Engard, Rodney G.

Rodney G. Engard (1948-1990) received his Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from Arizona State University in 1970. He was initially employed during his studies by the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona as a student horticulturist and went on to hold various positions there that led to his assuming the Directorship of the DBG in 1976. In 1980, he returned to ASU for work on his Masters, and in 1983, he moved to Tucson to become the first Director of Tucson Botanical Garden, where he provided the vision of what the TBG could be and has become. The Cactus and Succulent Garden at TBG is named in his honor.

Rodney was very active in the forming of Arizona Native Plant Society, Native Seeds/SEARCH, and Desert Survivors, and was a strong advocate for protection of the Cabeza Prieta and Tinajas Altas wilderness areas. He contributed extensively to the DBG herbarium collection from his field work in the southwestern deserts of Arizona and little-known areas throughout Mexico. And at both DBG and TBG, he implemented the first luminaria events, plant sales, children's activities, education departments, and docent programs, and he nurtured the creation of a sensory garden for the sight and hearing impaired.

With humor and patience he shared his discovery of not just the native plants in our desert, but the land itself, the people, the history, and the cultures that are all part of the whole.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to developing the premier resource for native plant images in North America through continued growth of the Plant Image Gallery. You can help us achieve our mission ...to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes... by becoming a contributor.