Chapman Tim
“Dream, dream, dream, dream, All we have to do is dream.” Ah, the beautiful harmonies of Phil and Don Everly sounded so sweet off the needle of my retro-looking record player on the final weekend of February.
I was dreaming of green grass bursting through snowmelt and the geese returning on their northerly flights. I also was dreaming of the completion of the expanded Conservatory at the International Peace Garden. The dream of spring is tantalizingly close, like the dream of a truer home for one of the world’s most diverse and unique living collections.
The Don Vitko Collection of cacti and succulents will reopen officially Dec. 9, but substantial completion of the many systems and supporting structures is slated for completion this month. It already feels like we are in the REM cycle as we walk through the new walkways and massive opening from the familiar solarium into the newly expanded bay.
The topography through the new walkways will take the visitors on an incredible tour of cacti and succulents from all over the world. The views are many and the vantage points will keep our eyes darting high and low. Taller, columnar cacti will tower over visitors from both sides as shorter, more colorful succulents adorn the raised beds. The center of the beds will have large agaves and aloes eager to anchor the diverse array of spiny and prickly plants.
The seating nooks that punctuate the curvature of the concrete walls are starting to open their warm embrace to future visitors. The seating will allow for much more relaxation as folks make their way through the new landscape. More opportunities to breathe, read, converse and cherish the beauty and serenity that plants can provide us year-round.
There is much work yet to be done by our dedicated staff. The plants will take a few months to root and acclimate to their new spots in the sun. As the coming summer stretches on, we hope to begin soft openings and tours, but keep an eye on our website and social media for the latest on progress and availability. A sneak peek will be worth it even as you mark early December for the grand opening, which will include Santa Claus and other holiday festivities.
Until then, keep dreaming!
Tim Chapman is the CEO at the International Peace Garden on the border of Manitoba and North Dakota. The Garden is open year-round and grooming ski trails for the first time this winter. Rent one of our cabins and enjoy a winter weekend that only the forest of the Turtle Mountains can provide.
