Garden History

1984

	Ellen Thorne Smith Naturalistic Garden Opened Woodland, prairie, and habitat demonstration gardens began to show visitors the plants that thrive in each ecosystem.

1985

	Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden Opened The 3.8-acre demonstration garden opened with the largest fruit and vegetable display in the Midwest.
	Bruce Krasberg Rose Garden Opened This garden began to display the best rose varieties for use in the Upper Midwest.
	Mesic Prairie Opened The area became a demonstration of a native Illinois tallgrass prairie. Currently, the site is called the Dixon Prairie.
	Master Gardeners Training Program Inaugurated The Garden’s Plant Information Service launched its Master Gardeners Training Program as part of the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service.
	New Director Appointed Dr. Roy L. Taylor became the Director, CEO, and Chicago Horticultural Society president.
	Sounding Sculpture Donated This piece by Harry Bertoia was given by the friends of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph A. Bard, Jr., and continues to stand between the Rose Garden and the Linden Allée.

1986

	Carillon Dedicated The 48-bell, 60-foot-tall Theodore C. Butz Memorial Carillon was dedicated.
	Garden Received Accreditation The Chicago Botanic Garden was accredited by the American Association of Museums. This accreditation is renewed every 10 years.
	Chicagoland Grows Established The partnership with The Morton Arboretum and the Ornamental Growers Association of Illinois is dedicated to evaluating, selecting, producing, and marketing new plant cultivars.
	Garden Visited by British Royalty HRH Princess Margaret of Britain participated in the groundbreaking of the English Walled Garden.

1987

	First Computerized Plant Census Conducted A plant census tallied 735,998 plants.
	Two Education Programs Launched Collaborative Out Reach Education (CORE) and Environmental Education Awareness Program (EEAP) provided horticultural programming in schools.
	Sensory Garden Dedicated The William T. Bacon Sensory Garden for the Visually Impaired was dedicated and visitors took the first self-guided audio tours.
	Education Center Greenhouses Dedicated The Nancy Race Educational Greenhouses were dedicated, delighting visitors with plants from warmer climates. They continue to feature a desert oasis, tropical, and temperate areas.

1988

	Dwarf Conifer Garden Opened This four-season hillside garden showcased 150 different kinds of dwarf and slow-growing conifers. This garden was redesigned and reopened in 2008.
	James Brown IV Waterfall Garden Opened A 45-foot waterfall unfurled down a hillside, providing a unique setting to demonstrate the seasonal adaptation of nearly 26,000 plants and trees.

1989

	First Lady Barbara Bush Visited the Garden The First Lady was delighted by her visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden.

1990

	Maintenance Building Completed All Garden vehicles and equipment were serviced in this building.
	100th Anniversary Commemorated The Chicago Horticultural Society, the Chicago Botanic Garden’s parent organization, celebrated its 100th anniversary.