Welcome to FOG
750 E. 88th Street, Cleveland, OH 44108
CLEeastZTA Sorority at RPG
The CLEeastZTA Sorority has generously adopted a garden at the Rockefeller Park Greenhouse. CLEeastZTA is partnering with Greenhouse staff and the Friends of Greenhouse to revitalize the iconic Betty Ott Talking Garden. Created in 1965, the garden is named for broadcast journalist and Zeta Tau Alpha member, Betty Steinhauer Ott.
Ms. Ott conceived the idea of the garden while vacationing in Bermuda in 1964. There, she saw a botanical garden designed especially for people with visual impairments. It featured textured and aromatic plants, accessible paths, and braille signage. Because her father and aunt were blind, Ms. Ott recognized the value and benefits of such a dedicated green space. Back home, she became the driving force behind the creation of a similar garden in Cleveland.
About the Betty Ott Talking Garden at RPG
The Betty Ott Talking Garden is a sensory garden created especially for our visually impaired visitors, but all are welcome. It was designed to engage the senses–particularly those of touch, smell, and sound. When fully functioning, the garden offers a multi-sensory experience. Textured plants, like 'lamb's ear,' encourage hands-on interaction. The scent of herbs and freshly bloomed flowers invigorates the sense of smell. Gurgling fountain water creates a calming soundscape, while an audio system describes and educates.
However, through its many years, the Garden has had its ups and downs. Initially funded by charities and donations, those funds have not been consistent enough to maintain it. This has resulted in mechanical issues (audio system and fountain problems) as well as in botanical issues. The Garden has also been vandalized. In 1974, for example, the Keller statue (pictured) was stolen. Fortunately, it was recovered nine months later.
There have been major overhauls; the last was spearheaded by the Women's City Club of Cleveland, with a re-dedication ceremony in 1992. A plaque in the Garden acknowledges this gracious effort. But now, 33 years later, it is time for comprehensive renovations.
Over time, the Betty Ott Garden has proven to be an invaluable Cleveland resource. Most significantly, it is freely accessible to those unable to pay the entry fees required at other gardens. It will take time, planning, and critical funding to rehabilitate the Garden. But it can once again become the space that Betty Ott envisioned: an immersive and accessible environment for people with visual impairments. With the support of volunteers like CLEeast we are determined to make it happen.
Statue of Helen Keller at Garden Entrance