STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Imagine five single-family homes sitting on the property that now showcases the alpine flowers of Central Idaho and a prayer wheel blessed by the Dalai Lama.

That scenario is not out of the question, Sawtooth Botanical Garden Executive Director Jen Smith told those attending the Gimlets in the Garden Gala held recently at the public botanical garden a few miles south of Ketchum.

But the garden has a rare opportunity to ensure that never happens, she added.

Susan Parslow, Nick Luem and Jen Rose relax around a bouquet fashioned by Tara Bella.

The property owner—The Enlyst Fund—has offered to sell the property, which has been appraised at $1.9 million, for just $800,000. And the garden is more than halfway there with a deadline of July 1, 2026.

The garden gets more than 24,000 visitors a year, with people coming from all over the world to look at the prayer wheel and spin it, Smith said. And it provides an opportunity for Wood River Valley residents who can’t get out and hike in the Sawtooth Mountains to see the wildflowers that can be found there.

The garden was purchased in 1994 by the Center and Global Environmental Policy Network, now The Enlyst Fund, in collaboration with the Environmental Resource Center.

The site of a former horse pasture, it was originally meant as a place for valley residents to tend their individual gardens. But five years later in 2000 the Board of Directors decided to turn the garden into a more traditional botanical garden that could showcase the five biomes of Central Idaho stretching from the lava fields of Craters of the Moon National Preserve to the alpine meadows of the Sawtooth Mountains.

Michelle Stennett recalls the garden’s early days outside the greenhouse.

In 2005 it also became the home of one of just two Tibetan prayer wheels blessed by the Dalai Lama in North America.

“It’s a place of connection, education and celebration,” said Smith.

Former State Sen. Michelle Stennett, who lives in Ketchum, was there at the garden’s beginnings.

“We were a small group of passionate gardeners,” she recounted. “There was a little talk that we were hippies digging in the dirt. But we were committed to showing people how they could grow things in this high-altitude environment.”

Mary Ann Chubb, who leads tours of the Garden of Infinite Compassion during summer, enjoys a festive drink with and Chiyo Parten.

Stennett said the garden welcomed community-supported agriculture where community members came to pick up orders of squash and other produce filled by farmers from as far away as Hagerman. That eventually evolved into the Wood River Farmers Markets held each week during the summer in Ketchum and Hailey.

It’s rare to have a botanical garden in such a small community, Stennett added. But the garden has added to the fabric of the community with such colorful events as pumpkin catapulting, an annual Bug Zoo, tours of private gardens in the community, Christmas light displays that set the garden aglow and its winter Dark Sky dinners.

This year it introduced a fairy trail featuring fairy houses community members had made of sticks and stones and other natural materials.

“It’s always evolving. My dog just passed away, and he’s honored in the pet garden, and I’m really grateful for that,” Stennett added, referring to her beloved golden retriever Teagan.

Georgia Bogue performs Carole King’s “I Feel the Earth Move” for attendees.

Architect Jolyon Sawrey moved to the Wood River Valley 28 years ago in 1997. He soon found himself designing the Sawtooth Botanical Garden’s Pavilion in memory of Ali Long’s mother.

He was so enchanted by the garden that he served as its board chair for a few years. And now he’s heading up the capital campaign with Board Vice Chair Juliet Romano and Jen Smith.

Sawrey noted that donors have said they would give more sizable donations if the nonprofit 501©3 Sawtooth Botanical Garden owned the land it sits on, signifying its future is secure.

“Not owning the land has been holding us back,” said Sawrey. “I’ve made a commitment I’m going to stay on the board until we own the land.”

In addition to raising the money to purchase the land, the Sawtooth Botanical Garden wants to do some upgrades. That includes making the restroom ADA-accessible, expanding the cramped office space and paving the parking lot while including ADA -accessible curbs and sidewalks. It also needs a truck with snowplow.

And the board wants to create an education garden and a garden showcasing medicinal plants that the Shoshone-Bannock tribes collected in the area.

“We can take gold, bullion, diamonds—we want to help the garden grow,” said Smith.

The evening featured lavish passed hors d‘oeuvres prepared by Kellie Haven and a table full of treats, along with specialty cocktails such as the Wildflower and Garden gimlets topped with edible flowers and the Pixie Mocktail made with watermelon, lime and honey.

Auction items included a five-day gated retreat in Baja, California, a monotype by Seattle artist Max Emminger, custom bird houses made by Paul Monahan, a rare ski sweater piece by artist Phranc and a colorful quilt made by Jen Smith’s cousin Melanie Pfaff featuring squares honoring garden tours over the years.

Teen-age Georgia Bogue performed Carole King’s “I Feel the Earth Move” for the audience, noting that the singer who lives in Sun Valley recently visited the garden.

“I love the garden,” she said. “One of the first events ever attended here was the Pride Festival. I remember how joyous I felt with all the people who were so joyous, so colorful. I love that this is part of my backyard.”

“I’m so happy we have the opportunity to purchase the land for a good price,” said Susan Flynt, a longtime board member.

Jeanne Cassell, who was instrumental in building the Garden of Infinite Compassion that serves as the site for the Prayer Wheel, recalled speaking at an event honoring the Garden of Infinite Compassion’s 20th anniversary in September.

The 125 people gathered could see thunder and lightning to the north, but it never rained in the garden.

“It was a miracle,” said Cassell.

She recounted how one of her granddaughters had exhorted her to follow her through the garden’s sagebrush steppe because, the girl said, “I don’t know where this path leads.”

“It was a magical place for her,” Cassell said. “And I hope we can buy the land so the garden will go on in perpetuity for other children and other grandchildren.”

Want to know more? Visit sbgarden.org or call 208-726-9358.

Susan Flynt avails herself of cheese, candied nuts, fruit and more at an hors d’oeuvres table set up in the garden.

Susan Parslow, Nick Luem and Jen Rose relax around a bouquet fashioned by Tara Bella.

Michelle Stennett recalls the garden’s early days outside the greenhouse.

Mary Ann Chubb, who leads tours of the Garden of Infinite Compassion during summer, enjoys a festive drink with and Chiyo Parten.

Georgia Bogue performs Carole King’s “I Feel the Earth Move” for attendees.