by Connie Oswald Stofko
Check out the new website for the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. It’s easier to find what you’re looking for—and you may find things you hadn’t even heard about before.
For instance, did you know that the Botanical Gardens has a Farm Garden that provides more than 13,000 servings annually of fresh produce to Gerard Place in East Buffalo? (Here’s some recent news about the Farm Garden: It was awarded financial support from the U.S. Botanic Garden / American Public Gardens Association Urban Agriculture Resilience Program.)
And are you aware of the outdoor Discovery Garden for children and the Native Garden?
The new website also makes it easier for you to see all of the events going on, and you can zoom down to the category you’re most interested in.
The website makeover is part of a rebranding for the Botanical Gardens.
The new, colorful logo is inspired by artist Henri Matisse, who was active during the late 19th and early 20th century— the same period when the Botanical Gardens and its historic conservatory first took root. The logo depicts bright flowers painted with bold brushstrokes, embodying the joy visitors feel when visiting the grounds and conservatory.
“With a blossoming future, we wanted the brand to reflect the magic that we create.” said Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens President and CEO Mark Mortenson.
There’s more to come!
You may remember from a December article that there are plans for Greenhouse 12 to become the home for a new collection of fascinating edible plants. The article anticipated a spring opening for the collection, but the original schedule has been altered because there are many more exhibit enhancements and changes in the works, according to Joe Mannion, director of Horticulture & Operations at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. There will be a more solidified timeline this summer or early fall.
Ongoing enhancements inside the conservatory include:
- New seasonal pollinator exhibit
- Family play space
- New desert, orchid and aquatic garden exhibits
The expansion project includes a new building that will have a relocated and large accessible visitor entrance, state‐of‐the‐art educational classrooms, modern event spaces, an expanded gift shop and other visitor amenities. More about this exciting project will be shared with this fall.
This summer, visitors will notice brand-new interpretive signage throughout the conservatory, designed to guide them through the collections.
