Community Impact · Charity in Bloom
A Partnership in Full Bloom: The May Arboretum Society
If you've ever laid out a blanket for the Picnic in the Park Music Series or watched your kids discover the outdoors on a Tree Walk, you know the Wilbur D. May Arboretum is the cultural heartbeat of our community. But without the funding and volunteer dedication from the May Arboretum Society, those irreplaceable moments wouldn't happen.
They were actually one of our very first 12 Months of Flowers fundraising partners back in 2017. Since then, they’ve become one of our largest sellers of the cards, raising money for their programs simply by giving our community an excuse to bring fresh flowers home every month. It’s been incredible to watch our relationship bloom alongside them over the years.
Can you think of a more perfect partnership than a local florist and an arboretum that does so much to educate our community? Thanks to you, our Charity in Bloom campaign this May was one of our most successful yet.
1. A Family Tradition
During the pandemic, I had a very wiggly two-year-old on my hands. With no place we could really go to get the wiggles out, we found ourselves escaping to the wide-open spaces of the Arboretum.
But the connection goes much deeper than that. I remember going to the arboretum as a kid. We would walk around the garden, and then, of course (as one did in Reno in the 90s), we’d visit the log ride at Rancho San Rafael Park and slide on the dinosaurs (IYKYK). Now, we love taking our own kids for a much-needed wiggle break. The Arboretum isn't just a park; it's a place where families grow together.
2. A Moment of Genuine Joy
I love this photo because it captured a genuine, laughing moment in celebration of something that means so much to my family.
And the best part? This photo was taken by my 8-year-old son, the same one that we took to the park in 2020 to get those wiggles out. He was on summer break and insisted on coming to the check presentation because he loves visiting the arboretum so much. These moments are only made possible by our wonderful community who chose to support this cause.
3. The Original Arrangement
When we sat down to plan our Charity in Bloom calendar, featuring the May Arboretum Society in MAY was right on the nose. It was an obvious choice and perfect for Mother's Day.
We designed this beautiful arrangement to reflect the vibrant life and color you find walking through the gardens. And you all loved it just as much as we did! Plus, we sold a ton of truffles alongside it, making this one of our most successful campaigns yet, especially since we only launched the program 7 months ago.
4. A Floral Emergency (The Good Kind)
The arrangement was so popular that we actually ran out of the specific flowers for it during Mother's Day week! That's what I call a great floral emergency.
Tony, our Chief Design Officer, quickly whipped up a stunning second arrangement so the fundraiser could keep going without skipping a beat. It was a beautiful testament to how much our community wanted to support the Arboretum.
Our Gratitude
I am so thankful for our continued partnership with Frances and the entire May Arboretum Society team. It's been incredible to watch our friendship blossom over the years, and I am honored that Sparks Florist® gets to be the bridge between our generous community and this vital organization.
To support them, we encourage you to purchase a 12 Months of Flowers card from the May Arboretum Society or better yet, go take a walk through the gardens!