he natural beauty of botanical gardens makes it difficult for many visitors to leave an exhibit without taking home a reminder of the aweinspiring views they have just witnessed. Gift shop managers understand the impact that these gardens have upon their guests and strive to offer merchandise such as jewelry that not only keeps the image of the gardens alive but serves as a reminder to return to them as well.

Between 600,000 and 1 million guests will visit the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis this year for a number of exhibits which include the Butterfly House and the annual Japanese Festival. Jennifer Kuykendall, the buyer for the botanical garden’s Garden Gate Shop, which grosses between $2 million and $4 million per year, works hard to coordinate the merchandise in her shop with the popular exhibits.

“Each year, over the Labor Day weekend, we host the Japanese Festival. In our shop we offer jewelry that celebrates the festival. Some of our most popular items are Origami earrings made of Washi paper. This jewelry brings home the beauty of the exhibit and serves as a permanent memory for what our guests have experienced.”

Also being shown this year at the Missouri Botanical Gardens is an African Sculpture exhibit. Again, Kuykendall keeps the theme alive in her 5000-squarefoot store and stocks Maasai jewelry, colorful beaded pieces made by the Maasai Tribe of Kenya as well as trade beads from Africa. Always in stock at the Garden Shop are high-end jewelry pieces designed by Israeli jewelry designer Ayala Bar who creates intricate mosaics that combine non-precious metals with glass, crystal and handlaid beads.

Christy Hager, retail manager, Cheekwood in Nashville, Tenn. Hager strives to carry memorable merchandise.

The Garden Gate makes a point of carrying items that build on the natural theme of the gardens. Silver Seasons Jewelry designed by Michael Michaud captures flowers and nature in metals and pearls. The gift shop offers jewelry made out of recycled material such as bottle caps and the reasonablypriced Holly Yashi Earrings. Made out of electrically- heated Naobium, the pieces display dazzling colors reminiscent of nature and are reversible.

With such a variety of merchandise, Kuykendall knows the importance of displaying each collection properly. In keeping with the theme of the botanical gardens, The Garden Gate designs displays that bring out the natural beauty of the jewelry.

“We try to create vignettes for the collections and bring about a sense of romance for each piece of jewelry,” she added. “We try new things all the time and move the pieces throughout the store, so our displays never seem old or dated. We want the store to be an exhibit in its own right. This way we draw people in.”

The gift store at Cheekwood is carrying between 35 and 40 styles of egg necklaces from Museum Reproductions to complement the attraction’s Matilda Geddings Gray collection of Faberge. Shown at left is a poster of the Imperial Caucasus Egg.

At the Garden in the Woods in Framingham, Mass., Retail Operations Manager Nicola Cataldo, offers merchandise that is casual and organic to fit into the overall theme of the botanic gardens. The headquarters for the New England Wildflower Society, The Garden in the Woods is about the celebration of nature’s beauty.

“Our visitors come to learn and to take in the beauty of horticulture, and they want to take a piece of that home with them. Our store reflects that love of nature. The most popular items in the gift shop are those items that are naturally beautiful but not glitzy.”

Silver jewelry as well as semi-precious stones and architectural designs are sought after items. Cataldo believes the simpler the jewelry the better, so she shies away from any lines that are complicated or too modern or too expensive.

Cataldo does select jewelry that reflects the exhibits at the Garden. Recently, a “Rock On” exhibit that detailed all types of rocks and stones, allowed her the opportunity to sell various stone jewelry. This year, the Garden in the Woods is featuring the “Art Goes Wild Exhibit” an innovative display of native plants to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the gardens. Cataldo has stocked jewelry made of organic materials to complement the event. The store also has on hand necklaces and earrings that mimic the natural shapes found in nature such as spirals and serpentines.

Necklaces by Jennifer Townsend for sale at the Des Moines Botanical Center in Iowa. Townsend is among several jewelry artists represented at the shop who create pieces with a natural and organic feel.

“Next year we are hosting a big bug exhibit, so we will have everyone from bug fans to epidemiologists coming. You can bet I am going to have some pretty good bug jewelry for them to take home.”

For Cataldo, the display of her jewelry is almost as important as the jewelry itself. Each weekend, her gift shop gets 600 to 700 visitors, and she wants each guest to browse every inch of her shop.

“In the store, I change the lighting and the traffic patterns. I try to find the sweet spot for the individual items. I continually move displays around so they get the attention of our customers.”

Comprising 1,050 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows, Longwood Gardens of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania attracts more than just nature lovers. It attracts shoppers. Open 365 days a year, the Gardens Shop is a destination store for many looking for the perfect gift. Store Manager, Kristen Bedsole, stocks jewelry items that reflect the natural beauty of Longwood.

“We are open to many pieces, but according to our mission statement, they have to reflect a horticultural theme.”

Bedsole recognizes that her shop attracts a wide range of customers throughout the year, so she carries merchandise of all price ranges including genuine amber pieces from Vessel International as well as Rhodium porcelain jewelry and Four Seasons jewelry and table art.

A view of the Gardens Shop at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa. The store’s jewelry reflects the natural beauty of the gardens.

“We work very hard to coordinate our jewelry with the exhibits in the gardens,” Bedsole noted. “Sometimes there are five to six new exhibits per year, and we coordinate merchandise.”

Displaying jewelry is a work of art at Longwood Gardens as well. Bedsole drapes jewelry over terra cotta pots and other earthenware, plus she uses black forms to show off the natural beauty of all her pieces. She also changes her displays often to ensure that the shop always looks as if it has something new to offer all guests.

“I want people to be just as amazed when they come into the shop as they are when they see the gardens.”

Operated by the Des Moines Water Works, the Des Moines Botanical Center celebrates the creativity of local jewelry craftsmen in its gift shop. In keeping with the beauty of nature, the gift shop carries glass pendants and other hand-made jewelry by Diana Vondra as well as yarn and thread necklaces created by Jennifer Townsend.

Japanese merchandise is offered as part of the Labor Day weekend Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis. Photo by Kristi Foster.

“These artists have created pieces that have a natural and organic feel to them,” explained Pam Kerby, events coordinator. “The jewelry is brightly colored, which reflects the beautiful colors in nature.”

In the 25 x 15-foot store, Kerby uses small trees to hang the jewelry as well as glass Lazy Susans.

“Because these pieces are from local artists, I want to make sure they are displayed prominently at all times. The colors in all our pieces are so beautiful that they catch your eye as soon as you walk in the door.”

As retail manager for Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum of Art in Nashville, Tennessee, Christy Hager strives to carry merchandise that not only complements exhibits but dazzles her customers as well. The Gift Shop, which sees about 160,000 visitors per year and earns more than $225,000 in annual revenue, allows guests to bring home a permanent reminder of the garden and museum.

“Presently, we are big into Faberge because the Faberge Egg opened in March and will be with us five years. In the gift shop we have egg necklaces and other jewelry created by Museum Reproductions.”

Although Faberge Eggs are priceless, Museum Reproductions’ pieces range in price from $18 to $100, which makes them affordable for most people. The gift shop also carries jewelry of local artists such as lockets with different flowers painted on them as well as jewelry created by La Vie Parisienne by Catherine Popesco.

“We take great care in our displays,” Hager said. “The Faberge Egg replica necklaces are displayed on three shelves and all are in World Map Boxes, which just add to the artistry of these pieces. The other jewelry we keep in glass cases so people can take their time and look and see the uniqueness of each piece.”

At the Rio Grande Botanic Garden, native flowers and other natural exhibits awe visitors. To keep the memory of this wonderful region alive, Garden Shop Manager, Tina Moya, carries merchandise that reflects its natural beauty.

“We have butterfly pavilions and gardens so I carry items such as turquoise butterfly jewelry, hummingbird necklaces and earrings and butterfly pieces, which are a type of Chinese art that combines enamel and fine, crusted glass.”

Another view of the Garden Gate Shop at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. The shop’s buyer works hard to coordinate the merchandise with popular exhibits. Photo and photo at top by Kristi Foster.

Even the store displays accentuate the natural surroundings. Moya uses white gravel as a backdrop and adds gravel of various colors to form tiny butterflies on which she lays her jewelry.

“We just want to show everyone who comes in how beautiful the gardens and our whole region is.”

Jewelry is an important part of botanical garden shop merchandise. With jewelry, gift shop managers and buyers provide visitors an easy-to-carry memory of their visit. More importantly, the jewelry offers an ever-lasting reminder the importance and beauty of botanical gardens.