The animals aren’t the only living things on exhibit at the Minnesota Zoo. Our horticulture staff takes care of all the plants, both inside and outside. Plants not only provide a wonderful backdrop for our exhibits, they also help to tell the story about the animals and where they live in the wild.

Horticulture involves planning what plants to use for each area, growing the plants in the greenhouse, planting the plants, watering, weeding and continually checking the plants for disease or mites.

Pictured at left, horticulturalists Kim Thomas and Rebecca Montalbano clean up the Butterfly Garden walkway after planting the flower beds.

“I work with wonderful plant materials and also around the animals to help make them more comfortable. People who will never get to Southeast Asia or the Amur valley might get some sense for where the animals come from…instead of a cold bare space.”
Kim Thomas, Horticulturist

“The animals like the plants and like to interact with them…they continually tear them a part!” Kim Thomas, Horticulturist