First Snow

Our Head of Horticulture, Rod Burke, captured the beauty of the Garden after our first snowfall. I thought I would share a few pictures here.


Snow covered yuccas in the Test Garden by the greenhouses.


A cap of snow covering the vibrant pink and orange seed heads of the European Spindle Tree.


Another beautiful photo of the European Spindle Tree.



The Boys on the Swing sculpture in the Children's Garden.



Looking at the Rose Garden through a snow capped arbor with the Garden Cottage in the background.



The Lewis and Clark Native Plant Garden and Gathering Place.

The Princess Diana fountain in the English Garden decorated with Christmas lights and garland.


The beauty of the season is only starting. Beginning on Thanksgiving evening, the Garden will be aglow with color. Come out and see the beauty of the Garden for yourself and get into the holiday spirit.

Spotlight - The Boys on the Swing Sculpture has Arrived!

The ‘Boys on a Swing’ has a new home! The sculpture was placed in the Children’s Garden on November 3rd.

The sculpture was removed in pieces from the Boise Towne Square Mall. The plight of the sculpture originally came to our attention when Truman and Jeanne Keith, Action Jackson, Roosevelt Elementary and other loyal supporters of the Idaho Botanical Garden made it their mission to convince Pacific Steel & Recycling and Tim Woodward at the Idaho Statesman that the sculpture should be given to the Idaho Botanical Garden.

The Idaho Botanical Garden would like to thank the many businesses, organizations and individuals that contributed to the sculpture’s restoration and installation at the Garden. The sculpture was restored and welded back together by Dirk Anderson, Anderson Foundry, with the help of Borah High School student, Rebecca Harvey. The sculpture was taken apart and then put back together piece by piece during the restoration process.

FarWest Landscape and Garden Center designed and constructed the pool surrounding the sculpture. Bart’s Backhoe Services completed the construction grading and excavation work. Quality Electric installed the electricity for the fountain. Horizon Supply and After Dark Landscape Lighting provided materials and installed the lighting. A portion of the sandstone surrounding the pool was donated by Gerhard Borbonus Landscaping.

In addition, we received funding for the project from individuals, the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, and Pacific Steel and Recycling.

Come by and see the newest addition to the Children’s Garden. The ‘Boys on the Swing’ fountain looks truly amazing in its new location and is just waiting to be enjoyed by visitors for many years to come.

Update: Check out the Idaho Statesman's article on the Boys on the Swing.

Scarecrow Stroll 2009 Winners!

There are many reasons why fall is a beautiful time to venture out into the Garden. As Ann mentioned in the last entry, the leaves have turned brilliant shades of orange, red and yellow and against a clear blue sky, they boldly announce the changing season in the Treasure Valley. Preparation and excitement for winter and our Winter Garden aGlow event is also felt as lights are strung in elaborate designs throughout the Garden trees and décor. And for a second year, there was another reason to enjoy the Garden during the autumn months, the return of our Scarecrow Stroll!

Twenty-four scarecrows peeked around bushes and trees, welcoming guests throughout October. Created by local businesses, organizations and families, these scarecrows were each unique and artfully designed. I was very impressed by this year's turnout and the creative ways each scarecrow was decorated! Not only were they a festive addition to the Garden, but they also delighted hundreds of children and guests who strolled through on field trips and visits. Each guest had a chance to vote for their favorite crow and the contest began!

Now that this year’s stroll has ended, the votes have been tallied and we are ready to announce the 2009 Scarecrow Stroll winners!



1st Place goes to “Nyla the Nature Nymph” created by the Brandsma Family.




With so many fabulous scarecrows, it was hard to pick just one!



2nd Place: “Shine on Harvest Moon” by Hibbs Kids

3rd Place: “Boise Foothill Dog Walker” by Lois and Sonya Lenzi

Honorable Mention: “Miss Piggy” by the Community Work Center

Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Scarecrow Stroll!