The Sue Mango Memorial Garden is a living tribute to the memory and enduring legacy of Sue Mango, the former Director of Development for the Lied Center, who passed away in 2023. Sue was a cherished member of the Lawrence community, known for her warmth, generosity, and passion for the arts. An avid gardener and a devoted lover of chocolate, she found joy in cultivating beauty—both in the landscape and in the lives of those around her. This garden serves as a peaceful sanctuary, inviting visitors to pause, reflect, and immerse themselves in the natural beauty that Sue so deeply cherished.

The Sue Mango Memorial Garden is thoughtfully designed to integrate with the existing architecture and landscape of the Lied Center Pavilion. The garden features five curvilinear raised planters, arranged along a wedge-shaped space in front of the Pavilion’s main entrance. These planters seamlessly incorporate elements of the site's original design, including an existing concrete patio, concrete bench, and remnants of a former garden, breathing new life into the space.

The planters are framed with weathering steel edging, creating a layered effect that progressively steps up from the southwest to the northeast. The southwest boundary is anchored by a sloped rammed earth wall, subtly guiding visitors into the garden and toward the Pavilion. As the planters increase in height to the northeast, the garden becomes more enclosed and intimate, eventually blending back into the natural landscape.

At the heart of the garden, a striking cross-laminated timber canopy stands as a central feature. Supported by a dynamic arrangement of alternating weathering steel round columns and two clusters of three round columns, the canopy provides both shelter and aesthetic cohesion. Wrapped in weathering steel, the sunshade takes on the appearance of a floating planter, echoing the raised garden beds below. Beneath this canopy, a rammed earth wall and timber benches transform a once-overlooked area into an inviting retreat, offering a welcoming space for quiet contemplation, conversation, and community gatherings.

The garden’s plant palette is carefully curated to celebrate the natural beauty of the prairie ecosystem. Each of the five planters is filled with resilient, drought-tolerant species, chosen not only for their ecological benefits but also for their seasonal color and textural variety. The selection includes: native prairie grasses, such as Little Bluestem and Prairie Dropseed, which provide movement and structure throughout the year; prairie and woodland sedges, including Oak Sedge, White-Tinged Sedge, and Plains Sedge, adding soft, lush greenery to the space; and vibrant flowering perennials, such as Common Milkweed, Goldenrod, Wild Columbine, and Royal Catchfly, offering bursts of color and supporting pollinators like butterflies and bees.

The Sue Mango Memorial Garden is more than a landscape—it is a sanctuary of memory and renewal. It reflects Sue’s deep appreciation for nature, her dedication to community, and her belief in the transformative power of the arts. Just as she enriched the lives of so many, this space will continue to inspire and comfort those who visit, providing a moment of peace, reflection, and connection for years to come.