CELEBRATING OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY
The Refrains of Nature: Revealing the World's Hidden Patterns
Thank You for Supporting the 20th Autumnal Festival!
Illinois State University’s Horticulture Center celebrated its 20th anniversary during the annual Autumnal Festival on Saturday, September 13, and Sunday, September 14. This year’s theme, The Refrains of Nature: Revealing the World’s Hidden Patterns, showcased the intersection of art, science, and community in the gardens.
Director of the Horticulture Center Jessica Chambers ’93, who has led the center since its founding, said the anniversary offers a moment to reflect on how far the center has come. When she started 20 years ago, the land was a corn and soybean field with only a conceptual plan.

“Pretty quickly, I realized that without any support or funds, that conceptual plan was going to take a long time,” said Chambers. “So then, I looked at it and I thought, ‘OK, what can I do?’ That was the prairie. That was really the first garden we started.”
The prairie remains Chambers’ favorite feature of the Horticulture Center. She said it has taught her respect for Illinois’ natural history and offered a way to educate visitors.
“Every time we have a visitor, I’m trying to share, educate, and just show them some really cool prairie plants,” she said. “Most Illinoisians don’t understand or grasp prairie at all.”
The Horticulture Center’s growth has been fueled by students, volunteers, and community partnerships. Chambers said the Autumnal Festival is not just a fundraiser but also a celebration of the people who sustain the center.
“Volunteers have become family,” she said.
She said that the festival is designed to offer more than entertainment.
“What makes it different than other fall festivals is that we really try—and I thoroughly believe in this noble pursuit of education—to make sure people learn something new,” she said. “In recent years, we’ve also added more art elements, from student showcases to volunteer artwork, because bringing nature and art together creates a really meaningful experience.”
We believe in the Power of Gardens to bridge the gap between people and Nature.

Join Us in Growing a Greener Future!
The Horticulture Center is a vibrant hub that connects our community with nature, offering inspiration through its divers gardens, education events, and native spaces.
Your annual support is crucial to the Center's ongoing success and its mission to foster a love for the natural world. As a Friend of the Center, your support goes towards the maintenance, operational efforts, and educational experiences of the gardens.
Only donations made to the Friends of the ISU Horticulture Center fund will be recognized as contribution towards courtesy levels.
Choose a giving level that suits you, and enjoy exclusive benefits designed just for our Friends.

COME VISIT US

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CENTER

Awestruck: Horticulture Center’s artists-in-residence inspired by ‘the wonder of nature’
