THE RECENT PAST – The New Orleans Botanical Gardens at City Park

 

“Most people miss great opportunities because they come dressed in overhauls and look like hard work.”   Thomas A. Edison

In 1996 Gen Trimble, president of the New Orleans Botanical Garden Society appointed member Harry Freiberg to head a committee to research the possibilities of renovating the existing greenhouse and constructing new conservatory structures to form a new Botanical Garden Conservatory including new collection spaces, event spaces, exhibit spaces, plaza areas and renovated greenhouses and gardens immediately around the Conservatory. Paul Soniat, Director of the Garden, and Harry Freiberg enlisted James Smith, conservatory consultant, to assemble a design team for the special task of designing the conversion of the existing simple greenhouse structure into a grand glasshouse enclosure – Phase One of the New Orleans Botanical Gardens’ Conservatory. By 2001 with the help of generous donors and with the special gift from the Azby Foundation and along with oversight and guidance from its managing director, Michael Liebaert, the first phase of new conservatory was opened to the public.