Landis Arboretum Offers Rite of Spring Brunch & Auction on March 22

To Lift Spirits and Welcome Planting Season Ahead

SCHOHARIE REGION (02/09/2009)(readMedia)--

The Vernal Equinox marks the time at which the sun crosses directly over the Earth's equator and signals the start of Spring in the northern hemisphere. Although there is no shortage of rituals and traditions surrounding the coming of Spring, this year the Landis Arboretum initiates one of its own.

The Arboretum welcomes Spring with a little March madness that includes

  • Music by Oak Hill Kitchen Merrymakers
  • An abundance of silent and open auction items from regional businesses and crafters.
  • Auctioneer: Randy Passonno, President of Collar City Auction & Realty Management, Inc., at your service, of course!

Tickets: $25/person. Tables of 8, only $175. And it all takes place at the Holiday Inn Express, just off highway I-88 Exit 23/Schoharie.

Merrymakers Entertain

Nestled in the heart of picturesque Oak Hill, NY, at the foot of the Catskill Mountains is the Oak Hill Kitchen, home to a special group of regional musicians in what was once an opera house at the turn of the 19th century. The Arboretum is delighted that the Oak Hill Merrymakers will help them and brunch participants usher in the planting season ahead.

Abundance and More to Please! Rite of Spring participants are invited to

  • Gather in the warmth and laughter of close friends and associates at the Arboretum's first annual Rite of Spring Brunch & Auction. Can there be a better time to throw off the weight of winter and embrace the seasons ahead?
  • Share pride and delight in the Arboretum's accomplishments by sharing a table with friends and associates.
  • Embrace those who have embraced the Landis Arboretum and who support its efforts through their advertisements in its Newsletter. The Arboretum urges readers to think of its sponsors first - and often -- as purveyors of quality goods and services.
  • Join Trustee Donna Vincent (Duanesburg) and the Rite of Spring Brunch & Auction Committee (Barbara Brabetz (Amsterdam), Gail Browning (Esperance), Anne Donnelly (Lawyersville), and Marcie Reiff (Delanson) at this sure-to-be Arboretum classic. The time for New Beginnings and renewal is at hand.

RESERVE NOW! And be part of the FUN!

Call 518-875-6935. Choose Option #2. Or write: landisfun@midtel.net - your passports to an afternoon of delight!

About the Landis Arboretum

As the Capital region's Arboretum, Landis is a multifaceted natural jewel. It now encompasses 548 acres of trees, shrubs, old growth forest and, of course, breath-taking vistas, and memorable gardens. Long a destination of choice among Capital District gardeners, environmentalists, nature lovers, hikers, bikers, and birders, the Landis Arboretum may be one of the best-kept secrets of the northern Catskills.

The Landis Arboretum includes a nationally recognized collection of oaks and is registered with the North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC). The Arboretum also is included in the New York State Route 20 Bluebird Trail, bringing even more birdwatchers to the site. The Arboretum's vast dark sky and wide horizons attract area astronomers to its meeting house and parking field for sky-watching events

The Arboretum embraces hundreds of outstanding trees and shrubs from around the world assembled on a 548-acre, privately held, former estate of its founder Fred Lape on his family farm in the Northern Catskills. Straddling Montgomery and Schoharie Counties, Landis encompasses expansive grounds with imaginative and well-maintained natural heritage collections, public gardens, and acres of natural areas, considered excellent for viewing wildlife in their native ecosystems.

As the Capital Region's Arboretum, Landis serves all residents in the extended Capital Region, which includes (Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Ulster). Many regular visitors to Landis hail from Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, Westchester, and western New York State. A 501 c 3 corporation, the Arboretum depends heavily of donations, grants, and fundraising events.

Within under two miles travel distance from scenically designated Route 20 and the route I-88 corridor that links Albany with Cooperstown, Finger Lakes Regions and beyond, the Landis Arboretum is an accessible national treasure within easy reach of New York State's Capital Region.

Contacts:

Landis Arboretum: Thom O'Connor, director@landisarboretum.org, 518.875.6935. http://www.landisarboretum.org