About Us
"Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration."
— Lou Erickson
Mission Statement
The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens inspires, beautifies and enriches the High Plains through gardening, volunteerism, education, and stewardship. This is accomplished through these focus areas:
- Plants– Exhibit diverse plant collections and landscapes
- Service and therapy– Provide meaningful opportunities for seniors, handicapped and youth-at-risk volunteers who are essential in growing the Gardens.
- Education and Outreach– Provide educational and therapeutic opportunities and create demonstrations in landscaping, gardening, renewable energy and sustainable earth-friendly solutions.
Report and Data for the Year Ending 2010
- 1977 - Doors first opened to the public as the “Cheyenne Community Solar Greenhouse,” located east of town.
- 1986 - The Botanic Gardens solar conservatory was constructed in Lions Park and was incorporated into the City of Cheyenne Parks and Recreation Department
- $442,100 approximate annual city budget in FY 2009-10.
- $540,810 2009-10 foundation expenditures
- 41,430 visitors to the main Botanic Gardens grounds (all 50 states and 25 foreign countries.)
- 36,220 visitors to the Paul Smith Children’s Village
- 380 visitors to the High Plains Arboretum
- 77,650 total Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Visitors
- 26 reserved uses at the Paul Smith Children’s Village
- 19 grounds uses at the Paul Smith Children’s Village
- 5717 total volunteer hours (mainly senior, youth and handicapped individuals).
- 169 individuals volunteered in 2010 (primarily senior, youth and handicapped individuals).
- 43 weddings at the Gardens with approximately 4786 attendees.
- 160 tours organized and provided to approximately 4230 attendees.
- 60 reserved uses of the greenhouse conservatory meeting room representing approximately 873 people.
- 148 educational programs to 2192 attendees.
- 14 Grounds uses (not counting weddings)
- 2315 pounds of produce grown and distributed to senior volunteers and nutrition programs.
- 60 gardening call-in radio programs aired per year on KFBC and KGAB.
- 365 garden & home tips published daily in Wyoming Tribune-Eagle newspaper and Casper Star Tribune weather page.
- 725 members in the Friends of the Botanic Gardens membership program.
- 50,000 bedding plants grown from seed for city parks beautification.
- Approximately 2 acres of off-site plantings.
- 7 staff: Director-Shane Smith, Assist. Director-Claus Johnson, Development Director– Riana Perez, Head of Horticulture –Steve Scott, Education Director-Aaron Sommers, Assist. Education Director-Jessica Friis, and Office Manager-Trudy Fox. There were up to 4 temporary and/or part-time paid staff including 3 summer interns.
- Special events for 2010: Superday in Lions Park, Goblin Walk, the Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power Summer Performance Series featuring Shakespeare, the FireAnts and 6 performers at the “Saturday’s in September” component of the series held at the Paul Smith Children’s Village.
- 80 flower beds planted and maintained by volunteers at the Gardens and around Cheyenne.
- Specifics of conservatory building: The 6,800 square– foot conservatory is passively solar heated and 50% solar powered. It displays sub-tropical and tropical food crops, annual flowers, waterfall and pond display (fish and water plants), vegetables and herbs. The facility also includes a gathering room, offices, root cellar/storage and reference library.
- 9.1 acres of grounds that include a number of specialty gardens, water features and more!
- 62 acres of grounds at our developing High Plains Arboretum
- 600 plus garden books and over 2,500 catalogs and periodicals available to the public in the CBG library.
Awards received: President Ronald Reagan– Exemplary Volunteer Program, 1986; President George Bush, Point of Light Award, 1990; Harvard Loeb Fellowship to Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Director, Shane Smith, 1989 – 1990; Partners for Livable Communities, American Entrepreneurial Leadership Award, 1994; Community Hero Award Governor Jim Geringer, 1996; LEED Platinum Award to the Paul Smith Children’s Village, 2010; Laramie County Conservation District Partners in Conservation Award to the Paul Smith Children’s Village, 2010.
Governance and management: The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens is a division of the City of Cheyenne Parks and Recreation Department. The non-profit Friends of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Foundation provides major funding for landscape planning and construction, staff education and volunteer support along with advocacy.
Photography Credit
Some of the fine photography found throughout this site has be donated by Peter G. Arnold, we thank him for donating his time and talent.
