Clippings January - April 2021

Atlanta | Gainesville | January – April 2021

Orchid Daze elegance Atlanta Blooms gets personal!

Witch hazel wonders Sneak peek: Spring exhibitions

| Atlanta President’s Message Like so many people, I am looking forward to 2021 and the return of smiles to my life and to visitors who enjoy the Garden.

With the good news about vaccines, I don’t think this is wishful thinking; we really may be able to smile at one another and even hug by the end of 2021. That makes me hopeful and happy – looking forward to a return to normalcy is always on my mind. And how strange that the word “normal” is now equivalent to “excellent”!

So, as I dream about the new year, new vaccines, fresh starts and a new normal it makes me want to share ideas we have to make 2021 one of the best years possible for our members and guests. I will start by painting a picture of the spring ahead. Imagine brilliant tulip displays, warm sunshine, birds singing and visitors actually in the Garden to enjoy it all. We have invested in that idea in a big way, and the horticulture team has made sure that Atlanta Blooms will be brilliant, beautiful, vibrant and welcoming. To complement our spring show, we will present Orchid Daze with a twist, draping the Orchid Center with beautiful fabrics to showcase orchid collections and displays in a dazzling way.

The difference in 2021 will be the addition of people in the Garden to celebrate spring, flowers and community.

As summer approaches, we will be busy installing two outdoor exhibitions that will demonstrate the Garden’s artistic vision and ability to attract some of the country’s best artists. The glass of Jason Gamrath will be presented in flower beds designed to create harmony between plants and glass. This is an exhibition we intended to do in 2020, but the uncertainty of the pandemic caused us to push the show into 2021. This exhibition has a quiet beauty to it that draws in the visitor to see the details of the sculptures – the color, sparkle and scale are magical as Gamrath’s glass orchids loom larger than guests. Recognizing that 2021 would be a year of smiles, relief and renewed hope, we decided to add a second exhibition to our summer line-up. This one is in contrast to the quiet beauty of Gamrath’s work. The second exhibition, created by Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics, will showcase a flowing river of colored streamers above the heads of guests and through the trees of Storza Woods. I mention this only to tantalize our members (see page 4 for more).

I hope that I have painted a picture of the year ahead.

We still have uncertainty around vaccines and the end of the pandemic. But I am an optimist at heart, and as we look to 2021 it seemed fitting to share our dreams about the year ahead. May we all be smiling at one another sometime in the not-too-distant future!

Mary Pat Matheson Anna and Hays Mershon President & CEO

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

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Atlanta |

orchid daze Blooms and textiles combine for elegant plant showcase

Orchid Daze, the Garden’s annual indoor plant exhibition, explores the creative interplay between vibrant flowers and richly colored textiles.

From February 13 through April 11, three main displays in the Fuqua Conservatory and Orchid Center will introduce original creations for showcasing orchids: festoons, aerialists and chandeliers.

In counterpoint to these vertical orchid elements are diverse textiles adding motion, texture and color to each set display.

Upon entering the Conservatory Lobby, visitors’ first impression is a spectacular festoon of orchids and tropical plants, an inverted cone cascading exuberantly from the top of the windows to the floor, framed on either side with dramatically undulating fabric.

Five orchid festoons hold bowers

of red, orange and yellow Odontoglossum and Oncidium with long, elegant sprays of dainty flowers. Bold-colored Cattleyas and dendrobiums accent the composition.

Plants with green, silver, purple and yellow variegated foliage add accents of texture and color.

Orchid chandeliers adorn the center of the Corridor and feature arching purple and bright pink Phalaenopsis in alternating rings. Flowing brocaded textiles effectively create a series of four niches with inverted arc ceilings. Orchid candelabra illuminate the sides of the Corridor. Bromeliads with rich purple-blue inflorescences fill the beds below.

In the Orchid Atrium, banners of shimmering silk-like fabric unfurl from above to create a maze-like space. The banners sensually wrap around and visually support slender metal orchid aerialists, abstract forms that suggest the arching limbs of aerialist acrobats and trees. Exuberant Phalaenopsis and Vanda compositions enfold each armature, hinting at the plants’ epiphytic nature.

Cylindrical columns of orchids float from the ceiling on both sides of the hallway connecting the Atrium and the Orchid Display House. Additional columns hover

over the formal bed. Mirrored and textiled scrims float at staggered heights behind the columns on either side of the hallway.

Carpets of orange Phragmipedium and purple-blue Zygopetalum fill the beds along the pathways and complete the journey through this year’s spectacular show.

Becky Brinkman Fuqua Orchid Center Manager

Be ours!

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, Feb. 13, features scrumptious sweets while visitors sip cocktails from cash bars, dance to live entertainment and explore Orchid Daze by night. For ticket information, visit atlantabg.org.

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| Atlanta

SPRING SNEAK PEEK! ART ON THE

MOVE

Enormous skynet sculptures will immerse guests in nature

The Garden is known for its canopy of some of the city’s oldest hardwoods towering throughout Storza Woods, but this spring, a different canopy of sorts will take center stage.

A “floating” sculpture designed by Los Angeles-based Poetic Kinetics will snake its way above the Southern Seasons Garden and extend to the Canopy Walk, where it will flow above, under and beside the suspension bridge, crossing the entry road at two points. Visions of flocks of birds come to mind.

Known for his interactive, experiential large-scale public art, company founder Patrick Shearn designs his signature “skynet” artworks to evoke the natural phenomenon of flocking, such as schooling fish or swarming insects. The streaming sculptures are suspended with transparent monofilament netting and rigged inconspicuously so that the artwork’s colorful streamers appear to float on their own while fluttering in the wind. Think thousands of birds diving and swirling in enormous waves across the sky.

“The installation is meant to be immersive while meandering over changes in elevation and playing off the canopy with movements up and down and side by side,” Emily 4

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Sun Cycle by Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics, Beijing, China, 2019

Saccenti, the Garden’s Exhibits Project Manager, said of the sculpture. Dream Flora is Shearn’s first skynet for a wooded area.

The skynet, made of multi-colored streamers, can be experienced May through September.

Shearn, whose team of artists seeks to inspire, mystify and educate people about sustainability, has created public art all over the world, including installations for Burning Man, the Coachella Music Festival and the City of El Paso, Texas.

For more information, visit poetickinetics.com.

Dream Waves by Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics, Lisbon, Portugal, 2019

Atlanta |

BLOOMING

GLASS Artist Jason Gamrath elevates nature to larger-than-life scale

This spring visitors will swear that plants and flowers throughout the Garden are on steroids, when, in fact, the only fertilizer used is the creative energy behind the art of glassmaking.

Dozens of large-scale contemporary glass sculptures will reflect the beauty of nature during Glass Art by Jason Gamrath, presented May 8 through October 31. The exhibition will feature 13 installations of about 150 pieces of brilliantly colorful sculptures – all representing blooming plants.

Of those, the Seattle-based artist has created about 30 exclusively for the Garden’s exhibition. Displayed throughout both indoors and out will be brightly colored sculptures with metal accents of pitcher plants, aloes, lotuses and more.

The master glass artist is known for his colorful takes on nature. “The purpose of creating this series on a macro scale is to bring to light the beauty that exists within the micro scale of nature,” said Gamrath, whose career has been inspired by famed glass artist Dale Chihuly, who presented exhibitions at the Garden in 2004 and 2016. “When I scale life forms up to be larger than a person, they can be observed with this perspective from across a room due to the overwhelming physical presence they command.”

Guests may also enjoy the exhibition dramatically lit at night during Cocktails in the Garden. atlantabg.org

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| Atlanta

Virtual vanilla

Join the Garden on February 28 for a new twist on its annual Vanilla Sunday. This year’s event will be offered virtually, and guests will learn all about the fruit that flavors drinks, desserts and sauces in so many recipes – only without the popular ice cream sundae they’ve grown accustomed to sampling.

One of the world’s best-known flavors, vanilla comes from the seedpods of an orchid. The pods are about eight inches long and green when harvested. After months of time-consuming drying and “sweating”, these pods turn black and are finally ready to use.

Here’s a recipe for experimenting with versatile vanilla:

Vanilla Bean Butternut Squash Pappardelle Pasta noodle ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4-teaspoon kosher salt 2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks, beaten Rice flour for dusting

Directions: Put flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, yolks, and mix for a minute, until dough comes together. If dough seems dry or crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water. Turn dough out onto a board and knead to form a ball. Flatten dough ball to a 1-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour (preferably 4 hours). Fill a stockpot 1/3 full with water and bring to a boil. Divide dough into 4 pieces.

Knead each piece until smooth. Roll with a rolling pin or pasta machine as thinly as possible. Cut the pasta in to desired strip thickness and put into boiling water. When pasta floats, remove from water and set on the side.

Continue until all pasta is cooked.

Vanilla Bean Squash ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 cups peeled and cubed (1/2-inch wide) butternut squash, about 12 ounces 1/2 cup vegetable broth 1 large vanilla bean 2 tablespoons butter 3/4 cups finely chopped onion 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast butternut squash for 25-30 minutes until tender and lightly browned on edges. Remove from the oven. In a medium saucepan, warm the broth over medium-high heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and add them and the bean to the broth. When the broth comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to very low. Cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat.

Add the onion and sauté until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Lower heat to simmer and add vanilla bean broth and noodles. Stir to combine.

Gently fold in the roasted butternut squash so you do not break the noodles or squash pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Portion and serve with freshly grated parmesan. Makes 4-6 servings.

Contributed by Kimie Ono and Marc Rosenkoetter, Flwr Creations

Construction begins on new water feature Work has begun on an elegant, modern water feature in Storza Woods that when completed this fall will also add three new gardens to the serene woodland.

The new Imlay Water Channel and Garden is designed to flow north to south from the wooden boardwalk, under the stone John Imlay Bridge and terminate in a pool at the base of the water stairs. Complementing the water feature will be three new gardens featuring seasonal plant displays. Designed by Spurlock Landscape Architects, the project, made possible by a $3.5 6

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million gift from the Imlay Foundation, is designed to preserve critical tree canopy.

Water will flow in a 160-foot-long, 4-foot-wide raised concrete, V-shaped channel, passing under the deck and slicing side to side before spilling dramatically four feet into the upper pool in the center of the grove. In the Stream Garden, water that will flow under the Imlay Bridge will include a pool and a series of three small rapids. Finally, in the Lower Pool and Cascade, water will cascade at the base of a knoll into a quiet pool with a small island.

Atlanta | Helleborus ‘Picotee Lady’

Hellebores Lenten Rose makes the ideal winter garden perennial

Looking for a must-have perennial for the garden? Hellebores should be at the top of the list.

Common names for Helleborus x hybridus include Winter Rose, Christmas Rose and Lenten Rose.

This evergreen perennial is in the Ranunculaceae family, but it’s not closely related to the rose family, as the name implies. Helleborus is derived from the Greek word “bora” which means food and from “helein” which means injures or destroys -- a reference to the plant’s toxic leaves, stems and roots.

Hellebores, with their attractive flowers and foliage, are an easy perennial to grow in a variety of conditions. The flower colors are a mix of green, white, cream, pink and purple, and are produced in late winter/early spring. These distinctive flowers nod downward and last from February to early May. Hellebores produce single, cupshaped flowers with five overlapping

petals that are technically sepals.

The leaves are divided into leaflets with toothed margins and a leathery texture, which makes them rabbit and deer resistant.

Hellebores are best planted in partial shade to full shade and prefer rich, moist, well drained soils. If they stay too wet, they can suffer from crown rot, which kills the plant. Welldrained soil will promote healthy plants that will self sow, ideal because they look best when arranged in large groups. Because the flowers nod downward, Hellebores are an excellent choice for planting above retaining walls or on banks, allowing a view inside the flower.

Numerous cultivars and species are available, varying in leaf color, flower color, flower shape and size.

Some noteworthy cultivars include ‘Ivory Prince’, ‘Picotee Lady’, ‘Joker’ and ‘Pink Frost’.

Michael Sheek Horticulture Manager

Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’

Helleborus ‘Pink Frost’

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What an encore!

Atlanta Blooms welcomes back a sorely missed audience

Spring bulb season is one of the Garden’s most highly anticipated times of year.

Hundreds of thousands of cheerful blooms greet anxious guests every March and April – only in 2020, there was no captive audience.

Just as the curtain was rising on last spring’s show, the Garden was shut down as the pandemic loomed. For the first time, visitors would have to enjoy the colorful tulips, daffodils, anemones and other bulbs only in online photos and videos. And while the blooms’ beauty can certainly be captured in pictures, the full glory of the annual show-stopping event can only be experienced in person.

That’s what makes this spring’s Atlanta Blooms even more special. Hearts and souls will be filled with the sight of more than 90,000 bulbs planted one by one last fall and countless other perennial bulbs that bloom year after year.

Flanking the Piedmont Avenue entrance will be Tulipa ‘El Nino’, Narcissus ‘Las Vegas’ and Anemone ‘Mr. Fokker’. Arriving at the Visitor Center, guests will be welcomed by Tulipa ‘Blushing Apeldoorn’ and Narcissus ‘Tahiti’ and guided in by Tequila Sunrise mixed tulips and Narcissus ‘Gigantic Star’.

Along the Flower Walk, visitors will be immersed in swirling torrents of ‘Gipsy Queen’ and ‘Carnegie’ hyacinths as well as ‘Dreamland’, ‘Hocus Pocus’ and ‘Del Piero’ tulips along with dozens of other hyacinths, tulips and daffodils. And blanketing the Garden will be pots and beds with staff and guest favorites as well as quite a few newcomers.

Anemone ‘Mr. Fokker’

Tulipa ‘El Nino’

‘Carnegie’ hyacinth

Amanda Bennett, Vice President, Horticulture & Collections

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| Atlanta

PL ANT CLOSEUP:

Witch Hazels One of the Garden’s major plant collections, these deciduous shrubs color the landscape from fall to spring

Among avid gardeners worldwide witch hazels are considered to be among the best of all winter-flowering shrubs. Witch hazels (Hamamelis) are a large deciduous shrub with strap-like flowers ranging in color from bright yellow to orange, red and purple, with many having a color gradient from the base to the tip of the petals. Their floral display typically takes place on bare stems, making the many flowers stand out especially in the winter landscape. From the native Hamamelis virginiana, which blooms in late October through mid-November, to the many hybrids, one could almost have a witch hazel in bloom from fall through spring. The native range of witch hazels is divided among eastern United States, Mexico and Asia. Hamamelis is one of the Garden’s major plant collections and can be found in both the Atlanta and Gainesville locations.

Here are a few staff favorites:

Hamamelis ‘Rochester’

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Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ Compiled by Ethan Guthrie, Horticulture Manager

Atlanta |

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’

Originally named in 1954 at the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium, ‘Jelena’ has some of the longest petals of any witch hazel selection. Its flowers are a warm coppery-orange with a slight yellow tip. It blooms in mid- to late winter and grows to about 13 feet by 13 feet.

Hamamelis ovalis

This is the newest described species of witch hazel, having only been discovered in 2005 in southern Mississippi. It has now been found in Alabama, northern Florida, eastern Georgia and eastern Texas. Bloom color ranges from pale yellow to red and is always the first to bloom in the Gainesville garden, as early as mid-January. Size of this species is variable, from almost creeping along the ground to a nice rounded shrub about 15 feet by 15 feet.

Hamamelis ‘ Rochester’

‘Rochester’ is perhaps the favorite among visitors and staff alike. It is one of the first to bloom in mid-winter and is thoroughly covered in extremely fragrant red-orange flowers. ‘Rochester’ grows to about 12 feet tall by 10 feet wide. The first mention of this hybrid was in 1960 at Rochester Park, New York.

Hamamelis virginiana ‘Little Suzie’

‘Little Suzie’ is a more compact version of one of the U.S. native witch hazels growing to about 5 feet by 5 feet. Its flowers are pale yellow and appear in mid- to late autumn. It was selected in 1992 by a Tennessee nurseryman.

Hamamelis mollis ‘Wisley Supreme’

Selected in 1993 at the Royal Horticultural Society garden Wisley, this superb clone grows to about 10 to 12 feet high and wide. The flowers are a brilliant yellow that really light up the garden in late winter. ‘Wisley Supreme’ is always a winner in the Gainesville garden.

Hamamelis vernalis ‘Washington Park’

Originating from a plant growing in Seattle’s Washington Park, this selection is unique in having truly deep purple blooms in mid- to late winter. This is another selection of one of the U.S. native witch hazels. It grows to about 8 feet by 8 feet. By planting yellowflowering selections behind it, the darker blooms show up better in the landscape. atlantabg.org

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| Atlanta

Valentines in the Garden

Saturday, Feb. 13, 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.

2020 Botanical Drawing Program

Orchid Daze

Saturday, Feb.13 – Sunday, April 11 Enjoy thousands of beautiful, fragrant orchids on display during Orchid Daze, the Fuqua Orchid Center’s annual exhibition highlighting winter’s favorite plant.

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Learn to draw under the guidance of artist Carol Anne Sutherland. Beginning with principal drawing of the natural world in black and white, the courses develop technique until students gain the ability to dynamically capture intricate orchids and majestic trees in colored pencil. Upon completion of program, students will earn a Botanical Drawing Certificate. See the enclosed Education Brochure or visit atlantabg.org for details.

Atlanta |

atlanta happenings

Virtual Vanilla Sunday Sunday, Feb. 28 Go online to enjoy a vanilla-inspired recipe and to learn more about Vanilla Orchids. Make your favorite warm vanilla drink, relax and log on to atlantabg.org for vanilla facts and fun.

Atlanta Blooms!

March - April Explore hundreds of thousands of tulips, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths.

Check out a variety of ways to grow bulbs, including container gardens and floating islands. Watch for updates on peak bloom times at atlantabg.org

Spring Break Family Fun

Earth Day

April 5 - 9, 10 a.m. – Noon Visit the Garden and enjoy the wonders of springtime with your family during Spring Break. Enjoy a fun and seasonal activity each morning and run among the blooms.

Thursday, April 22, 10 a.m. – Noon Celebrate nature! Enjoy special activities for little ones at the Garden in honor of our beautiful earth.

Tickets for Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour

Thursday, April 1 Tickets go on sale April 1 for this favorite Mother’s Day weekend tradition, the Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour. Set for May 8 - 9, the tour features private gardens of varying styles throughout metro Atlanta.

Tickets will be available online only, with limited capacity at gardens.

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| Gainesville

A Note from the Director Last year certainly proved the value of a botanical garden as a place of respite and relief, and a safe outdoor gathering place during the pandemic. After the Garden reopened in June, it saw record attendance, doubling that in 2019, with many first-time visitors.

Visitors and members are now enjoying the Ada Mae Pass Ivester Children’s Garden. It is so great to hear the peals of laughter from atop the hill as children, parents and grandparents discover this new addition.

This year, the Garden will continue several very successful programs that were adjusted last year because of the closure.

The weekly Story Time (Wednesdays) and Garden Grooves (Thursdays) will continue, beginning earlier this year, from March through October. Wine in the Woodlands will be back on Friday and Saturday nights, with the Garden remaining open until 8 p.m. This is the perfect time to wind down at the end of the week and enjoy the Garden.

And look for improved, online plant sales with socially distanced pickup in April and October. Horticulture Manager Ethan Guthrie has added lots of new, exciting plants to this year’s offerings, more than doubling the number last year.

You won’t want to miss this spring’s spectacular exhibition, The Myth Makers, featuring three 15- to 20-feet-tall birds made of bamboo, saplings and recycled materials, followed by Scarecrows in the Garden in the fall and the Holiday Tree Trail capping off the year.

Of course, the garden is never stagnant. The former Train Garden will see new perennial additions as some of the larger conifers that have overgrown the space are removed. The Stream Garden also will be getting new plants as well – new hydrangea cultivars and additional perennials in blues and whites.

Hope to see you in the Garden soon!

Mildred Fockele Gainesville Garden Director

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Birds of a feather ...

Flock together in sculptors’ salute to the wild

Big birds are flocking to the Gainesville garden this spring, but they have nothing to do with Sesame Street. Instead, the creatures are monumental sculptures created from natural materials out of their artists’ love of the wild.

Known as The Myth Makers, Massachusetts-based artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein are inspired by events in the natural world and the mysterious nature of animals. The artists have presented more than 20 public works throughout the world at art museums, sculpture parks and urban centers from Taiwan to New York.

For the Gainesville exhibition, presented March 27 – October 31, the artists have created three sculptures, including a pair of cardinals, “Love Long Last”, that are seen as harbingers of good health, renewal and loving relationships. Each bird is 15 feet tall and, although monumental in scale, these ephemeral works are temporary in nature – they are made from natural materials such as bamboo, tree saplings and found objects, meant to last only several years before fading away. The second sculpture, “Flannery’s Peacock 2020”, consists of a 21-foot-tall tall body perched on a 7-foot wide octagonal base. The tail of the peacock will be created

on site, extending 15 feet long and 10 feet wide – large enough to allow visitors to walk through the sculpture.

Mildred Fockele Gainesville Garden Director

Gainesville |

Every garden can benefit from proper fertilization, and the best way to maximize that is knowing when to do it. Applying fertilizer at the wrong time of year can cause new growth to die off in cold weather or cause plants to miss the peak growing cycle.

While there are many forms of fertilization, such as time-release granular formulas, liquid applications and spikes, timing is the most crucial factor in the fertilization process. Even though each plant type can differ, a general rule for annual application is to apply it in early spring. That encourages leafy growth and flowering, then fruiting. In areas where early spring may be followed by a late freeze, gardeners should wait until the last

frost to prevent harm to new growth.

In any fertilizer application, it is a good idea to water thoroughly after applying to get the fertilizer where it will do the most good — the roots! Avoid excessive fertilization, and if possible perform a soil test to determine which nutrients a garden may lack.

Many plant-specific fertilizers are available, such as Holly Tone for acid-loving plants such as azaleas, hydrangeas and hollies. Targeting the plant type with a specific fertilizer developed for it will also help create larger plants with more vibrant colors.

Tori Johnson Assistant Horticulturist

March 27 – October 31 Massachusetts-based artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein will inspire visitors with their monumental sculptures “Love Long Last” featuring a pair of 15-foot cardinals and a giant peacock, all made from natural materials such as bamboo, tree saplings and found objects.

Garden Scavenger Hunts March – October Pick up fun scavenger hunt information in the Visitor Center and then explore the garden on a family-led excursion.

Online Spring Plant Sale April The Gainesville Garden will host its popular plant sale online. Look for an email with dates and ordering details to come.

Story Time & Smiles/ Grab-and-Go Craft

gainesville happenings

Fertilizing: That early spring to-do

The Myth Makers

10 a.m. Wednesdays, March -- October Listen to a storyteller with props and microphone for social distancing to delight children with nature-inspired fairytales and stories, followed by crafts for taking home.

Garden Grooves 10 a.m. Thursdays, March – October Get ready to wiggle and warble! Join the Garden for music inspired by nature and other children’s songs and dance the day away with musical instruments.

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

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

Address Service Requested

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

planthotline Which gardening tasks should be performed in winter?

Member Spring Evening Monday, March 15, 5 - 8 p.m.

Enjoy a variety of activities among colorful spring bulbs as well as live music, surprise entertainment and special family activities.

Have dinner at Longleaf (reservations suggested) or enjoy other delicious food and drink options for purchase.

Summer Exhibitions Member Premieres Monday, May 3 - Friday, May 7 Members are invited to exclusive premiere evenings of sculpture exhibitions by Poetic Kinetics and Jason Gamrath. These events feature live music, imaginative entertainment and interactive activities. Check atlantabg.org for schedule.

Gift of Membership Looking for the perfect gift? A Garden membership is a gift for any occasion.

Recipients enjoy 12 months of free admission during regular hours at two locations, plus other valuable benefits. Details at atlantabg.org/giftmembership.

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DIRECTOR’S CLUB & ABOVE

Orchid Daze Soiree Monday, March 22, 6:30 - 9 p.m.

Members of the Director’s Club and Orchid, Magnolia and Arbor Circles are invited to a special celebration of Orchid Daze. Enjoy an elegant cocktail reception and live music, followed by dessert and after-dinner drinks in the Fuqua Orchid Center surrounded by hundreds of exquisite orchids.

To upgrade to Director’s Club or one of the Circle levels of membership, call 404-591-1538.

CONTRIBUTING & ABOVE

Light Bites & Garden Insights

GAINESVILLE: Friday, March 26, 10:30 a.m. – Noon Contributing and above members are invited to enjoy this quarterly behind-the-scenes program, including complimentary light bites and an educational presentation. To upgrade to the Contributing level, please call 404-591-1544.

Dates subject to change. Check atlantabg.org/ memberevents for updates.

Clippings is available online at issuu.com/atlantabotanicalgarden

This is the time of year when almost everything in the garden is sleeping.

Perennials have died back waiting for their turn to sprout and show their beauty again. Avoid cutting back their dried stems and seed pods because they add interest and texture to the garden during winter.

Examples include the stems and pods of Rudbeckia, the feathery fronds of Astilbe and the clusters of Asters. Be sure to provide color; Lenten Rose (Hellebores) and both the Japonica and Sasanqua Camellias send out flowers that herald the hope of spring.

Plant several different species of Camellias that will bloom at different times for providing color throughout the season. And, of course, annuals such as pansies and Snapdragons can add a splash of color as well. Finally, instead of raking leaves mulch them and add them back into flower beds.

They will deteriorate over the winter and become wonderful soil.

404-888-GROW planthotline@atlantabg.org