Nebraska Statewide Arboretum is offering free arboretum tours in Omaha. Four gardens will be toured, all very different in appearance and mission, but each offers helpful ideas about plant selection, landscape design and management. Participants are encouraged to come with questions, landscape problems or even photos for discussion during the informal tours.
9 a.m. Elmwood Park, 802 S 60th St. Curator and City Forester John Wynn will lead a tour of this historic, shady getaway from the city.
10:30 a.m. Joslyn Art Museum at 2200 Dodge St. Curator Kyle Johnson will lead a tour of this campus with a wide diversity of trees and other landscape plants. The campus also demonstrates organic care and sustainability. The tour will start at the Reflecting Pool.
Noon. Tickets will be offered to the first 40 people for lunch at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery Funeral Home.
1 p.m. Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, 7909 Mormon Bridge Rd. Curator Randy Crawford will lead a tour of these grounds with a wide diversity of both large, old trees and new ones planted within the last five years.
3 p.m. Omaha Permaculture Plantings, 3362 Patrick Ave. This tour will be led by Gus von Roenn, Founder and Executive Director of Omaha Permaculture, a nonprofit organization that uses vacant land to elevate the property’s utility and value for the surrounding neighborhood through urban agriculture.
For more information about the tours, call 402-472-2971. Tour updates and more at plantnebraska.org.