Dear editor,
I have been closely following the news of the recent Monk Botanical Gardens name change and feel that I have something important to say to the fine citizens of Wausau and the surrounding areas.
To begin, I would like to share a bit about myself. My family moved to Wausau three years ago. We fell in love with Wausau for many reasons, the friendliness of the people and the strong community were among them. It felt like people really cared for each other and looked out for one another. Something that is increasingly rare these days. I am a novice gardener and have been volunteering at Monk Botanical Gardens for the last year. I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know the wonderful staff, some volunteers and a few of the board members during my volunteer time. I have also seen all the hard work put into the garden by all those people and how much the garden has transformed over just the past year. I am proud to say that I was a very small part of that transformation and am also excited to look at the master plan and see what is to come.
I have lived in many Midwest cities and experienced many different public gardens: Morton Arboretum outside of Chicago, The Chicago Botanic Gardens, Nicholas Conservatory (Rockford, Illinois) Anderson Japanese Gardens (also, Rockford, Illinois), and the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory (Fort Wayne, Indiana) to name a few.
When I look at what Monk Botanical Gardens currently is compared to those more tenured gardens I just named, at this point in time there is, sad to say, much to be desired from our little hidden gem in Wausau. At least currently. Looking at the master plan that Monk Botanical Gardens is working toward in phases, I see a very bright future for not only the garden but also the greater Wausau community. I have read many criticisms of the master plan recently but when I look at those other public gardens I have visited and compare it to the master plan at Monk, I see a bright future and a top-notch destination that will offer space for the community to gather, socialize, learn and grow together.
I understand that the community is upset, disappointed and heart-broken when the name change was abruptly announced. I too was miffed, to say the least. My own opinions aside, when it came down to it, the board reversed their decision and announced that the Monk Botanical Gardens name will remain. Currently, I think the community is at a very important crossroads. The choices we make and the posts we create on social media will undeniably determine the fate of Monk Botanical Gardens. We can rally to boycott the garden like some already have called on and the gardens will eventually fail. No one will be able to visit to enjoy the fragrant Judd Viburnum blooming in the spring. The walking paths will become overgrown with neglect. People will no longer be able to sit by the pond in the meditation gardens and hear the laughing children play around the hobbit house. Member harvest night and food bank donations from the kitchen garden will cease. Not to mention the Sprouts program will likely fold under the stress to boycott.
This ultimately is a nonprofit organization and if the community is not able to forgive and move forward, there will be no Monk Botanical Gardens, period. I didn’t know Mr. Monk, but from the little I have learned about this kind and generous soul over the last year, I feel like he would want the community to forgive, rally around the garden and help drive it into its next phase of development. I believe, he would want the gardens to continue on, that is after all why he generously donated the land and oversaw the creation of the nonprofit over two decades ago. He would not want to see people stop donating and watch the garden fall into a state which could not be maintained – all because of a hastily announced name change.
I challenge everyone to visit Monk Botanical Gardens in the coming weeks. There is a lot of spring cleaning going on currently and everyone is hard at work getting the gardens ready for summer. Many of the people you may see are volunteers but some are paid staff that organize the volunteers, they work tirelessly to plan, purchase, prepare and maintain what the many volunteers could not. If the gardens are boycotted, those hard-working staff will lose their jobs. Please look at the master plan online before you visit so you can really understand what the ultimate goal is for the future of the gardens. When you are walking though the gardens, imagine what the future would look like with the masterplan executed; there is a band playing in the amphitheater, and people gathered on the lawn dancing. There is a community workshop being held in the education center on how to plant a pollinator-friendly garden. An engagement party is underway in the beer garden where everyone is celebrating the future couple with a toast. Then, when you visit, please imagine what it would look like if the community truly boycotts the garden. Lead only by volunteers there is an effort to maintain the land, but many trails are overgown with bushes, poison ivy and debris. There are no annuals (flowers) planted because there is no funding to purchase plants or seeds. Many of the buildings have started to fall into disrepair because there are no funds to care for the structures. Then, imagine not being able to visit at all. If Monk Botanical Gardens loses donations and funding, it will not be maintained to the level it currently is and will probably eventually close.
My call to action for the community is to please consider the true impact of boycotting. This is not a large corporation that can bounce back, this is a very small nonprofit organization that will be devastated. I would rather the community move forward. Get involved in the gardens, come out, volunteer, get to know everyone and constructively share your feelings.
I also have a call to action for the Monk Botanical Gardens leadership, please consider the opinions of the community. There are so many people that love the garden and have been supporting it for decades. Going forward, please consider the wishes and options of the community, try polling members of the gardens and donors before major changes are done, hold some town halls or listening sessions. I know you are a private nonprofit and the board is ultimately in control and board meetings are held in private (which is normal). This name change fiasco should be a hard lesson learned and the take-away should be that this garden should be handled akin to politics, ask the public for their input and communicate transparently before something changes. Ask for permission now instead of forgiveness later.
I know the community can move forward and rally behind driving a new, better Monk Botanical Gardens. We are a strong, supportive and caring community. We do not have another asset in the community like Monk Botanical Gardens and if it is lost, it will take decades to get something even close to it back, if we ever do at all.
I am proud to live in Wausau and proud to be a garden volunteer. We can choose love and support instead of pettiness and spite and come together to keep Mr. Monk’s legacy alive. I agree with all the yard signs; the community needs to stand with Monk Botanical Gardens to keep it alive and thriving. I thank you all for your time and consideration and hope to see you all visiting and supporting Monk Botanical Gardens.
Tiffany Millar-Piccirilli of Wausau
Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
