Come join the fun. Lincoln Memorial Garden members are invited to gather on Sunday, September 12, to celebrate the birthday of the great landscape architect Jens Jensen.
The festivities, which take place in the Garden from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., will kick off a three-year celebration of the Garden’s own 75th Anniversary. It was, after all, due to Jensen’s creative genius that Harriet Knudson’s vision of a memorial to Abraham Lincoln became a living reality along the shores of Springfield’s new lake.
So enjoy an afternoon in the Garden. Like any good birthday party, there will be cake, punch, music and special activities.
Honored guests include Tom Martin, former horticulturist at the Illinois Executive Mansion, who will talk about Jensen’s Chicago legacy. He will speak at 1 p.m. in the Nature Center. In addition, Jens Jensen and Harriet Knudson will be there in person — that is, in the persons of Don and Linda Schneider, popular Springfield actors. They’ll appear in Council Ring 3 at 2 p.m. The Springfield Municipal Band will perform at 3 p.m. in Council Ring 4, where cake will be served in honor of Jensen’s 150th.
Throughout the afternoon, staff and volunteers will be available to lead trail walks and explain the highlights of Jensen’s plan for the Garden, including his use of native vegetation, provision of sunny meadows among the trees, and siting of council rings.
The birthday party, which is free of charge, is limited to members of Lincoln Memorial Garden and their guests — so wouldn’t this be a good time to take out a membership? Go online at www.lincolnmemorialgarden.org or call the Nature Center at 217/529-1111.
If you’ve already received an invitation in the mail, be sure to RSVP by September 7th. In lieu of birthday gifts, donations to the Garden’s 75th Anniversary events will be accepted.
