Springfield's Developing Arboretum at Close Memorial Park

Written by George Freeman

History of the Close Gardens:

Introduction and mission

Friends of the Garden was created to “establish and facilitate a Botanical Center, gardens, and arboretum at Close Memorial Park and Lake Drummond to inspire the discovery, understanding, and appreciation of nature." With that in mind, we are passionately committed to educating our membership and the community in various ways through our own means and through the media to encourage the wise use of trees, shrubs and flowers, to improve the environment and quality of life. We view the gardens as a “library of plants” for all to enjoy and use as an educational resource.

In 1998, the C.M. Close family of Springfield donated some 60 acres adjacent to Nathaneal Greene Park to the Springfield Greene County Park Board. A lake was created by dredging and damming South Creek and gardens were begun. There are now 21 gardens in the combined parks, with 20 more planned. The newest of these is the Redbud Garden, which will feature 27 varieties of Redbud trees native to Missouri and the Midwest.

Friends of the Garden is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 corporation founded in 2000 to continue the development of Close Memorial Park. The vision has always been to create a botanical garden and arboretum to serve the Springfield area as well as Southwest Missouri. Currently there are more than 100 species and cultivars of native and non-native trees in the park.

To further the educational mission of FOG and the arboretum, we have begun an extensive treelabeling program that identifies each tree, its characteristics and uses. This past summer, Friends of the Garden established The Butterfly House to demonstrate more than 20 varieties of butterflies in various stages. Host trees and plants in the immediate vicinity of the framed net structure identified their relationship to native species of butterflies and moths. Using private funds and donations, the Butterfly House was open from May to September. More than 12,000 visitors visited the house and surrounding arboretum. More than 4,500 participated in the First Annual Friends of the Garden Butterfly Festival.

A 12,700 square-foot Botanical Center is now under construction, scheduled to open in Fall 2010. It will include classrooms, a wet lab and horticultural library as well as offices for Missouri Extension Service, parks employees and Friends of the Garden.

The LEED-certified center will be situated at the top of a hill overlooking Lake Drummond. An expanse of lawn and native tree plantings will encompass the vista. This expanse of trees will become the focal point for visitors to the Botanical Center. Although a number of these trees were damaged by consecutive ice storms in the past several years and require pruning, removal or replacement, will always be prominent in the landscape design. As an arboretum, tree inventory, maintenance and care are intrinsic to the mission of the park and have been largely undertaken by volunteers led by Master Naturalists and others with the scientific knowledge to nurture the trees.

Tree care

Using primarily volunteers from Friends of the Garden, Master Naturalists and utilizing the scientific resources of Missouri State University in Springfield, all pruning of trees throughout the parks is supervised by Ben Kellner, Park Superintendent and a certified arborist.

A top priority is the replacement trees by professionals furnished and planted by professional arborists. Mulching and other routine care is performed by FOG volunteers.

Identification

Throughout the arboretum and the entire park, signage is a top priority. Garden Chairman Bob Childress and Board Member Mike Ward have paintakingly created and installed signs marking and identifying trees, walking routes and the locations of park facilities. Because of recurring vandalism, six-inch posts and heavy-duty wood and metal signs have replaced the original identifications. To deter vandalism, a $1,000 reward fund was established cooperatively with Master Gardeners.

Tree labeling is an integral educational aspect of the arboretum. Currently, students from OTC, MSU, Springfield Public Schools, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H and other youth organizations use the arboretum for tree identification projects. The extensive labeling of various cultivars is invaluable to citizens evaluating tree varieties for home use.

With completion of the Botanical Center in the summer of 2010, the appearance of the vista will promote the aesthetics of the landscape.

Conclusion

Although the Close Gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park is a Greene County facility, it is also an increasingly popular resource to the entire Ozarks and beyond. Our membership extends far beyond Springfield. Visitors to The Butterfly House came from around the world.

The number of visitors is increasing exponentially as news of its existence spreads to surrounding states. The Fourth Annual FOG Bluegrass and Blossoms Festival is performed in a grove of black walnut trees, offering free music, entertainment and educational opportunities to the community. Other events and festivals in 2009 included the two-day Master Gardeners Young Sprouts; the Missouri Landscape and Nursery Association state conference; the Japanese Fall Festival in the Japanese Stroll Gardens hosted by Sister Cities in cooperation with Isisaki, Japan; and Gray-Campbell Lifestyle Exposition, when pioneer culture and activites such as wood-carving, blacksmithing, indoor and outdoor cooking, dancing and story-telling.

Gardening and landscaping have been documented as a huge piece of the local economy. In 2003, a national publication reported that Springfield ranked third nationally with Portland, Ore., and Spokane, Wash. in per capita spending on lawn and garden products. A farmers market continues to expand from its original location at the Battlefield Mall. The importance of growing and consuming local produce and products continues to gain popularity, including numerous wood products and sculpture. The Amish and Mennonite communities around Springfield have added a dimension to Ozarks Culture. For a decade, Rotary Clubs of Springfield have raised more than $500,000 for children’s charities through the Rock’n Ribs Barbecue Festival.

The City of Springfield’s Neighborwoods program is educating residents and business owners on the the use of appropriate trees to replenish and nurture the depleted urban forest of Springfield as our growth and development continues in during the current economic downturn. As a result of consecutive ice storms in 2007 and 2008, the importance of selecting appropriate cultivars has come full circle.

Completion of The Botanical Center and ongoing expansion of the Close Memorial Gardens through the cooperation of more than a dozen gardening organizations is increasing the variety of educational events for every citizen and ultimately a legacy of gardens for future generations.

There can be no doubt that the synergy created by Friends of the Garden, in full enthusiastic cooperation with other organizations, is increasing the importance and enjoyment that gardens and trees provide to our community.