THE HORTICULTURE CENTER
MISSION: The Illinois State University Horticulture Center is a living laboratory, a place to learn about plants, gardens, and their care through hands-on practice and research. It is further a place of beauty, bringing people closer to nature and inspiring them through artful demonstration and display.
CORE BELIEFS - We believe:
- That plants and nature affect all aspects of life and thus should also inform all areas of study.
- In the power of gardens to bridge the gap between people and nature.
- That hands-on learning is the best way to develop the confident, competent horticulture professionals of the future.
- That horticulture is an art and a science, and we seek to inspire and engage our visitors through the demonstration of both.
- In responsible stewardship of our grounds and resources to protect and sustain the Center as a vibrant place of beauty, teaching, learning, and joy for future generations.
- That our gardens and plant collections should reflect the broad diversity of the field of horticulture, and we strive for a culture of diversity and inclusion among our staff, volunteers, and visitors.
- That understanding the history of our land is crucial to ensuring its future and we aspire to honor all life - the peoples, plants, and animals - who existed here before us.
The Horticulture Center is part of the Agriculture Department at Illinois State University. It encompasses 23 acres and is located on Raab Road, north of the University Golf Course, and across the street from Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois. The Horticulture Center is also linked to Constitution Trail.
OUR FOCUS
OUR HISTORY
1973
Dr. Margaret “Peg” Balbach hired, serving from 1973 – 1994
1978
Horticulture Sequence established in the B.S. in Agribusiness program (1978-1979 Undergraduate Catalog)
2005
Illinois State University Horticulture Center established on West Raab Road, covering 10 acres –
Jessica Chambers hired as the Director if the ISU Horticulture Center
2006
First Autumnal Festival held at ISU Horticulture Center
Students and volunteers seed prairie at ISU Horticulture Center
2007
Volunteer Program begins at ISU Horticulture Center
ISU Horticulture Center 2007 theme: The 1857 Garden (celebrating ISU’s 150th Anniversary)
Children’s Garden established at ISU Horticulture Center
2008
Dr. David Kopsell hired as an Assistant Professor of Horticulture, serving from 2008 – present
Wind turbine added at ISU Horticulture Center
Prairie Grove established at ISU Horticulture Center in partnership with Children and Elders Forest
2009
Pinetum established at ISU Horticulture Center – designed by horticulture student, Nick Pershey
Sculptures created and installed by art student, Grant Walsh, at ISU Horticulture Center – “The Worm,” “Sunbathers,” wooden twig installations
2010
Children’s Garden re-designed and renovated by horticulture student, Jonathan Damery
2015
ISU Horticulture Center 2015 theme: The Literary Garden
ISU Horticulture Center celebrates 10th Anniversary
2016
Drs. Margaret and Harold Balbach Endowment Fund established in the amount of $100,000 to benefit the horticulture discipline and Horticulture Center at ISU
2018
ISU Horticulture Center increased in size to 23 acres
2020
ISU Horticulture Center celebrates 15th anniversary
ISU Horticulture Center 2020 theme: The Sounds of the Center
2023
ISU Horticulture Center 2023 theme: Native Roots: Honoring Our Connection to Indigenous Plants
Children’s Garden endowed – Betty Norris Children’s Discovery Garden
Grant Walsh Student Artist in Residence Program created
Jessica Chambers
I love to help things grow. That of course includes all types of plants, but also students in many different disciplines. I consider myself a product of Illinois State University. I attended both lab schools for elementary and high school and ISU as an undergraduate in the Agriculture Department which I currently work in. As Director of the Horticulture Center from its inception, I like to tell visitors that there is some of the Horticulture Center in me and some of me in the Horticulture Center. That’s just what happens when you have been together for 19 years.
My job entails wearing many different hats including fundraising; maintaining 23 acres of gardens, native prairie, and research areas; giving tours; running a volunteer program; and most importantly educating our ISU community and the greater Normal-Bloomington community about nature. The Center has been a collective endeavor from her inception, and together we make our community a more vibrant place to live in.
Monica Fuller
My time as a volunteer at the Horticulture Center started in the Fall of 2008 when I was considering going back to school to study horticulture. The longer I volunteered, the more I became excited at the idea of a career in public gardens, and I eventually began and completed a bachelor’s degree in ISU’s horticulture program. I was elated to be offered a position as the Center’s part-time Creative Coordinator in 2016 doing work for which I feel a true passion.
You might not see me in the gardens as much as other staff, but you will hear my voice in the Horticulture Center’s outreach, social media, website, and interpretive content and see my touch in its over-the-top artistic and floral displays. I also work closely with our Director to plan fundraising and marketing campaigns, events, and yearly garden themes. Having been accused more than once of being the “resident dreamer”, I believe strongly in the Center’s potential to affect change in the world by reconnecting people to nature, so I particularly relish supporting the Center’s growth by helping to develop its mission, vision, and goals.
Monica Fuller
My time as a volunteer at the Horticulture Center started in the Fall of 2008 when I was considering going back to school to study horticulture. The longer I volunteered, the more I became excited at the idea of a career in public gardens, and I eventually began and completed a bachelor’s degree in ISU’s horticulture program. I was elated to be offered a position as the Center’s part-time Creative Coordinator in 2016 doing work for which I feel a true passion.
You might not see me in the gardens as much as other staff, but you will hear my voice in the Horticulture Center’s outreach, social media, website, and interpretive content and see my touch in its over-the-top artistic and floral displays. I also work closely with our Director to plan fundraising and marketing campaigns, events, and yearly garden themes. Having been accused more than once of being the “resident dreamer”, I believe strongly in the Center’s potential to affect change in the world by reconnecting people to nature, so I particularly relish supporting the Center’s growth by helping to develop its mission, vision, and goals.
Joe Tulley
I am an avid nature enthusiast with a deep passion for the great outdoors. I graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor's degree in Recreation and Park Administration. Working at ISU allows me to combine my professional expertise with my personal interests to promote environmental stewardship and facilitate volunteer opportunities within the Horticulture Center. I have worked at the Center for four years, serving in multiple roles including: Horticulture Assistant, Student Foreman, and now Assistant Horticulture Center Director. Beyond that, I have grown up around the Center, having volunteered in some capacity for around a decade. I love the connections I am able to establish between the Horticulture Center and my hometown community of Bloomington-Normal.
At the Horticulture Center, my role encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities. I lead the volunteer program, oversee the planting and maintenance of our 23-acre outdoor laboratory, and train new hires and students on equipment usage. Additionally, I handle various other tasks that contribute to the smooth operation of the Center.
Amelie Mwilambwe
Lily Best
