Season 2
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Guest: Michelle Conklin
Organization: Tucson Botanical Gardens
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Category: Cultural Institution / Botanical Garden
In this episode of Two Lane Tucson, Michelle Conklin, CEO of Tucson Botanical Gardens, shares the story of how she first arrived at the gardens and eventually stepped into leadership during one of the most uncertain economic moments in recent history.
Michelle began working at the gardens in 2002, wearing multiple roles as the organization was still relatively small. In 2009, during the financial crisis, she was appointed director — a moment that required both stability and long-term vision.
The conversation explores how the gardens evolved from a small community space into one of Tucson’s most recognized cultural institutions.
Michelle also explains the idea of the gardens as an “urban oasis” — a quiet space in the middle of the city where people reconnect with plants, nature, and the desert ecosystem that surrounds Tucson.
This episode looks at the leadership, stewardship, and community support required to sustain a public garden in the Sonoran Desert.
Tucson Botanical Gardens is a 5-acre urban garden in the heart of Tucson featuring themed garden spaces, seasonal exhibits, educational programming, and plant collections adapted to the Sonoran Desert.
The gardens host events, art installations, and conservation education programs throughout the year and are widely considered one of the city’s cultural and horticultural landmarks.
Learn more about the gardens here: Tucson Botanical Gardens .
Michelle Nolen | Truly Nolen Pest Control
The Tucson Botanical Gardens began in 1964 as a neighborhood effort to create a public garden space for the community. Over time it evolved into a destination for residents and visitors interested in desert horticulture, art installations, and environmental education.
Today the gardens serve as a cultural hub where people experience the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, learn about plant conservation, and participate in seasonal events that celebrate Tucson’s unique landscape and climate.
If you’re visible but revenue feels unpredictable, the issue is often not traffic — it’s pipeline friction.
The Pipeline Profit Inspection shows exactly what’s limiting calls and booked work (and what to fix next). Delivered asynchronously (Loom + written summary). No sales call required.
Learn more about the Pipeline Profit Inspection.
Below is a readable transcript excerpt from the conversation. Minor edits were made for clarity.
Elaine: So before we talk about the gardens themselves, how did you personally end up leading the Tucson Botanical Gardens?
Michelle: It’s not certainly a straight line. I first started working at the gardens in 2002, and back then we had about 700 members, and I had about three or four different job hats.
Michelle: Over the years, I became director in 2009 when the economy crashed, and most people didn’t know whether to send me a congratulations card. I was appointed director of the garden.
Elaine: What was your first impression the first time you walked this property?
Michelle: I walked in and was greeted by this volunteer, who was about 90 at the time, and he was just so sweet and welcoming. We ended up spending about four hours here. I did not want to leave.
Michelle: I remember walking through the sensory ramadas, and I just felt my whole being calm down, and I loved this place the minute I walked in.
Elaine: The garden describes itself as an urban oasis in the heart of Tucson. What does that really mean in practice?
Michelle: It is a quiet, unbelievably quiet little spot in the middle of a very busy urban neighborhood, and you see its value and its importance to have public gardens in urban spaces like this, because they do provide that little respite of space that people need.