Horticulture at SLC | Bringing the Beauty of Nature Indoors
With trees budding and perennials awakening, springtime in Utah offers the promise of warmer days ahead. At Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), there is a dedicated team of horticulturists that seek to bring the natural beauty of plant life inside, no matter the weather outside.
Leslee Peterson is the horticulture manager at SLC. She leads a team of three plant technicians who are tasked to care for almost 1,100 plants inside the airport. Peterson’s passion for gardening began at a young age when she and her siblings were given the responsibility to pick one tree in their yard to care for. According to Peterson, it was a challenging but rewarding task. Today, Peterson describes her work at the airport as “creating magic” for passengers.
“Being in nature helps support peoples’ mental health,” Peterson remarked. “I believe that the plants in the airport provide a sense of calm and beauty in an environment that can be stressful.”
Meticulous Care
From snake plants and Monstera to Norfolk pines, the plants in the airport are carefully selected for both aesthetics and hardiness. Peterson sources most of the plants in the airport from a local greenhouse. All of the the containers are also locally sourced. With passenger safety in mind, Peterson uses all organic products when treating plants for pests and disease.
In addition to plant selection and potting, Peterson’s team regularly traverses the airport to perform plant maintenance. Ali Worth, one of the plant technicians, is meticulous in her work. Everyday, Worth makes her rounds throughout the airport, checking on the plants under her care.
As part of her regimen, Worth dusts each leaf of each plant. “The airport gets very dusty because of all of the passenger traffic,” shared Worth. Plant technicians also apply a mineral oil—leaf shine—to help prevent dust from accumulating. Plants are carefully watered and pruned, ensuring that they live as long as possible in such a busy environment.
“I’ve been taking care of some of these plants for two years. I love to see them transition and grow,” Worth remarked. “Plants give back as much as you give them.”
Enjoy But Don’t Water, Please!
Because of the meticulous work that goes into maintaining the airport plants, passengers are asked not to water or prune them. While it might seem helpful to pour a cup of unused water into the plants, Peterson asks that passengers admire the plants without interfering in their care. “We want our plants to last as long as possible,” Worth shared. “Overwatering plants can be very detrimental to their health.”
If you have a layover, take a moment to check out the plants in the terminal and concourses. It may just bring you a sense of peace where you might not have expected it!