Director’s Blog Confiscated by Summer Intern!

The following is written by Garden Intern, Barbara Conolly. It provides a peek into the life of Brian Holley, and we thought it would be fun to share it with you.

One month ago today I set out on a journey that in all likelihood will happen only once in my lifetime. Packing a mournfully deficient summer wardrobe, a borrowed beach umbrella, my laptop, and a phone, I drove away from my family in Ithaca, NY and headed to Naples, FL for a three-month internship at the Naples Botanical Garden. As a graduate student studying public garden administration at Cornell University, an internship at a public garden is a requirement for completion of my degree. This internship, however, is a unique opportunity that few people in the industry have; I am seeing how a public garden grows from the ground up.

No better way to get your feet wet than to take the Thursday morning walkabout through the garden with Executive Director, Brian Holley, just minutes after starting my first day as an intern. I immediately found that while the hard hat was appropriately fitted, my garden clogs were woefully inadequate. It was at once clear this tour would be more than what most visitors would ever encounter. It was also my first opportunity to learn from this experienced and respected leader.

Cursing myself for having left my camera in my briefcase, I began to make mental notes of this initial encounter. Clearly, the collaborative efforts showed from the start, as did the level of detail that I would be privy to witness. It quickly became obvious that Brian’s decision-making approach includes listening to those around him. It also showed a level of particular understanding of how each of the individual gardens contributes to his overall vision.

If I had had my camera, I would have tried to capture the enthusiasm on the faces of the garden management team as they assessed their progress and considered the plans for tomorrow. I would have photographed the vast empty acres against the lush recent plantings. I would have recorded the points of view that would be preserved, and those that would dramatically change over the next weeks and months. Like the speed with which an infant grows, these scenes would quickly change and forever be transformed. I began to understand just how swiftly my time here was going to fly by.

Over the following four weeks, in addition to my regular duties, I spent a few days shadowing Brian. These encounters helped me to gain a better understanding of the challenges that face public garden leaders, as well as the driving forces behind this one.

As I imagined, Brian’s days are filled with a diverse array of meetings, phone conferences, site visits, and hand holding. I often notice the number of times I hear his name called as he walks through the office. A man of meticulous detail, Brian is at once director, fund raiser, cheerleader, and visionary, and I’ve learned he wouldn’t have it any other way. Having enjoyed great successes, most recently at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, Brian could have chosen to rest on his laurels in an established organization, but instead he chose to take on the challenges of turning a former strip mall into a world-class botanical garden.

This choice comes with the heavy responsibility of making sure that The Garden flourishes in every aspect. If successful, Brian will share enormous pride with all of the people who worked together to make it happen. If not, few will remember any other name, except his. I have begun to realize that he might never have the luxury of looking up and out at this garden and see it for the splendor that the rest of us do; for a perfectionist always looks to be the first to find the flaw so that the rest of us might never notice.

No one could make this happen alone, and no one is more aware of that than Brian. He has assembled experts as employees, designers, and consultants. He has engaged and inspired a Board of Directors that are not only deeply committed to The Garden, but deeply involved as well.

Director of Cornell Plantations, the botanical gardens, arboretum, and natural areas of Cornell University, and my academic adviser, Donald Rakow PhD, says of his colleague, “It is the truly extraordinary leader who can not only articulate a vision for the development of his organization, but also channel all of the financial, human, and physical resources required to bring that vision to fruition. Brian is such a leader.”

There is little time in this busy director’s day to answer the multitude of emails and phone calls that demand his attention. Yellow folders dot his desk with contracts to endorse, purchase orders to approve, and letters to sign. Prospective donors might require him to tour The Garden two or more times in a day. At a recent meeting of the Tourist Development Council, three hours were spent to deliver a three minute speech that resulted in The Garden receiving its grant for county marketing dollars. Committee meetings and staff meetings fill morning and afternoon appointments. Meetings to hire a new staff person, approve proposed signage, or review a retirement plan for staff are attended. An unexpected invitation to look at a prospective donation of a house reveals a treasure of possible future plantings of mature palms and numerous understory specimens.

Finally, at the end of the day, when the work is never finished, he finds that a walk on the beach, a work-out, a light read and a swim, or a deep massage helps to unwind the coils of anticipation. Good friends, good food, and family remind the busy leader that life lies beyond the garden gate as well.

All of this so that untold thousands will enter Naples Botanical Garden and discover a magical space full of romance, beauty, and celebration.

Along with the seashells and sand that I will bring back to Ithaca, I will also carry with me the precious lessons that I have learned at The Garden. I have come to appreciate both the opportunities and the obstacles that I will one day face. I understand the objectivity with which a director must work. I recognize the value of articulation and negotiation. I acknowledge that resonant leadership requires personal renewal. And most of all, I will always remember, and be thankful for, how invaluable this internship has been.

Sincerely,
Barbara Conolly