June 18 through July 14, 2019
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
About the exhibit
Birdhouses are a great way to attract wildlife to your garden
space. In honor of the 4th of July holiday, Lauritzen Gardens is
happy to present this wonderful exhibit of one-of-a-kind birdhouses,
constructed by Richard Yost of Bellevue, Neb. Yost was inspired to build all 51
birdhouses by a birdhouse that his father made, many years ago, with scrap
lumber and an old Nebraska license plate. All of the birdhouses on exhibit are
decorated with various knick-knacks that represent each state.
About the artist
Birdhouse creator Rich Yost was born and raised in South Omaha, and
graduated from Daniel J. Gross High School. His parents encouraged creativity,
and his dad would probably be considered an original "American Picker." The
family property contained many sheds, outbuildings and closets full of unusual
items which had been purchased at flea markets, auctions, or garage sales. As a
young lad, Rich realized the potential of turning these "interesting" items
into something new and original, either as a household decoration or for
outdoor art. Today, he has a large back yard full of whimsical and repurposed
items and a wife who tolerates his urge to buy what many would consider junk,
for use in his future projects. He hopes that you enjoy touring the United
States via the birdhouse adventure as much as he enjoyed creating them.