the garden path

Caring for the Gardens Historic Past Yields Plans for the Future

Garden EnhancementsWhat, When & Where

Digitizing our HistoryCarillon Recordings

Investigating the Rootsof Endangerment

Vol. 6 | Issue 2 | Summer 2014

The

ON THE COVER Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bok with Major and Mrs. Harry Nornabell and daughter Ursula on the small peninsula circa 1925

This season has been a

very busy time for

the Gardens. Visitors have enjoyed exceptional weather this year with mild temperatures and ample rain. The weather ensured a good start for the 19,000 longleaf pines planted on our preserve lands in December. We celebrated our 85th anniversary Feb. 1 with former U.S. Senator Bob Graham as our keynote speaker and looked to our past with a collection of stories that visitors shared about the Gardens. Our wide range of programs offered something for everyone, from the Curtis Institute’s Curtis on Tour operatic performance at Pinewood Estate to our Earth Day activities with over 1,300

schoolchildren in attendance.

In conjunction with our anniversary celebration, we announced the public phase of our capital campaign, Preserve the Legacy, Steward the Future. This campaign is to fund tower and garden restoration, create new garden spaces, renew exhibit hall displays, and enhance our endowment. We are excited about our progress, but still have much work to do. Soon we will have the 90% construction documents from our landscape architects, Nelson Byrd Woltz.

Activity in the Gardens is beginning this summer with paving of select paths for improved accessibility and new plantings around the reflection pond. Our goal is to complete this work by the fall. Once

construction documents are complete, we will break ground on the new

children’s garden and kitchen garden in late October.

Like the pine trees we planted this winter, the projects we are about to undertake will grow and sustain our mission into the future. I ask that you join us with your support and consider a contribution to the campaign.

Thank you for your membership,

A Letter from the President

David Price, President

Updated perspective drawing of the new children’s garden

Reflection pond temporarily emptied for cleaning session this past May

AN

NIV

ERSARY YEAR

1929 - 2014

2 | S u m m e r 2 0 1 4 | G a r d e n P a t h B o k T o w e r G a r d e n s

To share Edward Bok’s gift of a beautiful and serene garden with music, architecture and nature

so that all who visit will be inspired by his vision:

“Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you

have lived in it.”

Mission

David PricePresident

Brian OsoskyEditor

Randall RupertGraphic Designer

Editorial Contributors

Joy Banks

Jennifer Beam

Sandra Dent

Geert D’hollander

Julie Diaz

Christine Foley

Matthew Fulwood

Rachel Henderson

Elyse Justice

Cynthia Klemmer

Greg Kramer

Christopher Lutton

Brian Ososky

Cheryl Peterson

David Price

Joan Thomas

Rose Young

Bok Tower Gardens, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is supported by tax-exempt gifts

and contributions and is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida

Council on Arts and Culture.

CTP/6M/0714

TheIt’s hard to believe that our Preserve the Legacy, Steward the Future campaign is entering its third year this fall. These past few years have been incredibly successful, and we have much to share

and celebrate as we enter the home stretch.

To date, we have raised $9.8 million (82%) of our $12 million goal. With nearly $6 million in hand,

we are in a healthy financial position to move forward. Historic core garden rejuvenation begins this summer and continues into the 2014-2015 season with other projects.

We are pleased to share that we have 100% financial participation by members of the Board, Cabinet and senior staff, and nearly full participation in the campaign by all Bok Tower Gardens staff.

This campaign has resonated deeply with many in the community who are structuring their gifts to honor family members with close ties to the Gardens. One local family dedicated the Fairy House Trail in the children’s garden to their grandmother, while some have chosen to make an estate provision to the campaign.

We still have about $2.2 million to raise before the end of the 2014-2015 season, so your participation in the coming year will be critical to realizing our vision of a world-class garden.

Watch your mail this fall for a package inviting you to make a gift to the Preserve the Legacy, Steward the Future campaign. Please consider a gift or pledge above and beyond your membership that is a reflection of your love and commitment to this garden and its future.

You can stay up to date with the campaign and make your gift online at BokLegacy.org. Thank you for all you do for the Gardens as members, volunteers, ambassadors and advocates.

A visit to Bok Tower Gardens means something different to

everyone. It’s personal. Uniquely yours. Please take a moment to

submit your stories and photos at BokLegacy.org so that we can help preserve Edward Bok’s legacy. It’s a place where members, visitors, friends and families can come together as a community to share their fondest memories of the Gardens with us and with each other.

While on the website, you can also find out more about the projects taking place as part of our Preserve the Legacy, Steward the Future campaign and how your contribution will help keep the Gardens relevant and sustainable for future generations.

Capital Campaign Updateby Joan Thomas,Director of Development

BokLegacy.org Story Submissions Continue

www.boktowergardens .org GardenPath | Summer2014 | 3

Do you have questions about your membership to Bok Tower Gardens or want to make reservations?

Contact Christine Foley at [email protected] or 863.734.1233

Your Benefits Extend Beyond our BordersSummer is the perfect time to take full advantage of your membership.

As a member, you receive free and discounted admission to attractions, museums and gardens throughout the state of Florida and free admission to more than 300 participating public gardens throughout the United States.

Shoptember SpreeAll September long, show your membership card for double discounts in the Blue Palmetto Café and Tower & Garden Gift Shop.

Bok Tower Gardens: America’s Taj MahalFor the first time, your Shoptember Spree discount is available on our 224-page coffee table book in the gift shop. A timeless reminder of one man’s dream to make the world a bit better and more beautiful. Discount not available online

Recognizing Our Generous Sponsors

Earth Day 2014TD Bank, Duke Energy, Publix Super Markets Charities, Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation, Florida’s Natural Growers

Live at the GardensSeries Sponsors: Allen & Company, WEDUConcert Sponsors: Winter Haven Honda, Terrie Lobb Catering, Tapping the Vine, CenterState Bank, Camp Rosalie

Love in BloomLake Wales Medical Center

Winter Dog DayVeterinary Healthcare Associates

Founder’s Room ToursTerrie Lobb Catering, Lake Wales IHOP, Florida’s Natural Growers, The Seasoned Stone

In Kind Sponsorship: Florida’s Natural GrowersEarth Day, Founder’s Room Tours, 85th Anniversary Celebration, Tower Key Society Breakfast, Carillon Classic 5k

Recently, I was offered the opportunity to take

over as head chef at Bok Tower Gardens. I

was extremely excited, and maybe a little nervous.

After all, this is something I have been working toward since beginning in the food service industry more than 12 years ago. The support from co-workers and guests has been outstanding, and I look forward to keeping the Blue Palmetto Café moving in the same direction it has been – UP! We’ve enjoyed significant growth since I started at

the Gardens a year-and-a-half ago, and more is on the horizon with the addition of a new outdoor kitchen and plenty of extra terrace seating at the café.

During my tenure, I will continue to strive for excellence and to remain on the cutting edge of culinary trends. One of my primary goals is to build more relationships with local farmers and to have most of our produce sourced locally rather than from large food suppliers. Nothing beats fresh!

MembershipMattersHelping you makethe most of your membership.

Fresh Food, Fresh Ideasby Matthew Fulwood,Chef & Café Services Manager

Bok Tower GardensAmerica’s Taj Mahal

Kenneth Treister and David PricePhotography by Dan ForerWith Derek Bok and Bob Graham

Bok T

ower G

ardens

Kenneth Treister is an architect, painter, sculptor, photographer, and author. His work has been published in over fifty pro-fessional journals, and he has written nine books and produced four documentaries. Treister sculpted Miami Beach’s world- famous Holocaust Memorial.

David Price, president of the Bok Tower Gardens Foundation, is an accomplished wildlife sculptor and horticulturist. For twenty years he was the director of horticul-ture at Bok Tower Gardens.

Dan Forer is an architectural photographer. His work appears in Architectural Digest, Interior Design, Architectural Record, and many more publications.

Derek Bok is the former president of Harvard University and currently serves as the faculty chair at Harvard’s Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations.

Robert “Bob” Graham has served Florida as governor and senator and has established the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida.

Also published by Skira Rizzoli:

Doris Duke’s Shangri-LaDonald Albrecht and Thomas MellinsPhotography by Tim Street-PorterISBN: 978-0-8478-3895-0

Skira Rizzoli Publications, Inc.300 Park Avenue SouthNew York, New York 10010www.rizzoliusa.com

Printed and bound in China

Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it. These were the words, spoken by his grandmother in the nineteenth century, that guided Edward Bok throughout his life. Emigrating from Holland to America just before his sev-enth birthday, the enterprising young Bok began work at thirteen and was appointed head of the editorial and art departments at Curtis Publishing in Philadelphia by twenty- six. His grandmother’s charge inspired his crusade for improving social causes in the pages of the Ladies’ Home Journal at the turn of the twentieth century, and it directed his creation of Bok Tower Gardens, an architecture and landscape masterpiece in central Florida, thirty years later.

Bok started in 1922, purchasing twenty- two acres of land in Lake Wales with the intention of establishing a garden sanctuary for human and animal alike. He commis-sioned famed landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to fashion the “most beau-tiful spot in its area in America.” Olmsted Jr. responded with a meandering, informal woodland of sheltered resting spots and open public vistas. Four years later, Bok asked Philadelphia architect Milton B. Medary to design a bell tower as the focal point of the garden. Medary’s great work of humanis-tic architecture, 205 feet tall, incorporates sculpted ornamentation, ironwork, and molded ceramic tiles by the foremost arti-sans of the era; in its upper third is the famous carillon of sixty-one custom-cast bells.

Bok Tower Gardens was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993; today the site consists of more than six hundred acres and encompasses Pinewood Estate, a Spanish-style residence built in 1930 and used as a house museum, guest quarters, and reception area. Maintained by the Bok Tower Gardens Foundation, which also supports important conservation programs, the tower and gardens are acknowledged as one of the great achievements of America’s “golden age of architecture,” a complete work of art that is also an extraordinary public monument.

TreisterPriceForer

US $50.00 CAN $50.00

RIZ1

46_J

KT

Siz

e 72

7X31

1MM

CTP

RIZ146_JKT_R1.indd 1 14/05/2013 9:48 PM

Membership Matters

Helping you make the most of your membership


Long identified as our most at-risk collection, historic audio reel recordings of carillon performances dating back to the 1950’s will finally be preserved for future use. We were excited to learn of donors who came forward this spring with the digitization of these recordings on their minds. Bok Tower Gardens Board Member Paul Collins and his wife, Carol, seeded the digitization project with an initial gift, which was then followed by a generous and unexpected gift from two longtime Gardens members.

These gifts have allowed us to select a core collection of approximately 700 carillon recordings from our 1,700 audio reels, representing more than 80 artists and covering 40 years of North American carillon history.

Working closely with Bill Sherfey,

Director of

Preservation Programs for Preservation Technologies

of Cranberry Township, PA, we have completed an

initial survey of the holdings and identified the most at-risk

and valuable recordings in the collection. Several film reels and

recordings on unusual media (such as wire reel recordings) are also expected to be included in this initial project. We anticipate that the digitization of these historic materials will be completed this fall.

In late 2013, Bok Tower Gardens received grant funding for the Cataloging Hidden Collections & Archives program, sponsored by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), to process non-cataloged materials in the Anton Brees Carillon Library. Combined, these projects are keeping us busy in the Tower working to promote the profession and its instrument and to provide more efficient access to a broad scholarly audience for years to come.

Over the summer, I will be working feverishly to devise new seasonal menus for the café. They will still feature quite a few of our current selections, but there will be some new items added that have not been seen at the Gardens before.

(Not to worry, our soups and chili will remain on the menu

and will always be homemade.)

We will continue to email out our daily specials for the week and begin featuring new fusions of flavors to pull people out

of their comfort zones and try something new and exciting.To receive these updates, please email us at [email protected].

I love to cook and have fun in the process, so also on my radar are the various special events we host throughout the year. From our Live at the Gardens concerts to Pinewood Estate dinners, I’m excited about revealing my inner personality and character through the food I prepare.

Next time you’re at the Gardens, please take a few minutes to stop by the café and say hello.

Historic Carillon Recordings to be Preservedby Joy Banks, Librarian

The Collins Carillonneur Studio was named in honor of Paul and Carol Collins for their

contributions to Tower restoration and the digitization of historic carillon recordings


Kids Photo ContestFor the fourth year, our summer Kids Photography Contest has returned! Bring your children to the Gardens to try their hand at photography and for a chance to be a weekly winner during this 13-week contest. The contest is open to children ages 16 and under.

Each Friday through August 29, a weekly winner will be selected and posted on the Bok Tower Gardens Facebook page. This fall, all weekly winners will be voted on during the “People’s Choice Award.” The winner with the most votes will be featured in our newsletter, receive an 8×10 canvas-wrapped print of their photograph, and get a $100 Bok Tower Gardens Gift Card.

For the first time, two Americans earned first and second place at the seventh International Queen Fabiola Carillon Competition in Mechelen, Belgium. Winner Joey Brink and runner-up Brian Tang both traveled to Lake Wales this spring to prepare for the world’s most prestigious competition under the guidance of Gardens’ Carillonneur Geert D’hollander.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Geert said. “It truly is an amazing accomplishment.”

Winner of the first Queen Fabiola Competition in 1987, Geert’s name was also on the program this summer. He was given the honor to introduce a compulsory composition for mobile carillon and strings.

While mobile carillons have been in existence for decades, Geert’s new composition further advanced the art form on a worldwide stage. Generally recognized as a classic tower instrument, this smaller variation makes it possible to enter concert

halls and play carillon music along with other instruments and ensembles.

This four-day competition is undoubtedly the most important in the carillon world. It is also a strong stimulant for the recognition of the art of the carillon as an artistic performance of the highest standard. The five most promising participants from a worldwide selection process competed in the final round for first place which included this year’s required performance of Geert’s new composition.

Former winners have used this competition to help build an international reputation,

including Geert D’hollander (1987), Boudewijn Zwart (1990), Gideon Bodden (1993), Tom Van Peer (1998), Twan Bearda (2003) and Kenneth Theunissen (2008).

Congratulations Brian, Geert and Joey!

D’hollander Students Take Top Honors at International Carillon Competitionby Brian Ososky, Director of Marketing

Recent Singing Tower guest carillonneur and 1998 Queen Fabiola Competition winner

Tom Van Peer performs on a mobile carillon


“The Lonely Tree” by Gideon McKennon won

last year’s People’s Choice Award during our annual

Kids Photography Contest

Boktoberfest —October 18Mark your calendar to join us for our sixth annual plant sale celebration on Saturday, October 18. One of central Florida’s favorite events, Boktoberfest features more than 40 plant vendors, live entertainment, German food, craft beers, children’s activities, live carillon music, and much more!

On Friday, October 17 from 5 to 7 p.m., members can meet the vendors and skip the crowds to get first pick of plants and other natural products before the event opens to the general public.

AnimongusJuly 16

Plant Parts We EatJuly 9

Buggin’ OutJuly 23

Young PicassosJuly 30

Photo AdventuresJuly 11

Feathered Friends & Winged Wonders

July 18

Bok-ful AdventuresJuly 25

Seedy SurprisesAugust 1

Discover Discovery Days!Garden Adventures for YouthLooking for something fun to help fill your child’s summer? Consider Discovery Days!

Children ages 6-12 will discover nature through engaging, hands-on activities as they venture out into the Gardens with new friends. Each Discovery Day celebrates a different aspect of nature through themed activities, projects and explorations that keep young minds actively learning and engaged throughout the summer. Each session includes at least one take-home project and a snack.

We understand that flexibility is important, so Discovery Days are designed as eight independent sessions. Choose the number of sessions or the specific topics that work best for you, your child, and your summer schedule.

Dates and topics for Discovery Days are listed here. Please visit the Gardens’ website for full descriptions, or call 863.734.1222 to register. Fees are $15 per child per session. Register one child for all sessions and get the eighth one free. We look forward to seeing them at the Gardens this summer, where we’ll have a naturally good time!

LAKE WALES, FL


Challenge 1Bok Tower Gardens’ 85th Anniversary Logo Design

1st Place: Marianna Hernandez

Candlelight Christian Academy

2nd Place: Jenna NessaCandlelight Christian Academy

Challenge 2Essay on Edward Bok’s Philosophy

1st Place: Jacob KingAll Saint’s Academy

2nd Place: Bayli FeistAll Saint’s Academy

Challenge 3Botanical Masks

1st Place: Will Garcia, Matthew Nolan

and William NolanAll Saint’s Academy

2nd Place: Jenna NessaCandlelight Christian Academy

Challenge 4Native Florida

Wildflower Illustration

1st Place: Katie MinerAll Saint’s Academy

2nd Place: Sebastian JimenezAll Saint’s Academy

Our annual Earth Day celebration was held on May 1, with a record-breaking crowd of over 1,300 students and 278 teachers and chaperones in attendance to learn about plants, gardening, nature and the environment. Thirty-four different environmental exhibits from our partner organizations featured a variety of demonstrations and hands-on activities, ranging from forest safety and worm composting to beekeeping and solar power.

Bok Tower Gardens provides a phenomenal experience for students who visit, but middle school groups in particular are seldom reached through field trips. The Fairchild Challenge has provided a way to connect with these and many more students, extending the Gardens’ reach well beyond its borders and into area classrooms.

This innovative program was created by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

in Miami and has expanded to satellite sites across the

country as well as Mexico, Colombia and Peru. The

program’s mission statement is profound: “The Fairchild Challenge fosters interest in the environment by encouraging students to appreciate the beauty and value of nature, develop critical thinking skills, understand the need for biodiversity and conservation, tap community resources, become actively engaged citizens, and recognize that individuals do indeed make a difference.” Through the Challenge, Bok Tower education staff develop

engaging interdisciplinary projects for students that bring nature, gardening and the environment to life while also addressing required content standards. This allows teachers to implement the projects knowing they support their curriculum.

Following each project, teachers submit top samples of student work for judging at Bok Tower Gardens. The work is awarded points by content experts. At the end of the year, high points-earning students and schools earn awards, recognition,

Rising to the Challenge

by Cynthia D. Klemmer, Ph.D.,Director of Education

Earth Day Funby Cynthia D. Klemmer, Ph.D., Director of Education


Challenge 5Duke Energy

Eco-Footprint Challenge

Group Participants: Chase Duhon, Rachelle Dumavin, Jenna Nessa, Kady

Thompson, Tyler Wildmon, and Nicholas Wiseman


Challenge 6Environmental Clean-up

Group Participants: Daniel Bell, Levi Bell, Michael Dietze, Chase Duhon, Evan

Fernandez, Matthew Johnson, Elijah Lewis, Jaime Ribera, Johnny Roberson,

Alejandro Rodeste, Austin Scalige, Emmanuel Shuler, Devares Simmons,

Joshua Thomas, Tyler Wildmon, Nicholas Wiseman


Highest Overall StudentGold Award: Jenna NessaCandlelight Christian Academy

Silver Award: Daniel BellCandlelight Christian Academy

Highest Overall SchoolGold Award:

Candlelight Christian AcademySilver Award: All Saint’s Academy

From the excited conversations and laughter heard throughout the Gardens during the event to the many positive comments received afterwards, it was apparent that students, teachers, parents and exhibitors alike enjoyed the experience.

Earth Day wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our sponsoring partners who believe in the importance of educational programming that celebrates the environment. We gratefully acknowledge TD Bank, Duke Energy, Publix Charities, and Florida’s Natural for their participation and support.

and funds for their environmental programs. The opportunity to accumulate points throughout the year encourages teachers to work together to implement as many projects as possible so that their school – and thus their students – can earn more points.

The result is a rich learning experience that keeps the environment in focus throughout the year.

For the 2013-14 school year, two schools participated – All Saint’s Academy in Winter Haven and Candlelight Christian Academy in Lake Wales. The projects and award winners are listed below. Congratulations to these students and teachers for their outstanding work!

The Fairchild Challenge at Bok Tower Gardens is available to schools free of charge, which is only possible through the generous support of our program sponsors. We are grateful to Duke Energy, TD Bank, Publix Charities,

and Florida’s Natural for helping make a difference in the lives of many students this past year.


by David Price, President

The long-term care and tending of a garden is a balance of referring back to the original design as well as looking forward to an intended goal. Gardens are living entities that are in a constant flux. When the garden reaches that perfect point where all looks to be in harmony, it’s not long before things start to drift off course. It takes the Wisdom of Solomon to resolve disputes between the inhabitants; unruly plants that may trample the meek, or plants that want to chart their own course against the design intent. Wisdom is needed to know what to keep and what to leave, and also when chance is better than design. In an informal naturalistic garden like ours, there is a desire to let nature find her balance, to let things get wild but not chaotic.

This summer, we begin rejuvenating the core of the historic garden around the reflection pond, and we will be looking back at the design intent of the sanctuary’s designer, Fredrick Law Olmsted, Jr.

Olmsted did not design the sanctuary by developing a detailed planting plan, but rather developed a detailed site plan as if it were a canvas that was then

planted in a painterly fashion. As plants were found in the wild or acquired from afar, they were added over an eight-year period. After a short while, some plants were transplanted or removed as the landscape evolved. Bok even complained about Olmsted digging up plants at the same time he was planting others. That evolution continues today as we evaluate the landscape and how best to achieve the original design intent.

We have a great deal of reference materials at our disposal – photographs, correspondence, reports, and detailed as-built planting plans produced by the Olmsted firm in 1930. This includes a 1956 report written by Olmsted’s lead collaborator, William Lyman Phillips, on the condition of the sanctuary after 25 years with advice for the future direction and care of the plantings. I like to think of our work today as a collaboration with Olmsted and Phillips. Their advice and vision is in black and white for us in their letters and instructions.

Olmsted was a generalist who orchestrated a team of specialists. Phillips wrote of Olmsted:

“He often worked with outside collaborators. He loved discussions and seemed to need them. He always

CARING FOR THE

GARDENSHistoric Past Yields Plansfor the Future

Awed by the tranquility of the area, Edward Bok created a place to touch the soul with its beauty and quiet , the perfect setting for a bird sanctuary.

1 0 | S u m m e r 2 0 1 4 | G a r d e n P a t h B o k T o w e r G a r d e n s

liked to have an assistant with him to talk to. The assistant was his stone to strike his steel. The reaction and ideas of others gave him something to which his powers of analysis and criticism could be applied, thus lending to reasoned conclusions. He wanted and expected others to say what they thought.”

Olmsted was inspired by nature. He and his team spent countless hours researching sites such as Highlands Hammock in Sebring, crisscrossing through thickets, forests, swamps, sandhills and creeks. He always searched for the highest point, usually a tree, and would hoist his slight 5’ 6” frame to the top to get a comprehensive view of the place while the rest of his crew watched.

Phillips wrote on Olmsted’s style and philosophy:

“His solutions were not merely something pulled out of a bag of tricks but grew out of the genius of the place, prepared for a man-earth entity where previously there had been only earth. He loved and respected nature, not scientifically as a botanist does, but for the appeal of nature to the senses.”

This keen observation of nature was Olmsted’s genius. Olmsted believed that

seeing plants growing in their native habit was valuable to understand the cultural needs and the best groupings and use of plant materials. He loved the twisted, irregular expressions of plants growing in nature. Between the many trees and shrubs planted in the sanctuary, he planted thousands of smaller herbaceous plants left to their own devices to creep and wander. This type of planting was in the nature of a Robinsonian garden where plants seek their happy place amongst the right mix of shade, sun, water and soil.

Great numbers of herbaceous wildflowers were transplanted from the wild into the sanctuary. The reflection pond was treated with special attention to hide any resemblance to an artificial pond through the planting of ferns, grasses, moss and water plants. None of these plants show up on the Olmsted as-built planting plans, as these were plants that were added to suit the eye and would in time creep to locations suited to their growth. Our documentation of these plants is in historic correspondence and photographs in our archives.

Olmsted and Phillips had wanted to build an extension of the reflection pond to make a bog and wetland garden with iris, ferns, mosses, orchids, lilies and other

forbs of the central Florida wetlands, but this was at the same time as tower construction and funds were needed there.

We are now acting on their idea and designing a wetland and bog garden near the wildlife pond, as well as planting native ecosystem gardens of oak hammock, wet prairie, and longleaf pine forest. We are collaborating with some of the top people in the industry to craft these gardens.

This summer, as we begin the rejuvenation of the historic core garden, we will remove certain undesirable plants, revealing and highlighting other plants long covered and overgrown. The new plantings will add diversity and interest along key paths and around the reflection pool. Certain paths will be paved for handicapped accessibility, and we are using a special paving that becomes browner with age to complement the green hues of the garden.

By referring back to the original design, we have developed a clear goal for the future and think Olmsted and Phillips would be pleased.

CARING FOR THE

GARDENSHistoric Past Yields Plansfor the Future Edward Bok (front left) and

Major Harry Nornabell (front right) pose with nine of our

first gardeners in the 1920’s


As you may have read in past issues, Bok Tower Gardens is collaborating with the University of Florida’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) on several new initiatives. These include an exciting school and community gardening program that will serve the central Florida region as a model for an eventual statewide initiative, as well as expanded research to be conducted by our conservation staff.

In addition, our new garden spaces will offer wonderful settings for on-site

education programs and demonstrations that will benefit guests for years to come. Cumulatively, these programs will help support improved awareness of the importance of plants to people as food sources, and to the environment as critical components of the ecosystem.

To accomplish this, additional staff and office space is needed. A new building will be constructed at the Gardens to provide offices for IFAS Regional Extension Agents and our education, conservation, and program support staff.

Having these offices together will foster a collaborative work environment and create

a hub for the IFAS and Bok Tower Gardens partnership.

This fall, look for a flurry of activity on your right when you exit the parking lot by the Olmsted House as the new building is constructed in the field behind it. These behind-the-scenes offices and staff will help ensure that our tremendous slate of educational programming continues to evolve. We look forward to this new facility and new IFAS colleagues, both of which will help increase our capacity to serve the Gardens’ mission.

As we begin our $12 million Master Plan expansion, a variety of work will be taking place throughout the Gardens, and the overall guest experience remains a top priority. Projects are being strategically phased to have the least amount of impact on visitors while maintaining an efficient construction schedule. The Gardens will remain open every day throughout this 18-month-long process.

Beginning this month, we are paving the mulched paths around the Tower’s reflection pool, one side at a time. While one path is closed, visitors will be directed to use the other, and vice versa. Temporary paths connecting old to new will then be installed. This section of paving should be completed before attendance begins ramping up in October. All new paved pathways will be ADA-compliant to allow easier access for visitors.

Garden Enhancements Underway: What, When & Where?

by Christopher Lutton, Director of Facilities & Operations

New Offices for New ProgramsBy Cynthia D. Klemmer, Ph.D., Director of Education


In the fall, construction of the Gardens’ new entry sequence behind the Visitor Center begins, including the upper portion of the new, large oval walkway. With concrete walls, colorful plant displays and restful seating areas, the result will be a grand and welcoming experience. A temporary path circumnavigating this construction area will go through the Blue Palmetto Café terrace.

At the same time, we will start a complete restoration of the wildlife pond, which involves draining, cleaning, installing a new liner, and replanting. For safety reasons, Window by the Pond will be closed while most of this work is taking place, but guests may be given special opportunities to witness some of the pond’s reconstruction activities.

On October 24, we will break ground on our new children’s garden and outdoor kitchen area north of the Visitor Center. These exciting projects will add a new dimension to the Gardens and help sustain our mission into the future. Then next summer, scaffolding will cover parts of the Tower’s massive tile grille panels so that rust removal and other restorative work can be addressed. These are the last major projects to be completed during phase one of our Master Plan.

I have been told many times, “Garden design is easy, it’s just an assemblage of plants.” The statement is partially correct in that it is an assemblage of plants, but by no means is it easy.

When designing or re-designing a garden, many different components regarding plant selection should be taken into consideration. One of the main components is aesthetics. Of course, everyone wants a garden that

looks beautiful, but what about plant functionality, attraction to wildlife, speed of growth, resiliency, and availability? Oh yes, availability. Plants having desirable traits that are not mass produced in the nursery industry require some industrious sleuthing and pre-planning to ensure that the plant selection, size and numbers required for a garden design are available.

Currently, the Bok Tower Gardens nursery is propagating many

hard-to-find plants with the desired

characteristics for specific locations within our new

designs. This procedure begins by purchasing all of

the nursery stock a grower has and then growing the needed amount from seeds or cuttings, requiring hard work and a lot of patience.

Yes, Bok Tower Gardens is ultimately an assemblage of plants, but our design selection and plant rearing process requires many hours of expertise, thought and care to ensure a stunning design enjoyed by visitors for years to come.

Behind-the-Scenes Preparations for New Garden Plantingsby Greg Kramer, Director of Horticulture

Holding area for the native shrub, Florida Privet , used by pollinators when flowering and by birds for nesting and food.

Plant tables in the nursery full of native perennials including

Yellowtops and Pineland Heliotropes, both attractive to

pollinators and showy for visitors.


For information about volunteering, please visit our website at boktowergardens.org, or contact Rachel Henderson at [email protected] or 863.734.1211.

Based on the national volunteer time-value rate, this equals about $1 million annually.

They can be found everywhere, from the Joan Wellhouse Newton Greenhouse to Pinewood Estate, and from the information desk to the administrative offices. They’re at large special events like Boktoberfest and the Holiday Home Tour, and at smaller events like Moonlight Carillon Concerts and Dog Days.

In appreciation, the Gardens honored its volunteers on April 2 with an

awards dinner at the Lake Wales Country Club. Micah Edwards, resident of Lake Wales and friend of the Gardens, performed a beautiful piano recital during dinner. The awards ceremony followed, and special awards were presented to volunteers reaching specific service benchmarks.

It is a privilege to celebrate such a generous group of people who love the Gardens and who live Edward Bok’s vision every day. Bok Tower Gardens will forever be thankful to each and every volunteer who helps make the world a bit better.

Bok Tower Gardens Honors Volunteersby Rachel Henderson, Visitor Services & Volunteer Manager

12,000 Hours

Duane Hull3,000 Hours

Ed Douglass Joyce Duncklee Marvin Karickhoff Gwen Seliga

10,000 Hours

Gwen Odle Ted Odle

6,000 Hours

Dorothy Burger Irene Wolf

5,000 Hours

Gayle Barnum Pat Jones Jim Kellermann Rose Kellermann

4,000 Hours

Sarah Lingwall Anne Stuart

2,000 Hours

George Blackstone Dale Gruhn Mitch Sheets

1,000 Hours

Beverly Brady Jeanne Evans William Evans Don Gill Bill Gregory Jane Henderson Shirley Hertzog Anne Kynast Celia Siemsen

Special Awards:

Gwen Seliga 2,000 Hours in First 2 Years of ServiceDuane and Edwina Hull Longest Tenure

Bok Tower Gardens’ volunteers are worth a million! Last year, nearly 400 dedicated individuals contributed more than 48,000 hours of time and hard work to the Gardens

– the equivalent of 20 full-time paid positions.

Now in its 13th season, our ever-popular indoor summer music series kicked off June 28 with the Latin-inspired jazz sounds of Leo Lopez on acoustic guitar.

There’s still time to enjoy three more fun, eclectic performances this summer.

Individual concert tickets are $20 ($18 members) while they last, and pre-concert dinners are $20 per person.

tickets and more info at

boktowergardens.orgBig Chill Band, music from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s (July 19)

Victoria de Lissovoy Jazz Quintet, ballads, blues & Broadway (August 23)

Ashley Liberty & Daniel Strange, violin and piano duo (September 13)

1 4 | S u m m e r 2 0 1 4 | G a r d e n P a t h B o k T o w e r G a r d e n sA handful of award winners at

our 2014 Volunteer Banquet

JULY1 Finding the Fountain of Youth Exhibit June 16 - Oct 29 Discovery Days: Plant Parts We Eat11 Discovery Days: Photo Adventures16 Discovery Days: Animongus18 Discovery Days: Feathered Friends & Winged Wonders19 Live at the Gardens! Big Chill Band23 Discovery Days: Buggin’ Out25 Discovery Days: Bok-ful Adventures30 Discovery Days: Young Picassos

Calendar of Events

AUGUST1 Finding the Fountain of Youth Exhibit June 16 - Oct 21 First Friday Nature Walk1 Discovery Days: Seedy Surprises23 Live at the Gardens! Victoria de Lissovoy Jazz Quintet

SEPTEMBER1 Finding the Fountain of Youth Exhibit June 16 - Oct 21 Shoptember Spree: Members Only5 First Friday Nature Walk6 Dog Day of Summer13 Live at the Gardens! Ashley Liberty & Daniel Strange14 Anton Brees’ Birthday Carillon Concerts20 Florida Wildflower Day27 National Public Lands Day27 Smithsonian Museum Day

BOKTOBERFEST OCTOBER 18

or sign up at www. boktowergardens.org

Scan this QR code to sign up for our eNewsletter to stay up-to-date on upcoming events throughout the year at the Gardens

Saturday, September 6In one of our most anticipated summer events, Bok Tower Gardens once again becomes dog-friendly for a good cause! Leashed and friendly dogs are invited to visit the Gardens* for a $5 admission fee to help support the Humane Society of Polk County, which will receive 50% of the event proceeds.

Tips on dog health, safety, grooming and adoption information will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., as well as some special friends who need a good home. Ask a Vet and Ask a Trainer experts will be on hand to answer questions, micro-chipping will be available, and doggie boutique items will be for sale. Water bowls will be located throughout the Gardens, and dog admission includes a doggie gift bag.

Regular human admission rates apply.sponsored by

*Canines not permitted inside the Tower & Garden Gift Shop, Blue Palmetto Café, or Pinewood Estate.

LAKE WALES, FL


Some plant species grow in a variety of different locations. As long as conditions aren’t too extreme, they can find a way to survive, even flourish. They can spring up along roadsides and greatly disturbed areas, providing showy flowers for us humans who created these unnatural environments. On the other hand, there are plant species that are not so flexible. Having evolved for a particular habitat, they are not able to adapt to life outside of it.

It’s not well understood what factors influence this adaptability (or lack thereof), and it’s a greater mystery when two similar species show very different habitat requirements. One example

is Skyblue Lupine (Lupinus diffusus), which can be found throughout central

Florida in various habitats and soil types,

and Scrub Lupine (Lupinus aridorum), which

is restricted to scrub habitat with St. Lucie soil in just two

central Florida counties.

It is widely accepted that one of the most common causes of loss of plant populations is loss of habitat, and estimates suggest that more than 85% of Florida’s scrub habitat has been lost. The critically endangered Scrub Lupine is on the brink of extinction due to loss of its narrow habitat requirements, while Skyblue Lupine is still a common sight, although the two are genetically very similar.

The Rare Plant Conservation Program has recently initiated three multi-year projects with several collaborators to investigate factors that might be driving the rarity of Scrub Lupine while sparing its Skyblue cousin. Since both species experience the same above-ground conditions, such as temperature, daylight, pollinators and potential predators, we instead looked underground.

Lupines, as members of the legume family, form symbiotic relationships with microbes in the soil within root nodules to help the plant obtain nitrogen. One collaborative project with the University of Florida and Dr. Christin Pruett at Florida

Investigating the Roots of Endangermentby Cheryl L. Peterson, Conservation Manager

“Science is the foundation for preserving biodiversity to benefit all life on Earth.”

Jerry Schubel

Former Dean and Director, Marine Sciences Research Center, SUNY at Stony Brook University

The hibiscus plant is world renowned for its beauty and is commonly associated with lush landscapes. There are two uncommon hibiscus species currently in bloom at the Gardens that blend in very nicely with our landscape.

The first is a species from Cuba. Strange as it may seem, however, the Cuban Rose Mallow (Hibiscus cubensis) is also native to southeast Texas, primarily found growing in marshy environments.

The grayish-green leaves have velvety hairs and the long stems have small spines. This deciduous species dies back in winter, and then re-sprouts to produce attractive blooms throughout spring and summer. Is the flower color pink or purple? You decide!

Bok in Bloomby Greg Kramer, Director of Horticulture

Interesting Fact!All hibiscus flowers, regardless of species, only open for one day. Yet because the genus generally produces many flowers, the plants appear to bloom continually throughout warmer months.

Root radicle growth from a scrub lupine seed during a germination experiment


Institute of Technology involves identifying bacteria present in the root nodules of each lupine species using molecular biology techniques. Early results show common soil bacteria in the skyblue lupine nodules, but different bacterial species in nodules of scrub lupine.

Another project, in collaboration with University of Florida soil scientist Dr. Abid Al Agely, examines the influences of soil fungi, called mycorrhizae, which are known to enhance a plant’s uptake of nutrients, strengthen its resistance to disease, and increase its survival in times of drought. Currently, inoculums of lupine soil microbes are being prepared for use in seedling growth trials.

A third project has just begun with chemical ecologist Dr. Andrew Palmer of Florida Institute of Technology. Dr. Palmer is looking into the chemical signaling that may be taking place between plant roots and microbes in the soil. In February of this year, he began the first analysis of the exudates produced by roots of Scrub Lupine seedlings.

We expect that the combined results of these projects will greatly add to an understanding of the soil dynamics of scrub lupine to help in future conservation efforts, such as selecting appropriate locations for population introductions, and may help shed light on why some species are more at risk for extinction.

The second species of hibiscus originates from the Pacific region, namely Japan. The Yellow Tree Hibiscus (Hibiscus hamabo) flaunts its most exquisite yellow flowers throughout the summer. This large shrub has wide, rounded, deciduous leaves and has proven to be hardy and free flowering in our warm, central Florida climate.

The efforts of Rare Plant Conservation Program are primarily funded by grant awards and private donations. Below is a list of supplies we are currently seeking to study and preserve Florida’s rare plant species.

Giant Victoria Lilies Return for SummerEarlier this summer, Garden Supervisor Joe Hanus planted two Victoria amazonica water lilies in the reflection pond that were grown from seed. The species has huge leaves that unravel from a spiny ball at very rapid rate, eventually expanding to at least six or seven feet in diameter. These amazing lilies will be on display at the Gardens through early November, dying when temperatures begin to cool.

Item DesiredDino-Eye Digital Microscope Camera Dual Purge pressure regulation system Blue light transilluminator Microsatellite development for Bellflower genetics Crew Cab 4wd pickup (used)

Req’d Funds$ 280

$ 1,900 $ 1,400 $ 7,000

$ 25,000

Special thanks to the following donors of native Florida plants and the property owners who allowed the Gardens to survey for and collect native plants this year.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Florida Forest Service

Hillsborough County

St. Lucie County

Thank You

Wish List


Victoria amazonica after only three weeks in the reflection pond

Michael Aloian, Chair President, Charlotte State Bank Trust Department

Tampa, FL

Cindy Alexander, Vice Chair Community Volunteer,

Lake Wales, FL

Frank M. Hunt II, Secretary Chairman of the Board, Hunt Bros. Cooperative

Lake Wales, FL

Tomas J. Bok, Ph.D. President - Cambridge Analytics LLC - Somerville, MA

J. F. Bryan IV The Bryan Group - Jacksonville, FL

William G. Burns Retired - Lake Wales, FL

Paul Collins Retired - PJC Partners - London

Frank Driscoll President/CEO - Driscoll Group - Winston-Salem, NC

Derek Dunn-Rankin President - Sun Coast Media Group, Inc.

Charlotte Harbor, FL

Chip Elfner President - Mountain Lake Corporation

Lake Wales, FL

Robin Gibson Senior Partner - Gibson Law Firm - Lake Wales, FL

L. Evans Hubbard Chairman of the Board - A. Friends’ Foundation Trust

Orlando, FL

Heather Jordan-Holmes CEO/President - The Omnia Group, Inc. - Tampa, FL

Richard D. Wood, Jr. Retired - Wawa, Inc. - Wawa, PA

Louise B. Adams Lake Wales, FL

J. Shepard Bryan Jr. Attorney - Holland & Knight LLP - Atlantic Beach, FL

Nancy J. Davis President & CEO - McArthur Management Company

Miami, FL

John Germany Attorney - Holland & Knight LLP - Tampa, FL

Robert Graham Senator - U. S. Senate - Miami, FL

M. Lewis Hall Jr. Partner/Attorney - Hall & Hedrick - Coral Gables, FL

Joan Wellhouse Newton Chairman Emeritus - Regency Centers Corporation

Jacksonville, FL

Board Members

Emeritus Members

2014

Board of Directors Thomas Re-certified as Fundraising Executive

Joan Thomas, Bok Tower Gardens’ Director of Development, earned her re-certification in April from Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) International. This credential demonstrates an individual’s mastery of professional practice, education, performance and service. CFRE’s agree to adhere to the Donor Bill of

Rights and the CFRE Accountability Standards, designed to promote integrity and ethical behavior of fundraising executives.

Candidates must undergo a comprehensive written application and exam demonstrating a minimum of five years of field achievement to obtain the credential, and re-qualification is required every three years.

Ms. Thomas began her fundraising career in 1990 shortly after receiving her Masters in Arts Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was awarded her CFRE in 2002 and has continuously maintained this credential through presenting, fundraising leadership and performance, continuing education, and volunteer service.

AN

NIV

ERSARY YEAR

1929 - 2014National Historic Landmark

1151 Tower Boulevard Lake Wales, FL 33853

Main 863.676.1408 Tickets 863.734.1222 Members 863.734.1233

BokTowerGardens.org

1929 2014


Duke Energy, formerly Progress Energy, has been a longtime supporter of Bok Tower Gardens. Through the local office and the Duke Energy Foundation, they have supported such events as Christmas at Bok Tower Gardens, Boktoberfest, Earth Day and The Fairchild Challenge. Duke Energy’s mission is “to provide clean, reliable and affordable energy to our customers – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Duke Energy’s sponsorship of our Fairchild Challenge 2014 enabled local students to participate in activities like drama,

dance, music and photography at no charge. The Fairchild Challenge activities empower students to engage in civic life and motivate them to think critically about environmental issues.

Special thanks to Jerry Miller, Community Relations Manager, and the Duke Energy staff for all their support of the Gardens and for making The Fairchild Challenge a success in 2014!

Gardens’ Staff Receives Award for 85th Anniversary ExhibitOn May 22 in Fort Lauderdale, Bok Tower Gardens Librarian Joy Banks (right), Pinewood Estate Coordinator Elyse Justice (left), and former Marketing Manager Martin Corbin (center) were presented with the Florida Historical Society’s David C. Brotemarkle Award for their historical exhibit celebrating the first 85 years of Bok Tower Gardens’ history.

On display in the Visitor Center from November to February for the beginning of the Gardens’ anniversary season, the exhibit was officially entitled A Look Back: An Exhibit Celebrating the 85th Anniversary of Bok Tower Gardens.

Named in honor of the late David C. Brotemarkle, teacher at several Florida colleges and universities, patron of and participant in the arts, and supporter of the Florida Historical Society, this award recognizes creative expressions of Florida history other than books. This includes, but is not limited to original songs, theatrical presentations, paintings, photographs and exhibits created and made available to the public during the calendar year preceding the award.

Partner Profile :


“Make You The World” SuncatcherThis beautiful AMIA glass oval (measuring 5” by 7”) depicts Edward Bok’s famous quote that will forever be part of the Gardens’ continuing mission.

Flourished with birds and flowers, this lovely suncatcher is the perfect addition to any window.

Available now in the Tower & Garden Gift Shop and online at shop.boktowergardens.org.

Non-ProfitU.S. Postage

PAIDLakeland, FLPermit No. 1

Connor Christian & Southern Gothic took the stage for our annual Concert Under the Stars on April 26

Former U.S. Senator Bob Graham and Tomas J. Bok pose with original 1929 Dedication Day attendees Alyene Hays, Carl G. Planck and Horace F. Herndon

during our 85th Anniversary celebration on February 1

Plants were recently removed around the reflection pond to recapture historic

sightlines of Samuel Yellin’s Great Brass Door

National Historic Landmark 1151 Tower Boulevard Lake Wales, FL 33853

1929 2014

the garden path

Documents

future campaign

new garden spaces

serene garden

garden restoration

kitchen garden

r d e n p

t o w e r g

new plantings