More than a century ago, a Kansas doctor set up a sanctuary for nature lovers, but over the years, the Bartlett Arboretum became overgrown and unruly.
That is, until it was rescued by a free spirit from Texas and her team of volunteers!
That garden is our next stop on Main Street Kansas.
Ablaze with autumn colors, the Bartlett Arboretum is what the owner calls “her church of the trees”– a religious experience in nature.
“I walked in here, and I’ve never looked back,” said Robin Macy, owner of Bartlett Arboretum. “I mean my parents thought I was crazy.” “It’s strictly a labor of love,” explained Mary Bartlett Gouray, former owner of Bartlett Arboretum. “Never was very profitable.”Mary Bartlett Gouray is the granddaughter of Dr. Walter Bartlett who created the arboretum in 1910 to grow trees and provide a haven for water fowl. It also became known for its tulips in the spring, but over the years, taking care of it all was just too much. The family closed the arboretum two years before Robin showed up.
“It means a lot to the whole family that Robin has kept this place going,” said Bartlett Gouray.
(Read more: Top Stories | KSNW)