Who we are & what we hope to achieve
Welcome to the Missoula Botanical Gardens blog! Thank you for being here and for your curiosity to learn more about our nonprofit.
As our name suggests, we are looking to bring a botanical garden and conservatory to Missoula! This idea isn’t new for our city and we are proud to be among other amazing organizations working in this field, such as the Gerald W. Marks Exploration Center & Rocky Mountain Gardens and University of Montana gardens.
So, what makes us different? What do we hope to add to Missoula’s thriving green-scene?
We’re so glad you asked!
While multiple outdoor and native gardens exist for the purpose of conservation and public education, we believe there is an important need for a conservatory to create a unique space for the community and public with a specific focus on mental health and the arts, given Missoula’s long winters and short growing season.
We hope to contribute both to the scientific community through plant preservation, research, and education, as well as to our local public by providing inspiration, respite, and wellbeing through a year-round conservatory that's big enough to wander during those cold months, associated themed outdoor gardens, and art throughout both areas. We aim to foster community engagement through venue rental, small concerts, and botany and gardening lessons.
Why we focus on mental health
According to Missoula Public Health’s Community Health Assessment, “Having access to green spaces has a variety of health benefits. They encourage people to be more physically active, gaining health benefits from that. They can boost mood and provide other mental health improvements. They also promote social cohesion because they are a place people can meet and gain a sense of belonging. Green spaces can further be a tool to help address public health disparities.”
Other studies have shown that spending time in green spaces reduces stress and anxiety, lowers heart rate, improves concentration, memory recall, and overall mood. Some research provides evidence that it may also lower levels of depression and aggressive behavior. Read about these studies and more benefits in this article by Dr. Donald A. Rakow.
By building a conservatory that allows for year-round access to green space, we would be increasing Missoulians’ access to all of these wonderful benefits.
Why we focus on art
Missoula is an arts town. There’s no doubt about that! We hope to foster our exceptional arts community by featuring local artists’ work and offering a public space to experience them. In addition, art and nature can be mutually beneficial. This wonderful article by The Conservation Foundation explains this concept in more detail.
“Conservation preserves nature, which inspires art. Art, in turn, can advocate for conservation,” the article says. “Art has the power to bring a group together and facilitate a dialogue on conservation.”
What we’re doing now & how you can get involved
We're ready to work with the city, county, and community partners to identify the best location for a conservatory and, ideally, some room for outdoor gardens as well. We're on the search for property and/or the right infrastructure near existing open space, water, and/or parks.
- Contact us with ideas or opportunities by emailing us HERE.
We're excited to find synergy with community members and donors who have shared interests in creating a special place for plants, respite, sanctuary, wellbeing, and contemplation. If you'd like to volunteer or share information, we encourage you to email us! We would love to hear from you.
We also are focused on strengthening the relationship and partnerships with existing gardens given limited public resources and the need for maintenance and volunteers. We plan to collaborate with these friends and colleagues this growing season.
We're aware that this idea will take time and effort! We are in this for the long haul with partners like you.