At Lincoln South Rotary Club on January 28 our speaker was Jim Locklear of the Lauriten Gardens. The Topic: More than a Pretty Place: The Conservation Vision of Lauritzen Gardens.
The Lauritzen Gardens is 100 acres of riverfront hills not far from the zoo and the Old Market. It contains over 20 different garden spaces. We enjoyed viewing photos through the seasons. There are tulip bulbs planted in the fall that explode into bloom in April. Also in spring there are crab apple trees and daffodils on display. The summer display includes seasonal annuals which are changed year after year. In the fall some of the annuals are replaced with chrysanthemums and asters. Even in winter you can step outside and smell witch hazel blooms.
The indoor conservatory is 17,000 s.f. under glass. There you will see tropical plants like you would see all around the world. The conservatory is kept at 80 degrees and 80 percent humidity. With colored lights added recently, this has become a very popular spot for evening events, walk around and enjoy a glass of wine.
Jim compared botanical gardens to museums holding collections. Their daffodil garden is expanding every year. They currently have 150,000 blooms with a goal of 1 million blooms. Other collections they have include peonies, hostas and a magnolia garden.
Then there is "stinko" - the Titan Arum. This unusual plant blooms infrequently. And, when it does it only stays open for 24 hours. The start of the bloom is a stalk that is the center of the bloom. The bloom actually consists of tiny flowers. Unlike flowers, it is not fragrant - instead it smells like rotting flesh and in some countries it is called the corpse flower.
They always look at their place and impact on the plants in our region. One example of celebrating our region is the parking lot - which is completely planted with regional plants and trees.
Jim talked about the concern that they have for conservation and biodiversity. He shared information on seed banking - collecting and preserving seeds for distribution later to ensure the existence of rare plants. It compliments preserving in the wild. They are part of a national effort to establish seed banks across the U.S. where they will store seeds to ensure long-term viability.
The Blowout Penstemon is one of the plants that Jim discussed. Originally they thought these were only found in Nebraska in harsh, wind-blown environment. Later they found some in Wyoming. They are becoming rare because ranchers are restoring some of the land.
Another plant - the Colorado Butterfly Plant - is only known to be in the corner where Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado meet. It is becoming more rare as there are fewer meadows. Now extinct in Nebraska, they did test some seeds collected in the 80s and 90s and found them to be viable. They are now working on reestablishing these in Nebraska.
The Butternut Tree, related to the Walnut Tree, historically ranged through central and eastern United States. Disease caused many of them to die out. A stand of these was found near Nebraska City so they collected seeds and are now growing new trees in our region.
In deciding what to plant at Lauritzen Gardens, they are studying the wildlife that use the plants and trees. At Lauritzen Gardens they have a large variety, with:
155 bird species
52 species of bees
62 butterfly species
103 species of moths
Surprisingly the most diverse area is the parking lot. There is an Orchard Oriole that frequents the parking lot that has not been seen anywhere else in the garden. And the same is true of the rare Henry's Elfin Butterfly. It has only been found in the parking lot.
Jim said that they changed some of their planting practices in response to the butterfly population. They found that, when they changed to the chrysanthemums in the fall, they were losing many butterflies. They have since added in some asters which are more appreciated by the butterflies.
Lauritzen Gardens practices ecological stewardship. They teach about planting practices and water management. They also inspire conservation ethics with their information and displays.
To see some of the photos Jim presented - click here.
To learn more:
BIO
Jim Locklear has been Director of Conservation at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska since 2010. He worked previously at the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains in Kansas, the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, and the Morton Arboretum in Illinois. He is the author Phlox: A Natural History and Gardener’s Guide (2011) and editor of the revised edition of Claude Barr’s wildflower classic, Jewels of the Plains (2015).