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The New Botanical Center
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Welcome to a special page about Missouri gardening and the wonderful new Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center.
What the Center and the surrounding Botanical Gardens are doing for people in the Ozarks region, and indeed, for all of the Midwest, is a marvelous story. This is our own informal view of the Center, along with notes and quotes from others excited about that story.
The Botanical Center is located at 2400 S. Scenic Avenue in Springfield. The phone number is 417-891-1515.
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Enlarge photo | | Just What Is a Botanical Center, Anyway?
It's simple. A botanical center is a place where people can learn about plant life. A botanical center can provide classes, workshops, and demonstrations in identifying, growing, and caring for plants of all kinds. It includes botanical gardens that are essentially teaching gardens where people can see first-hand plants that grow well in their region, how to grow them, and how they can be used to beautify one's own surroundings. But there's more, as you'll see.
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Enlarge photo | | A $3 Million Vote of Confidence
Voters in 2006 approved a 1/4-cent sales tax to provide $3 million to build the Botanical Center. We're careful with public money in the Ozarks, but the vote wasn't all that surprising, considering that we're also one of America's liveliest gardening regions. In fact, Springfield has been ranked third in the nation in per capita spending on gardening.* Our region truly deserved a Botanical Center and now, we have one.
*(Source: The 2005 Missouri University Extension Annual Report.)
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Enlarge photo | | 'The Public Wants It. We Want It....'
So said Jodie Adams, the parks and recreation director who, though quick to credit others, led in making the Botanical Center a reality. For us, this photo taken the day of the opening eloquently shows the vision, enthusiasm, accomplishment and elation that have distinguished Jodie's service to Springfield and Greene County. For her remarkable biography, click here. Note: Jodie retired as parks director in November 2011 after an incredible 38 years service with the department.
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| The New Parks Director
 Bob Belote, former assistant parks director, has been named the new interim parks director to succeed Jodie Adams. Miles Park, Mike Crocker, and Kim Reser were also named assistant parks directors. Of the new team, Jodie says, "They absolutely have the heart, the desire, the education and the passion. They truly love people. They want to help people. They want to see our community a great place to live, work and play. That's how they think."
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Enlarge photo | | A Winner for a Lively Gardening Region
This young woman is the new Coordinator for the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center. Her name is Katie Steinhoff. She's a horticulturist, a landscape designer, outdoorsperson, and more. You can read her colorful bio here.
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Enlarge photo | | Where is the Center Located?
The Botanical Center is owned and operated by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and its setting is two beautiful adjoining public parks, 59-acre Nathanael Greene and 55-acre Close Memorial. The parks share a common entrance at 2400 S. Scenic in Springfield and are often referred to together as Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park. Amazingly, many people are still unaware of the park complex, one of our greatest environmental assets. We'll tell you more about the parks below, but for now...
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| What Does It Cost to Visit the Botanical Center and the Gardens?
 Are you ready? They're FREE to one and all. The only exception is the Japanese Stroll Garden, which has a $3 admission fee. Botanical Center hours are 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sundays.
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Enlarge photo | | When Did the Botanical Center Open?
The Center held its grand opening the week of October 11-17, 2010. Sunday the 17th featured a free concert in the park by legendary folksinger Judy Colllins, who shared with a highly appreciative audience a keen sense of humor, colorful stories, and a great many of the classic songs that brought her world fame, all in a voice seemingly as brilliant as in her youth.
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| The Building
 This artist's rendering shows the12,768- square-foot Center building and its 125-foot glass facade. H Design Group, the architects, designed it to let in the maximum natural light while creating a sense of the interior and exterior flowing together. Its energy-efficient mechanical and lighting materials and systems qualify the Center as a "green building" and submission for LEED certification. At right, the completed building.
| A Festive Rooftop Plaza
 Built against a hillside to blend into  the landscape, the Botanical Center's rooftop plaza provides an open vista to the park, seasonal plantings, and 6,000-square feet of terrace, which provides a beautiful space for outdoor meetings, classes, and events. Visitors can enter the main building through the doors shown at right to take stairs or an elevator to the lobby. At right, the plaza realized.
| The East Entrance
 The east entrance features a sign, a  small plaza, and beautiful seasonal plantings.
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Enlarge photo | | What Is Inside the Building?
The Botanical Center houses offices for the Springfield- Greene County Parks Department, University of Missouri Greene County Extension and its Master Gardeners, and Friends of the Garden. It also contains a giftshop/bookstore, a library, and classroom, meeting, and exhibit space to make possible many events previously unrealized for the lack of a location.
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Enlarge photo | | THE GARDENS
For many, the most exciting feature of the Botanical Center is its Botanical Gardens. The Center in time will be surrounded by 45 Botanical Gardens, and twenty-six of these gardens already exist for visitors to enjoy today. You can see many of them on this website via the Real Gardens page, or these individual links: the Hosta Garden, the Winter Garden, the Azalea Garden, the English Garden, the Ornamental Grass Garden, the Iris Garden, the Lily Garden, the Butterfly Garden, the Rose Garden, the White Garden, the Columbine Garden, the Flowering Shrub Garden, the Daylily Garden, the Federated Garden Clubs Garden, the Peony Garden, the Viburnum Garden, the Wildflower Garden, the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden, the Redbud Garden, and the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden
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Enlarge photo | | FUNDING THE GARDENS
Sales taxes, grants, and private donations successfully funded the Center's construction. Now the job is to build an endowment fund for the creation and maintenance of the botanical gardens, All gifts are tax deductible and may be made by sending a check (with "Friends of the Garden Growth & Maintenance Fund" on the memo line) to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, 425 E. Trafficway, Springfield, MO 65806.
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| A Map of the Gardens
 These aren't the best photos but we had to include them because they're of a new map of the Botanical Center Developed by Master Gardener  Christine Chiu, the map is mounted in the lobby and beautifully details the locations of all the botanical gardens. If you click on the photo at left then enlarge it a bit in your browser, you should be able to read the locations. At right is the whole map. We're hoping it'll be published soon and made available to the public.
| THE HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY
 The Horticultural Library in the Botanical Center in Springfield, Missour, is up and running. "It's a fantastic resource," says Center Coordinator Katie Steinhoff, shown at left. "We have books on every subject of existing and future gardens as well as specific interests for gardening in Missouri and the Midwest, and ideas that would be great for the homeowner."
Funded by a generous grant from the Susan Boswell Foundation in memory of Susan's mother, Lois K. Boswell, the library also provides a laptop computer and Internet access. Susan, a member of Friends of the Garden, says many private individuals and organizations have donated books and book-buying money, which gifts are much appreciated.
Note: To donate books to the library, call Katie Steinhoff at 417-891-1515. To make a tax deductible funds donation, send a check with "library contribution" on the memo line to the Friends of the Garden, PO Box 8566, Springfield, MO 65801.
| Weddings and More
 This website receives many inquiries about how to rent space for weddings and other events at the Botanical Center and Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park in Springfield, Missouri.
We're just a website about gardening in the Ozarks and don't sell any products or services. Thanks to the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, however, we can help you download the info you need, including a price list. All you have to do is click here.
| The Botanical Center Handbook
 We can't think of a better way to get a grip on exactly what the new Botanical Center in Springfield, Missouri, is and what it does for all of us than the Botanical Center Volunteer Handbook. It's written by Center coordinator Katie Steinhoff and you can download your own copy by clicking here. (It's a Word file.) We give it two thumbs up, and that's only because two is all we have.
| Botanical Center Partners
 A great many people and organizations help sustain the Botanical Center, the Parks, and the Gardens wtih their generosity. For an outstanding list of the Park Partners and invaluable links to and information on all, click here.
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Enlarge photo | | Who are the Friends of the Garden?
The Friends of the Garden are a nonprofit organization of volunteers from many different backgrounds, professions, livelihoods, and life experiences, all united in the mission to sustain the Botanical Center and create and maintain the botanical gardens. The group formed in 1998 and has now grown to 840 members.
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Enlarge photo | | Can I Join the Friends of the Garden?
Absolutely, and it's easy. A $25 donation is tax deductible, will help the Center, and will also buy you a  Friends membership that includes a free season pass for two to the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, discounts on gardening seminars and workshops, and participation in a great gardening community. You can download a membership form here.
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Enlarge photo | | More About Close Memorial Park
People are more and more discovering Close Memorial Park and its amenities. This bronze sculpture, for example, touches virtually all who see it. It's of a beloved civic leader, Anne Drummond, shown reading by the lake that came to bear her name. Other park attractions include vast open spaces, scenic walkways, children's playgrounds, 26 beautiful botanical gardens, an Arboretum containing Missouri native trees, a portion of the Ozark Greenways Trail, a spacious concourse, picnic tables, and grills. All form a wonderful setting for the Botanical Center, which overlooks Lake Drummond.
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Enlarge photo | | More About Nathanael Greene Park
Named for American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene, said to be George Washington's most trusted officer, this park has some wonderful features: the 1850's-era Gray-Campbell Farmstead, where visitors can see how our first settlers actually lived; the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden, a great teaching garden; the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden; a colorful cottage garden created by the Federated Garden Clubs of Southwest Missouri; a turf garden; the Lions Club History Walk; decorative statuary; scenic walkways; two rentable pavilions; picnic areas; and wide open spaces. It's a marvel fir its own sake and combined with Close Park is virtually a garden oasis.
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| Three Valuable Websites
 For the very latest information on  Botanical Center projects, events, and activities, beautiful photos of the botanical gardens, and important links, click here for the Friends of the Garden website. For the latest on info, events, and activities covering every aspect of gardening, click here for the FOG Blog.  Finally, University of Missouri Extension-Greene County, which also raised funds for the Botanical Center, provides excellent information on gardening, horticulture, agriculture, homemaking, and much more here.
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Enlarge photo | | 'We Are Excited About This New Building'
So said David Burton, University of Missouri-Greene County Extension civic communications specialist, during the drive for Botanical Center funds. Today he adds, "Our offices in the Botanical Center, along with the great class space available in the building, have allowed us to expand the audiences we reach with our educational programs. Last year we reached over 43,000 people in Greene County with a variety of MU Extension programs -- like Master Gardener trainings -- and the Botanical Center space helps make that possible."
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Enlarge photo | | 'A Great Shot in the Arm....'
The Botanical Center would be "a great shot in the arm to the Master Gardeners program," predicted Gaylord Moore as he was retiring as Missouri University Extension horticultural specialist. Moore, who won countless friends throughout the region with his service in the position, enthused that the Center would guarantee the program a location for classes and workshops and that the gardens would serve to demonstrate "everything that has to do with plants, fruits, vegetables, trees, shrubs--you name it." His prediction has proved true.
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| Patrick Byers
 Patrick Byers, who succeeds Gaylord Moore as Missouri University Extension horticulture specialist for the Southwest Region, is winning friends with his friendly, knowledgeable, hands-on help with commercial and home agriculture, the Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists programs, seminars, public outreach, and other services. Patrick holds degrees in commercial horticulture from Nebraska, in horticulture from Missouri University, and a masters in horticulture from the University of Arkansas.
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Enlarge photo | | 'We are all stewards of the earth....'
"We are all stewards of the earth, and our children can be led into this path through the Center's classes and programs." They're the most telling words yet on the Botanical Center project, and they came from Susan Boswell, a mother of four who obviously cares about the world today and the world to come. As Friends of the Garden development director, Susan worked tirelessly--and successfully--in leading the public drive for funds.
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Enlarge photo | | 'It will be a place the city will be proud of...
...said Paul Redfearn, former Friends of the Garden president, professor emeritus of botany at Missouri State University, and former mayor of Springfield. Paul has made many contributions to the Botanical Center project, including donating plants to and providing beautiful pictures of the botanical gardens now present in Close Memorial Park. You can see many of his photos here.
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Enlarge photo | | Raising the Money, and More
Marketing veteran George Deatz as Friends of the Garden publicity chairman played a major role in Botanical Center fund-raising by getting the word out about all of the benefits it would provide. George subsequently served three terms as FOG president, from 2009-2011, helping raise the group's membership to a record 1038 and expanding its achievements with the Botanical Center and the gardens.
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Enlarge photo | | The New Friends of the Garden President
Elected to lead the Friends of the Garden for 2012 is Nancy Hopkins, who according to former pres George Deatz brings to the task "a real get-it-done attitude." That's easy enough to understand; Nancy taught middle school for 30 years.
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Enlarge photo | | 'A Great Opportunity...'
Bob Kipfer, avid conservationist, retired M.D., and vice-president in the Missouri Master Naturalist program of the Department of Conservation and University of Missouri Extension, believes that a botanical center is a "necessity in any major metropolitan center." He's especially committed to the Botanical Center Arboretum as "a great opportunity to have the most complete collection of Missouri's native trees."
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Enlarge photo | | 'That tree? Well, that's a...well, er, uh....'
For those who would like once and for all to be able to identify Missouri's trees, here's some major help. The Arboretum already contains most of the state's native trees, and more will be added. Bob Kipfer and George Deatz have prepared a map showing the trees' exact locations, including GPS coordinates. Extra good news: The map is available to the public free of charge.
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Enlarge photo | | 'An Excellent Source...'
As Friends of the Garden garden chairman, Bob Childress helps plan the botanical gardens, obtains plants, and does the physical work of helping plant and maintain them. Given all that, we take him seriously when he says that the Botanical Center will be "an excellent source of information for people who are looking for ideas for landscaping and gardening."
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Enlarge photo | | A Generous Gift to Close Memorial Park
Bravo to the Botany Shop Garden Center in Joplin, Missouri, for donating dozens of beautiful shrubs and trees to Close Memorial Park in Springfield--hydrangea varieties like 'Endless Summer,' 'Blue Moon' wisteria, 'Fantasy' crape myrtle, and more, and redbud, maple, holly, elm, and other trees. Owner Mike Shade grows thousands of trees and shrubs, we're told, specializing in red maples and selling all over the nation. The Shop's website has more info here.
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Enlarge photo | | A Gift in Memory
A beautiful way to honor loved ones and support the Botanical Center is to purchase a brick in the Memorial Walk in the English White Garden in Close Memorial Park. The bricks may be purchased for a $50 donation mailed with the desired inscription to Friends of the Garden, P.O. Box 8566, Springfield, MO 65801. Any questions can be directed to Bob Childress, Garden Chairman, 417-838-9454
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