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Chair's Corner... 
By Karen Haake
All Aboard!! Final designs and elevations are being drawn for the Train Garden, in hopes that construction can begin by late fall. This garden will feature a large depot, a full size boxcar and caboose placed on railroad tracks, eight G-scale model trains, plus water features.
Covering almost an acre of land, this new garden will be a highlight for visitors of all ages. Being completely built with private funds, the campaign was jump-started by a FOTA gift of $17,500. This money will be matched with STEMS money from the Arts and Recreation Foundation and used to pay for the landscape design work. Teresa Stohs, the Executive Director of ARFOP, is working closely with railroad executives, the Kansas City Garden Railway Society and others in the community in pursuit of funding for this project. If you would like to make a donation or get involved, please contact FOTA for further information at fotacoordinator@yahoo.com.
Now, with an extra hour of evening daylight and spring officially being here, come, take a walk, explore the Arboretum, see the changes and watch us grow.
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Dick Cromwell Joins FOTA Board
New board member Dick Cromwell has a long history of involvement with the Arboretum. A FOTA volunteer for almost 10 years, Dick has given time to all our special events plus been the FOTA coordinator for the annual golf tournament. Jody, his wife of
40 years, was a Master Gardener, and after her  passing, Dick and his family approached the Arboretum about building a garden in her memory. Jody had a book she loved featuring the Monet garden in France, so it was fitting to build a Monet garden in her memory. Today the Master Gardeners tend to the Monet garden twice a week, in honor of Jody and their mutual joy of gardening.
In his spare time Dick enjoys reading, following local sports and keeping up with his business friends from his days in the truck leasing business. He is active in his church and serves on a number of committees. We welcome Dick to the Board.
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Welcome New
FOTA Members
Individual
Susan May
Kristy Schubert
Family
Bill & Sheila Brown
Stacy Gilman
Lee & Deneise McGowan
Gary Peterson & Liz McKee
Julia and Karsten Vieg
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FOTA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Karen Haake, Chair
Teri Shields, Vice Chair
Kathy Alspaugh, Secretary
Larry Engelkemier, Treasurer
Barbara Brand
John Kalal
Stacey Gilman
Dick Cromwell
Shannon Corley & Nancy Yates,
ARFOP Liaisons to the Board
FOTA ADMINISTRATOR
Suzie Swyden
fotacoordinator@yahoo.com
FOTA VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS
Arts for Kids, Stacey Gilman & Gail Keller
Bird Committee, Sue Davidson
Bird Feeders, Bob Buehler
Eagle Scout Projects, Hugh McCreery
Garden Shows, Karen Haake
Greenhouse, Ken O'Dell
Greeters, Phyllis Merrick
Holiday Luminary Walk, Margaret Kalal
Membership, Barbara Brand
Photography, Carol Fowler
Plant Sale, Phyllis Merrick & Don Tetzlaff
Prairie Restoration, Chuck Garrett
Safety, Don Tetzlaff
Volunteer Tour Guides, Karin Winn
Weddings, Phyllis Merrick
FOTA eNEWSLETTER
Judy Moser, Editor
judy@springvalleynursery.com
ARBORETUM STAFF
Karen Kerkhoff, Supervisor
Kerry Williams, Horticulturist
Dianna Mahaney, Park Attendant
Jon Beuthin, Park Attendant
Phyllis Merrick & Cathy Lovetere,
Volunteer Coordinators
For additional information, call
the Arboretum 913-685-3604
Website: www.opabg.org
To rent an area of the Environmental
Education and Visitors Center,
Pavilion or Garden Areas, call
Leisure Services at 913-895-6390
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Save
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Friends of the Arboretum (FOTA) members receive a 10% discount on class fees, plant sale purchases, and FOTA merchandise, along with invitations to special Friends events and other benefits of membership.
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Plant Sale May 7-8-9
The Natives Are Back!
The native plants will be back at this year's Plant Sale, which will be held on May 7-8-9. Not only will the sale feature the area's most perfectly grown annuals, perennials and herbs, but also the native plants for which the sale has gained its stellar reputation over the years.
Mark your calendar for the Thursday night members-only preview sale from 4 to 7 pm, where FOTA members find the best selection of plants and receive a 10% discount. Join FOTA at any time during the sale to receive the discount.
Plan to bring your Wish List with you to the sale, which is also open to the public from 9 to 5 on Friday and Saturday.
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More Great Classes Coming Up
Climate Changes and Bird Declines
Saturday, March 28, 10:00 am to 11:30 am
This class will discuss how populations of common birds are plummeting nationwide as climate changes occur. Learn from Jill DeWitt (President of the Burrough Audubon Society of Greater KC) what's happening in Kansas and Missouri and what we can do to reverse this trend. Class fee $10 per person.
Basic Flower Photography
Saturday, April 4, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Local photographer and photo committee chair Carol Fowler and fellow FOTA photography committee members will bring years of photography experience to this class on the basics of flower photography. Class fee $10 per person.
 Woodland Wildflower Walk
Friday, April 17, 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Join wildflower experts Lynda Ochs and Ken O'Dell as they take you on a walk through the woodlands at the Arboretum to see the vast selection of native wildflowers in bloom. Free, space limited.
Basic Herb Identification
Weddnesday, April 22nd, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Identification and use of five herbs. This will include theory, practical use, folklore and science. Class fee $20 per person.
Learn, Listen & Identify the Birds
Saturday, April 25, 8:00 am
Bird Walks for families with children will begin at 10:30 am
Attract and Keep Hummingbirds All Summer
Saturday, April 25,
12:30 to 2:00 pm
 Learn about Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds and how to attract them to your yard this summer. Class will discuss Hummingbird behavior, migration, nesting, breeding, eating habits and more. Class fee $10 per person.
Reservations are required. Contact Phyllis Merrick at 913-685-3604 or at volunteercoordinator@opkansas.org. 10% discount for FOTA members. Download and print the complete 2009 Class Schedule.
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Native Trees at the Arboretum
By Ken O'Dell
The other day Milt Noelken and I went for a walk into the back of the Arboretum, down the hill into the bottom, across the bridge and into the tall trees. Here's a small sample of what an intrepid hiker will see:
The thorns on the big Honey Locust are vicious. You can look but you better not touch. The rough bark is also very distinctive on this giant shade tree. It goes by the botanical name of Gleditsia triacanthos.
Walk just across the creek and turn left or right and you will be in the middle of thousands of Pawpaw trees. They have beautiful dark burgundy-brown flowers in spring, before the leaves emerge; edible custard-flavored banana-like fruit in late summer; and large tropical-looking leaves all summer. We will have some small Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) trees at the plant sale.
Yellow Buckeye is also plentiful at the Arboretum. You can see them as you walk down the first wooded slopes, on  both sides of the creek. Light yellow flowers on this Aesculus glabra appear in early spring just as the compound leaves unfurl. The largest specimen we've found at the Arboretum is below the Marder Shade Garden next to the mulched path. A few Buckeye trees will also be available at the plant sale.
Take an early springtime walk into the woods while branches are still bare, and you will have fun seeing our native trees in a different setting. See the Class Schedule for structured opportunities coming soon in which you can learn more about our native plants.
Photos by Milt Noelken. Milt and Ken are both long-time FOTA volunteers.
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Our Greenhouse Is Lookin' Good
 Carefully planted and tended by FOTA greenhouse volunteers, thousands of tiny plants will soon mature and be planted in the Arboretum gardens, providing bursts of glorious color and texture for many months.
Photos by Carolyn Marston
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND CLASSES:
MARCH
28 Climate Change & Bird Decline 10-11:30*
APRIL
4 Beginning Flower Photography 10-12*
17 Woodland Wildflower Walk 9-11
22 Basic Herb Identification 10-1*
25 Bird Walk 8 am
25 Attract & Keep Hummingbirds All Summer 12:30-2*
MAY
2 Native Wildflower Identification &
Woodland Walk 9-12*
2 Basic Landscape Photography 12-2*
7 Spring Plant Sale
Members-Only Preview 4:30-7
8 & 9 Spring Plant Sale
Open to the Public 9-5
Free Herb Class each day
13 Herbs: Fountain of Youth 10-1*
16 Aromatherapy with Herbs 10-1*
30 Bird Walk 8 am
* There is a fee for these events/classes
Learn more about upcoming events at the Arboretum website.
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