Interview with Tracy

What is "the gradens"?

Gardens were created to have a lasting place of beauty. Gardens are a rather large expense and the other areas of the property support the gardens financially. The golf course surrounds the gardens for two purposes: revenue and a buffer for the quiet and solitude for the garden.

The area was originally alfalfa. The hilltops were moved in order to make land more productive.

55 arce parcel, 15 themed gardens, with pathway, it is called an estate garden. Gardens are screened by trees. Some of the primary goals were to create small intimate spaces as well as grand views.

Waterfall is the single most costly piece (360 feet long), 9 separate falls that comke off it, 65 feet tall.

Being designed from scatch, it was easier to make it flow and have smooth transitions.

Gardens are constantly changing.

What is the ambassador?

A means of making contact with our guests. That guests feel a connection to the property. Strengthens the experience.

Originally, no signage was wanted in the garden. They didn't want research or labels. TP is a display garden. TP held firm for about 3 years, but people want to know. So there is some signage now. 2,000 signs in the garden. Children like to play games with signs. So they need someone to put the signs back in proper places.

What would be helpful would be a field guide book.

Labeling area is small and non-labeled area is large.

Guest usually have cell phones and some have smart phones.

What are the categories of guests?

TP is a display garden. Want people to be inspired, color, tecture, shape. Landscape architects. Sharpening technique. Vocal opinions. Lots of why questions. Want guests to be surprised. Tracey doesn't want to categorize guests.

30% of the trees couldn't adapt to the environment.

What is the largest group?

Younger mothers with children in strollers and 50-60 year old women.

Do you keep a log of the questions they are asking?

Signage creation is a result of questions.

Ambassador program could be looked at as a volunteer strengthening. Gardeners are gone by 2:30 pm. The gardens are empty of full-time after 2:30 pm. Guests are on their own for the most part. It would be wonderful to be able to have knowledgable people to answer questions and point things out to the guests. Like owl nests. It would be a docent-type program.

They have gardener and advanced gardener programs.

Guests per day go from 300 - 8,000.

The first priority is display, then second is education.

First question is "what is that?"

Next group of questions is orientation-related and historical information.

TP wants mothers to get recharged, want them to watch their children play on the hill, they have simplier needs, their children have a safe environment to explore, children's garden has a noah's arch splash pad, watch their kids play in the water is a big draw.

Discovery carts (mobile learning experience, "did you know" moment). TP wants the children to discover.

Field guide is sent with field trip groups. Scheduled guided tours are available.

TP wants volunteers with passion for TP. Building the volunteer base is a big challenge.

Membership pass is mostly families. There is a grandparent pass.

Grandparents tend to be more teaching than when parents bring their own kids.

TP doesn't really have a facilitating activity for parent-child interaction.

Parent-child interaction is touchdown.

Facilitation (contact that enriches the experience) "His word for ambassador is facilitator".