Forty-five years ago EIU botany professor Wesley Whiteside bought 5 acres of land on the east side of Charleston, Illinois and saved the land from becoming a junkyard. Today it is a work of art. Professor Whiteside created an impressive wonderland of trees and plants that have been enjoyed by thousands of central Illinois residents for years during the annual Garden Ramble. It took us five years, but we finally made it to our first Ramble. I can see it becoming a tradition for us. The garden is incredible. So many different trees and plants everywhere you look. The few images below are merely a tiny sampling of the vast cornucopia of flora one sees during a visit. As I walked through the tour I couldn’t help thinking that some of the trees here have been in existence almost as long as I. This is truly a lifelong labor of love.