Groundbreaking!
Groundbreaking for the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Floral Terraces!
Dr. Casey Sclar, executive director for the American Public Gardens Association, joined Tulsa Botanic Garden board members, staff and other special guests on Thursday, November 13 to celebrate the ground breaking for the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Floral Terraces, the first garden from the Botanic Garden’s master plan to go under construction.
The A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Floral Terraces will feature six terraces displaying a diverse collection of ornamental and flowering plants. Significant to the design is the use of native sandstone from the site to form the terrace walls. Three linear water runnels will move water from the hilltop through the Garden to the edge of the Garden’s existing 7-acre lake. A serpentine walk will wind from the lake’s edge to the Garden’s peak with a view of downtown Tulsa. Cost of the project is estimated at $3 million.
“One aspect that has been important to us from the beginning, is to not only create a beautiful garden, but to reflect Tulsa and our community,” said Garden CEO Dr. Todd Lasseigne. He continued, “In designing the Floral Terraces, we have included art deco detailing to reflect Tulsa’s rich architectural history. Visitors will see this in elements such as the planting urns, the water features, and the two pavilions in the Floral Terraces. It will make this garden truly unique and memorable for our visitors.”
Construction of the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Floral Terraces is expected to last about ten months with an anticipated opening in fall 2015. Landscape architects for the project include Howell & Vancuren (Tulsa, OK), StudioOutside (Dallas, TX) and 3.Fromme Design (Atlanta, GA).
