Loading

Zootanical With a hint of tulips • Chaired by Alexa & Jack Oliver and Meredith & John Borchers

Thank you so much for supporting the Cincinnati Botanical Garden & Zoo! Zootanical is a great celebration of our botanical garden and supports the vast array of work done by our Horticulture Team.

The Botanical Garden is the perfect backdrop for any photo! We hope you enjoyed a beautiful evening surrounded by friends and flowers!

Because of you...

A record breaking evening, raising over $185,000! 100% of the proceeds benefit the Botanical Garden!

Cocktail Hour in the Gardens

We kicked off the evening with a welcome reception surrounded by tulips, cocktails, appetizers. and a sneak peak of our brand new carousel!

Our public garden has the highest attendance of any botanical garden in North America! We offer numerous plant-based educational programs, conduct botanical research and have a nationally recognized plant conservation program.

Photo Booth Fun! Thank you Klosterman Baking Company!
Throughout our botanical garden, folks can learn about what and how to plant, purchase the best plants for our region, and get involved in helping native pollinators and other wildlife right where we live. Basically, we are saving the world one pollinator at a time!
Zootanical was a sold out event that welcomed over 300 guests!

What's Blooming at the Zoo

Bulbs:
  • Tulips
  • Scilla siberica - Siberian Squill - Great Blue Flower
  • Daffodils
  • Hyacinths
  • Leucojum - Giant Snowflake
Here are a few of our amazing Horticulture Team Members!

As guests strolled through the garden to the new pavilion, they were invited to learn more about the work our Horticulture team is doing, puruse the Botanical-themed Silent Auction items and purchase Bigleaf Magnolia Trees.

Sold Out!

17 Botanical Themed items and experiences were available for bid in the silent auction! From Fiona Garden Statues, Zoo memberships, Centerpieces and more. Thank you to everyone who donated items for the silent auction, we are so grateful for your support.

Bigleaf Magnolia

These Bigleaf Magnolias (Magnolia macrophylla) trees were seed-collected and grown by the CZBG Horticultural staff. this is one of the finest species from Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. They are native to southern Ohio and Appalachia, known mostly for their gigantic deciduous leaves, which can stretch over 20” in length.

Please Welcome our Guest Speaker Ferugs Garrett!

Great Dixter is an iconic garden in the South East of England. The recent biodiversity audit at Great Dixter has revealed how extraordinarily rich Great Dixter, the gardens, and estate are in wildlife. The garden hosts over 40% of the UK bee species count just within a few acres, including many rare and scarce species.

Fergus provided guests with background to the biodiversity audit, uncovering the process involved as well as breaking down the reasons for such diversity, especially in an intensively planted garden.

Thank You to our Sponsors

Special thank you to our partners, SSA & Northside Distilling Co., for providing delicious food and libations!

I want to say a big Zoo Garden thanks to everybody who came to our Zootanical event last Friday. It was extremely heartening to me to see so many people actively engaged with and supporting our Botanical Garden and our array of horticulture programs - from plant research and conservation to our botanical education, community outreach and of course our display garden here at the zoo.

Thank you for caring. Thank you for coming. And thank you for going out and planting something fun in your garden! See you again next year!

Deepest thanks to The Oliver, Heekin, and Borchers families for their wonderful support of Zoo Horticulture.

- Thane Maynard, Zoo Director
Thank you to our Zootanical Chairs for all of your hard work and passion for Botanical Gardens!
“The beauty of watching an idea that started with Helen Heekin’s vision of the Tulip Luncheon has blossomed in an elegant evening event called Zootancial. Zootanical has become a multi-generational event with thanks to the Heekin & Oliver families. One that offers an incredible understanding of the importance that the Zoo's botanical contributes to the beauty, learning, and sustainability, not just for the community, but far beyond…. For one night a year we rename ourselves the Cincinnati Botanical Garden & Zoo” . Thank you for helping us bloom! - Cathy Crain, Vice Chair Cincinnati Botanical Committee
Warmest regards to our Zootanical Committee! We are so appreciative of your time and efforts into making this event a blooming success!

Zootanical Committee

Christina Anderson, Justina Block, Linnea Bonacci, Jen Castellini, Cathy Crain, Steve Foltz, Katie Heekin, Chris Hock, George Molinsky, Jane Novak-Cook, Kevin O’Dell, Jack Oliver, Bill Ripley, and Anya Sanchez

“We were honored to recognize the hard work and tireless efforts of our Horticulture team in such a beautiful setting, and it made for a truly magical evening. Welcoming an individual as esteemed as Fergus Garrett and sharing in our passion for all things Botany was the icing on the cake. Our botanical garden at the Cincinnati Zoo is leading the charge in education and awareness in our region and is always looking to raise the bar for our future. Thanks for all those involved and we look forward to gathering again next year. - Alexa & Jack Oliver

Save the Date!

Join us at next year at Zootanical on Friday, April 12, 2024!

Take the Plant for Pollinators Challenge Today!

Thank you to our photographer Lisa Hubbard for capturing all of the fun!

Thank You!

Because of you, we had a successful evening, raising over $185,000 in support of our Botanical Gradens!

Interested in supporting Zootanical and the Botanical Garden? Contact Christina Anderson at Christina.A@CincinnatiZoo.org

Sharing is caring! We would love for you to share this recap with your guests!