Spring 2025

Volume 73, No. 1

Rare Plants in the Garden!

The Garden opens for its 118th year on April 15! Staff are busy preparing the Garden trails and grounds and the Visitor Shelter in addition to preparing resources for visitors, volunteers, and program participants. 

This time of year is perennially full of promise for a nourishing season of growth ahead. And this year is no different as so many await the first wildflower blossoms of the season. What will it be? Snow trillium, maybe. Skunk cabbage, perhaps. Bloodroot, you never know! Soon enough the gates will open, and we will all be invited to walk the trails. As we go, we will make many early spring discoveries for ourselves. If it’s for the first time or the 80th, no matter, there is always delight on the path.

 

Speaking of delight, something that is so critical to our work at the Garden is caring for all of the plants here, common and rare. Did you know, over 50% of the plant species in the Garden today were introduced? These introductions by Eloise Butler and Martha Crone laid the foundation for the Garden we love today. Holding to their vision of building a plant collection that contains the great diversity of native plants in our state and region, we continue this work into the present.

   

Did you also know that the Garden is home to 23 species of plants that are endangered, threatened or of special concern in Minnesota? Notably, 21 of these 23 rare plant species were introduced to the Wildflower Garden beginning back in 1907 when the Garden was created. 

 

These plant populations at the Garden are significant, and they called ex situ plants in the conservation world. An ex situ plant is one growing in “captivity” outside of its natural habitat, typically in botanic garden settings. An in situ plant population is one growing in its original habitat.

   

The gift of having ex situ plant populations in the Garden is that we can care for these rare plants and monitor them. We can share this information with the conservation community. Another benefit is that we can educate the public about them. As a free public garden, that means they are here for everyone to see up close and firsthand. For people young and old in our community, these plants can inspire a deeper connection to the natural world.

 

In some cases, plant populations growing in ex situ conditions are doing better than the plants in their natural habitats.

 

One endangered plant that we have been monitoring since 2007 in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) is the dwarf trout lily (Erythronium propullans).  This species is listed as endangered on both the Minnesota state level and the Federal level.

   

This tiny, spring-flowering, forest-dwelling wildflower species has a very limited natural range where it grows on its own. There are three MN counties where it is found in situ-- Rice, Goodhue, and Steele – and that’s it in the entire world! And then there a couple of known ex situ populations, including at the Garden thanks to Eloise Butler.

   

Eloise Butler collected and brought these plants to the Garden starting in 1909. She introduced hundreds of native plant species to the Garden between 1907-1933 as part of her vision to create a complete collection of MN native plants in a naturalistic and urban setting for all to enjoy and learn from. 

  

Both in situ and ex situ populations are monitored by the MN DNR with the support of volunteers and partner organizations like the MPRB through efforts by Garden staff.

  

When the dwarf trout lily colonies are counted each spring, volunteers are counting the number of flowers in each colony and also how many anomalies or atypical flowers are present in each colony. This monitoring is being done to keep track of current populations of a very rare plant and to try to understand more thoroughly the reproductive habits and population health concerns with this species.  We are so pleased that the Garden can be such an important part of this work and the preservation of this MN endangered plant species. 

We look forward to seeing you on the Garden trails soon!❖

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Summer 2025

Volume 73, No. 2

A Busy Spring Blossoms into a Bright Summer at the Wildflower Garden!

Each season at the Wildflower Garden brings its own beauty, blooming plants, and rhythms. The culminating effect of these elements coming together creates a rich and varied tapestry of experience. Each day is unique here, each season even more so.  

This past spring was a whirlwind of color, richness, and an abundance of engaged and enthusiastic visitors! In the first seven weeks of the season, from April 15-June 1, we have had a profusion of programs, activities, and volunteerism. A few highlights include:

 

• 16,792 visitor engagements were noted by Garden volunteers and staff on the trails, at the Welcome Kiosk and in the Visitor Shelter. Think of all of these meaningful exchanges about the plants and birds of the Garden! At the Garden, we delight in nurturing the community’s love of nature one conversation at a time. Thank you, Garden docent volunteers and staff! 
• 49 docent volunteers have been trained by the Garden Curator and have contributed 457.75 hours as they welcome and engage with visitors of all ages. 
• 90 corporate volunteers gave 220 hours to spread wood shavings on the trails with Garden staff support.
• 30 youth and staff from Green Garden Bakery gave 45 hours and planted over 600 native plants at the Garden’s entrance meadow alongside the Natural Resources Specialist and Garden Curator.
• Over 500 native plants have been planted so far this season by the Natural Resources Specialist and Horticulture Support staff within the Garden, and over 1,850 more are being planted this June and throughout the summer. MPRB youth crews will join in the planting efforts this summer! 
• 73 public tours and programs have been developed by Garden staff and offered by Garden Naturalists with 251 youth participants and 739 adult participants.
• 22 private group programs have been scheduled by the Garden Program Specialist and led by the Specialist and Garden Naturalists with 246 youth participants and 232 adult participants.
• In total, 1,468 people have participated in nature-focused tours and programs at the Garden so far this season! That’s 497 youth and 971 adults who have joined in the learning and fun! 
• 60 Friends-supported land stewardship volunteers have contributed more than 580 hours in the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden Volunteer Stewardship Area (warmly referred to as the Greater Eloise VSA) from January 1-June 1, 2025 with support from the Garden Curator.

The engagement work and educational opportunities provided here are possible thanks to the dedicated education staff and volunteers working at the Garden. Garden care is foundational to make this entire experience possible. A hearty thanks to all staff involved with hands-on garden management and care. 

 

Thank you to all Garden staff working at the Garden this season including: Naturalists Jodi Gustafson, Ani Krause, Debbie Keyes, Katie Laux, Linette Maeder, Keygan McClellan, Tammy Mercer, Maria Montero, Lisset Olvera Chan, and Cheyanne Rose; Horticulture Support Staff Evva Jischke and Maggie Lile; Natural Resources Specialist Nicholas Purcell; and Garden Program Specialist Kimberly Ishkov.

I look forward to seeing you on the trails and at Garden programs this summer!  ❖ Susan

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Summer 2025

Volume 73, No. 3

A Symphony of Spring and Summer Programs at the Wildflower Garden!

It has been a busy season of programming at the Wildflower Garden!  This spring and summer over 5,000 youth and adults have participated in programs with Garden staff at the Wildflower Garden!  

Public programs are offered every day we are open and have ranged from our daily Garden Tours to our popular weekly Early Birders Program to our family-filled Garden Storytime programs. We’ve offered a wide variety of nature-themed programs on a variety of topics from trees, to birds, to insects, to wildflowers and more. There’s no end to the curiosity that can be sparked and nurtured while in nature with other inquisitive minds. 

We’ve also welcomed in partners from across the city to work together to reach new audiences and provide unique experiences for participants. New this season is a collaboration with the American Swedish Institute (ASI) to offer select Nature Explorers family programs here with Garden Staff co-teaching with ASI staff. Stories, nature exploring and some Swedish language learning in nature make for fun, engaging programs all together!

We also had a blast Star Partying in partnership with the Bell Museum of Natural History as we hosted another Annual Statewide Star Party here, including hosting a special talk from Tanya Melnik about Chasing the Northern Lights! This is our third year of being a host site for the Annual Statewide Star Party and we can’t wait for 2026, it’s such a great event to be a part of. 

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We welcomed over 550 people over two evenings in July for Firefly Nights programming and people were so happy to be here! The fireflies filled the night with sparkles for us all, too. It was a magical experience for so many, including a lot of first-time visitors and kids (and adults) who had never seen fireflies before. More than one grandparent approached staff to let them know how meaningful it was to them that this free, accessible program was available for their family in the city. They wanted their grandchildren to experience the wonder of seeing a firefly at night, and now they could share this with them. A lot of memories were made and remembered at the Garden thanks to these amazing insects and the Garden habitats that make it possible for them to be doing so well here.

 

Minneapolis Public Schools outdoor learning photo with Garden Naturalis. MPRB photo

And thanks to having two bilingual Garden Naturalists on staff, Lisset and Maria, we have offered Spanish-language-centered public birding programs, Pajareando, in partnership with the Urban Bird Collective this season! Lisset also translated the Garden’s birding checklist into Spanish, and this new resource has been well-received by many birders. In addition, the wonderful Spanish-language Garden Storytime has been offered again this year, with fun stories and engaging activities offered each time. 

Garden Naturalists and staff have also led over 60 special, paid programs for groups ranging from senior-focused organizations like Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) to youth-focused programs for Minneapolis Public School summer school participants. The Naturalists have led tours for Hennepin County Master Gardeners, area garden clubs, public schools, charter schools, private schools, homeschool co-ops, preschools (including Spanish immersion programs), university and college programs, professional organizations, area businesses and more!  With the autumn season of programming underway, there is still more learning and wonderment ahead for so many community members, young to wizened and everything in between.

 

Below: Bell Museum Star Party - Photo of “Chasing the Northern Lights” speaker Tanya Melnik and listeners. Photo MPRB

Thank you to all of the Garden staff who lead these wonderful programs at the Garden! Kimberly Ishkov, Lisset Olvera Chan, Debbie Keyes, Linette Maeder, Keygan McClellan, Tammy Mercer, Jodi Gustafson, Katie Laux, Maria Montero, Cheyanne Rose, Nicholas Purcell, Evva Jischke, and Maggie Lile. Your knowledge, efforts, and contributions are so appreciated! ❖ Susan-

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