City 9-12-19
The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens (710 S. Lions Park Dr.) will hold a ceremony on Wednesday, September 18 at 10:00 am to dedicate several front landscaping gardens and beds, as well as the conservatory building, which will be named in honor of former gardens director, Shane Smith. The ceremony is free and open to the public and will be held in front of the main entrance to the Botanic Gardens.
“We are looking forward to formally dedicating the front landscaping of our new building, especially now, at the end of summer, while everything is in full bloom,” says Tina Worthman, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Director. “But we’re especially excited to dedicate the conservatory building in honor of our former director and good friend, Shane Smith.”
Shane Smith served as founding director of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens from 1977 until his retirement in 2018. He remains the executive director of the Friends of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Foundation, the non-profit that exists to support the gardens’ capital projects, new landscapes, and volunteer program. “I feel very humbled and grateful for this unexpected honor, which I share with my wife and family who supported me throughout my career. This building is really a tribute to the can-do spirit of the people of Cheyenne and Laramie County,” Smith remarked. “I was especially fortunate to have the help and support of volunteers, co-workers, board members and elected officials who were, and are, incredibly passionate about the Gardens. Together, I believe that we have made- and will continue to make Cheyenne an even better place to live.”
The conservatory building, completed in 2017, will be renamed the Shane Smith Grand Conservatory. Other beds and gardens being dedicated at the ceremony on September 18th are the Laramie County Master Gardeners Crevice Garden, the Furry Friends Dog Fountain and Memorial Brick Garden, the Habitat Hero Demonstration Garden, the Hitching Post Boot Bed, and the Water Wise Demonstration Garden.
The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, a division of the Community Recreation and Events Department within the City of Cheyenne, includes nine acres of award-winning perennial and annual landscapes, as well as a diverse collection of specialty exhibits, a year-round vegetable garden, and the Grand Conservatory. The Gardens exists to cultivate growth and enrichment in the community of Cheyenne by providing a treasured garden space for enjoyment, celebration, and education.
