Birmingham breathes a collective sigh of relief when The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ spring plant sale occurs, reminding us that warmer temps will indeed arrive, encouraging us to lavish time and attention on our green spaces.
FOR FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS
Show your Friends of Birmingham
Botanical Gardens membership card and enjoy 10% off regularly priced purchases at The Gardens Café by Kathy G and these local nurseries, garden centers, and flower shops.
Certain restrictions may apply. Please visit bbgardens.org/membership for details.
• DOROTHY MCDANIEL’S FLOWER MARKET •
• FARMSTAND BY STONE HOLLOW •
• HOUSE PLANT COLLECTIVE •
• LEAF & PETAL AT THE GARDENS
• MYERS PLANTS & POTTERY •
• PETALS FROM THE PAST
• SHOPPE/GENERAL
• SWEET PEAS GARDEN SHOP
• WILD THINGS
Emily Bowron Chair
wally Evans immEdiatE Past Chair d�C Coston trEasurEr
stEPhaniE K CooPEr sECrEtary
dEriCK BEldEn Chair of CommuniCations & marKEting
EvElyn JonEs Chair of dEvEloPmEnt
CarolinE littlE Chair of EduCation & Community EngagEmEnt
John smith t Chair of govErnanCE
KirK forrEstEr Chair of govErnmEnt rElations
lEE mClEmorE Chair of oPErations
Uday Bhate
Maggie Brooke
Sharon L. Brown
Eleanor Estes
Wendy Evesque
David Germany
Helen Harmon
Leigh Haver
Janet Kavinoky
Blevins Naff
Sharon Deep Nelson
Tiffany Osborne
Ruffner Page, Jr.
Sharon Sherrod
Martha Emmett Sims
Ellen Spencer
Larry D. Thornton, Sr.
Libba Vaughan
Jesse Vogtle, Jr.
Ginny Willings
Jim Pickle, Junior Board President
The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens seeks to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of Birmingham
Botanical Gardens. We are dedicated to serving the Gardens, serving the community, serving our visitors, and inspiring a passion for plants, gardens, and the environment.
Tom Underwood.....................................................Executive Director
Stephanie Banks Chief Financial Officer
Dawn DeFrank Donor Services Coordinator
Paige Goldschmidt….....................................Development Associate
Amelia Haas Office Coordinator
Ellen Hardy Education Program Coordinator
Penney Hartline Director of Development
Molly Hendry.................. Associate Director of Gardens Support— Horticulture Planning and Design Leader
Jason Kirby Library Assistant & Archivist
Dawn Coleman Lee Education Activities Specialist
Hope Long Director of Library Services
Tyler Mason Director of Education & Community Engagement
Alice Thompson Moore.................................Volunteer Coordinator
Tina Nelson Accounting Clerk
Félix Ortiz ….................. Communications & Marketing Associate
Drew Rickel Donor Relations Officer
Keith Turney.... Horticulurist–Kaul Wildflower Garden
Jane Underwood Director of Gardens Support
Editor: Félix Ortiz
Art Design: Ellen Padgett
Cover & Lead Photos: Carmen Michael
Contributors: Dawn DeFrank, Amelia Haas, Ellen Hardy, Penney Hartline, Molly Hendry, Dawn Coleman Lee, Hope Long, Tyler Mason, Carmen Micheal, Drew Rickel, Keith Turney, Graham Yelton
©2023 Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. All rights reserved. 2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham, AL 35223 205.414.3950 | bbgardens.org communications@bbgardens.org
A facility of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board, Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the result of a public/private partnership between the City of Birmingham and the nonprofit Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, a mission-driven membership organization that seeks to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of the Gardens. We hope you enjoy this issue of the Friends’ award-winning quarterly publication, The Garden Dirt. Thank you for visiting and supporting the Gardens!
Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens practices a policy of equal opportunity and equal access to services for all persons regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, orientation, or gender identity.
Dear Friend, Spring has special meaning to people who enjoy plants and gardens. Particularly this year, it represents a dramatic and welcome change of seasons. It is a time when the plants in our gardens wake up and the days get longer and more conducive to outdoor activities. And, the symbolism of spring cannot be ignored. It is a time of renewal and growth, and a time for opportunity and optimism.
With the arrival of the new season, our corps of expert volunteers here at the Gardens have a special opportunity to share their enthusiasm and shine a spotlight on their favorite plants with our Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ 2023 Spring Plant Sale. Many of the plants featured at the sale are grown, nurtured, and propagated right here at the Gardens—giving shoppers the opportunity to bring the wonders of the Gardens home. It is also a chance to support our longest running fundraiser that delivers back to the Gardens with much-needed resources.
We are excited to invite gardening enthusiasts, not only to our Spring Plant Sale, but to our two special upcoming events, the 2023 Native Plant Conference (March 10-11) and our annual Spencer Lecture (March 16). Both of these programs are known for bringing some of the region’s—and country’s—most notable speakers to Birmingham and this year is no exception. We are particularly delighted to host modern plantsman, horticulturist, and award-winning author Kelly D. Norris for this year’s Spencer Lecture. In their own unique way, each of these events offers us inspiration, knowledge, and delight of the natural world; all in the prime setting of Birmingham’s urban oasis.
Whether you decide to grow your garden, your knowledge, or both, we hope that you will join us in embracing the spirit of opportunity and optimism that gardening represents this spring!
Thank you for your support and for being a part of the Gardens.
Tom Underwood Executive Director, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens
New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden
Featuring author and horticulturist Kelly D. Norris
THURSDAY, MARCH 16
Reception: 5:30 p.m.
Talk: 6 p.m.
Free Admission
• Auditorium
• Linn-Henley Lecture Hall
• Limited Seating Available
• Book signing to follow
• Preregistration required
Register: bbgardens.org/spencerlecture
The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ 2023 Spencer Lecture speaker, horticulturist Kelly D. Norris shares insights on his ecological work, the roots and inspiration for his passion projects, and wisdom to home gardeners.
By FÉLIX ORTIZModern plantsman, designer, and award-winning author, Kelly D. Norris is considered a leading horticulturist of his generation. His work in gardens has been featured in The New York Times, Organic Gardening, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart Living, Fine Gardening, and Garden Design. His passion for planting at the intersections of horticulture and ecology has culminated in a new book New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden, which debuted in 2021 from Cool Springs Press. Kelly will share how he applies his passion for plants and planting to home gardens, providing practical, accessible, and inspiring ideas for landscapes on the wild side at the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ 2023 Spencer Lecture.
Q: How would you sum up your inspiration for your latest book, New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden?
A: I have had a lifelong fascination with plants both in gardens and wild places. This current has run through my career, taking on different forms in practice. I like to think of New Naturalism as a synthesis of horticulture and ecology, weaving together contemporary trends in Western horticulture towards a greater nature in gardens: planting with a sense of place, building gardens from foundations of native plants, supporting pollinators and local ecosystems, sequestering carbon and gardening for climate change, among others.
Q: Do you have a favorite project that you have worked on? What did you like about it? What was the biggest take away from this project?
A: I’m not sure I could pick a single favorite project from my portfolio because each commission affords some new and different opportunity. However, I’m usually most excited about what’s up next. I like the challenge of understanding places for planting. This site-specific approach allows me to go deep into natural and cultural histories, plant ecology, and gardening. I can have a million creative ideas, but I’m most curious about what’s possible in the context of the places I work.
Q: Aside from being an author and horticulturist, you’re also an artist and photographer, can you tell us how your horticultural background influences your art?
A: I really have come to terms with the concept of a single practice which has multiple outlets of expression, which in my life so far has included books, photography, video, visual art and, of course, plantings. Unsurprisingly, the balance of my visual art works are botanically inspired. Photographically, I have a wide
body of work that explores landscapes through various digital manipulation techniques. I like to challenge people to see more than what they might discern at first glance. These kinds of techniques also infuse my thinking about place and can inspire plantings or features in landscapes. I think I bring an empathetic view to the subjects that comes from having such a deep scientific understanding and curiosity about them. I often tell people I have an artist’s heart and a scientist’s head.
Q: What does home gardening mean to you? What value does it bring?
A: Our home gardens aren’t separate from the world around us. The boundaries between our garden and the greater ecosystem only exist in our minds. The garden fence, so to speak, is remarkably porous. You first have to embrace the idea that the garden is a system of flora and fauna working together in concert and that it’s going to change. That’s the beauty of it. To nurture a resilient garden is to play an infinite game not a finite one. A resilient garden is self-perpetuating and has a capacity for life that’s both independent of and legible despite the gardener (even though we’re going to keep planting, weeding and puttering). The value of a resilient, ecologically vibrant home garden speaks volumes to living well in our place.
Q: How does your experience working in public gardens shape your teaching style in your new educational program, New Naturalism Academy: Designing and Planting
A Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden?
A: The gem of this program grew from a similar educational experience I designed and curated during my tenure at Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden going back to 2015. Daily engagement with the public always helped to calibrate how I delivered information. I’ve always believed you must meet people where they’re at and encourage them to come along with you on a journey. I’m always on a mission to change the way people think about something. This practice of persuasive communication has deep roots in my life in public and retail settings.
Q: If you could pick one thing that you hope our 2023 Spencer Lecture attendees will take away from your presentation, what would it be?
A: Lately, I have been asking audiences to consider how their gardens can be more abundant. This starts with more plants, more plant diversity and a denser conception of the garden. We should want a world with greater abundance because it’s the mothering force of ecology.
“I like the challenge of understanding places for planting. This site-specific approach allows me to go deep into natural and cultural histories, plant ecology, and gardening.”
—KELLY D. NORRISCAPTION: Kelly D. Norris shares some of his horticultural projects that demonstrate the culture created through the intersections of ecology and horticulture resulting in lavish and wildly beautiful gardens.
It’s A Great Time To Be A Member Of The Friends Of Birmingham Botanical Gardens!
An urban oasis featuring more than two dozen specialty gardens, Birmingham Botanical Gardens shares the joy and beauty of nature, every day of the year. Through our work at the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, we also cultivate connections—with plants, the environment, and one another. Membership makes this and so much more possible. Because of your annual commitment, the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens has the capacity to educate thousands of schoolchildren each year about the science of plants and our dependence on them, to grow and harvest thousands of pounds of fresh produce to combat hunger in our community, to help maintain garden spaces and spearhead much-needed improvement projects, and to promote the Gardens as a destination of local and regional significance. We are excited to shine a spotlight on the impact and benefits of membership by hosting our much anticipated March Membership Month! Throughout the month enjoy special perks for new, renewing, and current members, including:
• Membership Special: Enjoy $10 off any new or gift membership purchased during March. Use code MM23 at bbgardens.org/ membership
• Choose from tiered keepsake items for members joining or renewing. (see sidebar for details–while supplies last!)
• Member-exclusive Special Kaul Wildflower Garden Tour: Saturday, March 25, 2023 | 11-noon | Free | Space is limited New, renewing, and current members are welcome. Registration required at bbgardens. org/membertour
• Save the date! Member priority access to Spring Plant Sale 2023: Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 1–5:30 p.m.
• Be sure to take advantage of other great member benefits such as free or discounted admission at 340+ botanical gardens across the country; 10% off regularly priced plant purchases at member partner nurseries, garden centers, and flower shops; 20% off our children’s summer camps; and more!
Join or renew this year and choose from a new array of tiered promotional items available March 1.
FRIEND, DUAL, FAMILY LEVELS
• Terra-cotta flowerpot mug (14 oz.)
• BPA-free aluminum water bottle (26 oz.)
• “Growing a greener tomorrow” T-shirts
• Canvas tote
CONTRIBUTOR, SUPPORTER LEVELS
• Stainless steel, vacuum-seal tumbler (20 oz.)
• Pigment-dyed cap with adjustable leather strap
• Journal with loop closure and document pocket
AMBASSADOR, BENEFACTOR CIRCLE
• Jumbo compact umbrella with wood handle
The Library at the Gardens is a wonderful resource for nature enthusiasts, families, and anyone who would like to learn more about gardening. Bring your Jefferson County library card to check out books. Visit the Library 9 a.m.–4 p.m. weekdays.
A monthly book club hosted by the Library at the Gardens Free and open to the public Every first Tuesday 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 7
Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Suzanne Simard
Tuesday, April 4
The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation’s Largest Home by Denise Kiernan
Tuesday, May 2
The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker
Explore the Garden’s springtime wonders by joining us for these fun and inspiring educational offerings. Learn more and preregister at bbgardens.org/calendar.
1. STEM TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
Saturday, March 18 | 9 a.m.–noon
Saturday, April 8 | 9 a.m.–noon
Location: Adventure Classroom
This workshop is designed to support elementary school teachers as they work to implement STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) themed lessons in their classrooms. Come get inspired and leave equipped with lessons for the year. Free and open to teachers
2. STORYTIME AT THE GARDENS
Resumes Friday, March 17th | 10 a.m.
Location: Southern Living Garden
Join us each week with your preschooler for a story followed by a creative craft at the Gardens! Meet us in the Southern Living Garden, weather permitting, or in the Garden Center. This program is designed to promote a love of reading, creativity, and gardening, all while gaining the benefits of visiting the Gardens and being outdoors. Free and open to the public
3. STEM FOR KIDS: WATER CYCLE GAME
Tuesday, March 28 | 11 a.m.–noon
Location: Adventure Classroom
Students in grades K-6th are encouraged to join us for engaging STEM lessons. Explore the water cycle and make a bracelet in this first class.
Cost: Members: $10 | Nonmembers: $15
4. STEM FOR KIDS: RAIN GARDENS
Wednesday, March 29 | 11 a.m.–noon
Location: Adventure Classroom
Students in grades K-6th are encouraged to join us for engaging STEM lessons. Discover
the benefits of rain gardens in this second class.
Cost: Members: $10 | Nonmembers: $15
5. STEM FOR KIDS: LAND FORMS
Thursday, March 30 | 11 a.m.–noon
Location: Adventure Classroom
Students in grades K-6th are encouraged to join us for engaging STEM lessons. Make sand castle type landforms in this third class.
Cost: Members: $10 | Nonmembers: $15
6. EARTH DAY AT THE GARDENS
Saturday, April 22 | 9 a.m.–noon
Location: Blount Plaza
Join the Friends of BBG as we cultivate a passion for plants, gardens, and the environment by celebrating sustainable living at our annual Earth Day celebration. The free, family-friendly event will promote healthy communities, sustainable living, and human wellness through educational dialogue, informational displays, and outdoor activities.
CHILDREN’S SPRINGTIME GARDEN KIT: MOTHER’S DAY SURPRISE
Order through Friday, May 5
Pickup dates: Wednesday, May 10–Friday, May 12
Cost: Members: $20 | Nonmembers: $25
Surprise someone special and treat them to the “scentsational” world of herbs! We have included materials and ideas for crafting, baking, and adventure. Craft a miniature bouquet of fresh herbal sprigs and make a special keepsake using dried lavender. A special recipe for shortbread is included as well as a scavenger hunt to guide you to the wonderful world of herbs in Birmingham Botanical Garden’s Herb Terrace.
Each garden kit, individually wrapped with seasonal ribbon, includes plant material, fabric, a recipe, scavenger hunt, and a related children’s bibliography. Kits will be available for pickup in the Library at the Gardens.
Our health and wellness classes will resume this spring; visit bbgardens.org/classes for more details and to register.
FAMILY YOGA
3rd Saturdays | 9a.m.–10 a.m. starting Saturday, April 15, 2023
Instructor: Annie Damsky, Owner, Villager Yoga & Laura Gadilhe, You Shine Yoga
This energetic class in the Formal Garden will include individual and partner yoga poses for strength and balance, plus breathing exercises to help foster calm and focus.
Cost: $15 (adult + child), $5 each additional family member
ASHTANGA YOGA IN THE GARDENS
Instructor: Jason Kirby, Certified Yoga Instructor
Mondays | 8:30 a.m. starting Monday, March 13, 2023
Location: Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden)
Cost: Members: $12 | Nonmembers: $15
VINYASA YOGA IN THE GARDENS
Instructor: Lelia Neil, Certified Yoga Instructor Wednesdays | 8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m. starting Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Location: Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden)
Cost: Members: $12 | Nonmembers: $15
TAIJIQUAN (TAI CHI) IN THE GARDENS: BEGINNER
Instructor: Stephen Guesman, Tai-Ji Quan Instructor
Tuesdays | 4 p.m.–5 p.m. starting Tuesday, April 4
Location: Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden)
Cost: Members: $12 | Nonmembers: $15
TAIJIQUAN (TAI CHI) IN THE GARDENS: INTERMEDIATE
Instructor: Stephen Guesman, Tai-Ji Quan Instructor
Tuesdays | 4:45 p.m.–5:45 p.m. starting Tuesday, April 4
Location: Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden)
Cost: Members: $12 | Nonmembers: $15
BROWN BAG LUNCH & LEARNS–NOW IN PERSON! Select Wednesdays April–August I 11 a.m.–noon
Location: Ruth B. Strange Auditorium I Cost: $10 per participant
Thursday, May 18 3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 3 | 10 a.m.
Location: Dunn Formal Rose Garden
Instructor: Jane Underwood, Director of Gardens Support Learn how to care for your roses at home by attending this hands on workshop.
Cost: Members: $25 | Nonmembers: $30
SAKURA CHERRY
BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
Saturday, April 1 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: Japanese Garden
Join the Japan-America Society of Alabama and the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens in celebrating the Sakura Cherry Blossom Festival! This family-friendly event will feature cultural exhibits and activities for all ages.
Free and open to the public
POETRY IN THE GARDENS
Saturday, April 15 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Join the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Magic City Poetry Festival for a leisurely guided tour through the Birmingham Botanical Gardens while you enjoy the works of Alabama poets. Visitors are encouraged to join the fun as they encounter poetry. Free and open to public
The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is excited to offer gardening enthusiasts the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of native plants for two full days with the return of our signature Native Plant Conference as an in-person event. For 2023, the conference has been planned around the theme of Native Plants of the Southeast: Beautiful and Beneficial, placing an emphasis on the dual roles that native plants serve in the landscape.
Professionals and home gardeners alike will have a chance to discover the aesthetic and conservation benefits of planting with native plants, trees, and shrubs by hearing from leading landscape design experts, horticulturists, and visionaries of the natural world–including New York Times best-selling author Doug Tallamy. Enjoy featured sessions on installing native landscapes, designing with natives, Alabama’s Sandstone Oak (Quercus boyntonii), pollination ecology, the Alabama Plant Conservation Alliance’s work around the state, and ways to enhance plant biodiversity. And join us, as we journey through the Gardens’ own Kaul Wildflower Garden and venture off-site to the Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve to study the flora and ecosystems of these two exemplary sites.
Make even more of your conference experience with optional activities, including a delicious farm-to-table style supper on Friday evening and a special field study with resident experts on Sunday morning at Oak Mountain State Park.
Share your love of gardening with native plants by attending the 2023 Native Plant Conference!
Friday, March 10–Saturday, March 11, 2023 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Members: $185 | Nonmembers: $205 | Students: $150
(Continental breakfast and lunch included)
See our schedule, explore other optional Native Plant Conference offerings, and register at bbgardens.org/npc
205.414.3950
bbgardens.org/npc
anticipate the Friends’ annual Spring Plant Sale every April. It’s the kick-start that has us planning and dreaming about how we’ll improve our gardens, enhance our curb appeal, festoon our verandas, and just get our hands (and gloves) really dirty. This year the event has an even more important role as winter’s freezes have wounded some of our beloved plants and trees. Patrons and shoppers will of course use this opportunity to look back on personal garden spaces and either replace or transform what’s gone. With special attention on plants propagated from Birmingham Botanical Gardens, shoppers will recognize old Alabama treasures and discover new gems.
Hosted since 1969, the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Spring Plant Sale is a “right of spring” for Birmingham natives. It is made possible through the combined efforts of nearly a dozen different plant groups, growing groups, plant
societies, and special interest groups–all united through their knowledge and fondness of the natural world and their love for Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Each volunteer plays a critical role in the year-long preparations for the sale.
To that end, we asked five expert volunteers to give us insight into a plant from their volunteer growing group and a sneak peak at what to expect from the 2023 sale. The advice turned into conversations and insight into the personal, passionate connections that the fruits of the soil create. Every volunteer has a story about their gardening journey. But what also came across is their passion for the gardening community. Bill Barclift with the Herb growing group (known to frequent volunteers as the Herb Army) says, “It’s a group effort to grow this or that and produce enough plants to make this sale a reality.” And a very fun process if the joy and dedication of the growers is any reflection.
Bill Barclift has always been into plants and supporting the Gardens, but after he retired from the practice of law, the former executive channeled his energies into propagating with the herb group. “I attended the [Kaul Wildflower Garden’s] propagation workshops… and then my wife encouraged me to become involved with the herb group,” he says. That vocation dovetailed with Bill’s interest in cooking with the freshest ingredients, especially thyme.
When pressed about a favorite variety, he demurs, having become such a practiced authority that he knows how Lemon or French or English thyme may
PLANT NAME: Thyme (Thyme sp.)
subtly impact the flavor of a recipe dish. But he tries to avoid naming a favorite child or thyme, in this case. Bill’s thyme shorthand comes in handy at the spring plant sale when shoppers may feel overwhelmed by the vast varieties that are available. When it comes to enticing and advising seasoned and novice growers about not only the array but also the methods to plant and maintain their selections, Bill gets creative. “To sell plain-Jane-thyme I am like a carnival barker making puns and offering recipes to get folks to talk about thyme and really all the culinary herbs.”
Even though Bill says that all varieties
Find various cultivars of thyme in our Herb Terrace!
of thyme are edible, there are some that are best for cooking and others for ornamental use. As far as growing goes, be sure to have, “Full sun and welldrained soil,” he advises. As an example, he talks about elfin thyme planted among pavers in the garden. “If your dirt is clay and sand, it won’t drain well. You’ll create a bathtub among the stones, and the roots will stay wet and die.” The trick seems to be soil preparation, and also a few important work-arounds. Choose something “like a raised bed or even a large pot.” There you control soil, placement, and drainage.
when the
Plant Sale occurs, reminding us that warmer temps will indeed arrive, encouraging us to lavish time and attention on our green spaces.
Many volunteers at the Gardens have gotten their start or earliest inspiration as part of the Native Plants Growing group. A group dedicated to the recognition of our region’s beauty, history, and biodiversity. Jenny McCreary is one such grower who as a self-proclaimed professional organizer and devoted volunteer has channeled her love of gardening into the work of the Gardens. But the Master Gardener is also quick to point out how much she learns from the group. “They have such expertise, and I learn and get better by asking lots of questions,” she says.
The featured plant for this group is the Purple Coneflower. “It’s both a pollinator and a source of nutrition for bees and butterflies,” says Jenny. “And they have a long growing season–meaning they can bloom from summer into fall.” She compares the look and appeal to black-eyed Susans and will plant the two near each other. “They’re tall so you can easily plant something underneath.” And it’s a good beginner plant because it’s strong and can handle our summers.
Jenny has them in her own garden and will cut and make arrangements until the first freeze. “It’s hard to cut the flowers because they look so good in the garden,” she says, “but the arrangements are really pretty.” It’s a practice she continued as her mother aged. “She always had a garden. When she was no longer able to dig, I’d bring her coneflowers because she always said, ‘If I can just see some flowers, I’ll be happy.’”—echoing the feelings of garden aficionados everywhere.
PLANT NAME: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Find purple coneflower growing in the Kaul Wildflower Garden
“It’s hard to cut the flowers because they look so good in the garden,” she says, “but the arrangements are really pretty.” —Jenny McCreary
Sundra Smith devotes her time to the Perennials group, and her groups’ featured plant is the Hosta. “Most of them are so easy to care for,” she says, “and of course they come back year after year.” The plants are versatile, as they thrive in partial to full shade and are available in many varieties. Some of Sundra’s favorites include: Guacamole (“a pretty chartreuse color”), Praying Hands (“dark green and thin, with tops that look like hands folded in prayer), Mouse Ears (with leaves that look like mouse ears, with violet blooms”), and Wiggles Squiggles (“that’s my daughter’s favorite variety”), with long leaves that look chartreuse in deep shade and go lighter in more filtered shade. At her own house, she’s planted several in a tree-shaded area and added them to pots for more flexibility when she wants to re-decorate.
In the summer, some hostas produce puffy, glossy blossoms. Sundra advises dividing them in the spring as great pass-along plants and enjoying their lush color from March until the first frost. The diversity of the plant varieties plus their dependability and always gorgeous profile make them popular at the spring sale.
When asked about how plants like these will fare after our winter of sub-zero temps, Sundra advises not to worry. They should come back in the spring. Her expertise comes after a lifetime of gardening in addition to her Master Gardener training. Since retiring from her day job, her passion for plants has translated to Thursday mornings at the Gardens, and free time “planting and playing in the garden at home,” while her husband keeps things going inside. She echoes the sentiments of all the growers – the Gardens are a never-ending source of learning and patience as they try out new plants and combinations.
PLANT NAME: ’Guacamole’ Hosta (Hosta ‘Guacamole’)
Find hosta growing in the Southern Living Garden
The Trees & Shrubs growing group has selected as their feature plant, an Alabama native that is easily overlooked: the Alabama Croton. According to Bob Koons, a seven-year volunteer at the Gardens, “Alabama croton is one of our uncommon native plants that used to be abundant in the Alabama forest.” But that was a century ago. “It’s a non-aggressive species that blends into the landscape. It’s been severely reduced as Alabama’s hardwood forests have declined or were clear cut,” he says. As a native plant, it won’t force out other plant species, even when it has found its ideal growing location.
In addition to its maybe too-polite reputation amid a world of aggression, its beauty is admired by all who see it–flowering in spring, beautiful green foliage with a silver underside in summer, and autumn tones that make it a year-round pleaser. “It tends to grow in a grove,” says Bob, “and you can find it throughout the Gardens–at the main entrance to the Kaul garden, by the savannah, and in the Barber Woodlands near the Japanese gardens.” When conditions are right, “it can grow quite large,” he says. “Four to five feet tall and four feet wide. If you don’t cut it back, it can get quite leggy and end up looking like a big celery stalk and thin.”
Bob says that they are best transplanted as seedlings and advises letting the grove develop on its own. As for care, the Croton likes acidic soil. “I would prune to maintain its shape and density. Above all, the Alabama Croton is a beautiful, compatible addition to a shade or woodland garden.”
His real life comparisons make the care process clear: “If you let them grow alone, you’ve got to do a lot of ironing. They’re just cool in context— any native plants. They’re well-behaved plants and community-minded.”
When asked about his affinity for native plants, Bob explains: “Natives are so special because they form growing plant communities better. As one plant fades, another grows. It’s like watching the living transformation of a garden.”
PLANT NAME: Alabama Croton (Croton alabamensis)
Find Alabama Croton growing in the Kaul Wildflower Garden and the Barber Alabama Woodlands
Having spent her childhood visiting the Gardens and getting her hands dirty at her house as an adult, Tropicals and Houseplants growing volunteer Kelly Coffey-Roberts knows her way around this year’s featured plant, the Begonia. “You might even say I’m a little obsessed with them. I may have more in my personal collection than the Gardens,” she says with a laugh. “The leaf patterns are so interesting, and there’s so much variety,” she says.
It all started in earnest at her new house when she discovered a little begonia growing behind her heat pump. The plant didn’t make it, but its memory prompted a trip down a rabbit hole as Kelly joined a Facebook group called Begonia Lovers and has amassed over 18 varieties in her personal collection. “I’m propagating ‘Hugh McLauchlan,’ which has beautiful silvery purple leaves.
Kelly suggests keeping the plants mostly indoors. “It’s a humidity-loving plant,” she says, “so it grows great in greenhouses or conservatories. But most tropical plants can–and greatly benefit from–stepping outside during late spring, summer, and early fall. As long as they don’t get too much sun.” Another great place to grow begonias: “terrariums for those that like super high humidity.” Her passion is infectious as she recounts, “I have a small greenhouse of my own, but my enthusiasm for growing and playing with plants doesn’t match my space so volunteering at the Gardens is the perfect outlet,” she says.
PLANT NAME: ‘Hugh McLuchlan’ Begonia, (Begonia ‘Hugh McLauchlan’)
Our Conservatory is home to various begonias and other tropical houseplants!
Shopping the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Spring Plant Sale is a chance to discover and learn about plants, many specially grown at and propagated from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Watch for these garden favorites at the Friends’ of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ 2023 Spring Plant Sale!
<<< As you stroll through the Gardens, be on the lookout for these signs highlighting plants sold at our Spring Plant Sale.
APRIL 13-15, 2023
FRIENDS OF THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS SPRING PLANT SALEThe Friends is pleased to welcome new Chair Emily Bowron and eight new community and business leaders to our board of directors.
We are delighted to announce Emily Bowron as the new chair for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Board of Directors. Since 2014, Emily has been an active board member; supporting the Friends through many projects, enhancements, and fundraisers as past Development Committee Chairman and a member of the Executive Committee. She is also a past Antiques at the Gardens Chair and served as the 2019 Antiques at the Gardens Honoree.
Emily is an active member of the Red Mountain Garden Club, Linly Heflin Unit, several study groups, and an active volunteer for other local and national civic organizations. Additionally, Emily currently serves as the Spouse/Partner Officer for the YPO Southern 7 Gold.
Emily is originally from Savannah, Georgia, but has lived in Birmingham for over three decades. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two children, Will (Caitlin) and Emily Wood (fiancé Jacob Forehand), and her two precious grandchildren, Faye and James. She is also an avid gardener and loves her time in her small native garden inspired by Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Ellen J. H. Spencer has been the president of the Pratt Community, a collection of several neighborhood associations. She is presently the vice president of the Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) and was appointed to the Neighborhoods USA Board in October 2022.
Ellen enjoys volunteering with Daniel’s Pantry, a hot meal weekly program hosted at Daniel Payne Plaza. In her years of volunteer service, Ellen worked with Greater Pratt City Improvement Cooperative helping with relief projects after the 2011 tornadoes. She also has provided instructional support to teachers at South Hampton and has partnered with Birmingham Museum of Art, UAB and Birmingham Southern to provide tutoring and enrichment for students.
Ellen is married to Fred Spencer, Sr. and is grateful for her five children.
3. GINNY WILLINGS
Ginny Willings serves as Community Relations Manager at Brasfield & Gorrie, one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms headquartered in Birmingham, AL. Among her many duties, she oversees the company’s charitable giving; plans and executes corporate fundraising campaigns; and connects employees with nonprofit and civic organizations. A graduate of the University of Alabama, she is actively committed to the Birmingham community. Ginny is a member of the Ballet Guild of Birmingham and Children’s Arts Guild, and serves on the Board of Directors for One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center. She also enjoys spending time with her husband, Bubba, and their two daughters, Emma and Margot.
4. LIBBA VAUGHAN
Libba Vaughan is the Executive Director for Leadership Birmingham, a program dedicated to educating leaders on contemporary issues and challenges within our region. Libba previously served as Executive Director of Birmingham’s Freshwater Land Trust where she played an instrumental role in increasing the acreage of land under conservation protection and growing critical connections within Jefferson County’s 750-mile Red Rock Trail System, including the Kiwanis-Vulcan Trail along the crest of Red Mountain. While in her position as the Director of Service Learning and Undergraduate Research at UAB, she launched the division’s successful student AmeriCorps VISTA and faculty training programs. Libba attended Sewanee college where she earned an undergraduate degree in Natural Resources and subsequently graduated with a Master’s of Horticulture from the University of Minnesota. She currently serves on community advisory boards and the board of the Rotary Club of Birmingham.
5. MAGGIE BROOKE
Birmingham native, Maggie Brooke is a retired kitchen designer who spends her time serving the community. Maggie has been involved with Friends of Birmingham Botani-
cal Gardens’ signature event, Antiques at the Gardens in many capacities and has served on the Friends’ board in years past. In addition, she is a current member (and former chair) of the Young Women Christian Association board and a lifetime board member and former chair of The Boys and Girls Club of Central Alabama. Maggie is a sustainer in the Junior League of Birmingham and Ballet Guild of Birmingham. She is married to Will Brooke and loves spending time with her three children and seven grandchildren.
6. SHARON DEEP NELSON
Sharon Deep Nelson received her Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Mississippi State and a Master of Science in Environmental Management from Samford University. She is also a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. Sharon is an active member of the American Society of Landscape Architects /ASLA. She is also a member of the Alabama Urban Forestry Association and serves on the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Education and Operations committees. Sharon remains active in her community as a member of the Birmingham Planning Commission, the Alabama Center for Architecture Board of Directors, and a variety of activities in her Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Association Beautification Committee.
7. RUFFNER PAGE, JR.
Ruffner Page is the President and Chief Operating Officer for O’Neal industries (ONI), a parent organization of a group of strategically aligned companies that form the nation’s largest family-owned metal service centers and component and tube manufacturing. Ruffner also serves on several boards in Birmingham including as vice chairman of the Board for Southern Research, South State Bank and is a trustee for the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Foundation. He previously served for 12 years on the board of the Birmingham Airport Authority and as Chairman of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham Board.
David Germany is Vice President and Assistant Treasurer at Protective Life. Prior to his work with Protective Life Corporation, David previously spent 17 years with Regions Bank, and his career in finance spans two decades.In addition to his work at Protective Life, David is an active participant in a number of economic, civic, and community affairs organizations here in Birmingham. He has been a member of the Birmingham Airport Authority Board since 2018 and has been involved with the Birmingham Business Alliance, the A.G. Gaston Girls and Boys Club, and the University of Alabama Community Affairs Board of Advisors. David is a native of Birmingham and a graduate of the University of Alabama and Emory University.
Jim Pickle previously served as both Chair and Secretary of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Junior Board. He is currently a Vice President and Senior Counsel at Protective Life Corporation and previously worked as an attorney with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and with Maynard Cooper & Gale, where his work focused on the areas of mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financings, and corporate governance. Prior to moving to Birmingham, Jim lived in Washington, D.C., and practiced law at DLA Piper. He has lived in a number of cities across the U.S., including New York and Chicago. Jim earned his B.S. and J.D. degrees from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Jim attributes his involvement in the Gardens to his experience in horticulture and his desire to help expand the reach of an iconic Birmingham landmark.
The Friends of Birmingham
Board is pleased to announce Payton Cato as our Rotaract Board Fellow pairing for 2023. An affiliate of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, the Rotaract Club first launched their Board Fellows Program in 2019 with the goal of creating meaningful engagement between Birmingham’s young professionals and local non-profit organizations. As a facet of the program, Payton will be invited to sit on the Friends’ Board of Directors in an ex-officio, non-voting role for the year. Payton attended The University of Alabama for her B.A. in Communications. She earned a Masters in Business Administration at Samford University and received her Juris Doctor degree from Cumberland School of Law. As a native of Birmingham, she remained in the city to pursue her career and join the efforts of Alabama Power’s growing business.
8. DAVID GERMANY
Nestled among the rich woodlands that stretch across Alabama are around 18 different species of trillium that blanket the forest floor in early spring, a number that fiercely rivals any other state! Although each type of trillium is similar in its small stature and skirt of three leaves, there are actually remarkable differences between these harbingers of spring from their flower color, shape, and leaf mottling.
By MOLLY HENDRY1. Bashful wakerobin (Trillium catesbaei)
Named after the botanist Mark Catesby, the famous British plant explorer and artist, this trillium has a nodding pink flower that despite its shy demeanor is sure to brighten a shady nook in the garden.
2. Yellow wakerobin (Trillium luteum)
If the mottled leaves and upright yellow flower of this trillium don’t first catch your eye, perhaps you will be stopped by the sweet lemony scent that drifts from the yellow wakerobin in the early spring months.
How wonderful it is to see so many visitors enjoying the miracle of spring at the Gardens! Thank you for all the ways that you continue to support the Friends; attending a program or class, making a memorial or tribute gift, shopping our plant sales, participating in our signature events, contributing to our annual appeal, renewing your membership, or making a legacy gift. Your support helps us continue to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of the Gardens. We are fortunate to have generous supporters whose gifts allow us to produce firstclass programs and experiences that showcase the wonders of the natural world and the beauty of the Alabama region. We are excited to welcome you to enjoy another year of joy, inspiration, and refreshment through our special events and programs. I hope to see you at the Gardens often!
—Penney Hartline, Director of DevelopmentNovember–January 2023
Amy E. Baddour
Cherokee Rose Garden Club
Philippa Bainbridge
Ellen McWhorter
Birthday of Ann Benton
Marilyn Doss, Ferne Seigel, Lyn Stafford, Rosa
Crispin, Mary Anne Johnston & Terry Adams
City Gardeners & Friends of BBG Staff who support the Natives team & other volunteers
Gail & Marvin Snyder
Maggie & Will Brooke
Maura & Will Goodwyn
Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Robinson
Nancy Carter
O.B. Carter, Jr.
The “Docs” Who Nurtured This Japanese Garden: Dr. Bob Wendorf, Dr. John Floyd, Dr. Neal Schooley, Dr. Mike Rushing, Dr. D.C. Coston
ANONYMOUS
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This trillium stands a head taller than other species with notably slender leaves. Its maroon flowers have three petals that also stand upright, twisting vertically around each other as if in a dance!
4. Sweet Betsy (Trillium cuneatum )
The most common and vigorous trillium in our native woods, the sweet little Besty has distinctly mottled leaves with a sweet scented maroon flower cascading down wooded slopes near creeksides in spring.
Trillium spread throughout the forest floor by ants, a process called myrmecochory! These tiny insects love to feast on the sweet coating then discard the remaining seed, planting the next generation of trillium!
D.C. & Debbie Coston
Elisabeth Coston Penry
Richard Cybulsky
Forest Park Garden Club
Margie & Sidney Davis
Ellen McWhorter
Mrs. Corbin Day
Ellen McWhorter
Trudy Evans & Russell Levenson
Sandy & Art Rogers
Fran Fendley
Mrs. Barclay Darden
Japanese Garden Volunteers
Paula & Mike Rushing
Sam Gainer
Anna & Hugh Gainer
Tandy & Mike Graves
Ellen McWhorter
Anne Greaves
Mrs. Barclay Darden
Molly Hendry
Shannon & Bill Blount
Margi Ingram
Eloise & Bill Doty
Jim Jacobi
Mr. & Mrs. Robert T. Agnew, Jr.
Robert S. Koons
Mr. Jason Solomon & Ms. Isabel W. Rubio
2612 Lane Park Road
Birmingham, Alabama 35223
205.414.3950
bbgardens.org
Thank you for your commitment to this community treasure. Your support is vital for the Gardens and those we serve. Please renew or upgrade your membership at bbgardens.org/membership.
Very little says springtime like the Atamasco Lilies (Zephyranthes atamasca). This gorgeous white bloom is native to Alabama and can be found at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Barber Alabama Woodlands and the Kaul Wildflower Garden.
