Horticulturist Jackie Raehl at work in the Gardens.

HORTICULTURE

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Horticulture (hor-te-kul-chur) n: The science and art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, fl owers and plants.

This defi nition from Merriam-Webster’s dictionary hardly does justice to the fi eld and practice of horticulture. Its execution in botanic gardens is much more complicated, encompassing other scientifi c disciplines of entomology, plant pathology, soil chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, agronomy, tax- onomy, hydrology, botany, landscape architecture, ecology, etc. A more apt defi nition of horticulture that conveys the gist of plant/people relationships is one by Relf (1992): the art and science of growing fl owers, fruits, vegetables, trees and shrubs resulting in the development of the minds and emotions of individuals, the enrichment and health of communities and the integration of the garden in the breadth of modern civilization. This defi nition conveys the transformative force of horticulture in the lives of individuals and communities, in addition to its purpose of cultivating plants for food.

At the Gardens, horticulture plays center stage to all other activities, bringing plants to the forefront through artful displays while maintaining a scientifi cally balanced museum collection. The artistic presentation of plants is essential in creating a transformational experience for our visitors.

4 www.botanicgardens.org