Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center Open Memorial Day,
May 24, 2010
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center Open Memorial Day
ORANGE, TX - May 24th - In observance of Memorial Day, Shangri La will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 31st. Starting at 2:45 p.m., a special Memorial Day Ceremony will begin with the singing of “America, The Beautiful” by Raegan Grantham, a Lamar University student. Reverend Scott McIntosh of North Orange Baptist Church, who is also a military chaplain, will then present a Memorial Day message and will be followed up with Ms. Grantham singing the “National Anthem.” There will be a moment of silence after a ceremonial ringing of the Great Bell at Shangri La and the ceremony will close with the playing of “Taps” by Rebecca Kent, also a student at Lamar University.
Those coming to Shangri La for the Memorial Day Ceremony will be admitted free starting at 2:30 p.m. Admission to the ceremony only allows attendees to attend the ceremony but not to visit the gardens of take the boat ride to the Outposts.
The public is encouraged to enjoy the beautiful gardens and take a boat ride to the beaver pond at Beaver Pond Outpost. Electric boats will be leaving every hour on the hour to ensure as many people as possible experience this unique natural wonder. The Garden Store and Café will also be open for the holiday.
Shangri La is located at 2111 W. Park Avenue in Orange, Texas. For additional information, visit
shangrilagardens.org or call 409.670.9113.
About Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center
Nestled within 252 acres in the heart of Orange, Texas, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is a program of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, a private foundation whose mission is to improve and enrich the quality of life in Southeast Texas and encourage and assist education. The unique ecosystem of Shangri La presents an ideal opportunity to further that mission as well as carry on the vision of H.J. Lutcher Stark, the man who originally developed the gardens more than 60 years ago.
Amid nature's pristine ecosystems, the formal gardens at Shangri La reflect a use of more than 300 plant species to paint beautiful landscapes among a series of theme-based garden rooms. Around every corner a new vista awaits the visitor with exquisite sculptures, a great lawn, serene waterscapes reflecting beautiful colors and a Cypress Gate framing blooming plants and soaring birds. The Nature Center includes Adams Bayou boat excursions to educational outposts, a 15-acre Beaver Pond, a state-of-the-art bird blind, a bat house, and more up-close encounters with nature.
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is the first project in Texas and the 50th project in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's Platinum Certification for LEED®-NC, which verifies that the design and construction of Shangri La reached the highest green building and performance measures. Shangri La was also named by the American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment as one of the top 10 green projects throughout the world.
Shangri La offers a glimpse of how people can live in harmony with nature, as it strives in its mission to Mentor Children of All Ages to Be Kind to Their World.
Other programs of the Stark Foundation include the Stark Museum of Art, The W.H. Stark House and the Frances Ann Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts.