Robert and Monika Ghattas

ABQ business owners and community leaders, longtime AIA members, and creators of the new garden

Thursday, April 23rd, 2026, 4:00 p.m.
Program will be held in the beautiful new garden space at the ABQ Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104

Please note: Attendees who arrive after 3:30pm will receive free admission to the BioPark. Before 3:30pm, full admission fee will be charged.

AIA’s April lecture will feature Robert and Monika Ghattas who will speak about Lebanon and Beyond, the new garden at the Albuquerque Botanic Garden. Monika will detail how the idea of a Lebanese garden came about and how it became a reality after several years of planning and discussions. The goal of this garden is to introduce the plants, the culture, and landscape of Lebanon to the Albuquerque community. Architectural features of Lebanese gardens were included in the design, like the water fountain, a communal area for visiting, and the arches.

The selection of appropriate plants, flowers, and trees was the job of Robert and Maria Thomas, the Biopark’s Curator of Plants. He will describe the selection criteria for everything that will eventually be planted in the Garden, as well as the difficulties in finding appropriate plants suitable for the Albuquerque environment. Plants that are both native to
New Mexico and Lebanon were especially sought.

Robert came from a small village in Lebanon to the University of New Mexico in the 1950s. He graduated with a degree in pharmacy and eventually bought Duran’s Pharmacy and operated it for more than fifty years. His lifelong hobby of gardening became a full-time interest in his retirement. Monika is retired from a career teaching European and Far East history at CNM and currently serves as an AIA board member and chair of the AIA Book Club.

 

Please note: Attendees who arrive after 3:30 will receive free admission to the BioPark. Before 3:30, full admission fee will be charged.

Preregistration is required.
$15 for AIA Members; $20 for Non-Members; Students under 30 with ID – Free.
Pay online or mail check made out to AIA by April 21st to:  AIA, PO Box 92921, Albuquerque, NM 87199.

Purchase Tickets Online