The Troops Have Arrived.
If you don’t work in the world of botanical gardens, you wouldn’t understand how connected we feel to each other. People who work in gardens are passionate about what they do. We get to know each other at conferences and by visiting each other’s gardens. None of us can go on vacation without visiting the local garden, and there’s always a colleague willing to offer a behind-the-scenes tour.
So it’s no surprise that our friends showed up in our time of need. Already we have welcomed staff from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Chicago Botanic Garden, and Missouri Botanical Garden. Atlanta Botanical Garden arrives in a few days. Others are ready with specific expertise when we need them. While we have had terrific support from local volunteers, having these trained professionals involved this early means that more plants and trees will survive.
Visible progress is being made every day. Trees are going back up. Spirits are high. Thank you for all your words of encouragement.
How local residents can help: While we can’t take in downed plants and trees, we would appreciate having orchids that might have been in your trees that didn’t survive. As soon as we have a safe place to store them, we will let you know.
