George L. Luthy Memorial Botanical Garden
Encyclopedia
The autumn of 2011 will mark the 60th anniversary of Luthy Botanical Garden, a Peoria landmark known for magnificent flower shows, botanical displays, events and horticultural education. The current facility opened on November 21, 1951 with the Chrysanthemum Show, originally a popular show at the ornate Palm House, the first structure built in Glen Oak Park in 1896.
Bob Streitmatter, who has been manager of Luthy Botanical Garden since 2005, has a definite vision for the Garden and what it should mean to the community. “Here at Luthy Botanical Garden, like most Gardens, our mission is to provide a garden showcase and resource center, highlighting vital connections between people, plants and nature. That mission is even more crucial in today’s world as people become increasingly isolated from nature,” he says. Following is a view of the Garden in its 60th year.
For the annual Lily Show, two types of lilies are grown from bulbs at the Garden, mostly the traditional pristine white, but as many as 12 types and colors of Mums are grown for the Chrysanthemum Show. In addition, 10 types of Mums are grown for the outside Garden and Peoria Park District facilities. For the Poinsettia Show and holiday Candlelight Walks, the Garden grows 10 to 12 types of Poinsettias, with colors ranging from red, pink, orange, salmon, variegated, white and more. To assure that all these plants are at the peak of blooming at the time of the flower shows, careful light regulation is planned weeks in advance by the horticulturist responsible for that particular crop. When the tropical plants in the Conservatory are combined with hundreds of elegant white lilies, mums in vibrant fall hues, or the combination of colorful poinsettias and uniquely decorated trees, it is always a sight to behold. Each show has its own magical quality.
In addition to flower shows, the Garden has several seasonal and holiday events that have become long-time traditions in the area. The Spring and June Plant Sales always draw a big crowd looking for plants they may not find elsewhere. Some special events meld art and music with the Garden setting or inside the Conservatory. These include Wine & Roses (celebrating Valentine’s Day), Rhapsody in Bloom Arts Festival (the last weekend in June), Rhythm in the Rainforest (August) and Jinglin’ Jazz (early December). Some are family events and others are age 21 and over.
Garden memberships are available on several levels and come with many benefits including a subscription to the quarterly newsletter, discounts on classes and Garden Shop purchases, reduced admission to Garden events and more.
As an expert source of information on all things horticultural, the Garden offers a variety of classes, walks and tours every season. The popular Landscape Design Series, five to six classes on garden and landscape design for the home gardener, fills up early every February. For students, the Garden offers a great lineup of environmental education programming that significantly contributes to an understanding and appreciation of plants and the outdoors. Programs are matched with the Illinois State Goals for science to facilitate learning and enhance science curriculums. Programs are geared for grades preschool through 12.
In April 2011, Luthy Botanical Garden was awarded a $10,000 grant by the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPR’s) Grow Your Park program to support the Garden’s new community garden program. The program was developed through partnership with Proctor Center, Gifts in the Moment educators, dietetic interns from OSF Healthcare and Bradley University, plus the Luthy Botanical Garden staff. The NRPR Grow Your Park program supports park and recreation agencies in creating and expanding community garden operations and activities, with a goal of increasing participation among children and teens. These public growing spaces teach children about food origin, proper nutrition, teamwork and hands-on skills, while providing intergenerational connections. Manager Bob Streitmatter says the grant was used to “enhance two garden locations with soil amendments, garden tools, compost bins and improved water access. Using resources from Project Learning Tree, a nature-based curriculum from the American Forest Foundation, as a starting point, we will bring the partners together to further develop the curriculum and schedule garden classes/activities, field trips and cooking nutrition classes.”
As one of Peoria’s oldest landmarks, Luthy Botanical Garden has always been a source of enjoyment, inspiration and education, as it still is today, but it is also continually evolving to reflect community needs in the 21st century.
Changing with the times
When it opened in 1951, the Garden was called the Glen Oak Conservatory. Original plans had an estimated cost of $90,000 and included a domed roof, but when costs skyrocketed to $130,000, the dome had to be removed from the design. In 1971, the Garden was renamed the Glen Oak Botanical Garden after qualifying for membership in the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta (currently the American Public Garden Association or APGA). In February 1987, the name was changed to Luthy Botanical Garden to honor George Luthy, a soft-spoken bank president who had served on the Park Board for 30 years. Luthy had been well known for his roses (300 in his personal garden) and loved to share them with people, especially his wife, who he regularly presented with roses cut from his garden in early morning. It seems especially fitting, therefore, that the facility named in Luthy’s honor is known for its recently redesigned Rose Garden and events lawn, a popular setting for cultural events, weddings and various social occasions.Bob Streitmatter, who has been manager of Luthy Botanical Garden since 2005, has a definite vision for the Garden and what it should mean to the community. “Here at Luthy Botanical Garden, like most Gardens, our mission is to provide a garden showcase and resource center, highlighting vital connections between people, plants and nature. That mission is even more crucial in today’s world as people become increasingly isolated from nature,” he says. Following is a view of the Garden in its 60th year.
Grounds and gardens
Today’s Garden consists of the Conservatory, a gift shop carrying plants and unique merchandise, two production houses, and several theme gardens and borders over five acres. These include the Rose Garden, Children’s Garden, Fall Border, Crabapple Cove, Spring Border, Herb Garden, Woodland Garden, Wildlife Garden, Cottage Garden, Wilson Garden, Prairie Border, Hosta Glade, Viburna Collection and All Seasons Garden.Flower shows
The Garden holds three major flower shows each year—highlighting the Lily, Chrysanthemum and Poinsettia—with two ancillary shows, the Garish Garden Show in February and the Orchid Show on Mother’s Day.For the annual Lily Show, two types of lilies are grown from bulbs at the Garden, mostly the traditional pristine white, but as many as 12 types and colors of Mums are grown for the Chrysanthemum Show. In addition, 10 types of Mums are grown for the outside Garden and Peoria Park District facilities. For the Poinsettia Show and holiday Candlelight Walks, the Garden grows 10 to 12 types of Poinsettias, with colors ranging from red, pink, orange, salmon, variegated, white and more. To assure that all these plants are at the peak of blooming at the time of the flower shows, careful light regulation is planned weeks in advance by the horticulturist responsible for that particular crop. When the tropical plants in the Conservatory are combined with hundreds of elegant white lilies, mums in vibrant fall hues, or the combination of colorful poinsettias and uniquely decorated trees, it is always a sight to behold. Each show has its own magical quality.
How the garden grows
Events, memberships and educational programming all bring community awareness to the Garden and help it flourish and grow. Out of approximately 90 rental events a year, most are weddings. Couples can choose from several picturesque outdoor areas or an inside option, the beautiful Conservatory. The Peoria Zoo’s Africa Exhibit opened directly across from Luthy Botanical Garden in 2009. After a Garden wedding, the Zoo’s Zambezi Lodge offers a unique and convenient option for a reception.In addition to flower shows, the Garden has several seasonal and holiday events that have become long-time traditions in the area. The Spring and June Plant Sales always draw a big crowd looking for plants they may not find elsewhere. Some special events meld art and music with the Garden setting or inside the Conservatory. These include Wine & Roses (celebrating Valentine’s Day), Rhapsody in Bloom Arts Festival (the last weekend in June), Rhythm in the Rainforest (August) and Jinglin’ Jazz (early December). Some are family events and others are age 21 and over.
Garden memberships are available on several levels and come with many benefits including a subscription to the quarterly newsletter, discounts on classes and Garden Shop purchases, reduced admission to Garden events and more.
As an expert source of information on all things horticultural, the Garden offers a variety of classes, walks and tours every season. The popular Landscape Design Series, five to six classes on garden and landscape design for the home gardener, fills up early every February. For students, the Garden offers a great lineup of environmental education programming that significantly contributes to an understanding and appreciation of plants and the outdoors. Programs are matched with the Illinois State Goals for science to facilitate learning and enhance science curriculums. Programs are geared for grades preschool through 12.
In April 2011, Luthy Botanical Garden was awarded a $10,000 grant by the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPR’s) Grow Your Park program to support the Garden’s new community garden program. The program was developed through partnership with Proctor Center, Gifts in the Moment educators, dietetic interns from OSF Healthcare and Bradley University, plus the Luthy Botanical Garden staff. The NRPR Grow Your Park program supports park and recreation agencies in creating and expanding community garden operations and activities, with a goal of increasing participation among children and teens. These public growing spaces teach children about food origin, proper nutrition, teamwork and hands-on skills, while providing intergenerational connections. Manager Bob Streitmatter says the grant was used to “enhance two garden locations with soil amendments, garden tools, compost bins and improved water access. Using resources from Project Learning Tree, a nature-based curriculum from the American Forest Foundation, as a starting point, we will bring the partners together to further develop the curriculum and schedule garden classes/activities, field trips and cooking nutrition classes.”
As one of Peoria’s oldest landmarks, Luthy Botanical Garden has always been a source of enjoyment, inspiration and education, as it still is today, but it is also continually evolving to reflect community needs in the 21st century.