Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

"Botanical Garden"

1,072 pieces  |  LEGO: 41757 (retired)

Assembled by Sarah Wilkinson, November 2024

Interaction Rating: 5 / 5 (interaction with the set is encouraged)

April 10, 2022

One of Sarah's favorite places in all of Richmond (at least back in 2022) was the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, a sprawling space featuring a variety of curated outdoor garden exhibits and a beautiful conservatory showcasing plants from around the world. Hunter had never been, which made it extra special for Sarah, who got to show him all the hidden gems. They visited on a sunny spring day and took their very first photo together, some of the many tulips and daffodils in bloom visible in the background. Sarah adores tulips because they remind her of her trip to the Keukenhof, a flower garden in the Netherlands, which was bursting with tulips when she visited in April 2016; she hopes to take Hunter there someday. Sarah showed Hunter the hidden Wildside Walk trail that is easy to miss but features some lovely magnolia trees. They admired the succulents, cacti, and expertly-cultivated orchids inside the conservatory (which looks quite like the one in the LEGO set chosen for this story). Hunter also discovered the stepping-stone trail that leads over a stream near the Tea House, which, unfortunately, was not serving tea that day. It was magical for Sarah to see the Garden through Hunter's beginner's eyes, even if he was more interested in looking at her than the flowers.

August 13, 2023

In March 2023, Sarah began a new job at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (talked about in more detail in the "Our Quirky Life Together" exhibit). As part of her benefits, she received a free membership package that allowed her to bring guests at no cost (admission is not free for all, unfortunately). On a hot August day, Sarah and Hunter brought Hunter's sister, Rachel, and nephew, Andrew, to the Garden while they were visiting from Alexandria, Virginia. Neither had been to the Garden before, allowing Sarah and Hunter the opportunity to show them around. There was a visiting exhibit that summer called Incanto, which blended metal sculptures with poetry about the way humans shape the environment. Andrew loved the sculpture built over a walkway, which featured arrows arranged to create a human-shaped opening that people could walk through (they made sure to stop for a photo!). They also took Andrew to the tippy-top of the tree house, which looked out over the lake and the conservatory. However, most of their visit was spent at the newly renovated splash pad, which was only for kids to play on. The adults chatted (and sweated) in a shady spot below a tree while Andrew ran loose through the water elements and made friends with other kids, all having the time of their lives.

December 8, 2023

During Sarah's first (and only) winter season working at the Garden, she was required to take shifts at "GardenFest of Lights," which is the Garden's annual holiday light display. Pulling off the display requires the Garden to stay open for hours past its usual closing time for a month and a half. To staff that extra time, all employees are required to take shifts outside of their regular job duties to assist. Sarah decided that if she were going to have to work some evenings during the holidays, she would choose a station that would allow Hunter to help out: the fire pit. Hunter joined her one chilly evening for the task of building and maintaining a large fire while also chatting with families who stopped by to roast marshmallows. Hunter focused on the fire while Sarah focused on the people. Sarah found joy in watching Hunter play with fire while she got paid for it. Before the night was out, they would meet several people, young and old, who enjoyed their first s'more on the fire that they built.

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Hunter and Sarah during their first trip to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. They aimed Hunter's face straight into the sun so that he'd squint, ensuring it was a high-quality photo.