Apr 15, 2015
Image via oakbrookhillsresortchicago.com
OAK BROOK, Illinois – You name it, this US resort probably has a sustainable program for that. From beekeeping to a “foodscaping” garden, and even a respite waystation for Monarch butterflies, this suburban resort is launching what it calls a Horticultural Gallery on Earth Day, April 22, 2015.
The Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center is committed to sustainability efforts that support its mission of becoming a uniquely green destination. These environmental practices are evident throughout hotel operations, but none more so than what’s taking place on the grounds outside, which is comprised of a 150-acre Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and the Championship Willow Crest Golf Club. Today, the multi-faceted west suburban resort announced a Horticultural Gallery, launching with the emergence of spring. Spearheaded by a new full-time horticulturalist, Karen Paquin, the sustainable ecology program officially kicks off on Earth Day, April 22, and aims to be the hospitality industry’s premier Midwestern environmental showcase.
Unlike a typical art gallery, the Horticultural Gallery at Oak Brook Hills, an IACC Green Star/Gold Status property, presents a cutting-edge array of eco-friendly initiatives happening outdoors in real time, headlined by the resort’s groundbreaking beekeeping program. The Horticultural Gallery is open to everyone to enjoy and tour – from individual guests to client groups. Paquin, who has been trailblazing in San Francisco’s progressive horticulture scene for the last 25 years, wants visitors to be “blown away” by what’s happening at Oak Brook Hills.
“It’s not just about plants,” said Paquin, “it’s about the habitat and ecology of the plants coming together. My goal is for guests to walk away with a new aesthetic for not only what’s beautiful, but also what’s in balance with our native region.”
“Gardening is much more than a hobby to many,” added Oak Brook Hills’ general manager Stefan Mühle, who spent more than a decade conceptualizing, developing, and managing green hotels in San Francisco while chairing the Sustainability Committee for the City’s Hotel Council. “We feel there’s a huge demand for learning more about techniques and approaches that have the potential to result in competitive and fiscal advantages while protecting the natural environment and respect for the local communities in which we operate.”
The Horticultural Gallery at Oak Brook Hills has begun with the advent of spring, and will escalate as the season continues. Highlights include a beekeeping program; “foodscaping,” chefs, and drink/cocktail gardens; the planting of fruit trees and 5,000+ bulbs; the continual division and replanting of perennials; as well as Audobon education and prairie restoration; and assistance for wildlife in the form of bird boxes for native birds and a monarch butterfly waystation.
http://www.eturbonews.com/57660/sustainable-us-resort-launches-horticultural-gallery
