Do you have an event or attraction in Rockford that you shamefully have never been to?
It’s okay if you do that. This is a safe place. A tree of trust, if you will.
We had our good friend Laura Gibbs Green on the show this morning to talk about what the Rockford Park District is doing in town over the weekend. I admitted to Laura that the other day I went to the Nicholas Conservatory for the first time to see if the corpse flower was in bloom. When I said I’d never been there, I definitely felt a touch of shame.
Sidebar. Go there Friday or Saturday to check out Grimace, the corpse flower. It only blooms every 3-10 years and is an endangered plant. There are fewer than 1,000 of these in the wild, and not many conservatories have one. And the whole place is really cool, I’m going to take some pictures below.
But that got Tom Leu and me this morning to talk about what else is on our Rockford Shame list. I found 2 spots, both also plant-related, that I’m ashamed of as a 40-year-old Rockfordian I’ve never been to. And the first is a big one.
Anderson Japanese Gardens
That’s a pretty big admission. David and Liz often visit the show to promote events in one of the most prestigious Japanese gardens in the WORLD. It all sounds nice. It looks pretty. I have had lunch at Fresco several times. I just couldn’t make it into the garden. It’s up to me and it’s not acceptable. I will correct it soon.
Klehm Arboretum
Stateline Kids via Facebook
I only knew rightly that Klehm had a great splashpad when I was looking for a photo in our library. Are you serious? I’ve only heard great reviews of this hotel but just couldn’t make it. Reportedly the best place for dog walks in town.
Award
I asked a few people in the hallway if they had anything to add to the list. They are either the best citizens of all time or they lied to me. Double T at the Eagle said he’s never been to Davis Park for Friday Night Flix. I appreciate his honesty. I want to add that neither have I. We both want everyone to respect our privacy while we think about our actions.
Here are these Nicholas pictures as proof that I was there.