WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A $3.5 million art garden has opened outside the Wichita Art Museum after about three years of planning and installation.

Hundreds of people attended a grand opening and dedication event on Saturday. Museum benefactors Paula Downing and Martie Walker came up with the idea to install the art garden in 2012.

The Wichita Eagle reports that the garden is designed to represent a natural prairie environment. It features 13 new tree varieties, seven deciduous shrub varieties, 37 perennial varieties and 14 grass varieties.

Museum director Patricia McDonnell hopes the garden will be a “welcome mat” for the community to access the art museum.

The art garden was funded entirely by private donors.