Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

All life on earth depends on plants, or so it would seem. From providing food and shelter for people and animals, to roots and leaves that nurture soils and clean our environments. Plants are often what I see connecting animals and people.  Animals browsing on foliage, birds nesting in trees, insects visiting flowers…all are often how we experience our natural world. And through Zoological Horticulture so many amazing stories can be told.

As I stroll our zoo grounds, closely monitoring the growth and health of all the leafy creatures under our care, I am reminded of so many fascinating things about plants. For example, the vast array of leaf shapes and their margins seem infinite in design. While the form and structure of trees and plants tell stories about how they harvest light for food, channel water to their roots, and provide homes to animals. As I walk I often stop to feel foliage textures, the roughness of bark on trees, all of which serve their own special purpose to the plant, or perhaps the animal that rubs its horns or antlers on the bark. If I’m lucky enough I’ll spot tapirs rustling through bamboo groves as they browse.  Red wolves breaking sumac branches as they explore. Lemurs tasting the sweet nectar of Kniphofia flowers while people watch in fascination. This is just a glimpse into my world, one that I’ve been lucky enough to be immersed in for the last 15 years as I’ve guided the development of our botanical collection.

It is with great pleasure and passion that our horticultural team maintains and continues to build our botanical collection. As I work alongside staff members, volunteers, interns, and visit with guests, I am always inspired by the way plants and our natural world touch each one of them. I’ve also enjoyed leading monthly Garden Tours as we set out on adventures and learn about different plant topics each month by visiting specific plants…I look forward to seeing you sometime soon on a tour. As I wrap this up, I hope that when you visit Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium you find your own special connection with flora and fauna…as plants, animals, and people will always be so interconnected in our journeys through life.