I must preface this by first saying that I don't dislike any plant. Even invasives, lol. Every plant created either by nature or humans has some degree of beauty or value- at least to someone or something...
But some things do annoy me. One of those things is when botanical gardens copy or try to outdo each other, especially with huge displays of tulips. Bandwagons repulse me especially when there are so many underappreciated regional species/ varieties that public gardens should be spotlighting.
It seems to me like all the major, and minor Botanical Gardens across the southeast are in an arms race to see who can plant the most tulips! And while I love the vivid colors and elegance of tulips... they aren't exactly the best plant for educational institutions to promote here in Ga!
Regardless of intent, such displays give the impression that 1) tulips are "happy" in the deep South. Sure they are if you purchase pre-chilled bulbs and plant them EVERY YEAR! I'm not sure the public knows that tulips aren't perennial in our climate, at least these hybrids aren't.
But even if one knows that tulips will have to be planted every year, they are still problematic on other fronts. Garden visitors are so saturated in floral color/ excess that they come to demand more and more... When I worked at the State Botanical Garden in Athens, Ga, I often encountered this question: "where are all the flowers?"- the translation being, "these flowers right here in front of me aren't showy enough!", or "I want to see the great drifts of tulips I saw last year"- Whatever the season of the year, many visitors are disappointed unless they see large plantings of annuals. Such dramatic displays desensitize our eyes to the subtler beauty of nature. It's like junk food or sugar for our eyes.
Large annual displays also divert labor and resources away from creating more sustainable landscapes dominated by more climate-appropriate plant material. Btw, I'm all about promoting climate-appropriate plants... it's probably the main thrust of my blog!
As someone who has worked in public horticulture, I can attest that horticulture departments are increasingly pressured to spend more time and money on things like Christmas displays and showy annuals rather than truly educating the public about gardening in the South.
But I do get the need to "wow" the public. Huge "flower-power" displays do attract otherwise disengaged people to the garden in the first place. And if it takes grandiose displays like this to spark some kind of deeper appreciation for horticulture, it may very well be worth it. But I think that kids are more likely to develop a life-long love of nature and plants if they have close relationships with people who garden. Close relationships like: teachers, moms, grandparents... etc...
In my own experience, I can credit my close relationships with 2 grandmothers for fostering my love of nature and plants. And I'm strongly suspicious that just taking a trip to a botanical garden and being "wowed" by the tulips is unlikely to inspire any child to take up gardening. Perhaps I'm wrong...
I see the primary purpose of public gardens not as "botanical theme parks" or purely as flower "spectacles". Nor do I want them to all look the same... we have enough of that in generic "anytown" USA. Rather, I think a botanical garden should make regional focus its utmost priority. What I mean is, they should primarily serve to educate the public about: 1) what is native to this ecoregion 2) what grows well here (so as to serve as a model for local gardeners) and 3) what are the historical or heirloom plants that were common at different periods... Of course, they also have a responsibility to create beautiful floral displays, but when that becomes the primary focus, education gets ignored.
And they aren't mutually exclusive! You can use more climate-adapted and regionally-focused plants in beautiful displays. As an example, why not use "time-tested" swaths of daffodils like 'Ice Follies' or 'Carlton'- bulbs that once planted can survive for generations? Plus there are species of tulips that perform well in our climate (I'm thinking specifically of Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane'- which does great in my mom's yard!
And when we plant these huge (pre-chilled) hybrid tulips make sure the public is aware that these are to be treated as annuals. I think these institutions have a responsibility to inform the public of just what goes into these plants... all the inputs, all the labor, etc... I just think we shouldn't assume the public is aware of just how unsustainable such displays are... Am I wrong? Am I being to harsh?