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To The [MeTTawa] Manor Words and pictures only hint at the glory of mettawa manor's awe-inspiring grounds. view them during high garden season at these public events. Northfield Garden Club Visit (garden tour and picnic lunch) May 2, 9:30 am–12 pm Handsome brick walls turn a sunken lawn into an outdoor room. A gate at the far end opens to the rest of the grounds. Also with more land came the desire to share their bounty and open the gardens to the many chari- table causes the couple supports—which in effect has amounted to the immediate world. Though both sit on myriad high-profile boards, they say yes to a wide range of deserving causes. "They're incredi- bly generous with their time and resources," says Lake Forest philanthropist Maureen Dwyer Smith, who has served on several boards with LaPietra. A perfect case in point is the oversize golf cart the couple bought to give guests guided tours of the stunning gardens, which are conducted by Kurtis. "We had a Gator that we used for gardening, but when we started having events here we realized we needed something larger," says LaPietra. As it is, their tour guide has the best voice in town—thanks to Kurtis's famously dulcet tones, "you feel like you're starring in a documentary," says Smith. In fact, Kurtis and LaPietra have done a short documentary on Mettawa Manor. More are sure to follow on land stewardship and conservation issues given the interests this personal journey has spawned for the couple. One is Kurtis's developing quest to conserve bees. "I'm starting small, with three hives this spring," he explains, and he hopes it will be a win-win endeavor—good for the environment and good for his causes. "I've wanted to do it for some time, because the bee population is rapidly diminishing. A parasite is killing them off, but they're responsi- ble for pollinating dozens of different crops," he says. "Maybe we'll call them Bill's Bees," he muses, "but we'll definitely give the honey away at charity events here." eanwhile, LaPietra is gearing up for her new challenges at Millennium Park. Her initial induction into the group in 1998 was an ideal match of proclivities and passion. "She's the most enthusiastic board member we have, and definitely has the best attendance at meetings," says Ed Uhlir, executive director of Millennium Park Inc. But in hindsight, it was another one of Daley's strokes of genius, for at a time when the economy has presented hardships for many, LaPietra is fervently "committed to keeping the park free and raising more endowment money to enhance its infrastructure and quality of programming," says Uhlir. M LaPietra has a rare blend of business and social skills that make her a singular choice for the chair of Millennium Park's board, and bode well for her success. "She's equally adept on the political side as the cultural side, very close to the philanthropic community, and also very involved in Chicago's social scene," says Bryan. "Plus, she can throw a great party, and those events make the world go around in Chicago's civic and cultural life." It's a world that is already a better place thanks to Kurtis and LaPietra's passion for the land and commitment to conservation. MA michiganavemag.com 111 Chicago Botanic Garden Class: Scenic Photography Workshop May 19, 9 am–3 pm Chicago Botanic Garden Class: A Classic Summer Scene at Mettawa Manor June 16, 10 am–4:30 pm Garden Conservancy Garden Open Day June 24, 10 am–4 pm Lurie Garden Member Garden Tour July 15, 10 am–2 pm; luriegarden.org Chicago Botanic Garden Class: Herbal- Inspired Spa Products July 17, 10 am–3 pm Chicago Botanic Garden: Beyond Green: Expressive Color in the Landscape August 7, 10 am–3 pm University of Illinois Extension: Master Gardeners Garden Tour September 6, 3–4 pm; urbanext.illinois. edu/hort Chicago Botanic Garden Class: Consciousness and Nature Retreat September 21, 10 am–3 pm Garden Conservancy Dinner September 29, 4–9:30 pm For more information, visit chicagobotanic.org and gardenconservancy.org/opendays The Chicago Botanic Garden holds an annual yoga class at Mettawa Manor.