kyle, in your.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Perspective, as a guy who cares about the plants, what
do you hope people will notice and see when they
go down to the Old Market and they see the
Polina Gardens.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Yeah, I think it's like unlike anything in the state,
like unlike anything in this region. And you know, like
I think like so that I think we're the seventh
pe Audolph garden in the country now, So to have
one of those in Omaha is like a really big deal,
(15:59):
especially like being someone who was born and raised here,
Like it's like a dream come true almost. But I mean,
like I want what I want to hope people see
is just like the connection that the whole garden has
to this city, Like there's the connection to the architecture
down there, like through different materials that are used, and
(16:20):
then the plantings, Like having that many trees in a
planting space that's only one point two eight acres is
like kind of nuts and like some of these trees
were twelve thousand pounds when we were getting them into
the ground, So we're using cranes to move them over
the city block, and so like it's already feels like
(16:42):
it's like timeless that already feels like it's been there
and supposed to be there, and like it's gonna be
there forever, you know. And I think that that that
sense of timelessness like also allows people to feel comfortable
and like to feel like it's a place for them,
(17:02):
because that's what I think. It's a place for everyone.
Like it's a place for a community, and it's a
place for us to share with our community and to
like see things that you like some people don't ever
get a chance to see. And that's exciting to do
it for free.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Also just in a place that you know there's gonna
be a ton of people and we're about to welcome
in several thousand people here in the next couple of
weeks with the College World series, and this is right
in the wheelhouse where all of those people will be traveling.
It is a great advertisement for not just what you
guys are doing at Lords and Gardens, but what this
community wants to do and what Lords and Gardens is
(17:41):
a part of this community and trying to continue to
make this feel like one of the best places you
can raise a family and come to visit. In just
adding that beauty and adding that feel. So me I'll
ask you what are ways that people can get involved?
How do people see the Polina Gardens? Do they have
to do any thing special on? How do people go
(18:01):
and see any of the events you have coming up
at the Lords and Gardens this summer.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
So Polina Gardens opens June third and will be open
nine am to six pm, and we'll be closed just
on Tuesdays. We'll also have some special events and tours
and engagements over the summer and fall months, and it's
also a space where you could have your own private
events and celebrations within just such a beautiful setting. You
(18:31):
can find out more at Lords and Gardens dot org
or full schedule of educational programs, special tours. How to
join Really visiting is one of the best ways you
can support us, and then becoming a member is that
next step. It really provides you with a lot of
different experiences and discounts throughout the year. But also you
(18:53):
know it is really important to the garden and you're
kind of with the you're kind of supporting places like
Pulling Gardens and Lords and Gardens and with a lot
of like minded people as well, and different programs support us,
coming to fundraising events like Bourbon and Blooms and our
Lords and Gardens, Antiques and Design show also support the garden.
(19:15):
And so there's a lot of ways you can get involved,
whether it's bringing your kid to a summer camp, just
coming to see an exhibit like Dinosaurs around the World
that just opened. But Polina Gardens is easy. You just
you know, go to the old market, whether you're the
farmer's market in the morning and you venture down, or
you're taking the kids to ten Wally's to get ice
(19:36):
cream and you decide to walk through the you know
space after that, or you take a stroll before dinner.
I think there's a lot of pack up, picnic and
come eat at the like giant gathering table. I think
there's just so many ways that people are going to
be able to use the space. It's so beautiful, it's
you know, designed by world class designers, field operations and
(20:00):
off but it's also so functional and I think that's
what people will also enjoy about it.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I can't wait to check it out this week and
just in time for the biggest couple of weeks of
the year for Omaha, which is just absolute perfect timing.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Remind me the website again.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
All the information about Polina Gardens is also at Lortsgardens
dot org dot.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Org, Lorts and Gardens dot org.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Mia Jenkins, Director of Marketing, Kyle Sipra, horticulture specialists, all
with Lords and Gardens. Thank you guys so much for
coming in here. It's so great to learn more. I
can't wait to talk to you again.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Thank you.
It's the Emory Songer podcast on the iHeartRadio app talking
about all things Omaha, what you can do, what you
can see, all around this fantastic city that we live.
And we have a couple of very special guests here
and live with us. Is Mia Jenkins, our good friend
from Lords and Gardens, Director of Marketing, Nia.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome back.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Thank you. It's always a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I have also joined by the horticulture specialist, a person
who is going to explain exactly what that means, Kyle Sipra,
who's sitting here with us today. Kyle, welcome into the show.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Okay, let's go ahead and start first and foremost. Mia,
we have talked on the radio a time or two,
and I'm always so fascinated by what you guys do.
It's a true wonderland of plants. It's a wonderland of culture, honestly,
of different cultures from around the world that you may
not get an opportunity to see these plants anywhere else
the entire time you're alive on this earth, except for
(01:04):
at Lords and Gardens. So can you kind of take
us through kind of what your guys's mission is as
a place that people can gather for a very very interesting,
you know, group of plants and experiences.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Sure, we're one hundred acre botanical garden. We really exist
for the enjoyment and education for the community. We do
that through horticulture display, educational programs, special events, and then
plant conservation research. We're really trying to curate educational experiences
and unique experiences for people that really enhance the lives
(01:42):
of everyone in our community and connect them to plants
in some way, shape or form. And so with our
latest addition, we're really hoping to take some of that
mission into the heart of Omaha's Old Market.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
You know what, if anybody has not been there, you
are missing out because every single time that I've gotten
to go, I've gone the last couple of years during
Christmas time, which is absolutely unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
But there is so much to it all year long.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
And Kyle, you're here to kind of talk about this
as a horticulture specialist in a place that has such
a diverse group of plants. I know, you guys, in
the last twelve months a lot has changed for people
who may not have been for the last couple of
years to lords and gardens So tell me about how
you describe the diversity of the plants and where they
(02:32):
come from that people can see when they're at the gardens.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Yeah, so, I mean it's changed a lot recently too,
like as we try to focus on ecologically mindful of horticulture,
so like we're adding more natives into the gardens, we're
working with other things that art native, but that are
adapting to our changing climate, to our changing ecosystems. But
(02:58):
then you know, also trying to bring in new and
interesting things that are going to wow people and things
that you can't see anywhere else besides the gardens that
really make it that special place for people who love
plants and people who everyone really So.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
How did you get here?
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Like how does one become a horticulture specialist in a
place like this?
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Yeah, you know, I like went to school for art
is what I went to school for. So I did
ceramics and photography in college, and like landscape always informed
those processes for me, and then just started kind of
working in the landscape instead. So worked for the Forest
(03:40):
Service for a while, did some organic farming for a while,
and then did your more kind of like commercial landscape
for a little bit. And then made my way to
the gardens. So I've been there for seven years this
month actually, and you know, and then it's really like
a lot of learning yourself. And like I think the
(04:03):
coolest thing about it is the plants like teach you
more than anything, like just paying attention to that and
like seeing they respond to every input. They respond to
the things that aren't getting input. So like if you
really pay attention to those things, you're gonna learn like
exponentially more than i'd say, even from a book, you know,
(04:25):
like because it's different in everybody's own yard, it's different
in every different garden at the gardens.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So, yeah, you.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Were there the entire process then of the kind of
change over to kind of what you guys have now. Mia,
you and I have talked about the different microclimates that
have you know, been allowed to exist with different humidity levels,
different temperatures, to try to allow every single plant to
thrive from kind of the structural standpoint of what you
(04:54):
guys do, how is that even allowed to be possible
with the design of your building and even the place
is outside to try to make it as viable as
possible for so many different plants from all over the world.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Well, the Conservatory and the Marjorie Caterority Conservatory when that
was renovated, it was we learned a lot from the
first ten years of operation, and a lot of that
knowledge and the information that was captured kind of informed
of the decisions that were made in the types of
(05:27):
plants and the types of regions we were going to
represent moving forward. So that space is really unique because
we can control what the soil composition is, what the
humidity levels are, what the temperatures are outside. We don't
have that, you know, we were at the mercy of
the weather and the climate and as Kyle said, it
(05:51):
is you know changing, and that opens up some plants
that we may not have ever been able to display
before that now will survive through our winters, and so
you try to take those positives. But you know, like
the dry winter, it was rough this this spring, we
did not have the showy bulb display, and we we
(06:12):
just kind of keep moving forward and look for other
opportunities and ways to enhance what we have, ways to
maybe do something a little different. And I really applied
or horticulture team for looking at ways to evaluate what's
happening in the garden. Beds and how else could we
add color, ad texture, add seasonal interest. When you are
(06:33):
at that you can't control everything out there. But you know,
we don't have a lot of irrigation on our property.
I don't think people realize the amount of work that
our team, you know, does to provide what plants need
when you don't always get it from Mother nature.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, it's a really good point. We uh.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
At my house, I'm much more the observer. My wife
has gotten a bit you know, interested in plants, and
she planted a few tulip bulbs in our front yard
just to kind of see what would happen. And we
were very surprised how early this year that they bloomed
and they were basically done by the end of April.
It you just don't really know. There's so many different factors. So,
(07:18):
Kyle as a horticulture specialist and you have you're taking
care of plants that are from all over the world,
and you know, what is that education process like? Is
that something that you obviously there's okay, well this plant
needs this, and this plant needs this. But from your experience,
like you said, you learn a lot from just being
there with the plant. What are some of the examples
(07:41):
of maybe some plants that you learned the most from
here recently, especially with the change in weather from you know,
kind of a dry winter into this spring that seemingly
has quite a bit of water that's been dropping on
us outside as well.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Yeah, you know, I think like at a teach is
a word that comes to mind, Like the plants adapt
and then you have to adapt with them. But like
I mean, even like at our new gardens, Polina Gardens,
like we planted like very late fall last year, and
like just learning, like just seeing now like some stuff
(08:20):
didn't make it, you know, like and that's part of
the process, like when you do plant that late and
then you know you don't have water year round because
your pipes freeze in the ground, and so you know,
you're kind of like learning, Okay, maybe we have to
adapt that way again, like when we replace these things.
(08:41):
As far as like certain plants that I've learned the
most from. Oh, that's a hard question, but I mean,
you know, I feel like it's more like not singular plant,
but more like plant ecosystems as a whole, or like
the biggest teachers. I think, like when you look at
like an natural environment and kind of see like where
(09:03):
these certain plants exist, like in their natural environment. That's
where you kind of start to realize how they work
together and like what conditions they want, and then how
you can better suit that to your own garden.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Yeah, So for a guy like you, you know, I've
gotten really into bird watching, so I'm gonna like draw
a parallel to bird watching. And I had a spark bird,
the Baltimore oriole because it was a beautiful bird, but
also it's a bit finicky. You have to kind of
work to try to attract them. You have to put
(09:38):
different food out, you have to know when they're coming
and when they're going kind of thing. Is there a
spark plant that really got your interests in? Like, man,
I really want to do this, so I want to
learn as much about all plants as possible. Was there
a singular plant that got that interest kind of moving
for you?
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Yeah? I think the I mean the first thing was
trees is what really hit me. And like there was
this time I saw like this probably like sixty year
old white pine and in Nebraska, like you don't see
that very often, and like this is when I was
with the Forest Service, but like seeing like that huge
(10:18):
old growth like pine.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I think that was my spark.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
I think that was like okay, wow, like this is
kind of like the power that these things hold, and
like I want to try to be a.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Part of that so that that's awesome, you know, And
I think the stories that people have whenever they get
pulled into something like this, you don't really know what
this world is like until you start to actually dabble
and you see how deep it is. And we talked
about this, maybe you can remind me of how many
species just in the conservatory alone that people can see
(10:52):
as they're walking through. They're let alone, like on the
entire property that you guys have.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Yeah, I know there's still the constantly, but there's thousands
and thousands, and you know, we've been working so hard
to open Polina Gardens in the Old Market. And when
Kyle was talking about trees, it just made me think
of like what an amazing process it was to plant.
It's like eighty trees in a city block that are
(11:19):
all brand new and twenty two some thousand perennial plants
out there that it really is amazing when you cover
space in plants. How it also ties back to his
art field, because it is this color and its texture
and its layers and its curves and it all blends
(11:42):
together to kind of create this really amazing experience. So
and then on the property, gosh, I'm not sure how
what the total number is currently. I know in the conserve,
like when we talked in the conservatory it was thousands,
and we're constantly adding and changing it up. And that's
(12:02):
part of the beauty of a garden is it's really
never finished. You can constantly adapt and change it and
make it into something different. So it's really not the
same experience two times in a row for the public
as well. And so now that we kind of have
this satellite garden, we can provide different experiences.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
At each location. Yeah, so let's go ahead and talk
about it.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
The Polina Garden you mentioned in the Old Market those
who know where lords and gardens is not super far
away from there.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Two point six miles.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Yeah, I mean, it's a it's a walk. You can
take one of those cool little scooters on down and
get there pretty easily. But take me through kind of
the concept of this and what the idea was of
trying to bring it to a much more kind of
you know pedestrian traffic and you know vehicular traffic area.
You know that maybe will introduce people to and I like,
(12:55):
like just a tiny taste of what they could get
if they went just a little further out to the
lower and gardens.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
What was the inspiration behind Polina Gardens.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Well, this was really spearheaded by Paulina and Bob Schlott,
and they are lovers of nature and art and beauty
and they just have this deep rooted passion for making
the community and city, as they kind of said, you know,
a place that they want their daughter to grow up in,
(13:24):
and they look for the things that their daughter or
friends are doing and they want to improve that and
make sure that other kids in the future have those
same opportunities. And they love gardens, They love naturalistic gardens.
They have a shared affection for the gardens of Pete
Adolph and so they really brought this to the table
(13:46):
and they have been working with our team and with
others in the community for the past five years to
make it happen. And there's a lot of parallel, you know,
parallels for the founding of Lords and Gardens too, where
was people from the community who wanted a It was
a grassroots effort from the community to create a space
for the community to come and celebrate horticulture. And now
(14:09):
we have that second location downtown with the same intent.
It's just free for all to experience. But we hope
that it's still managed to the same expectations as what
people have grown to love at Lorts and Gardens, and
that there is kind of a traffic from one to
the next, that people discover us at Polina Gardens and
(14:32):
then come see more at Lords and Gardens, or people
who've been coming to Lorts and Gardens for years then
go downtown on their way home to experience more time
in nature because we all need more of it. So
it's just great to have this second space and Kyle
and his team have done just such an amazing job
to really bring it to life.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Yeah, well, what an awesome thing you mentioned. You can't
be in nature enough. It's one of the things from that,
you know. As the pandemic hit was when it kind
of woke me up. I went camping for real for
the first time, when that became like the only thing
to do, and I was like, why haven't I been
doing this? This is such an enriching thing. For me,
it's enriching for the relationships that I have. It makes
(15:15):
me feel like a very different person. I feel super
recharged after I've just been sitting around trees and around plants.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
So, you know, for Kyle, in your.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Perspective, as a guy who cares about the plants, what
do you hope people will notice and see when they
go down to the Old Market and they see the
Polina Gardens.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Yeah, I think it's like unlike anything in the state,
like unlike anything in this region. And you know, like
I think like so that I think we're the seventh
pe Audolph garden in the country now, So to have
one of those in Omaha is like a really big deal,
(15:59):
especially like being someone who was born and raised here,
Like it's like a dream come true almost. But I mean,
like I want what I want to hope people see
is just like the connection that the whole garden has
to this city, Like there's the connection to the architecture
down there, like through different materials that are used, and
(16:20):
then the plantings, Like having that many trees in a
planting space that's only one point two eight acres is
like kind of nuts and like some of these trees
were twelve thousand pounds when we were getting them into
the ground, So we're using cranes to move them over
the city block, and so like it's already feels like
(16:42):
it's like timeless that already feels like it's been there
and supposed to be there, and like it's gonna be
there forever, you know. And I think that that that
sense of timelessness like also allows people to feel comfortable
and like to feel like it's a place for them,
(17:02):
because that's what I think. It's a place for everyone.
Like it's a place for a community, and it's a
place for us to share with our community and to
like see things that you like some people don't ever
get a chance to see. And that's exciting to do
it for free.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Also just in a place that you know there's gonna
be a ton of people and we're about to welcome
in several thousand people here in the next couple of
weeks with the College World series, and this is right
in the wheelhouse where all of those people will be traveling.
It is a great advertisement for not just what you
guys are doing at Lords and Gardens, but what this
community wants to do and what Lords and Gardens is
(17:41):
a part of this community and trying to continue to
make this feel like one of the best places you
can raise a family and come to visit. In just
adding that beauty and adding that feel. So me I'll
ask you what are ways that people can get involved?
How do people see the Polina Gardens? Do they have
to do any thing special on? How do people go
(18:01):
and see any of the events you have coming up
at the Lords and Gardens this summer.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
So Polina Gardens opens June third and will be open
nine am to six pm, and we'll be closed just
on Tuesdays. We'll also have some special events and tours
and engagements over the summer and fall months, and it's
also a space where you could have your own private
events and celebrations within just such a beautiful setting. You
(18:31):
can find out more at Lords and Gardens dot org
or full schedule of educational programs, special tours. How to
join Really visiting is one of the best ways you
can support us, and then becoming a member is that
next step. It really provides you with a lot of
different experiences and discounts throughout the year. But also you
(18:53):
know it is really important to the garden and you're
kind of with the you're kind of supporting places like
Pulling Gardens and Lords and Gardens and with a lot
of like minded people as well, and different programs support us,
coming to fundraising events like Bourbon and Blooms and our
Lords and Gardens, Antiques and Design show also support the garden.
(19:15):
And so there's a lot of ways you can get involved,
whether it's bringing your kid to a summer camp, just
coming to see an exhibit like Dinosaurs around the World
that just opened. But Polina Gardens is easy. You just
you know, go to the old market, whether you're the
farmer's market in the morning and you venture down, or
you're taking the kids to ten Wally's to get ice
(19:36):
cream and you decide to walk through the you know
space after that, or you take a stroll before dinner.
I think there's a lot of pack up, picnic and
come eat at the like giant gathering table. I think
there's just so many ways that people are going to
be able to use the space. It's so beautiful, it's
you know, designed by world class designers, field operations and
(20:00):
off but it's also so functional and I think that's
what people will also enjoy about it.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I can't wait to check it out this week and
just in time for the biggest couple of weeks of
the year for Omaha, which is just absolute perfect timing.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Remind me the website again.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
All the information about Polina Gardens is also at Lortsgardens
dot org dot.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Org, Lorts and Gardens dot org.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Mia Jenkins, Director of Marketing, Kyle Sipra, horticulture specialists, all
with Lords and Gardens. Thank you guys so much for
coming in here. It's so great to learn more. I
can't wait to talk to you again.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Thank you.
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