Week Four - 35 Years of Growing
Submitted Dec 14-20, 2020 at 10:00 AM
By: Kate Randall, Red Butte Garden Marketing Communications Specialist
This week we told stories about the Garden's Narcissus (daffodil) and Rose Collections and shed a little light on important field work and plant research our Conservation Department does. Not to mention the behind-the-scenes and on-the-scene work our Youth and Family Programs team invests to create the Garden's family-friendly events. We also gave a shout out to our Garden members and highlighted our unique, botanically-inspired gift shop.
The Garden is recognized as an official Daffodil Display Garden by the American Daffodil Society. Narcissus 'Cheerfulness White' photo: Jason Baker
Our Narcissus (daffodil) collection includes 172 cultivars and a total of over 247,000 bulbs planted in the Garden. Narcissus 'Tahiti' photo: Kate Randall
Daffodils were chosen as a prominent plant collection due to their long lifespan, wide diversity of color, size, and bloom type. Narcissus 'Ambergate' photo: Jason Baker
Bulbs and Blooms
The Garden's Horticulture team has been planting masses of daffodils and other bulbs in the Garden every fall since 2003. This spring, a stunning display of over 500,000 bulbs, 247,000 of which are daffodils, will bloom in the Garden. Learn more about our Daffodil Collection.
Our Rose Collection includes 1,982 individual rose bushes representing 206 different taxa (species, cultivars, and hybrids). Rosa woodsii photo: Jason Baker
Rosa 'ANDeli'photo: Jason Baker
Rosa 'AUSmum' photo: Jason Baker
Red Butte Garden Rose Collection
Roses have been cultivated for over 2000 years. In the wild, roses have only five petals, but over centuries, selections with more petals have been cultivated, creating the rose varieties we're familiar with today. Roses are located throughout the Garden with the greatest diversity showcased in the McCarthey Family Rose Garden. Catch the peak bloom of the Garden's roses in June. Learn more about our Rose Collection.
Red Butte Garden conservation team doing field work. photo: Jonathan Barth
Arctomecon humilis, status threatened. photo: Catherine Cort
Oenothera field, Island in the Sky. photo: Catherine Cort
Red Butte Garden Plant Conservation
Red Butte Garden Conservation staff and volunteers spend a great amount of time out in the field monitoring endangerd native plants and collecting seeds. Our seed bank serves as an “ark” for hundreds of thousands of living seeds of 22 threatened and endangered species as a hedge against extinction in the wild and as a research source. We conserve Utah’s stunning diversity of plant life by finding new ways of conserving rare plant species, developing useful species, and managing natural landscapes. Learn more about our Plant Conservation Department.
In a 2014-15 study, Gypsum wasterock (pink) was spread into an area previously disturbed by mining in N. Arizona. Red Butte Garden staff planted seeds of Gierisch globemallow (Sphaeralcea gierischii) into experimental cells there. photo: Bruce Pavlik
Gierisch globemallow (Sphaeralcea gierischii) sprouting in the gypsum. photo: Bruce Pavlik
Red Butte Garden Gypsum Wasterock Study
For the last ten years the RBG Conservation team has worked with Western Mining and Minerals to develop the use of gypsum-containing waste rock as a top-dressing for highly disturbed habitat. These techniques worked to help reestablish a native plant species while inhibiting the growth of non-native weeds such as red brome (Bromus rubens) within the restored mine site areas. Learn more about our Plant Conservation Department.
Garden members enjoying our 21+ event in the Fragrance Garden, 2019. photo: Chrissy Upton
Family Day member-only event in the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre, 2019. photo: Chrissy Upton
Red Butte Garden Members
Garden members form the base of the Red Butte Garden community, and we thank them! Their continued support sustains all of the Garden's efforts, from our plant collections and unique exhibitions, to our educational programming and native plant conservation efforts. Learn more about Garden Membership.
Family Fun Night in the Red Butte Garden Courtyard, 2017. photo: Kate Randall
BOOtanical in the Garden Pumpkin Queen, 2020. photo: Jason Baker
Arbor Day Celebration, 2015. photo: RBG
Red Butte Garden Family Programming
Our Programs and Horticulture teams create, manage, and decorate many large-scale, fun, and engaging events in the Garden each year. Events include: BOOtanical, Winter Solstice Celebration, Family Fun Nights, Garden After Dark, Garden Adventures classes, and the 2018 Nature Connects Exhibit.
Unfortunately, we couldn't hold many events in the Garden this year. Please check out our Virtual Resources.
The Red Butte Garden Gift Shop has shelves full of books about gardening, specific plants, birds, bugs, and more. photo: Kate Randall
You will also find lots of nature-inspired jewelry. Michael Michaud Jewelry Collection necklace. photo: Leslie Hanna
Visit our gift shop for unique, garden-inspired gifts including wind chimes, fairy garden supplies, hats, scarves, bags, home and holiday decor, and more. photo: Kate Randall
Red Butte Garden Gift Shop History
The Red Butte Garden Gift Shop first opened with the Visitor Center in 1994. It was much smaller then, only 400 sq. ft. The shop was expanded to 1200 sq. ft. in 2010 and included new jewelry cases. For the last 10 years, the cases have enabled us to display fine jewelry, including pieces from the Michael Michaud Jewelry Collection, a world renowned designer of botanical jewelry. Learn More.
Learn more about the 35 Years of Growing, 35 Days of Giving campaign.
