Legos in the Garden

September 10, 2015 — art, Lego, membership loyalty, Tucson Botanical Gardens

Tucson Botanical Gardens has been a favorite place close to home where I enjoy nature. A recent building project has enhanced the garden’s entrance and gift shop space significantly.  Tomorrow a special exhibit will open called Nature Connects, Art with Lego Bricks.  Sculptural designs made completely with Legos are on display in the gardens.  The pieces came assembled and will stay in Tucson until Jan. 3.  They depict animals and a flower.

Lego spider

To pay for the exhibit the plan is to charge all members $5 every time we visit during the nearly 4 months that the Legos are installed.  We have maintained a couple’s membership for many years.  If I decide to renew when my membership comes due in February I will only buy a single.  I have in the past felt generous toward the gardens, but now that they are throwing the members out for almost a third of the year that feeling has passed.  I have started to think about where I will go to take a walk in nature without any membership fees.  I can think of plenty.  Nature without Legos works best for me, so perhaps our taste in botany has simply diverged.  In my opinion the plastic animals are tacky and belong elsewhere.  Poetry in the Gardens has moved to the U of A arboretum this year, yet another reason to drop my membership.  The garden is an asset to the neighborhood that I will miss…at least for the next four months.  I think they could have thought of a more respectful way to treat loyal members.

plastic pansy

Lego peacock

Lego turtle