Mother Nature's Daughter performs live at Bartlett Arboretum

Join us Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11th when Adrienne Young and Little Sadie swing into Belle Plaine to perform on the grand lawn at historic Bartlett Arboretum. Gates open at 3 p.m. for the second installment of the new Tree House concert series. Concert begins at 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Plenty of lawn seating -- bring a chair or a blanket. Pack a picnic or enjoy the barbecue concession. Before the show, explore the gardens serenaded by Jenny Lou and the Buckaroos. Tree House concert series is made possible by a grant from the Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Abundant thanks, also, to the fine folks at Sunflower R, C and D in Harper, Kansas, for its ongoing enthusiastic support.

Here's what the Washington Post says about Adrienne Young's most recent album, "Room to Grow:"

"... her love of nature and the environment is evident, from the farming metaphors of the title track to the flower imagery on "Leaving It Behind."

"Young is equally expressive when she's not singing: The solo banjo number "Happy Ending" shows off her instrumental prowess, while she gives a bluegrass flair to the traditional Irish "Sgt. Early's Dream/Maids of Castlebar." Though she plays guitar or banjo on every cut of the album, her voice is what makes her songs truly thrive. On "All for Good," her honey-sweet vocals convey the melancholy of the song's opening ("It's just one more day out of my life / gone for good, gone for good").

"While "Grow" showcases Young's predominantly Americana sound, a cover of Dusty Owens's "Once More" finds her slipping into a twangier, more country sound. The song is a duet with Phish's Mike Gordon, and the addition of his bandmate Gordon Stone on pedal steel completes the old-timey feel of her rendition."

Songs from the Garden

Musicians from Nashville to Austin to Portland – Kentucky White, Darol Anger, Chris Searles, Stuart Duncan, Sara Hickman, Monica Taylor and others – stepped forward to help with this project. From the first track's salute to simplicity to the last song's testament to the healing power of digging in the earth, this collection is a tribute to the importance of finding your own roots and following your heart.

Original cover and booklet design by Jo and Craig Tomson perfectly capture Robin's spirit, and that of the music – making this one album that's as visually entrancing as it is musically engaging.

Proceeds exclusively benefit Bartlett Arboretum.

Songs From the Garden may be purchased in the Wichita area exclusively at Johnson's Garden Centers. If you prefer, send $18 check or money order to:
Bartlett Arboretum
Post Office Box 871
Belle Plaine, Kansas 67013

Located 20 miles south of Wichita, the century-old, historic Bartlett Arboretum is home to massive cypress, oaks and champion Japanese maples. For nearly 100 years many generations of Kansans have enjoyed this unique sanctuary once touted as "the only mature arboretum between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains."

In 1910 Dr. Walter Bartlett, a general practitioner from Belle Plaine, purchased about 40 acres of pastureland along a winding stream called the Euphrates Creek. A consummate naturalist, Dr. Bartlett collected waterfowl and minerals, but the hobby that continued throughout his lifetime and into a second century and a fourth generation was his passion for horticulture and his varied collection of trees. In the 1930s the arboretum became an approved government testing ground; the Department of Agriculture sent plants and trees from all over the world to Belle Plaine to see if they could be grown locally. In 1926 the first Tulip Festival was held at the arboretum and it was open each year until 1942 when World War II made it impossible to get help or import bulbs. In celebration of the 1961 Kansas State Centennial the garden was again open to the public and then closed officially for good in the mid-1990s.

In its mature state the arboretum has great educational value. Each year many students of botany visit the grounds. But mostly it remains a haven for wildlife, artists, nature and bird lovers, brides and grooms. The Bartlett Arboretum is privately owned and is not endowed or subsidized. Current steward Robin Macy and her volunteers are in the process of restoring the grounds, rebuilding bridges, removing dead and diseased plant material and trees in an effort to preserve this favorite retreat. Although the property is no longer open daily to the public, Ms. Macy makes the gardens available for educational purposes, concerts on the lawn and for private functions.