Clippings | Jan - April 2017

Atlanta | Gainesville | January – April 2016 Atlanta | Gainesville | January - April 2017

Curious about spring?

Skyline Garden rises Atlanta Blooms pops

Chihuly in the Garden

Escape to Orchid Daze Atlanta Blooms heats up!

| Atlanta President’s Message Our upcoming exhibition, The Curious Garden, was conceived as a creative complement to 2016’s magnificent Dale Chihuly exhibition.

You just can’t follow Chihuly with another sculpture exhibition – that would be like going on stage after Barbra Streisand!

With the opening of the new Skyline Garden, it made sense to make 2017 the year of the garden and to present a summer exhibition that celebrates nature complemented by art.

Designing a one-time art exhibition is a challenging undertaking. It requires creativity, artistic vision and an understanding of what really works in an outdoor setting of this scale. Adam Schwerner, a colleague and good friend, came to mind as the perfect man for the job. He has artistic vision and a keen understanding of scale from his work in Chicago and at Disneyland. Adam and I met years ago when he was overseeing the revival of Garfield Park Conservatory.

To enliven it, he and others persuaded Dale Chihuly to undertake his first-ever exhibition in a botanical garden.

Adam later brought his artistic vision to the Chicago Parks District’s gardens in the major parks along Lakeshore Drive.

From painted trees to sculptural green dragons, he enlivened the gardens and caught the eye of millions who visited.

When I phoned Adam to ask if he would serve as artistic director of The Curious Garden I could almost see his smile. Not one to ponder bold ideas, Adam immediately agreed to work with us.

Designing a show with Adam is like taking a walk on the wild side; you have to be prepared for crazy ideas, extensive Google searches and many hours exploring the gardens. I hope you all find The Curious Garden to be the perfect art exhibition to follow the beauty of Chihuly. I am excited to watch your curiosity emerge as you discover this new exhibition.

Mary Pat Matheson The Anna and Hays Mershon President & CEO

be curious!

In 2010 as Director of Chicago Park District’s Department of Cultural and Natural Resources, Adam Schwerner painted more than 100 trees, similar to these, to help increase the presence of public art in city parks.

This spring, the Garden will combine art and nature in a way like none other in its rich history of presenting outdoor exhibitions. Visitors will be encouraged to stop and see the Garden, its features and nature in all their glory through a dozen surprising installations that encourage discovery and provoke reflection.

Welcome to The Curious Garden, the site-inspired art exhibition, presented May 6 – October 29, featuring the work of guest artist and design director Adam Schwerner.

“This is the year of the Garden, one that emphasizes all of our recent enhancements, with unexpected experiences aimed at generating conversations, to get people curious and talking about nature,” said Mary Pat Matheson, the Garden’s President

& CEO. “The show will provide unique opportunities for sharing the Garden’s story, such as our important work in conservation and preservation of trees.”

Among the “unexpected” look for: • 100 bare trees, harvested off site and “planted” throughout the Garden, painted in pastel ice cream colors, inspiring conversations about color, form and the natural beauty of trees.

• Levy Parterre transformed into an elegant white garden, emphasizing plants with white flowers and foliage.

• The Aquatic Plant Pond in the new Skyline Garden anchored by a vintage boat overflowing with bold tropical

| Official News Publication for Members of the Atlanta Botanical Garden | Atlanta | Gainesville Vice President, Marketing: Sabina Carr | Editor: Danny Flanders | Designer: Bo Shell | Membership Manager: Claudia McDavid 2

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Atlanta |

Piedmont cherries get a colorful sendoff What’s up with that?!

That’s sure to be the reaction of passersby in March when the familiar cherry trees lining Piedmont Avenue near the Garden entrance are painted bright sunset colors as a sneak peek at this spring’s exhibition, The Curious Garden.

Harbingers of spring, the popular pale pink ‘Kwanzan’ ornamental cherries have been in gradual decline for years, diseased and blooming unreliably, and plans have long been under way to replace them. Like many exotic varieties of trees, ornamental cherries have short lifespans of 15 to 20 years, and the Garden’s trees were planted in 1980, so they have lived, a long colorful life.

But before the remaining beloved cherries are bid adieu, the Garden wants to give them one last hurrah, decking them in a mass of orange and yellow to highlight The Curious Garden opening in May. Call it a cherries jubilee!

Once the exhibition closes in October, the trees will be removed, and a new garden will be developed in their place, complete with new cherries, flowering shrubs, seasonal perennials and spring bulbs – all breathing new life into a look worthy of a world-class garden’s entrance. plants, echoing the collections of the Conservatory and the recreational lure of Georgia’s lakes.

Over the years the Garden has staged carefully curated exhibitions featuring installations of existing art. The Curious Garden’s installations, however, are unique in that they are site specific, meaning the concepts all originated from within the Garden and are designed to be integrated with the landscape and collections in a way that draws the eye to the Garden’s resources and helps tell its story.

Dancing Lady Orchid

ORCHIDDAZE

escape to the sultry tropics

Step into a warm, fragrant tropical oasis of flowers February 11 – April 9 during Orchid Daze. The Garden’s annual orchid extravaganza, spanning the Fuqua Conservatory and Orchid Center, will offer three paradisiacal settings that allow visitors to leave behind their urban surroundings.

In the Conservatory Lobby, guests will stroll under a canopy of stately Caribbean palms while tropical orchids in mango, pineapple and coral colors burst like sparklers overhead. Below will be a diverse carpet of exquisite slipper orchids of varying sizes.

Beneath its 22-foot ceiling, the Orchid Atrium will feature a soaring vertical tapestry woven with fragrant orchids. Visitors will see up close at eye level the astonishing variety of intricate patterns and colors that bewitch orchid pollinators. Pansy Orchids with big bold flowers of vibrant magenta, gold and pink will contrast with delicate miniature Dancing Lady Orchids. A surrounding backdrop of Moth Orchids will lend the feeling of complete immersion in an orchid paradise.

Finally, the Orchid Display House will welcome guests to an idyllic escape.

Colorful hammocks billowing with Cattleya Orchids will be laced between russet-colored Manzanita trees, creating the ultimate warm haven on a chilly day.

Becky Brinkman, Fuqua Orchid Center Manager

Slipper Orchid

Orchid Market Weekends Saturday – Sunday, Feb. 18 - 19, March 18 – 19, April 8 - 9 Find a wide variety of orchids and potting supplies. Look for artwork and crafts by local artists.

Orchid Care Clinics Saturdays, Feb. 18, March 18, April 8 Bring up to two orchids for advice from Orchid Center experts; repotting, materials available for $5.

Learn how to repot orchids in our online video at atlantabg.org/clippings.

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| Atlanta

LOVE IN THE GARDEN Celebrate Valentine’s Day by enjoying cocktails, dancing and desserts in the most romantic setting in town – the Garden!

Valentines in the Garden, set for 7 – 11 p.m. on Saturday, February 11, features decadent chocolates and other scrumptious sweets while visitors sip cocktails from cash bars, dance to live entertainment, and explore Orchid Daze by night. The annual exhibition, from February 11 - April 9, highlights thousands of blooms in the Garden’s nationally renowned collection of species orchids.

For tickets visit atlantabg.org.

get a taste for

Vanilla Sunday!

Most folks know and love the taste and aroma of real vanilla. During Orchid Daze they can explore the source of this favorite flavoring – the vanilla orchid – during an afternoon celebration, Vanilla Sunday, on February 19. From 1 – 4 p.m., enjoy small ice cream sundaes (while supplies last) and learn how to make vanilla sugar and vanilla extract.

In the meantime, did you know: • Real vanilla comes from vanilla pods, the fruit of a tropical orchid, Vanilla planifolia.

• The vanilla orchid is native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

• The Aztecs used vanilla for flavoring and medicinal purposes for centuries. The Spaniards arrived in present-day Mexico in the early 1500s and carried it back to Europe where it was eventually cultivated first for perfume and later as a flavoring.

• Today, vanilla orchids grow within 20 degrees north and south of the equator in tropical regions 4

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throughout the world. Until the late 19th century, Mexico produced the majority of vanilla. Now, the majority is produced in Madagascar and Indonesia.

• Dried vanilla beans can last up to two years when they are stored correctly in ideal conditions.

Abby Gale, Public Programs Manager

See how the vanilla orchid grows in our online video at atlantabg.org/clippings

BRING THE GARDEN HOME Take a trip down memory lane with the Garden’s new book, Atlanta’s Urban Oasis: The Atlanta Botanical Garden (Sea-Hill Press, $49.95). The beautifully photographed coffee table book traces the Garden’s history, development, programs and exhibitions since 1976 and is available for purchase in the Garden Gift Shop and most Garden member events.

Atlanta |

Room with a view Skyline plant sampler

A riot of color abounds along the Flower Walk including seasonal annuals, camellias, hibiscus, dwarf crape myrtles, hydrangeas and reblooming azaleas.

Surber Barber Chate & Hertlein Architects, P.C.

New Skyline Garden welcomes visitors this spring Hugging the southeastern corner of the Garden, the new Skyline Garden opening in May not only will offer the best views of the city but also present horticulture at a whole new level. At the same time, the new space will showcase the Garden to the millions of visitors flocking annually to neighboring Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Beltline.

The Skyline Garden lends a modern contrast to many of the site’s other display gardens and seamlessly displays plants from opposite ends of the spectrum for an unparalleled experience. The 1.5-acre garden extends from the Rock Garden near the eastern side of the Great Lawn south to the rear of the Fuqua Orchid Center and overlooking the park, where new signage will identify the Garden.

As visitors leave the Conifer Garden, lively red, orange, coral and gold summer annuals draw them toward the new Robinson Gazebo. More than 4,000 square feet of seasonal color mark the grand entrance to this ultra-modern garden space. A fun mix of spring- and

summer-flowering shrubs provides the “bones” for this primarily rotational garden. Nowhere else in the Garden will be as saturated in color as this space, known as the Anne Cox Chambers Flower Walk.

Take a seat in the new gazebo and be captivated by the glorious view of Midtown and downtown high-rises.

This impressive backdrop of the city rises over the Conservation Garden, and Cactus and Succulent Terraces. Native bogs blanket the foreground, while water-wise terraces dominate the slope below. Pitcher plants and tree-form yucca are within sight of one another. In cool weather, relax and enjoy the outdoor fireplace. In warm weather, linger in the shade of the Garden’s new “back porch”.

No matter the season, the view from Robinson Gazebo will be breathtaking.

Wander from the gazebo through the newly renovated Conservation Garden, showcasing native plants and the complex work done by the Conservation team.

Representative ecosystems are woven together with a tapestry of native plants.

The Aquatic Plant Pond once again is the hub of the space. An inviting lawn extends on the northern side, and the start of the Cactus and Succulent Terraces are to the southeast. Raised planters of various heights and widths are

The Conservation Garden dazzles with natives like pitcher plants, rhododendrons, buttonbush, Alabama croton, and Venus Fly Traps.

The Cactus and Succulent Terraces transport visitors to another world showcasing more than 14 species of Agave, iconic cholas, yucca, red yucca, prickly pears, and much more. home to an extensive collection of cacti and succulents, interplanted with flowers that love the heat.

Designed in partnership with the Garden by Spurlock-Land and 3 fromme DESIGN, the project is made possible by the Garden’s Nourish & Flourish Capital Campaign.

Amanda Campbell Bennett, Manager, Display Gardens

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| Atlanta

Atlanta Blooms explodes with color!

Avignon tulip

Brace yourself for welcoming spring with a colorful bang of flower power throughout the Garden during March and April. Atlanta Blooms celebrates the new season with hundreds of thousands of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses and perennial bulbs.

While tulips are certainly the stars of the show – with more than 30,000 in a wide variety of pastel pinks, peach and yellows planted last fall -- thousands of lesser known bulbs, annuals and flowering perennials also will round out the Garden’s spring collection.

Most are surprised to learn it takes an entire year to plan such an amazing show of bulb color. For this spring’s spectacle, the work began in spring 2016 as tulips

Learn the proper way to plant bulbs in our video at atlantabg.org/clippings

were in full bloom. Flowers were collected and mixed and matched with other tulips in the Garden to determine which colors complemented each other and which ones should never be seen together. Through trial-and-error, color combos make the cut for the following year.

Every year the Garden also experiments with new bulb varieties to test the latest color craze and keep the show fresh from year to year. This spring’s trials include tulips such as the red ‘Spryng’ and red and orange ‘Avignon’ as well as lesser known bulbs such as Fritillaria in the Children’s Garden.

Look for two new areas in Atlanta Blooms. Linton’s restaurant becomes a stunning backdrop for a tried-and-true staff favorite tulip combination of yellow ‘Big Smile’ and orange ‘Big Chief ’.

And the Children’s Garden is all about fun with pops of hyacinths and tulips throughout.

Jim Smith, Senior Horticulturist

Wake up the winter garden with fragrance It’s cold, and clouds have hidden the sun for what seems like forever. You think certainly there is nothing worthwhile to draw you outside. But you go out anyway, and suddenly something grabs hold of your senses. Surprisingly, a wonderful fragrance brightens the gray landscape, and your entire outlook on the day is changed for the better.

Paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) is a great choice for winter fragrance. It’s a deciduous shrub 4 to 8 feet in height and width that can be grown in sun or shade but does best with protection from afternoon sun. The leaves have a tropical feel to them in spring through the summer. The yellow flower heads bloom February to April sending out a slight honey-like scent. Several are planted in the Southern Seasons Garden, and once they start to bloom, the entire area is alive with fragrance, prompting many visitors to 6

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question what smells so great.

Another excellent choice for winter fragrance is Chinese Witchhazel (Hamamelis mollis). This deciduous shrub reaches 10 to 15 feet tall and wide, and can be grown in sun or shade. The yellow flowers with a red/brownish calyx emerge in February to March with a citrusy fragrance.

One definitely can’t go wrong with Fragrant Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox). Provide some protection in winter by planting this shrub next to a wall or in a courtyard because it is sensitive to bud damage. Fragrant Wintersweet is deciduous and grows 10 to 15 feet high and 8 to 12 feet wide in either sun or partial shade. The yellow flowers which change to purple bloom December to February and have an incredible fragrance.

Brad Holt, Assistant Horticulturist

Edgeworthia chrysantha

Atlanta |

Rock Garden spills with winter surprises Winter and early spring are very interesting seasons in the Rock Garden. Rock gardens emphasize plants that prefer hot, dry, and rocky landscapes with thin, poor soil.

Many of the species that do the best in Atlanta’s rock garden during winter and early spring are from the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. Although there is much more humidity in Georgia, the hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters are similar to the climate around the Mediterranean Sea. Beginning in December, the heath (Erica x darleyensis ‘White Perfection’) begins to bloom, producing tiny clusters of white flowers that stand out against this plant’s evergreen foliage. Rock Rose (Cistus x hybridus ‘McGuire’s Gold’) has bright yellow and dark green evergreen foliage and pops amongst the subdued colors of winter.

In early spring, the tiny triangular leaves of the reticulated iris (Iris reticulata) begin to push up through the scree, followed soon after by delicate purple blooms. Close on the heels of the iris, hoop petticoat daffodils (Narcissus bulbocodium var. conspicuus) soon carpet the rock garden, their wispy green foliage and yellow flowers providing a sure sign that winter is on its way out.

Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) also begins to flower at this time, producing a carpet of white flowers.

Another resident rock garden plant

is Barbary Ragwort (Othonna cherifolia), a low- growing sunflower relative with paddle-shaped silvery green leaves that produces bright yellow, daisy-like flowers in spring. The ragwort hasn’t bloomed in several years, so this spring keep an eye out for it along with these other interesting plants that can be easy to miss but are well worth contemplating.

Travis Fisher, Assistant Horticulturist

Your support helps the Garden grow Make a difference with an important tax-deductible gift to this year’s Annual Fund and help support the Garden’s most critical funding area: operating costs.

From interactive Discovery Stations to Endangered Species Day, gifts help provide the instructional resources needed to create impactful educational experiences for more than 20,000 children annually. It also makes free admission possible for more than 9,000 children in Title 1 schools, so they, too, can explore the Garden’s diverse plants and habitats. Additionally, a charitable donation helps provide essential materials for the horticulture team to care for the Garden’s living collections and renovate Garden areas. Finally, the Annual Fund helps the Garden fulfill its mission in protecting imperiled species and habitats across the Southeast for future generations.

To make a tax-deductible gift, visit atlantabg.org.

Edible Garden gets a new French twist Springtime in Atlanta is short – seemingly only a few weeks of this sweet season fall between the rainy cold of winter’s end and the onslaught of endless summer heat. Because of the abundance of both cool- and warm-season plants available during this precious time, the variety of colors, textures, and flavors in edibles for the kitchen garden is the most expansive of any time of year.

This spring, the Edible Garden will feature a new planting design inspired by the traditional French potager style of kitchen garden, which focuses on vegetables rather than perennial flowers as in English cottage garden style.

A well-designed potager garden is dual natured, balancing practicality and efficiency with informality and looseness. Dense plant spacing and straight lines lend structure to the design.

Cold-weather plants tend to be compact and highly textural, like savoy cabbage (pictured below), endive and heading lettuce. Expect to see these favorites serving as a framework for the garden, delineating beds. Flowers, herbs, and loose-leaf lettuces intermingle and color the template like stained glass.

Vertical structures support expansive, colorful climbers like flowering peas, scarlet runner beans, and nasturtium that like cooler temperatures but need full sun. Nasturtium flowers add a spicy bite to salads, and edible pea blossoms taste sweet and crunchy like their fruit. These edible flowers add color and flavor to a variety of sweet and savory dishes.

Raleigh Saperstein, Senior Horticulturist

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atlanta happenings

| Atlanta

Orchid Daze Saturday, Feb. 11 – Sunday, April 9

Enjoy thousands of beautiful, fragrant orchids on display during Orchid Daze, the Fuqua Orchid Center’s annual exhibition highlighting winter’s favorite plant.

Orchid Market Weekends

Vanilla Sunday

Saturday – Sunday, Feb. 18 - 19, March 18 – 19, April 8 - 9 Find a wide variety of orchids and potting supplies. Look for artwork and crafts by local artists. On Saturdays of those weekends, bring up to two orchids to the Orchid Care Clinics for expert advice; $5 repotting, materials available.

Sunday, Feb. 19, 1 - 4 p.m.

Enjoy the annual celebration of the vanilla orchid. Learn more about the process of turning vanilla beans into a key extract for desserts and sample a mini vanilla ice cream sundae.

The Inspired Gardener: A Symposium & Silent Auction Saturday, Feb. 25, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Enjoy the comradery of other enthusiatic gardeners as you pick up new ideas from seasoned experts at this exciting event hosted by the Garden and the Georgia Perennial Plant Association.

Registration deadline is February 20.

See the enclosed Education Brochure and visit atlantabg.org for details.

Atlanta Orchid Society Show Friday – Sunday, March 10 - 12, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Browse hundreds of gorgeous orchids that also are for sale.

Valentines in the Garden Saturday, Feb. 11, 7 - 11 p.m.

Bring your sweetheart for a romantic evening in the Garden, where fragrant orchids, live entertainment, dancing and desserts set the mood. For ticket information, visit atlantabg.org.

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Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour Tickets go on sale April 1 for this favorite Mother’s Day weekend tradition, the Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour. Set for May 13 – 14, the tour features private gardens of varying styles throughout metro Atlanta. For details, visit atlantabg.org.

Atlanta |

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LECTURES ALSTON LECTURE

Setting the Bar: A Craft Chocolate Origin Story Tuesday, March 7, 7 p.m.

Join filmmaker Tim Shepard for a special preview of selected footage from his latest documentary about the story of chocolate from bean in the Amazon to bar in high-end cafes and stores. The film follows a group of craft-chocolate makers as they venture into the Peruvian jungle to strengthen direct relationships with farmer communities and identify new kinds of cacao to bring to market. Elaine Read and Matt Weyandt of Krog Street Market’s Xocolatl Small Batch Chocolate appear in the film and will be on hand to talk about creating sustainable and artisanal chocolate products. The Philip and Elkin Alston Lecture series is made possible through the generous support of the Charles Loridans Foundation.

CALHOUN LECTURE

Saving Georgia’s Wild Orchids Wednesday, March 22, 7 p.m.

The Southeast is home to more than 100 orchid species, but many native species are on the decline due to habitat loss and illegal poaching. Join the Garden’s Conservation Horticulture Manager Matt Richards as he takes an in-depth look at Georgia’s native orchids, their relationship with pollinators, and the conservation efforts to protect orchids in the region. The Calhoun Lecture series is made possible through the generous support of the family of Marion Peel Calhoun.

Admission is free to these lectures.

No reservations are required.

Atlanta Blooms! March - April

Explore hundreds of thousands of tulips, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths, including 30,000 new additions. Check out a variety of ways to grow bulbs, including container gardens and floating islands. Watch for updates on atlantabg.org.

Spring Break Family Fun

Earth Day

April 3 - 7, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Need an exciting family activity during spring break? Visit the Garden and enjoy the wonders of springtime with fun and seasonal family activities.

Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Celebrate nature! From ladybug releases to learning about conservation, there’s fun for everyone. Families may also enjoy Storybook Time at 10:30 a.m.

Learn to Draw in the New Year!

Budding artists at every skill level gain valuable new talents with the Garden’s comprehensive Botanical Drawing Program. Each course builds upon the last, so start this season and get your Botanical Drawing Certificate upon completion.

Courses begin January 10.

This season’s program includes: Black and White Drawing Drawing Birds Introduction to Colored Pencils Art of the Quick Sketch Fine Line Pen for Botanical Illustration .... And more!

Learn more in the enclosed Education brochure.

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| Gainesville

A Note from the Director 2017 promises to be an exciting year for members and visitors alike at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville.

Spring will explode with the more than 20,000 daffodils and minor bulbs that were added last fall as well as our usual stunning tulip displays along the Promenade. And new plants added to the garden last year will be filling in nicely, especially in the Stream Garden and along the trails.

Ribbit the Exhibit will be here April 15 – July 15, and we will be adding several new programs. In addition to Wine in the Woodlands, our regular concert series, and monthly Saturday children’s performances, new programs include Dia del Nino (The Day of the Child), a spring event that will include family activities and music; an inaugural Scarecrow Festival; and Goblins in the Garden. And watch for other events to be added throughout the year.

We would not be able to extend our programs without the tremendous help of our volunteers. Whether greeting guests, weeding the garden, or managing discovery stations, volunteers add that extra dimension to the visitor experience. As we celebrate them with our annual recognition luncheon in February, I would like to express my gratitude to all volunteers – you are such a huge part of our success. Thanks to all of you!

Hope to see you in the Garden soon!

Mildred Fockele Vice President, Horticulture; Gainesville Director

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Ribbit leaps into Garden this spring

Ribbit the Exhibit hops into the Gainesville garden this spring with 23 whimsical copper frog sculptures sure to bring smiles to members and visitors of all ages.

The sculptures were created by North Carolina artist Andy Cobb, who left the corporate world after 21 years to focus on his art, including frogs, birds, and fish. Cobb’s first frog was inspired by Old Toad in “The Wind and the Willows”.

The artist hand draws each piece and then cuts it from sheets of copper. The pieces are then hammered and folded into the desired shape over a steel armature. The sculptures are assembled utilizing a brazing process and then colored with a natural patina. It takes an average of 120 hours to create each piece. The sculptures range in size from 32 inches high to almost 6 feet.

Visitors will delight in the 19 installations of frogs taking part in a variety of everyday activities in the garden – from painting pictures to bird watching to watering plants. And each frog has its own unique personality. Take “Marvin the Lawn Mowing Frog,” for example, which took first place in the World Nationals Lawn Mowing

Competition by mowing 16 acres of grass in six hours – according to his bio! And Zenny (meditating on a lily pad) began life in a Buddhist monastery but joined Ribbit in order to travel to beautiful botanical gardens to meditate.

Presented April 15 – July 15, Ribbit the Exhibit will be accompanied by various frog-themed activities for children and families – from new discovery stations to scavenger hunts. And joining the Ribbit frogs will be two frogs from the 2014 Mosaiculture exhibition at the Atlanta garden. These are oversized metal topiary frames stuffed with colorful, ornamental annuals that are manicured weekly to maintain the lifelike character of the frogs.

Mildred Fockele Vice President, Horticulture; Gainesville Director

Gainesville Atlanta |

WINTER INTEREST Just because most of the landscape is dormant in winter doesn’t mean it can’t come to life if it includes plants with exfoliating bark, fruit and interesting branch structure. Here are several plants that offer winter interest on those bleak gray days ahead.

Green Hawthorn (Crataegus virdis) is a medium-size deciduous tree. It has white flowers in late spring that create red fruits in September that usually hold through the winter. As the trunk of the tree matures it exfoliates to show off its orange inner bark. The cultivar ‘Winter King’ is a variety with heavy fruit set and good disease resistance.

The deadline for registering for the spring Woodland Ramble Arts & Crafts Market is March 15. The market, featuring nature-inspired arts and crafts for sale by area artists, will be held May 6 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. To register, visit atlantabg.org.

Ribbit the Exhibit Saturday April 15 – Saturday, July 15 Explore an exhibition of 23 whimsical frog sculptures made of copper by North Carolina artist Andy Cobb.

Woven Whimsy: Stickworks by Patrick Dougherty Tuesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Explore artist Patrick Dougherty’s “Made from Scratch”, one of his unplanned sculptures made on site from wood, branches and twigs.

gainesville happenings

FOCUS ON PLANTS FOR

Spring Woodland Ramble

Storytime and Smiles Wednesdays, 10 a.m.

Preschoolers and young children are invited every week to listen to stories about the natural world.

Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) is another good plant for winter fruit.

This deciduous shrub has fruit varying from white to orange and red, depending on the cultivar. It needs both male and female plants to produce fruit. Like Green Hawthorn, Winterberry is great for providing birds with additional food as well as adding color to a dormant landscape.

Budding Artists Wednesdays, 11 a.m. – noon Children use their creativity to make a seasonally-inspired work of art.

Discovery Stations Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’) can be a specimen in the winter landscape when its foliage has dropped, exposing the “corkscrew” branches that seem to create a never-ending rollercoaster of wood. Toward the end of winter, this medium-sized deciduous shrub produces catkins that are showy and add a different texture to the gnarled branches.

Jeremy Ward Assistant Horticulturist

Friday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Stop by one of the stations designed to engage the family about nature.

Terrific Trains Daily Surrounded by the beauty of the woodlands, these live garden trains will captivate the imagination. Children may play and share with fun boxes of toy trains.

All events free with Garden admission.

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Atlanta Botanical Garden | Atlanta 1345 Piedmont Avenue, NE Atlanta, GA 30309

membersonly

QUESTIONS? Call 404-591-1539 or email membership@atlantabg.org

ATLANTA

GAINESVILLE

Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30-9 p.m.

Members of the Director’s Club and Orchid, Magnolia, and Arbor Circles are invited to a special preview of Orchid Daze. Enjoy an elegant cocktail reception and live music, while exploring the Fuqua Orchid Center’s annual exhibition of exquisite, colorful orchids (To upgrade to Director’s Club or a Circle level of membership, call 404-591-1538).

Saturday, April 15, 9 - 11 a.m.

Be among the first to see the Gainesville garden’s new exhibition Ribbit the Exhibit! Enjoy an early morning reception with complimentary coffee and snacks before exploring the larger-thanlife collection of whimsical copper frogs.

Wednesdays, Jan. 18 – March 1, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Learn to lead informative, exciting tours for children grades K-12. Attendance at all seven classes is required; must lead at least two tours a month during peak seasons.

ATLANTA

ATLANTA

Tuesday, May 2, 6 - 9 p.m.: Contributing and above

Saturday, March 25 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Engage the public about the Garden’s collections, conservation work and special exhibitions. Shifts available Tuesday Sunday mornings and afternoons.

Orchid Daze Soirée

Member Spring Evenings Tuesday, March 21, 6 - 9 p.m.: Individual, Dual, Contributing and above Thursday, March 23, 6 - 9 p.m.: Family and Family Plus Participate in a myriad of activities among the colorful flowers of Orchid Daze and Atlanta Blooms! Enjoy live music, shop the marketplace and meet Garden staff.

Members may attend either evening (children’s activities offered only on March 23). Delicious food and drink available for purchase. Details at atlantabg.org.

ATLANTA & GAINESVILLE

Light Bites & Garden Insights Tuesday, March 28, 5:30 p.m. in Atlanta Wednesday, April 5, 5:30 p.m. in Gainesville Contributing-level and above members are invited to enjoy a quarterly behind-the-scenes program, including complimentary light bites and an educational presentation (formerly known as Breakfast/Dinner in the Garden). This year’s events are themed “curious things about the Garden,” inspired by the spring exhibition, The Curious Garden (To upgrade to the Contributing level, call 404-591-1544).

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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1162 Atlanta, GA

Member Reception

Member Previews: The Curious Garden Wednesday, May 3, 7 - 10 p.m.: Circle Members Thursday, May 4, 6 - 9 p.m.: Individual, Dual, Family and Family Plus Members are invited to an exclusive complimentary preview of The Curious Garden, as well as the opening of the new Skyline Garden, featuring live music, imaginative entertainment and fun activities for the entire family! (Guest passes are not valid for these events). For details, visit atlantabg.org.

planthotline What’s the best way to create new shrubs and vines from cuttings?

Prepare a rooting bed in January so that the cuttings can lie undisturbed and be well rooted by early April.

Choose an area protected with partial shade. Remove 12 inches of soil. Fill with 4 inches of bark or gravel to allow for drainage and top with 6 inches of a light peat moss and soil mixture. Cover with clear plastic to

Clippings is available online at issuu.com/atlantabotanicalgarden

commonground BECOME A GARDEN VOLUNTEER!

Docent Tour Training

Discovery Volunteer Training

Outdoor Kitchen Resource Assistant Training Saturday, April 8, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Volunteers assist chefs with tasks such as opening the kitchen, chopping vegetables, and passing out tasting samples.

Opportunities available on weekday evenings and weekend afternoons.

Contact Volunteer Manager Josh Todd at 404-591-1548 or jtodd@atlantabg.org for details. control moisture. Take 4- to 6-inch cuttings from young wood at least the thickness of a pencil. Cut on a slant a half- inch below a bud. Label and plant 1 to 2 inches deep. Water once a week. In spring, cuttings with roots 1 inch or more long can be planted in pots with a light peat moss and soil mixture. Keep pots in a protected area until fall, then plant in the ground.

404-888-GROW planthotline@atlantabg.org