Has It Been 50 Years Already ?

April 27th Golden Anniversary Celebration 

The Potawatomi Conservatories and the South Bend Parks Foundation will host a Golden Anniversary celebration of the Ella Morris Botanical Conservatory on Saturday, April 27, from 2:00 - 6:00 pm.  The event is open to the public and will feature live music, light afternoon fare, a cash bar, and a silent auction.  Tickets for the event are $25 in advance or $30 at the door.  Proceeds will support the activities of the Botanical Society of South Bend (BSSB), the non-profit organization charged with care of the Conservatories' plant collection, daily operation of the facility, and scheduling the facility's many public and private events.  

The Ella Morris Conservatory was generously donated to the City of South Bend by Ella Morris in 1963 and was designed and built by Lord & Burnham, the country's pre-eminent greenhouse manufacturer of the 19th and 20th centuries.  In 2011-2012, the City funded significant infrastructural improvements to the Ella Morris Conservatory and adjoining Muessel-Ellis Conservatory and Desert Dome to help preserve the entire facility for future generations.  Said Andrew Schnabel, President of the BSSB Board of Directors, "The Potawatomi Conservatories are truly the architectural gem of the South Bend parks system.  The initial vision of Ella Morris and the City has resulted in countless opportunities for enjoyment of and education about plants over the past 50 years.  We invite everyone to join us on April 27 to honor that vision and to help launch the facility into its next 50 years of service to our community."

Tickets can be purchased at the Conservatories (2105 Mishawaka Ave.) or http://potawatomiconservatories.blogspot.com, or you can reserve a ticket by calling 574-235-9442 or emailing bssb2105@gmail.com.

Bunny Brunch & More

Easter Bunny Brunch

Hunt Easter eggs among the lush foliage
of the Conservatories.

March 23

Looking for a fun springtime event for you and your children? Come to our annual Easter Bunny Brunch from 11 am - 1 pm on Saturday, March 23. The event will include delicious food catered by Thyme of Grace, special craft projects and an Easter egg hunt among the lush foliage, and perhaps you'll even get to meet the Easter Bunny!

To reserve your spot, please leave a message with the Conservatories at 235-9442 or email bssb2105@gmail.com by March 18.

Cost is $8.00/adult, $5.00/child, and free for children 2 yrs old and under.

 

Spring Flower Show and Sale

See and smell a spring preview!

March 23 and 24 - 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Enjoy a stroll through the Potawatomi Conservatories filled with the lovely colors and scents of spring. From the traditional tulips, daffodils and Easter Lilies to the beautiful azaleas and hydrangeas, spring is here! All the spring flowers are available for sale to support the conservatories. Don’t miss it!

 

 

Spring Public Science Lectures

Animals Large and Small

Do you have a great love of nature? Do you have a budding biologist in the family? Are you a closet science nerd? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then we have the perfect lecture series for you. For four consecutive Thursdays beginning on March 21, biologists from IU South Bend and University of Notre Dame will share their passion for science with us. This spring, we are giving a friendly nod to our neighbors at the Potawatomi Zoo by featuring talks about animal behavior, ecology, and conservation. We begin with Dr. James McLister of IU South Bend, who will introduce us to the beauty of springtime frog calls, and in the following weeks, we will travel to Africa to learn about social relationships in baboons, to Greenland to learn about shark conservation, and back to Indiana to hear about butterflies and their role in studying climate change.

All talks are free, begin at 6:00 pm, and are geared to the general public, from middle schoolers on up. Please join us for this unique series - there's nothing else like it in all of Michiana!

Thursday, March 21, Dr. James McLister (IU South Bend)
"The wrestling frogs of Lafayette County: Variation in male courtship behavior in North American treefrogs"

Thursday, March 28, Dr. Elizabeth Archie (University of Notre Dame) "Social relationships, health and survival in wild baboons"

Thursday, April 4 - Dr. Peter Bushnell (IU South Bend)
"Can we save sharks from people-attacks?"

Thursday, April 11 - Dr. Jessica Hellmann (University of Notre Dame) "Winged thermometers: Using butterflies to study the impacts of and potential solutions to climate

 

 

Coming Up

Wed Feb 6th at 6pm at The Potawatomi Conservatories
Bees 101  by Peace Bees
Cost $ 3 to non-members , free to members

Thur Feb 7th at 6pm at The Potawatomi Conservatories
All About Vegetables , by Unity Gardens
Cost Free


Friday, February 8. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Dancing starts at 8:00 pm. Event ends at 11:00 pm
Beats Without Borders
Come dance across the planet with us in the laid back oxygenized atmosphere of the Potawatomi Conservatories!
Adults $5.00, Conservatory members $3.00, Children 12 and under free.
This event helps raise funds for the Potawatomi Conservatories.
Presented by A Groove Beyond Productions and Dance4Life Productions.
Info Call 574-235-9442

Wed Feb 13th at 6pm at the Potawatomi Conservatories
Hummingbirds by Jim and Cara Lupa , Purdue Master Gardeners
Cost $ 3 free to members

Thur Feb 14th at 6pm at The Potawatomi Conservatories
Seed Starting and Seed Saving by Unity Gardens
Cost: Free

Monday Feb 18th At IUSB Alumni Room 2nd floor of the Administration Bldg.
Virtural  Lecture "Biomimicry "  by Janine Benyus
Panel
Deb Marr Associate Professor of Ecology , IUSB
John Foegley President Foegley Landscape
Sam Miller , Dept of Mgmt Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business

March 16th  12pm  Copy Katz Stained Glass Painting Party
Potawotomi Conservatories beginning Saturday, March 16th at 12:00 pm. The event will feature a "Welcome to our Hive' theme. Adults and children are welcome to attend this event to paint a bubble bee and hive stained glass themed piece. Refreshments will be available. The cost for the event is $65.00 per parent/ child. Reservations for this event are required and can be secured by calling Copy Katz at 574-315-0634. Portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Conservatory.
Copy Katz Stained Glass Painting Parties hosts events geared for people of all ages looking for a fun and active learning experience. Stained glass pieces are 10” x 10” (child size) to 16x16 (adult size) and painted with a safe, water based paint. All supplies are included; translucent canvas, translucent paint, water, brushes, and aprons. Copy Katz is currently in the following locations; Martin’s School of Cooking, Beef O' Brady’s and the Expo for Women. Copy Katz is very excited to be partnering with the Potawotomi Conservatory.
You may contact Angie Temple for an interview at 574-315-0634 or at copykatzdesigns@yahoo.com.

Beats Without Borders

Beats Without Borders

Experience a cross-cultural celebration of music, dance, and community in the lush tropical environs of the Potawatomi Conservatories. If you love world rhythms, global grooves, future beats, and the self expressive freedom of dance, this is your night.

Once a month the Potawatomi Conservatories will transform into a lazer illuminated desert island dance floor oasis. The musical safari kicks off at 8 PM with a set of salsa music and dance lessons with David Seymour.

The second half of the evening sets sail for exotic musical destinations and globe trotting grooves with your DJ tour guide the Funky Professor and special guests. International musical stopovers include Bombay, Sao Paulo, Lagos, Kingston, Cairo, Havana, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and San Juan.

Come dance across the planet with us in the laid back oxygenized atmosphere of the Potawatomi Conservatories!

Friday, January 18. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Dancing starts at 8:00 pm. Event ends at 11:00 pm

Adults $5.00, Conservatory members $3.00, Children 12 and under free.

This event helps raise funds for the Potawatomi Conservatories.

Presented by A Groove Beyond Productions and Dance4Life Productions.

Dance Event

Call 574-235-9442 for more info

 

Ecstatic Dance at the Conservatories

Monday, December 10, 7:30-9:30 pm

Admission free to BSSB members, $3 for non-members, $5 suggested dance love donation.

"Unplug from the holiday stress by taking a journey on the dance floor moving to World Beat Global Fusion music. This is a free-form dance gathering that proves a safe and supportive space to embody the joyful healing power of dance. Move however you wish. We respectfully request that you leave your cell phones, shoes, and conversation at the door, and not wear fragrances. It is suggested that you wear clothing that allows full movement, and that you bring a water bottle. This is a alcohol/drug free event."

Santa is Coming

Friday December 14th from 6pm to 8pm
Santa is coming to the Potawatomi Conservatories
Hey Kids ! bring your family to the Conservatories to visit with Santa, and enjoy all the holiday flowers and decorations. Santa has treats for all the good boys and girls, and even the not so good ones. All the Poinsettia Plants on display will be for sale to help support the Conservatories.
Regular Admission Applies
Kids under 12 $ 2
Adults $ 3
Members Free

Become a member and get in free all year long
Single $ 25
Family $ 50