Botanical Garden Grows with Funds

The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks was able to show off the project’s progress at the Greening of the Garden event. With 600 people in attendance, live and silent auctions raised about $36,000, said Cathy Bass, board president.
The 5.5 acres of Phase I features nine gardens, including rock and water, sensory and Japanese gardens. It also includes the 5,000-SF Carl A. Totemeier Horticulture Center.
Accessible from Highway 265 in north Fayetteville, the 86-acre development rests on the east side of Lake Fayetteville. Plans call to develop 47 acres, leaving the remaining land open for use.
Bass said contributions total nearly $3 million, but about $50 million will be necessary to complete the project. Annual operation expenses may require $400,000.
Bass said the city of Fayetteville breathed life into the project with $750,000 in 2004. In February, the Fayetteville A&P Commission gave another $549,000. However, much of the funding has come from private sources. The 2,700-SF conference space may provide another income stream from weddings and corporate events.
For now, admission is free. But the board has voted for a $5 fee to begin late this summer, with Saturday mornings remaining free.