Minnesota Water Garden Society

New Ideas and Honored Traditions in Como’s Water Gardens

Presented by Victoria Housewright – Horticulturist II Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory has a long history of water gardens, with pools of Victoria Water Platters on display 20 years before the conservatory was even built.  This tradition is continued today, with Victoria production an important aspect of the aquatic horticulture at Como.  Tradition alone doesn’t keep a garden afloat, however; it is important to constantly add diversity and new designs to the garden to keep it interesting and informative for visitors.  This is where new exhibits such as the micro-lotus and mini bog come in!  Learn about the planning and production of Como’s diverse water gardens, including Victoria’s, bog plants, and more from Como’s Aquatic Horticulturist.

Victoria Housewirght is a Senior Horticulturist specializing in aquatic plants at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.  She first fell in love with water gardening as a college intern at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, where she saw Victoria Water Platters for the first time.  Victoria graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in History (summa cum laude) and a BS in Horticulture (summa cum laude).