Plant Collections — Staff

Galen D. Gates, B.S.

Curator, Perennial Herbaceous Plants

Galen is responsible for the acquisition, development, use, research, and interpretation of the Garden’s herbaceous perennial plant collection. He led the effort to develop the Garden’s long-range Collections Plan, which articulates the purpose and direction for developing the Chicago Botanic Garden's Living Plant, Library, Herbarium, and Sculpture Collections.
Galen is a spokesperson for the Chicago Botanic Garden, with more than 200 invited presentations to date worldwide. He is chairperson for the Plant Collecting Collaborative (PCC), a consortium of five institutions comprising three botanic gardens: New York, Missouri, and Chicago; and two arboreta: The Morton Arboretum and the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. He has collected and studied plants on 23 trips into 17 countries—ultimately enriching botanical understanding and diversity in the United States.

He initiated and implemented the country's first international plant exploration symposium, Plant Exploration: Protocols for the Present, Concerns for the Future, dealing with the implications of the international Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and impending national law (Executive Order 13112 on Invasive Species). His work on the national Herbaceous Task Force (NAPCC, North American Plant Collections Collaborative) identified priority genera and gardens for coordinated curation. He also serves NAPCC by managing eight states as Midwest Regional Organizer.

Galen created and secured funding for the Collections Study Tour Program providing in-depth, top-down reviews of 13 leading public gardens in seven countries. This work played significantly in his authoring a landmark paper that, for the first time, defines the "Characteristics of a World-Class Plant Collection."

His formal training in horticulture includes a bachelor of science degree from Kansas State University. Galen is adjunct associate professor, Department of Architecture, and College of Landscape Architecture, Illinois Institute of Technology. He has contributed to more than 80 books and authored over 30 plant-related articles in professional journals and trade magazines.

Galen has 30 years of professional experience in horticulture, ranging from curatorial responsibilities and management to involvement in the development and construction of million-dollar display gardens. His background in teaching, plant evaluation, construction, and maintenance has made him a valued consultant to professional industry organizations, publishers, nurserymen, landscape design/build firms, and seed companies.

publications

Books

Gates, Galen and Ethan Johnson. 1996. Trees. New York: Knopf/Random House.

Gates, Galen with Chris Graham and Ethan Johnson. 1998. Shrubs and Vines. New York: Knopf /Random House.

Conference Proceedings and Journal Articles

Gates7, G., M. Widrlechner2, J. Thompson3, E. Kapler4, K. Kordecki, P. Dixon6. 2009.
A test of four models to predict the risk of naturalization of non-native woody plants in the Chicago Region1. Jour. of Env. Hort. 27(4):241–250.

Gates, G. 2007. World-class plant collections. Sibbaldia: The Journal of European Botanic Garden Horticulture No. 5.

Gates, G. 2006. Characteristics of an exemplary plant collection. Public Garden 21(1).

Gates, G. September 19-24, 2005. Promoting sustainable use of plants: New roots for the 21st century: U.S.-Russian Botanical Conference. Symposium Proceedings.

Gates, G. July 2000. Right place, right plant. The Landscape Contractor pp. 20-23.

Gates, G. 1999. Plant expedition to the Russian Far East – expedition report. Glencoe: Chicago Botanic Garden.

Gates, G. 1999. Something in the air. Horticulture 46(5):22.

Gates, G. 1999. Foreword to Plant exploration: Protocols for the present, concerns for the future – Symposium Proceedings. Glencoe: Chicago Botanic Garden.