“Alice in Wonderland” is the inspiration behind Como’s Summer Flower Show opening June 12
The longest-running flower display of the year, the Summer Flower Show is now also the most literary, taking its inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Set to run June 12 through September 13, Como’s horticulturists have been at work all week turning the Sunken Garden into a wonderland of its own, with floral allusions to the White Rabbit, the Red Queen, and everything in between.
“The whole show will have a really narrative feel,” says apprentice designer Leela Karlson. “The beginning will take visitors down the rabbit hole, and then going in, the garden tea party with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, and then at the end, it’ll be all about the Red Queen. Visitors will see some fun topiaries, some props, and it’ll just be very fun and whimsical.”
For instance, horticulturists will suggest the tea party vibe with plants and flowers that feature cup-shaped leaves, saucers of succulents, and soft pastels. Meanwhile, crimson-colored flowers allude to the Red Queen, the most dangerous croquet player on the page.
Telling stories through flowers and plants has been a theme this year in the Sunken Garden, which kicked off this spring with a flower show inspired by the myth of Persephone, the Greek goddess of growth. But what’s also special about this show is that it was designed by a team of horticultural apprentices from RightTrack, the City of St. Paul’s career development program, which engages youth from cost-burdened households with part- and full-time employment opportunities around the city. While unpaid internships have long been part of the expected career path for aspiring horticulturists, the RightTrack program provides full- and part-time pay to high school youth and college students eligible for the program, removing economic barriers to participation, and cultivating a more diverse workforce.
Karlson, a senior at the University of Minnesota, has been part of the program for more than a year, taking advantage of opportunities to learn about everything from bonsai training to the operations of Como’s 30,000-square-foot growing range. “During the school year I’m juggling school and two other jobs, so being full-time at Como gave me the chance to really focus and make the most of this experience,” she says. “As a landscape architecture major, it’s really important to understand horticulture, too, and this has given me that chance. Having this kind of experience is incredibly useful on my resume.”
To learn more about what Como’s RightTrack apprentices have accomplished this year, check out the summer edition of the Como Friends Insider, arriving in mailboxes later this month. Thanks to contributions from people like you, Como’s “Alice in Wonderland” summer flower show is free to every visitor, and on display through September 13. Please note: the Sunken Garden will be closed for maintenance purposes from June 21 to July 8.
