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The Botanical Artist Volume 15, Issue 3 - September 2009 Page 23
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ince its inception under the guidance of Angela Overyalmost 20 years ago , Denver Botanic Gardens’ CertificateProgram in Botanical Art & Illustration (BI)has had as itsmission two primary goals: educate artists to create contempo-rary botanical art within the guidelines of the genre and edu-cate the public about the genre andits important place in science andart today.To satisfy the first goal, hundredsof students have trained in the pro-gram, growing to the current levelof over 500 students a year. Classeshave grown and expanded, so thatin its current state, ProgramCoordinator Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski,PhD, DrS, coordinates 7 staff edu-cators and guest educators, whoprovide core curricula as well as a broad and encouraging range of elective offerings. A unique portion of the pro-gram to educate the public hasflowered in the form of a con-tinuing commitment to pub-lication, partnering studentsand educators with variouspublic entities, to encouragereaders to learn about andcherish our plant world.The first book,
 Xeriscape Plant Guide
, 1996, FulcrumPublishing, was a collabora-tion with the Denver WaterBoard. Using illustrationsfrom 30 instructors and stu-dents , the book showcases100 xeric species suitable forthe high plains region. Illustratedand photographed in situ, thetext provides detailed informationon using these hardy speci-mens for gardeners. A furtherbook was created from theillustrations –
The XeriscapeColor Guide
, FulcrumPublishing - batching speciesby color, to create a handyguide for the landscape or gar-den designer.The next BI foray resulted in
 Durable Plants for the Garden, A Plant Select®Guide(2009).
The illustrations were again createdby students and educators, with text and guides created inpartnership with DBG, Colorado State University, and GreenIndustries of Colorado. Begun in 2005 under then-coordinatorSusan Fisher, BI offered Plant Select®: Plant Portraits classesduring summer of 2005 and 2006. Mervi feels that this book inparticular allowed students to discover the process of workingwith a publisher. Formats were assigned, with maximumimages size and a “common gardener” outline next to a scaled outline of the plant, so that gardeners have a goodidea of actual plant size. Each plant has a graphite andcolor illustration, as well as photographs and text provid-ing horticultural information. Images were juried forinclusion. Another 2009 publication celebrates 50 years of theDenver Botanic Gardens at the York Street location.Entitled
 Flourish, A Visionary Garden in the American West,
it’sedited by Panayoti Kelaidis,Senior Curator of PlantCollections and Director of Outreach, DBG, and publishedby Johnson Books. Mervi wrotethe acknowledgment highlightingthe BI program and the educa-tors and students who con-tributed. Submissions were opento any student enrolled at thetime the book was in prepara-tion. The goal was to include asmany students as possible, showing a wide range of skillsand approaches, an honest artistic snapshot of the program today.Fifty students and seven instruc-tors, and one guest instructor partici-pated. The plants featured are themost significant signature specimensfor DBG, all included in the Gardens’collections. Artists worked in the medi-um of their choice, and pen and ink,watercolor, colored pencil and graphite arerepresented. These lovely illustrations arepaired with text and photographs of thespecimens provided by DBG staffers, andprovide readers with real insight into the ben-efits of botanical art.Mervi states the certificate program is collaborating on 3more books. The first is a species collection on
 Delosperma
, due out in 2010, again in collaboration withPanayoti, a noted
 Delosperma
expert.The second publication focuses on plants in the Rock  Alpine Garden. The 30 plant species featured will be illustratedby current students. Submissions are open for everybody andartworks will be juried for inclusion. Illustrations will be in colormedia or in a combination of graphite and
Growing A P
 
ublications Program That Supports Botanical Art
 Below, Flourish cover, below right insideimage from Patty Mcauliff, Tall Bearded Iris Below, Durable Plants for the Garden, A Plant Select®Guide cover Below, Xeriscape cover, below rightinside image from Marjorie Leggitt,
Robinia neomexicana 
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