Innovative Vertical Garden Featuring South American Plants in SC Johnson’s Fortaleza Hall
SC Johnson’s new Fortaleza Hall, named for the Brazilian city that was at the heart of two life-changing expeditions by the Johnson family, features several unique experiences. One of the experiences is the Vertical Garden, a wall made entirely of living plants.
Creating the Wall
The design for the Vertical Garden was brought to life by Patrick Blanc, artist, botanist with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (National Center for Scientific Research, France) and holder of two doctorates from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris.
The Vertical Garden in Fortaleza Hall is currently one of only four permanent Blanc installations in the U.S. The only other Vertical Gardens by Blanc in the U.S. can be found in New York City, Charlotte, NC and Tacoma, Wash.
The wall is 18 feet high by 49 feet long and features 79 species of plants and a total of nearly 2,500 plants that are largely native to Central and South America.
Bringing Brazil to Racine, Wis.
The exotic plants and their origin commemorate H. F. Johnson Jr.’s original journey to Fortaleza, Brazil in 1935, when he flew an amphibious plane 15,000 miles roundtrip to study the Carnaúba palm and the wax it produces. Carnaúba wax was a key ingredient in many of the company’s products and the knowledge H. F. Johnson Jr. gained from this trip changed the company’s history.
Growing the Vertical Garden
The plants are able to live on their own soil-free. Synthetic felt is affixed to a frame onto which roots can cling. The wall is watered with a four-stage irrigation system, which keeps the felt moist while keeping nutrients level. Water is continuously recycled through the system so water is not wasted.
Visit the Garden
Fortaleza Hall is open to the public and invites visitors to tour the building. Tours of Fortaleza Hall will run on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year.
• Fridays, beginning Feb. 12 – April 30: 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
• Fridays, May 7 – Oct. 29: 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
• Fridays, Nov. 5 – March 25, 2011: 9:30 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 2 p.m.
• Saturdays, beginning Feb. 13 – May 1: 11 a.m., 1 p.m.
• Saturdays, May 8 – Oct. 30: 10 a.m., and 1:15 p.m.
Tours are free of charge. Visitors are also welcome to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright buildings on campus on Fridays. The Frank Lloyd Wright Library and Reading Room will also be available to visitors 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., with reservations and based upon availability. Reservations for both tours are also required.
To make a reservation, call 262-260-2154 or email Rondelle@scj.com