New Ways to Learn and Explore in the Gardens

New Ways to Learn and Explore in the Gardens

At Nicholas Conservatory we say you learn something new every time you set foot in the gardens! We learn from our volunteers, fellow staff, and from our visitors. We want to make sure we give visitors a variety of ways to engage with the gardens, whether talking with a volunteer, learning from a program, or utilizing new digital resources.

Cuseum Mobile Tours

Thanks to a generous donation from a Nicholas Conservatory member and volunteer, there is a new way to learn in the garden. Cuseum is a mobile tour web page that debuted at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens in December, 2021. Using the easy to navigate mobile website, guests can see images, read or listen to information as part of their chosen tour topic, or even browse the smart map to find plants and art pieces tagged throughout the gardens.

Some tour options are available only during seasonal exhibits or displays. Other tours are available year-round, featuring permanent pieces from our collection of plants, art, and more. Our first year-round tour available is “Paleo Plants.” Inspired by our friends at Burpee Museum’s Paleofest, this mobile tour showcases our most ancient plants! We are in the process of adding more tours highlighting NCG’s sustainability, sculptures, palms, fruits, spices, and more!

You can access the tours from anywhere in the world! Simply visit www.nicholasconservatory.com, click “Features,” then “Mobile Tours.” At NCG, you will see a sign advertising the mobile tours. Simply use your phone’s camera to hover over the QR code, and you will be directed to the mobile tour site.

¿Prefiere usted Español? The entire Cuseum website, text and audio, is easy to switch from English to Spanish using the “Settings” button on the website. Thank you to the students in Spanish classes at Jefferson High School for their voice talent in the Spanish audio portions of the tour!

Instagram In Bloom

Want to see what is currently in bloom from home, or from your dentist's office waiting room? Visit our Instagram page and click the “In Bloom” story highlight. Here you will find pictures and names of plants currently in bloom, updated weekly.

NCG Staff & Volunteers

Whether it is through our team members who work exhibits, the Curiosity Cart, horticulture, or docents giving tours, our favorite way to engage is in person with you! Do you like talking to people and learning new things? We are always looking for curious people who love to learn and share! Join us as staff or as a volunteer. Visit www. nichoalsconservatory.com/volunteer or www.rockfordparkdistrict.org/careers to learn more about joining our team.

“Art Through Science and Science Through Art”

“Art Through Science and Science Through Art”

By Lyndi Toohill

Coming in summer 2022, Nicholas Conservatory will welcome Delicate Forces, an immersive large-scale art exhibit by Skunk Control, a group of engineers, scientists, and educators from Australia.

The exhibition features five large botanically-inspired art installations that bring a sense of the wonder of nature through pieces uniquely created by chemical processes, mechatronics, and other technologies. While the combination of art and science may seem strange at first, Nick Athanasiou, founder of Skunk Control, insists that science and engineering “are similar to art; they prompt you to ask questions.”

Each piece consists of colorful dichroic materials, which create a kaleidoscope of color during the daylight and illuminate in the evening. The pieces also incorporate subtle mechatronic movements that mimic those found in nature.

Welcoming guests into the lobby, Hanging Gardens will be suspended from the lobby ceiling and will feature various sizes of dichroic flowers that open and close, revealing hidden ecosystems in the centers.

Fire Flowers are flowers on elongated stems, positioned in the lower infinity pond in the tropical exhibition area. Some parts of this installation will also be in the outside half of the infinity pond, beckoning visitors to come inside.

Hanging from the exhibition area’s frame, Horizon features a variety of 140 hanging flowers, some up to eight feet across! If you watch carefully, you will notice that some of the flowers slowly swivel, creating a moving kaleidoscope of color beneath them.

Delicate Forces will also be in the tropical exhibition area and consists of 13 mechatronic flowers, up to 10 feet tall, positioned throughout the beds, casting colorful shadows on the plants below.

On the green roof, Color Menagerie consists of 26 mechanically flittering butterflies, perched on flowers.

Unique to the artists of Skunk Control is their dedication to education. As part of the roughly three-week installation, not only will they install the artworks, but they will also educate through interactive science shows, demonstrating the ways in which color can be created. Family programs with the artists will have children and their caregivers creating artworks using science techniques used in the exhibit, like color mixing and simple machines. Program dates and opening reception information is coming in late spring!

Horticulture Highlight : Holiday Plants at Nicholas Conservatory

Horticulture Highlight : Holiday Plants at Nicholas Conservatory

By Sylvie Charest, Horticulture Supervisor

Since 2013, we have been designing our indoor 10-foot holiday tree with tropical bromeliads for a tropical twist on holiday tradition. Not only do bromeliads enjoy our tropical climate inside the conservatory, but they are also long-lasting and much easier to water on the angled tree frame than the traditional poinsettias that tend to dry out easily.

Here are the bromeliads featured in this year’s tree:

Pineapple (Ananas comosus): Did you know this favorite fruit is a bromeliad? Originating in South America, pineapple was cultivated by the Maya and Aztec as far back as 200 BC!

Guzmania: Native to South America, these tropical beauties are epiphytic plants, meaning they live up in the trees getting nutrients and water from the air. Their brightly colored bracts grow in a beautiful rosette.

Vriesea: Another epiphytic species, Vriesea originated in Mexico and the Central and South Americas. This species is often called the “sword plant” because of its tall flat flower spike.

Neoregelia: This epiphytic flowering bromeliad hides little flowers in the central calyx. Leaves are often spotted, banded, or marbled, giving them lots of color and character.

Aechmea: Originating from the Amazon rainforest, Aechmea in Greek means, “armed with a spear,” describing their colorful pokey flowers.

Tillandsia: Native to both deserts and rainforest all the way up and down the west coast of South America, Tillandsia live entirely off nutrients and moisture in the air in their native habitats. You may see them commonly in garden centers as “air plants.”

After the holidays, we repurpose the bromeliads by planting them in the conservatory beds for long-lasting (and economical!) color. Some bromeliads are “retired” and go to the Garden Gate Gift store where you can take home your very own colorful and hardy houseplant!

Each year, I add new textures and colors into the design of the holiday tree and the décor in the conservatory. This season, we have utilized local natural elements such as sand willow branches from Nygren Wetlands* and grapevines from Rockford Park District parks* and Forest Hills Country Club,* which are shaped into orbs big and small. More traditional poinsettias and amaryllis will round out this year’s traditional, natural look fashioned for a tropical conservatory.

*All materials were taken with permission from owners.

The holiday tree in 2020 featured numerous varieties of bromeliads, including large tillandsias. Colorfully striped bromeliads were accented by shining red mercury balls.

Rockford Park District Mourns the Loss of Dan Nicholas

ROCKFORD, IL – The man responsible for efforts to add beauty throughout our community, and one of the main reasons Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens exists today has passed away.

Daniel J. Nicholas passed away on April 5, 2021, and was 93 years old. 

Dan was the first Rockford Park District Foundation Board President from 1993 to 1999 before going on to serve as a Rockford Park District Commissioner from 2001 to 2003.  Dan then continued his volunteer efforts with the Foundation Board and was named an Emeritus Director in 2019.  Rockford Park District Foundation helps secure philanthropic support to the Rockford Park District fundraising for people, projects, and places. 

“I was lucky to be able to work with Dan as he served on our Foundation Board after his time as president of the Board. Dan loved this community and loved seeing others enjoy life,” said Lori Berkes-Nelson, Rockford Park District Foundation Director.

Dan and his wife Ruth are credited for establishing the City of Gardens program and every year hundreds of hanging baskets are hung all throughout our community as flowers and gardens add beauty to the region, improve our spirits, and provide a more pleasant place to live, work, and play.

Dan Nicholas was also one of the namesakes for Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens. Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens is named after the Nicholas family, who in March 2006 announced their donation of $2,150,000 toward the Conservatory project in honor of their parents, William and Ruby Nicholas.  Like many families growing up in Rockford in the 1940s and 1950s, the three Nicholas brothers, Bill, Dan and Ab, spent much of their time outdoors enjoying Sinnissippi Park and the Rock River. The Nicholas brothers envisioned Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens as a gathering place for our community and a catalyst for future river development. 

“Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens would still be a dream without Dan's vision, passion for his hometown of Rockford, and his financial contribution. He provided us with a gift that will continue to give back to the community in honor of his parents. The Nicholas Conservatory staff are fortunate to live out Dan's dream of having a place for so many to gather for special occasions or to capture precious family moments. We will continue to do so in his honor,” said Dan Erwin, Manager of Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens. 

Dan Nicholas was also a volunteer at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens serving as a greeter. On Thursday, April 15, 2021, at sunset, Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens will be lit in purple to honor Dan Nicholas and the contributions he made to the City of Gardens and Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens. Luminaries will also be placed at special areas throughout the Conservatory campus.

Ruth Nicholas, Dan’s wife said, “The Park District meant the world to Dan and our family. He dedicated himself to making Rockford a beautiful place to live and work.”

Exploring Nature

By Lyndi Toohill

While the upcoming school year will be very different, I think there may be some interesting opportunities. Hear me out. In March I was amazed at how many people were on the recreation path, floored by how many families were in our neighborhood riding bikes that had been hanging in the garage for years. We know time spent outdoors lowers our stress levels but yet our busy lives often get in the way of getting our “Vitamin N(ature).”

Stopping to smell the roses at Sinnissippi Rose Garden)

Based on the heavy use on the stretch of recreation path at the conservatory and at other local parks and forest preserves, people are finding solace in nature like never before. Have you found yourself looking at the world and your time a little differently? Have you noticed it in your children?

My son, who is 4 ½, takes after me in his love of being outside, no matter the weather. Since March 13 we spend even more time outdoors – exploring our neighborhood park, hiking and kayaking at local forest preserves, and digging a variety of holes in the backyard garden (dog holes, construction holes, even a hole rumored to go the center of the earth).

At times I wondered, as many parents did, “should I print some worksheets or something?” “Should I construct an elaborate Pinterest set up for his development?” But as always, my son teaches me that he doesn’t need (or want) any of that to learn. As a preschooler who was only beginning to learn to write his name before school shut down, he wanted to write his name in the sand by the river on our quarantine morning walks. Now months later, he is writing his name everywhere – in the dirt, on the sidewalk, on every piece of paper in our house. I never once forced it on him. It is fun to write and draw in the sand, so he practiced… a lot! This isn’t the only way he is learning his “traditional” skills while in nature. This summer he counts the same way – collecting rocks, counting butterflies, seeing how many peas are in each pea pod… all with just occasional questions or queries from me.

Learning outside has enormous physical benefits for children. We all know “fresh air” is good but it goes beyond that. Studies show benefits to children’s physical development and calculated risk-taking skills when they climb trees. Climbing a tree combines physical balance, agility and strength, with cognitive calculations: which branches look sturdy and are within reach. All the while children are making decisions utilizing their own risk-assessment.

So as all of us parents and grandparents are trying to figure out what the heck to do with our kids this fall, I have found myself many times recommending one of my favorite books, “How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature,” by Scott D. Sampson. Let your kids, and yourselves, get a little feral this year. Take your time in the woods, in a prairie, in your neighborhood park. Beyond the benefits to kids, I am always surprised at how much more calm I am as a parent when I’m with my son outside, letting him get muddy, climb trees, and pretend to be a “forest dog.” Nature is good for stressed out adults too! Let go (…and bring a change of clothes)!

Sampson’s book starts with the “CliffNotes” version of the work done by Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods,” espousing the huge benefit of getting kids outside into nature. The “meat” of the book Sampson, who is a paleontologist, science communicator, and parent, breaks down how to be a nature mentor for your child. (Hint: you definitely don’t have to know all of the plants and animals you see. In fact, if you knew everything it would be pretty boring for your child!) Your role as nature mentor is to ask the right questions about what your child is seeing or experiencing. I’ll let you in on a secret from the inside… our education staffers at NCG don’t know all of the plants and animals in the gardens (gasp!) But we do know how to ask the right questions, with the ultimate goal to inspire wonder and curiosity. To us, fostering wonder and curiosity of nature is a more worthwhile endeavor than having kids memorizing names of plants and animals.

“How to Raise a Wild Child” breaks down different approaches to nature mentoring based on the child’s age. The way we engage with nature changes. As young children we are naturals at nature – it’s in our blood. We want to climb everything, make mud soup and imagine digging a hole to the center of the earth. In our middle childhood, we start to want a space of our own. Maybe you can remember your childhood outdoor space. Mine was the annual fall cornstalk teepee my dad built for me. I would sit for hours and listen to my Pocahontas soundtrack cassette tape and pretend I had the magic power to heal trees.  In our adolescent years, the power of “doing something big” is big – whether that is staging a cleanup of a local waterway, learning to snowboard, or maybe even becoming a nature mentor for a younger child.

Frog encounter at Martin Park

Luckily we don’t have to book an RV and plan an elaborate trip to Yosemite to experience nature with our kids. As adults we forget that nature can be found in the cracks of a sidewalk, your backyard or your neighborhood. In Winnebago County we are amazingly fortunate to have 1,561 acres in Rockford Park District neighborhood parks, 10,500 acres in Winnebago County Forest Preserves and 3,092 acres in Rock Cut State Park. That’s over 15,000 acres available us to explore just within our county!  It may feel mundane for adults to stick close to home, but in the words of Walt Streightiff, “There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million.” To a child, Rock Cut State Park might as well be Yosemite.

If time is what we’ve always needed to get outside, many of us seem to have found ourselves with more time now that our 2020 fridge calendars are void of footballs games, dance recitals, and eating out. Time spent in nature is valuable, memorable and critical to children’s physical development, problem solving, creativity, and more! You might find your child looking up videos on hydrology after visiting Blackhawk Springs, pretending to be an owl after hearing one at Atwood Park, or intently watching the intriguing life of ants play out in a sidewalk crack. Join me in filling up your calendar with more nature this year. Our kids may just remember 2020 not as a year of anxiety but may look back on this being a formative and fun year in nature!

If this school year finds your family spending more time at home or if you are looking for ways to engage with nature, I would encourage you to read, “How to Raise a Wild Child.” It is available for purchase at a variety of places online and is listed in the catalogs of many of our local libraries.

For families with small children, join us at Nicholas Conservatory every Friday, 10-10:45am for a FREE Family Garden Hike! Our goal with this new program is to offer opportunities for young children (ages 3-6) and their caregivers to experience the gardens with the kind of curiosity and wonder that comes so naturally to little ones. Space is limited and pre-registration is required! Masks are required. This program is made possible by the Nicholas Family Foundation.

DIY Landscape Projects

By Luke Larson

Are you planning to tackle a DIY landscape project this spring? There are many ways to beautify your home and garden by adding landscape features. You can often save money by doing it yourself and the end result is usually very rewarding. However, if landscape construction is not something you do on a regular basis here are a few pro tips to consider for some of the most common projects:

Timber Wall

Timber Walls are an excellent and affordable feature for containing sloped areas and adding character to your landscape. The materials are not overly expensive and depending on the size of the job, can be accomplished using mostly common garden tools. The weakness of timber walls is that over time they tend to lean and fall under constant pressure. Try these tips to keep your wall solid for years!

• Bury the Bottom Row: The first row of any timber wall should be completely underground. This will anchor your wall to the ground. Depending on the slope of your selected site, one end of your wall may two or more rows underground. This is even better for stability!

• Base Material: Always put 3” or more of compacted ag-lime or gravel under your bottom row. This will handle freeze and thaw movement much better than soil and is far easier to smooth out. (Use a 4’ level to ensure your bottom row will be as level as possible).

• Use Rebar on the Bottom Row: You may use 1’ nails to put the rest of your wall together but it is a good idea to anchor your bottom row to the earth with 18-24" rebar.

• Stagger Rows: Offset each row by .5” (more or less depending on the height of your wall and size of timbers used). This ensures that the wall leans back into the slope.

• Use Dead Men: Not as scary as it sounds… For walls over 3 or 4 rows high, run a timber into the slope perpendicular to the wall and bury it. This really ties the wall to the slope and is your best bet against it leaning forward and tipping over.

Block Walls, Block Patios and Walks, Brick and Timber Edging

“It’s all about that base…” Many people are inclined to build on bare dirt or a light layer of sand. This is a big no-no! While the result may initially be satisfactory it will not last. As dirt freezes and thaws, it will push your project out of place and eventually destroy it.

• Start With A Solid Base: Three inches or more of compacted ag-lime followed by 1” of leveled sand. The sand will allow you to lay and adjust your blocks or timbers easily. 

• Keep It Level: Use a 4’ level or straight board and drag across your ag lime and sand as you create your base, and then again as you lay your bricks/blocks. This will help to keep your site flat and even. 

• Bonus Tip:  A very slight pitch downhill or away from your home is recommended to keep rainwater from pooling near your home or running somewhere you don’t want it!

Flagstone or Step Stone Walkway

These are very simple projects that can add tons of character to a garden or landscape. If you have a high traffic area that is hard to keep grass and is becoming a muddy mess, a simple step stone walkway is an easy, affordable solution!

• Plan Ahead: Lay out your stones in advance of doing any work to the site. Walk on them and make sure the spacing is comfortable. If the spacing is too far apart, people will end up walking in-between stones or around them.

• Base: Never lay your stones directly on the soil. A base of 2-3” of compacted ag-lime will keep your steps level and sturdy enough to handle the traffic.

• Depth: Make sure that your final depth leaves part of the stone underground to hold it in place. If your site will have mulch or ground cover, make sure you leave enough height so that the stones do not become buried.

Hopefully this spring provides an opportunity to discover the joy of landscaping. Enjoy the outdoors while making the most of your yard and garden!

Top 5 Favorite Children’s Books

By Lyndi Toohill

If there’s one thing that I would say is a common trait of staff and volunteers at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens is that we’re always curious and always learning. We keep an eye on trends, whether it be in holiday light displays, gift store items, events, or programs. We communicate regularly with staff at other gardens throughout the country. But best of all, we’re constantly learning tidbits from you - our visitors, social media followers, and fellow staff and volunteers. (We miss you all so much right now!)

In the coming weeks we’ll be sharing some of our favorite things with you! Everything from the garden tools we can’t live without to our favorite kids gardening projects.

Today, I’ll be starting with my top 5 favorite children’s books. I have been the Manager of Education and Programs at Nicholas Conservatory for a little over 9 years and have collected a lot of gardening and nature books in that time! But do they check out by my four-year old son?? Sometimes the books we love as adults, whether it be for their illustrations or explanations of natural processes, just don’t check out with the little people they were written for – heartbreaking right? So the following top 5 list of my favorite gardening and nature books are ones that check out with both myself and my curious, outdoorsy, mechanically inclined 4 year old.

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1. EIEIO, How Old MacDonald Got His Farm with a Little Help From a Hen, by Judy Sierra and Matthew Myers

This book gets read at our house at least once a week. The familiarity of the “Old MacDonald” rhyme gets a modern twist as MacDonald lives in a suburban neighborhood full of perfectly manicured grass lawns. MacDonald decides mowing grass is pretty hard, so he decides to get a goat to help him in his lawn effort. (Insert child giggles here) Before you know it, he’s brought in an engineering hen who manages the conversion of his lawn to garden. Kids will love the silly rhymes featuring the process of composting, adults will get a kick out of the illustrations of the neighborhood reactions to Mac’s muddy endeavor. In the end, what the neighbors saw as a crime against lawn-kind is now transformed into a beautiful garden full of produce and flowers that he shares with his neighbors. 

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2. All the World, by Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee

Okay… you’re not going to learn anything about worms, or bees, or plants in this one, but it’s bigger than that. It’s all about connectedness, big and small, and isn’t that what nature is all about anyway? With a catchy rhythm and short sentences, this book follows an extended family through a day of outdoor activities like playing at the beach, gardening, bike riding, and climbing trees. When rain blows in, the kids are disappointed but are comforted by a warm meal, the fireplace at grandma and grandpa’s house, and a night of music and fun with their family. This book is extraordinary in its ability to express the love that goes into ordinary every day moments. A new bedtime classic that is perhaps more relevant today than it was even a month ago - in these uncertain times little moments matter more than ever. I dare you not to cry at the end… “Hope and peace and love and trust. All the world is all of us.”

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3. Airplanes in the Garden: Monarch Butterflies Take Flight, by Joan Z, Calder and Cathy Quiel

There are a lot of books out there about butterflies, and this one is my favorite. It has just enough childlike whimsy to be imaginative, but it is real and factual where it counts. You’ll follow a child named Bonnie as she watches the butterflies go through their lifecycle and create a chrysalis on the side of a pot. It also has nice resources in the back that you will (gasp!) actually look at and use. And the watercolor illustrations are absolutely beautiful.

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4. Because of an Acorn, by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer, Frann Preston-Gannon

Oak trees are almost always top of the list for most ecologically important trees – they support over 500 species of butterflies and moths alone! This short book takes you on a journey as an acorn grows into and oak tree, which gets visited by a bird, and so on until a whole food web emerges around the tree. Fair warning, it does get kids asking why snakes eat chipmunks and why hawks eat snakes, but in a world where we are increasingly less connected with where our food comes from I think it’s good to be honest and factual about the circle of life.

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5. Seed School, Growing Up Amazing, by Joan Holub and Sakshi Mangal

I have to admit, this is not my favorite book about seeds, but my son absolutely loves it. I think the concept of the seeds going to school just like he does makes it relatable for early school children. And the language is sweet and silly. The main character is a “little lost seed with a spiffy hat,” an acorn, who goes to school with lots of other seeds of different shapes, colors, and sizes. They learn about what they need to grow (water, air, sun), and the top rules of growing (stems up, roots down). They even practice pushing up through the soil in P.E. class. This book does a great job of taking plant science concepts and making them really simple – pollination and photosynthesis for example.  This book does have three different sizes of text, so it can either be a long “tell me everything” book or an “okay, one more book” shorter story.

What are your kids and students’ favorite books?

Sinnissippi Garden Improvements Continue

Some of the most loved areas of Sinnissippi Gardens, the Sinnissippi Rose and Perennial Gardens, are getting fresh makeovers this spring and early summer thanks to generous donors and community support.

The Sinnissippi Rose Garden was created in the 1920s and has since has been a popular location for visiting tour groups, summer strolls, engagements, weddings, and more.

The first part of the project concerns the steep slope that separates the gardens from North Second Street above. For years, the slope has been difficult to manage, as the sumac bushes grow too tall and block the view of the garden from the road. The bushes are difficult and dangerous for maintenance staff to trim due to the steep angle of the slope and the height of the plants. The scope of this project includes replacement of the sumac with more manageable, and shorter, native grasses.

The tiered floral clock viewing area next to the slope will be redone in memory of Steve Zimmerman, with new seating areas and a wider path. New irrigation, lighting, and electrical will be added.

These improvements are made possible by the Nicholas Family Foundation, Gardeners of America Sinnissippi Rose Garden Endowment, Steve Zimmerman Memorial Fund, and those who contributed to the Sinnissippi Garden Campaign fund. The project is slated to be completed before the annual Wine & Roses fundraising event on June 20, 2019.

The Sinnissippi Perennial Garden on the north end of the gardens has also been identified as an area that needs improvements and is currently in the planning and fundraising stage. Last summer, horticulture staff removed overgrowth to give better views of the river, but there are still a few larger trees slated for removal and replacement. Old wooden benches need to be replaced, and irrigation improved. On the far north end of the garden, the pagoda’s roof and support columns need repairs to give it new life. Donor funds are still needed to complete this project.

To donate, contact Lisa Grigoletti, Donor Relations, Rockford Park District Foundation, 815-987-1632.

Outdoor Winter Skating on the Eclipse Lagoon

By Lyndi Toohill

Many visitors are curious to know how the lagoon ice is measured and how to know when it’s safe to skate.

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Once the temperatures drop well below freezing for a span of days, NCG staff tests the ice in various places by drilling holes into the ice and measuring the ice depth. If the ice measures four inches or thicker in all of the measured locations, the lagoon is open for skating. 

Sometimes there will be locations that will take longer to freeze than others. For example, there is a spring located at the north end of the lagoon where the water coming up from the ground keeps that area slightly warmer than the rest of the lagoon. Another factor that can slow freezing is snow cover. Snow acts as an insulator and keeps the ice surface slightly warmer than the air above the snow, slowing the freeze. 

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Although outdoor ice will never be as smooth as indoor skating surfaces, we do maintain the surface as needed. For years the lagoon was resurfaced late at night in the coldest possible weather. The staff would spray down the surface with water from large fire hoses, and then wait for the new water to freeze. Staff would repeat this process numerous times throughout the night and early morning hours to create a smooth surface. In early 2016 we purchased an Ice Dragon resurfacer, a propane-heated flat-bottomed sled. As the Ice Dragon is pulled across the surface it melts uneven ice to make a smooth surface. The Ice Dragon can be operated during the daytime by one staff person, drastically saving staff time and effort.

The lagoon is equipped with hockey nets as well as overhead lights, so skaters can enjoy the ice until 10pm. The lagoon “open” status is posted to the Nicholas Conservatory Facebook page, the sign at the side of the conservatory or you can also call 815-987-8858 to inquire about the status of the ice 24/7. We also post updates on the Rockford Park District's Rainout Line.

Whether you enjoy playing a pick-up hockey game, viewing holiday displays, or taking a “mini-vacation” to the tropics in the dark of winter, we hope you and yours enjoy this magical season at the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens.

Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, Rockford’s Tropical Treasure, Celebrates Five Years

ROCKFORD, IL – Five years ago today, Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N. 2nd Street, Rockford, opened to the public for the first time.  The Rockford Park District broke ground on the Conservatory project on August 2, 2009, and a little more than two years later, construction on the tropical treasure was complete. Since that time, the Conservatory has welcomed 236,595 visitors.  Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens is named after the Nicholas family, who in March 2006 announced their donation of $2,150,000 toward the Conservatory project in honor of their parents, William and Ruby Nicholas.  In addition to the generous donation from the Nicholas family, nearly 1,600 donors, along with several other partners, invested $13.5 million to complete the project.  All construction‐related expenses for the Conservatory project were funded by private donations, along with state and private grants.  

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the community’s continued confidence and support.  Throughout the last five years, the landscape inside the Conservatory has continued to expand and grow, we’ve picked fruit right off the tree and shared with guests to enjoy, new and unique exhibits have called the Conservatory home, and we’ve celebrated important milestones and heartwarming moments with many of our guests.  This facility and our guests continue to inspire us to dream,” said Kelly Moore, Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens Facility Manager.    

Bright Year Ahead - Lots to Celebrate

In 2017, guests will see Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens in a new light! Internationally known artist Bruce Munro is coming to Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens in 2017 with a garden-wide sculpture exhibition called Bruce Munro: LIGHT. A British native, Munro is known for his large light-based sculpture installations. The Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens exhibition is Munro’s first exhibit in the Chicago region, and visitors are expected to travel from Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee, Bloomington-Normal, Quad Cities, and beyond. Bruce Munro: LIGHT will run from June 3, 2017 through November 5, 2017.  The exhibition is Munro’s eighth large-scale garden exhibition in the U.S. The Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens campus will provide a stunning backdrop for eight sculptures, including Munro’s iconic Field of Light and Water-Towers. Two new works will also debut: Sun, a monumental globe suspended inside the Conservatory, and Don’s Flamingos, a playful homage to the designer of the pink lawn flamingo, Don Featherstone.   For more information about Bruce Munro: LIGHT visit www.nicholasconservatory.com/brucemunrolight.

During this exhibit, Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens will have extended evening hours and a variety of special events. 

Save the date for the following 2017 events!
•    Opening Party - Friday, June 2
•    Wine & Roses Annual City of Gardens and Sinnissippi Rose Garden fundraiser - Thursday, June 15
•    Moonlight Mixer Dance Parties Saturdays, July 15, August 19, and September 16
•    Hops in the Garten Beer Sampling Event - Saturday, October 14
•    Food & Beverage Light Lounge - enjoy evening cocktails and appetizers in the outdoor Light Lounge, located on the Riverview Terrace (ages 21+). Café service and other food vendors will be available. 

Sponsorship and Volunteer Opportunities

The majority of Bruce Munro: LIGHT is funded though the Nicholas Family Foundation Endowment, although additional support in the form of sponsorships, donations, and volunteers is needed to make this exhibition truly world-class.  A variety of sponsorship levels are available, and anyone interested should contact Nicole Engelbart, Rockford Park District Corporate Partnership Manager, at 815-969-4095 or nicoleengelbart@rockfordparkdistrict.org. 

Installation of the exhibit will take roughly four to six weeks.  Throughout the installation and during the exhibit, Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens will need volunteers to not only help create the sculptures, but to give tours.  Exact dates and times for volunteer opportunities are still being identified, but interested volunteers can head to www.nicholasconservatory.com/brucemunrolight to sign up to help. 

Little-Known Facts about Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens
•    Approved as the Rockford Park District’s Centennial Signature Project February 14, 2006
•    Temperature inside the Conservatory is between 70˚and 105˚F
•    Garden Gate Gifts entry is a unique one-of-a-kind gate designed and created by local artist
John Verl McNamara using recycled metal from Joseph Behr & Sons
•    Lobby mural is by Colorado artist William Hueg, and is 142 feet long
•    Lobby terrazzo floor, “River Within,” by Linda Beaumont; installed by Northern Illinois Terrazzo and Tile Co.
•    Every plant or tree has a label with the common and Latin name
•    Bismarck Palm weighs over 6000 lbs (3 tons)
•    Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens is a Gold LEED Certified facility

Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens Beneficiary of $10,000,000 Endowment

ROCKFORD, IL – Albert and Nancy Nicholas established a $10 million endowment, thanks to the Nicholas Family Foundation.

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The endowment will allow Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N. 2nd St., Rockford, IL, to expand exhibit offerings and aid in the continued transformation of the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens grounds, which act as a continued catalyst for riverfront development.

“The Rockford Park District is very appreciative and honored to receive this endowment; funding will support expanded programming, bring new and world-renowned exhibits to Rockford, and make sure the facility, inside and out, is being maintained at the highest level possible, so generation after generation has a special place to enjoy,” said Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens Facility Manager Kelly Moore.

In addition to the endowment, Albert and Nancy gifted $250,000 in 2015 that allowed Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens to complete necessary projects before the endowment funds become available. In 2016, Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens will begin to receive the annual earnings from the established endowment. The distribution of funds will provide support for enhanced programming, maintenance, and horticulture projects, both inside Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, and on the campus that is maintained by the Rockford Park District.

The endowment is in addition to the Conservatory’s operational budget, which funds daily operational costs including general maintenance, programming, staff, and operations of the Conservatory. “The District is committed to being good stewards of public funds, which support not only daily operations at the Conservatory, but every area of operation at the Rockford Park District. We are very grateful for the community’s continued confidence in this tropical treasure, and are thankful for the generosity of Ab and Nancy Nicholas, along with the many donors and partners over the years,” says Executive Director Tim Dimke.

About the Nicholas Family

William and Ruby Nicholas met, married, and raised their family in Rockford. Like many families growing up in Rockford in the 1940s and 1950s, the three Nicholas brothers, Bill, Dan and Ab, spent much of their time outdoors enjoying Sinnissippi Park and the Rock River. The Nicholas brothers envisioned Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens as a gathering place for our community and a catalyst for future river development. Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens is named after the Nicholas family, who in March 2006, announced their donation of $2,150,000 toward the Conservatory project in honor of their parents, William and Ruby Nicholas. “Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens is a dream come true for our entire family, and should remind us all of our proud past as well as a bright future,” says Ab Nicholas, son of William and Ruby Nicholas.

About Nicholas Family Foundation

In 1967, Ab Nicholas founded Nicholas Company, an independently owned investment management firm at 700 N Water St #1010, Milwaukee, WI. The Nicholas Family Foundation was established in 1993 to give to various organizations such as children’s hospitals, agencies that help youth, along with social service and cultural arts organizations.

About The Conservatory

Situated along the banks of the beautiful Rock River in Sinnissippi Gardens, Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens brings the tropics to the Midwest. The entire facility is the third largest conservatory in Illinois, with a total of 22,000 square feet, and at the highest point stands 52 feet. A tropical setting includes an 11,000-square-foot plant exhibition area complete with water features, seating areas, and sculptures. Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certified, meaning the facility highlights a variety of green design features including a green roof, a “living retaining wall,” bioswales, and rain garden features.