Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden has been a constant thread in my professional career, either by osmosis or by learning from its example. In 1991, a retired textile executive from Belmont, North Carolina, Daniel Stowe, reserved 380 acres of prime rolling meadows, woodlands, and lakefront property to develop a world-class botanical garden. He and his wife, Alene, engaged Geoff Rausch and Melissa Marshall of Environmental Planning and Design to prepare its first master plan. Geoff and Missy became my partners at Marshall.Tyler.Rausch, all the while continuing their work in implementing the Garden’s first phase. I watched their vision become reality: The Visitor Pavilion; Canal Gardens; Four Seasons Garden; White Garden; and later, The Orchid Conservatory. I visited the Gardens several times to check in with staff or consult on a topic or two.
So, it felt like visiting an old friend when I returned on a blue-sky winter day with colleague Cheryl Zuellig of SmithGroup to ready for our proposal for the Garden’s next master plan. We discovered Lost Hollow, designed by W. Gary Smith, and really enjoyed the whimsical use of many of the architectural artifacts from the Stowe house. Kind Queen Cheryl and Grumpy King Jason presided this day at Lost Hollow. We walked the trails along Lake Wylie, delighted to find hidden coves, Great Blue Herons and dramatic views across the water. And it’s always a treat to see hellebores blooming in January when we in Pittsburgh must wait many more months for this herald of spring to emerge!