Newsletter - Houston Botanic Garden

June 2023

The Garden’s Future is Bright

When I started in an interim leadership role with the Houston Botanic Garden in 2016, someone asked me if I was an environmentalist. I hadn’t really thought of myself that way before. I was a nonprofit generalist specializing in helping passionate, mission-driven individuals and organizations maximize their impact.

I am honored to have been a part of creating a major cultural institution for our city. One that will participate in making a difference in perhaps the most important issue facing humanity. I have worked alongside a diverse group of individuals – board members, landscape designers, generous philanthropists, and talented team members – who each played a special role in this monumental accomplishment.

Together, we have launched the Houston Botanic Garden for Houston, and for the world. It is a beautiful place. It is passionate people. It is collections and programs that are having a real impact. It is still young, and it has a very bright future.

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines an environmentalist as a person who has an especially strong interest in or knowledge of the natural environment, and who wants to preserve it and prevent damage to it. Am I an environmentalist? After nearly seven years of stewarding the development of the Houston Botanic Barden, I would now say, yes!

My interest in, and certainly my knowledge of, the natural environment has grown tremendously. In addition, as I’ve learned more and more about the rapid decline of biodiversity, and the critical importance of botanic gardens to both conserve plant genetics and also to inspire the public to participate in healing our world, I wear the label more and more proudly.

I have fallen head over heels in love. In love with the sheer magnificence of our planet and the beauty of nature that surrounds us. You know when you first fall in love, you notice everything. All the little details, each and every action. I’m still in that stage. I love the vibrant colors of the sunrise; the delicate petals of flowers; the gnarliness of trees; giant, puffy clouds; the melodious chorus of birdsong first thing in the morning; the magic of butterflies flitting around—they all serve as reminders of the incredible diversity and interconnectedness of life on Earth. Our planet is a masterpiece, an intricate web of ecosystems that provides sustenance for all of us who are a part of nature.

I believe that we hold the power to heal the broken parts of nature and our planet, to restore balance, and to protect fragile ecosystems. It begins with love—for our planet, for nature, and for future generations. It is this love that will ignite a passion within us to make a difference, to take action, and to inspire others. I know the power of this love, because it is my lived experience. This has been my journey at the Garden. My heart explodes with gratitude for how I have been changed. For how I have become one who cares deeply for nature—the provider of delicious herbs and tart pomegranate, sweet smelling gardenia, and awe-inspiring oaks.

While my chapter with the Houston Botanic Garden is coming to a close, I know that there are many more chapters and volumes of this romance to come. Thank you, each of you, for all you have done, and all you will continue to do, to inspire people to fall madly, deeply in love with this place, and with our collective home.

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

*Claudia Gee Vassar’s family is moving abroad this summer, so her last day as the Houston Botanic Garden’s president & general counsel was June 29. The Garden’s board of directors is conducting a national search for her replacement.

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Read the June 2023 e-newsletter for more, including an interview with Beth Garver Black and Gretchen Garver Hilyard, the daughters of Susan Garver, in whose memory the Family Discovery Garden is named, who will be recognized, along with their father, Mike Garver, at the Garden’s annual luncheon in October; and information on the Garden’s first on-site greenhouse, which is being constructed this summer.

February 2023

Elevating Underrecognized Contributions to Plant Study & Cultivation

During Black History Month, we pay tribute to African Americans and their many contributions to the history of this country. Sadly, much of their legacy and achievements in the fields of horticulture and botany have been ignored and lost. This month is an opportunity to strive to recall and celebrate important and inspiring African Americans.

One such regional legacy with international impact is that of Clarence Pleasants. Clarence fell in love with oleanders as a boy in Virginia, and decided to dedicate his life to this enchanting subtropical shrub.

When only a 7th grade education was available to him in formal schooling, he turned to the Norfolk Botanical Garden to dive deeper in his knowledge and understanding of the Nerium species. He corresponded with people across the globe to learn about the plant and discovered that oleanders were planted prolifically in Galveston after the devastating flood of 1900.

Driven by his passion for oleanders, he moved to Galveston, aka the Oleander City, and grew and propagated numerous species. Clarence co-founded what is now known as the International Oleander Society with Kewpie Guido who was inspired by his love of oleanders.

Despite their toxicity for mammals, including humans, oleanders are beloved landscaping plants for their resiliency and blooms. The oleanders in the Mediterranean and Tropical biomes in the Global Collection Garden suffered during the December 2022 freeze, but we expect many will bounce back, as some closer to the coast – in Galveston, League City, and Seabrook, for instance – are already doing. We are grateful for Clarence “Mr. Oleander” Pleasants’ passion for and commitment to oleanders. We celebrate the work that builds on his contributions that continues in Galveston to cultivate and showcase this species.

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the February 2023 e-newsletter for more, including the story of a wedding planner who has fallen in love with the Garden’s rental spaces and why Apache Corporation chose to include the Garden among the recipients of its Tree Grant Program.

January 2023

New Year Brings New Opportunities

Out with the old and in with the new! In recent years, saying goodbye to one year and looking forward to the next has been a stronger sentiment than usual. Resilient, like plants, we hopefully look forward to the new year and all it promises. In 2023, I’m looking forward to a monumental sculptural exhibition by Steve Tobin called Intertwined, a spring wildflower display, and March with Monarchs tracing the migration experience from Michoacán to Michigan.

This winter, our freeze came early, so this mantra might hold added meaning for our gardens that we Houstonians don’t often experience. We first need to remember that not all brown is lost and have patience and understanding, remembering how our bananas came roaring back after the last freeze.

I know there’s a lesson for the rest of my life, too! I know that I was blown away by the resiliency of the Garden after the heartbreak of Uri, and I can now see the winter Garden with the potential and excitement for what it will become.

And, yet, two hard freezes without a hardening-off period feels like a trend we should pay attention to, learn something about, and make some changes in the wake of. As Fran de la Mota, Director of Horticulture, says, plant loss due to a freeze teaches us about plants. We now know more than we did before about how different species survive and thrive, or don’t. The Garden will take those lessons to heart and learn from them, choosing not to replace plants that did not withstand Uri or the 2022 freeze. The exciting thing is that it opens space for new additions and trials to learn more about other plants. We are capturing all of this data in the Garden’s plant database to help inform scientists and gardeners as we build a bigger body of knowledge about the plants around us. And now I have an excuse for that new plant I have been wanting to try out in my backyard, too…What a fun opportunity!

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the January 2023 e-newsletter for more, including an update from our director of horticulture on how the Garden fared during the December 2022 freeze, horticulture help for pruning, an interview with the artist behind the new Steve Tobin’s Intertwined: Exploring Nature’s Networks exhibition, and photos from a western-themed wedding held in the Woodland Glade.

December 2022

Holiday Cheer Grows Here

I just love this time of year. Our front porch is bursting with festive, red poinsettias. This favorite, bold and bright holiday plant signals that the season of cheer is here. Maybe your favorite is a Christmas cactus or an amaryllis. Perhaps the fresh scent of wreaths, garlands, or trees brings this season to life for you.

The changes in the seasons and blooms are often tied to memories and traditions. Poinsettias remind me of the holiday season because my childhood home always had poinsettias in December. They remind me of decorating the house for the season and adding that little, extra festive joy. When the days shorten and poinsettias get 12 hours of darkness, they change their leaves from green to their signature bold, bright red. When the poinsettias hit the stores, I bring home that little, extra joy and connection to cherished memories and traditions.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle, we carve out time during the holidays to be with loved ones, to share gifts with one another, and make lasting memories. My family will forever have memories of time together at Lightscape, singing along with the songs, being awed by the displays, and roasting marshmallows for s’mores. We have so much fun just being together in an atmosphere that brings joy, laughter, chatter, and lots of photos.

During this time, the poinsettias and firs remind me that it’s time that we look back at all the good of the year and out at all the good in this beautiful world. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the December 2022 e-newsletter for more, including facts about mistletoe; horticulture help for winterizing your home garden; the story of a group of University of Houston students who value their volunteer time at the Garden; and a blog post by a grateful recipient of a gift membership to the Garden.

November 2022

Free TLC from Mother Nature

You know that feeling when you go for a walk surrounded by grasses waving in the breeze or sunlight dancing through each leaf on a tree, and your shoulders relax, you release the jaw you didn’t realize you were clenching, you slow your step, and the long to-do list fades away? We are, each of us, Nurtured by Nature.

This year’s annual luncheon centered on the theme of how nature cares for our human health. The keynote speaker, Jay Maddock PhD, FAAHB, shared that a mega-dose of nature will activate our cancer-fighting, NK cells, and that effect will last for weeks, even months. Doses of nature improve our mood and mental health, our problem-solving skills, and our concentration (Herzog et al. 1997). “High residential exposure to green spaces is associated with an 8% lower risk of all-cause mortality” (Gascon et al. 2016).

We need our daily doses of nature, and regular mega-doses, when we immerse ourselves for a longer period of time, to absorb as much of the healing power of nature as we can. Over half of American adults report spending 5 hours or fewer outside in nature each week. Being in nature will reduce stress, aggression, and ADHD symptoms. It will lower blood pressure, reduce obesity and diabetes, and improve eyesight (Frumkin et. al, 2017)!

One of the most powerful vignettes Dr. Maddock shared was a research study in which patients who could observe nature through the window, or even on a TV screen, had a reduced hospital stay. Our connection with nature is powerful. We don’t necessarily need all this research to know that we are nurtured by nature. We can feel it. And yet, most of us could use a prescription to remind us to get our daily and mega doses. Come be nurtured by nature at the Garden. It’s an easy prescription to fill.

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the November 2022 e-newsletter for more, including why leaves change color in the fall; horticulture help for fall and winter planting; details on the new Budburst community science initiative; a grant-sponsored refugee training program; a new installation at Hobby Airport featuring art inspired by visits to the Garden.

October 2022

Autumn has arrived at the Houston Botanic Garden!

It’s pumpkin time! Pumpkins are everywhere, including at the Garden. There’s pumpkin bread, pumpkin hummus, and, of course, pumpkin lattes, but pumpkin pies are my kiddos’ preferred way to eat this healthy veggie; we are already on our second of the season.

The fall harvest is a reminder of the gifts of sustenance that we receive from the natural world. Botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, teaches that our relationship with nature is reciprocal. We care for plants, and they care for us. Indigenous tradition views plants as valuable life and honors them as they are taken for consumption, in what Dr. Kimmerer calls the Honorable Harvest.

These principles ensure that the future seventh generation will have as much abundance as we do now. It is amazing to think that planting trees and how we harvest can be acts of care for our grandchildren’s grandchildren. The protocols are transformative and include principles of community, gratitude, sharing, and good stewardship.

We may not always remember our reciprocal relationship with the oaks around us, and how each breath of oxygen that we take in was breathed out by those oaks. Our home, planet Earth, is a blessing that continues to bless us. As we harvest, if we do it right, we can ensure that generations to come also receive these blessings.

Amanda Gorman, in her address to the UN, said: “We must go the distance, though this battle is hard and huge, though this fight we did not choose. For preserving the Earth isn’t a battle too large to win but a blessing too large to lose.”

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the October 2022 e-newsletter for more, including fun facts about Cucurbita pepo (pumpkins), things to consider before buying fertilizer for your lawn, and an interview with the neighbors who literally live next door to the Garden’s main entrance, and are among its most enthusiastic supporters.

August 2022

Cultivating an Appreciation for Nature

During these waning days of summer (summer break, that is…), we are taking every opportunity to give our children carefree, outdoor days. Freedom to explore, be in wonder, and discover their inner botanists. Our kiddos have participated in a long series of summer camps—including an outstanding week at BotaniCamp—and we want to be sure they also have unstructured time in nature.

What they learn as they’re entranced by a bee buzzing around an Aloysia virgata (almond verbena) goes deeper than just the science of the relationship of this sweetly aromatic plant attracting its pollinator. They begin to see that it is not just they that are tending to the herbs and flowers. They realize, perhaps not in the forefront of their minds, but certainly deep in their souls, that mother nature is also caring for them. We give our time, energy, and lots of sweat, and in return, our garden gives us fresh air and delicate flowers and mint tea.

The gifts of the earth are precious. We are seeing that the impacts of many little actions are adding up and threatening those gifts through polluted ecosystems, floods and droughts, and habitat loss. The delicate balance falters and species become endangered, like the migratory monarch. For so long, humans have received the gifts of trees and water, fruits and flowers, herbs and birds. Now, it is our time to care for nature in return. You can grow in your horticulture knowledge next month, or in your appreciation any day walking through the Garden, and thereby deepen your sacred bond with the world.

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the August 2022 e-newsletter for more, including details on the Houston Audubon bluebird trail at the Garden, and the volunteer who monitors it; tips from our horticulture team for identifying signs of summer weather-related stress in plants and for preparing your home garden for hurricane season; and a profile of one of the Garden’s newest board members.

July 2022

New Anti-Heat Technology: Plants!

What does summer mean to you? Longer days, kids’ camp, less traffic, vacation getaways, and perhaps pool time to stave off the heat?

Summer means all that, and one of my favorite events of the year—the American Public Gardens Association annual meeting. Leaders from across the Americas gathered in Portland, Oregon, in June to share learnings about the impact of public gardens, collaborate on conservation initiatives, and work together to improve biodiversity and plant ecologies.

I also visited some stunning landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. When I walk through green spaces, whether here or far away, my impulse is to go low and to go high. I get down low to get a closer look at the patterns of the petals and the wisps of grass. Perhaps my favorite perspective is looking up through the tree canopy to the sky above. I love how sunlight shining through layers of leaves creates an intricate pattern with dark branches winding through. While gazing up, I often lay my hand on the tree’s trunk and consider how long it has been shading people and cleaning the air. Just as we take care of trees and plants, they take care of us.

During our hot summers, the cooling effect of trees and urban forests is profound. Cities like ours become urban heat islands where heat is trapped in asphalt, concrete, steel, and brick. Trees and plants, through shading and evapotranspiration, can help reduce temperatures by up to 9 degrees! Local researchers have identified which trees have the greatest impact on improving the air, mitigating floods, and reducing the heat island, with live oaks and sycamores topping the list. Right now, with temperatures what they are, all those trees sound pretty important.

You can get out to the Garden and other green spaces this summer to feel the difference plants make on the heat. The Garden is open early for members each day at 8:00 a.m., and stays open late until 8:00 p.m. on Fridays so visitors can take advantage of more pleasant early evening temperatures. See below for fun things going on at the Garden, and tips on how to care for your garden during the hot summer to ensure that it also takes care of you!

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the July 2022 e-newsletter for more, including details on the popular food truck that makes summer visits to the Garden more refreshing; information on how plants adapt for drought conditions, and Horticulture Help for conserving water around the outside of your home while still enjoying a healthy landscape; and profiles of a donor couple who made a significant investment in a relaxing spot adjacent to the popular Water Play in the Susan Garver Family Discovery Garden and one of the Garden’s “spotlight volunteers,” who has been involved almost from the beginning.

June 2022

Celebrating (Bio)diversity This Summer

Botanic gardens are preoccupied — perhaps obsessed — with biodiversity. The diversity of plants around us gives us moments of awe and makes us happy. But that’s not all. Biodiversity is critical for the resiliency of life on planet Earth. Scientists are ringing alarm bells about the first mass extinction in human history as 1 million species are currently threatened with extinction. I shudder to imagine a world with only a few different grasses, shrubs, and trees.

Keystone plants are critical to the survival of an ecosystem. When a keystone species is lost, the whole food web radically changes or even collapses. Consider the mighty oak: 468 species of butterflies and moths use the oak as a caterpillar host plant in our area. Caterpillars that feed birds, and so forth, as the web expands. Nearly one third of all oak species are currently threatened with extinction.

We are familiar with the monarch’s relationship with milkweed; the silkworm with mulberry; and the panda with bamboo. Nature’s equal opposites balance one another and create harmonious, healthy ecosystems. Healthy ecosystems in turn, prevent floods and reduce other vulnerabilities to natural disasters. The impact of the extinction of one species can have disastrous ripple effects.

And humans at the top of the food chain? We depend on biodiversity for food security and nutrition. When we rely on only a few species for our food, our agricultural system is at risk for pests or pathogens that can destroy entire species. Imagine a diet limited to only a few sources. Not only would it be boring, our bodies would be deficient in many vitamins and minerals found in diversified, balanced diets.

The Houston Botanic Garden celebrates biodiversity of plants from across the globe. Each plant is beautiful. Each species is a crucial member of its ecosystem.

As we celebrate Pride month this June, we celebrate the diversity of humankind and the value and beauty of each human, particularly our LGBTQ+ friends — just like we celebrate the value, beauty, and incredible diversity of the Earth’s plant life.

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the June 2022 e-newsletter for more, including Horticulture Help to ensure your home garden is prepared for summer; an interview with Kendall Taormina, a founding member of the Garden’s next generation group, the Bloomers; and tips from the Garden’s horticulture manager for successfully growing your very own Musa (banana) plants at home.

May 2022

Flock to the Garden for Family Fun

Is there anything more delightful than starting the day with birdsong in the morning? My kids and I like to try to count how many different birds we can hear.

I’m not a great birder, but I’m learning. At the Garden, I often see whistler ducks, goldfinches, hawks, and I’ve even seen an eagle! Walking down a path to the Coastal Prairie Garden, as a bluebird flew by and an egret rested in the marshy grounds, I was reminded that the ones who have likely noticed most the massive transformation as the Garden has taken root are our winged friends.

Mary Anne Morris, Education Director for the Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center, leads a monthly bird count through the Garden. This partnership started while the site was still a golf course. Through increasing habitat and plant diversity in transforming the golf course into a garden, the number of bird species observed has increased by 73 since opening (to almost 130 at last count)! The counts are submitted to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s database that researchers use to study birds’ migration and movement trends. As you enjoy the Garden, you can take note of bird-friendly plants by the bird icons on their plant label.

In addition to planting for birds, there are many things you can do to help create a bird-friendly Houston, like turning off non-essential exterior lighting from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. through May 7 to support peak bird migration. Our family is looking forward to implementing some new ways to care for the birds around our home.

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the May 2022 e-newsletter for more, including Horticulture Help with tips for attracting beneficial birds to your home garden; a profile of donors Susanne M. & Melbern G. Glasscock, who will be honored at the Garden’s Annual Luncheon on Oct. 13, 2022; and information on the various types and uses for bamboo.

April 2022

Join Us In Tending To Planet Earth

In April, you will likely see many images of planet Earth, as we celebrate Earth Day. The Blue Marble image taken by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft in 1972 is one of the most reproduced images in history. Not only is it an awe-inspiring reflection of our shared humanity, but it’s also a useful tool for understanding the vegetation in the world’s macro-garden.

NASA’s more recent series of images are taken by Suomi NPP, a research satellite. With satellites across the globe, scientists are working together to monitor the Earth’s vegetation, which is the primary energy source for nearly all life on the planet. Using these images, scientists can see that 1/3 of land cover of Canada and Alaska changed from 1985 to 2021, they can measure the health of plants, and they can quantify the impact of changing ecosystems.

One of the great privileges of working at a botanic garden is the incredible, global collaboration with other botanic gardens that share a similar view of our interconnected world. The Houston Botanic Garden has begun participating in some of these international efforts to understand and care for the Earth. For example, the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak is a macro-collection of oaks, North America’s most powerful native tree, including species from across the world.

So, when you see one of these beautiful photos of our planet Earth, I hope you’ll be reminded that we are all working together – in our home gardens, at the Houston Botanic Garden – as we dig, plant, propagate, and prune in the global garden of our sacred world. Happy Earth Day!

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the April 2022 e-newsletter for more, including Horticulture Help with some eco-friendly practices to incorporate into your gardening routine; one mom’s thoughts on the benefits of BotaniCamp; a profile of urban agriculture teacher and Garden member Angela Roth; and details on a global Quercus conservation project in which the Garden is participating.

March 2022

Spring will soon make its colorful debut at the Garden!

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” – Lady Bird Johnson

Texans have long been enamored with the wildflowers that line our highways, in large part because of Lady Bird Johnson. A shy child, she spent her days outside in the piney woods and cypress bayous of East Texas. Walking through the McNair Foundation Cypress Forest and Loblolly Forest – amidst the dragonflies and hawks, butterflies, bluebirds, turtles, fish, and even the occasional eagle! – admiring the Taxodium distichum (bald cypress), aquatic Pontederia cordata (pickerelweed), and geometric Sabal minor (dwarf palmetto) along the path, I can see why she never considered herself lonely.

Another Texas woman, Dr. Eula Whitehouse, ensured that we know the names of these beautiful blooms with her popular book, Texas Flowers in Natural Colors. The contributions of women to botany over time have included the study of plant structure and cell function by Katherine Esau, the first trained botanist to receive the National Medal of Science; the diligent documentation of countless plants for scientific study by Maria Sibylla Merian; discovery and collection of hundreds of thousands of plants by Ynés Mexía, and locally by Mary Sophie Young; the study of plant genetics to develop sugarcane for India for their economic independence by Janaki Ammal; and many, many more.

We celebrate these brilliant female botanists and the many other women who, throughout history, have contributed to advancing the field of botany. As you take in the beauty of the wildflowers and other spring blooms, know that we have many pioneering women to thank for them, including mi tocaya, Lady Bird Johnson.

Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel

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Read the March 2022 e-newsletter for more, including Horticulture Help concerning when to expect bluebonnets and perennial bulbs to bloom, as well as a profile of Jenna Lindley, founder of The Bloomers, the Garden’s next-generation group.

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