That would be a great subject line if this were an email. Since it is not, I will begin by introducing myself. I am Jim Stribling, the newest member of the WBG team, in the position of Assistant Director. I am honored to have been selected to help steward this beautiful garden into the future. Briefly, I am a lifelong horticulturist and nursery grower who found his way to the very rewarding field of public gardens some years ago. Whether it was ethnobotanically important tropical fruits in South Florida, a five-hundred-year-old heritage garden in Carmarthenshire, Wales, to now at the oasis of beauty known as The Wilmot Botanical Gardens, the learning and sharing of knowledge and beauty are the best part of the job. The most common question I am asked is “why did you move back”, and the answer is best given using a Welsh word—Hiraeth. The rough translation is “home”, but it is much more than that. It really is the feeling of being home, where you belong.
As I began to write this, I silently asked the powers that be to send some inspiration, that I might make a good job of this introductory message. Well, the universe responded and I was provided with plenty. While walking the garden I crossed paths with a father and his two young daughters, who were busily and joyfully collecting fallen Camellia flowers. The father explained they were early for an appointment nearby and had a few minutes to spare, time he thought best spent in the Gardens. How’s that for inspiration? No child is ever excited by a doctor’s appointment, and this Garden was here, fulfilling a key purpose by allowing that young family the opportunity to relax, connect with nature, and find something beautiful. This Garden is more than the sum of its parts, and the fact that the WBG is surrounded by the UF Health Science Center is a reminder of a shared goal– improving the quality of life for patients, caregivers, and students.
I am looking forward to meeting many of you at our upcoming plant sale, and I thank you in advance for your much-needed support. I truly hope that as you attend to the responsibilities and challenges of life, you will take a moment to slow down, engage all your senses, and find something beautiful today.
Jim Stribling
Assistant Director, Wilmot Botanical Gardens