August is Member Appreciation Month—and we’re celebrating you and your contributions all month long! You make exceptional experiences with art and nature possible at Newfields every day. Our 22,000 Member households are the heart of the institution. Membership dues help support Newfields’ day-to-day operating expenses, such as the landscaping and maintenance needed to keep The Garden beautiful as well as the careful conservation of the IMA’s collection. We asked: What do our Members love about Newfields?

Lydia Ward joined as a Newfields Member two years ago in March of 2023. She first visited Newfields specifically for the orchid shows, even attending an Edible Orchids class in 2018. Soon after, she started attending other events at Newfields and bringing her partner with her. “We decided after a year that it was much more financially sound to just join as Members to get the discounted event tickets and Members only benefits,” explained Lydia. “And we've been thrilled ever since!”

With a deep love of orchids, household furnishings, and ceramics, Lydia enjoys “the mix of nature and creativity that surrounds [Newfields’] property and exhibitions.” During her visits, she’s expanded her knowledge of these special interests, learning that “there are hundreds of varieties of orchids in existence, [and] that art can be created in an endless number of forms and functions.”

Cattleya orchid (Cattleya José Martí 'Mother's Favorite')

“Newfields has done an excellent job showing so many different varieties and shapes [of art] from around the world and throughout history,” stated Lydia. “Sometimes a piece of art can invoke such a strong reaction for one person and nothing at all for another, which I think is so exciting!”

While Lydia continues to enjoy the IMA’s collection, The Garden at Newfields holds a particularly important place in her heart. “I always enjoy walking the grounds. The detail to the landscaping and environment is amazing,” said Lydia. “The paths to the Greenhouse and Lilly House during Spring Blooms are special to me. [Spring Blooms] was one of the first times my partner and I visited Newfields together. It was so romantic and special.”

Lydia explained that her favorite memory at Newfields took place during Art in Bloom in 2024, when Newfields’ romantic nature impacted Lydia’s sister. “My sister had gotten engaged in November 2023 with plans to marry in December 2024. When Art in Bloom rolled around, she still hadn't selected a florist. I had already invited my parents to attend and secretly hoped we would find a floral display/artist that fit my sister's specific but simple tastes.”

Floral Design by Anthos. Artwork Credit: Bolton C. Brown (American, 1864–1936), Chinese Fishing Village, Monterey Bay, California (detail), 1890-1900, oil on canvas, 22 x 27 in.; 27-1/4 x 32-1/2 in. (framed). Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, Gift of Evans Woollen, Stoughton Fletcher, Mrs. Edward Daniels, Mrs. Edward F. Hodges and Dr. Mary Spink, 09.400.

Lydia continued, “We ended up finding an entirely green floral arrangement that just screamed out to me and found that Anthos created it. They hadn't done [floral arrangements for] a wedding before but agreed to do some quotes for [my sister]. After a bit of back and forth, that's who she selected for her wedding. They did an incredible job, and I will always be grateful for those memories and the fact that we would never have found them without the Art in Bloom event.”

Interested in learning more about all that Newfields Membership has to offer? See our Membership Benefits guide.