Garden News is published three times per year by the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the Friends of the Garden.
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a public non-profit educational organization within the Office of Public Service & Outreach at the University of Georgia.
DIRECTOR
Jennifer Cruse-Sanders
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Susana Alverado Tina Christie
Laurel Clark Sean Ledbetter
Lisa Nation Adam Stewart
Shené Stroud Heather Schwartz
DEVELOPMENT
Johnathon Barrett
Kimberly Futrell
EDUCATION
Cora Keber
Audrey Mitchell Emory Perry
HORTICULTURE
Jason Young
Alex Ankirskiy Gareth Crosby
Ken Duffey Emily James
Sheldon Jones Katie McCollum
Carolyn Dyer McKeen Eli McKinney
Jim Moneyhun Brian Santos
SCIENCE & CONSERVATION
Heather Alley Jennifer Ceska
Melanie Flood Emily Laske
Will Rogers Zachary Wood
VISITOR SERVICES & FACILITIES
Daun Fest
Andrea Fischer Noel Fortunato
Oliver Hirt Adam Lowe
Grace Moorman Deirdre Peters
Pitcher plant, Sarracenia hybrid, grows in the Children’s Garden bog.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
Connections
Every morning at my house begins with my family members, at home and one student on UGA’s campus, sharing and comparing results of the famously popular word game Connections from the New York Times. It is a game that invites its players to find groups of four items that share something in common, and the connections range from straightforward to tricky. At the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, we are also focused daily on connections of a different type.
These range from engaging educational programs to managing diverse plant collections, discovering the amazing artists represented in our Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum, and caring for the environment. Each is a connection that ties our work together and builds impact within our community.
One of the programs our education team is most proud of is our participation in Experience UGA in partnership with the UGA Office of Service-Learning and the Clarke County School District. This program aims to bring every Clarke County student (PreK to 12th grade) to UGA to experience learning on a university campus.
We welcome every Clarke County PreK student and every seventh grader to the State Botanical Garden each year. Our team of expert educators plan every detail to ensure that each field trip meets the needs of our local students. In this issue, you’ll learn how we connect with seventh graders and make ecological lessons meaningful.
In this summer issue, you will also learn about the remarkable, world-renowned porcelain artist Diane Lewis, who fashioned unbelievably life-like porcelain pieces of native plants and pollinators, among other pieces unique to Georgia’s history and culture. Our Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum is home to the largest world-class collection of Diane Lewis porcelain on display for educational purposes.
Diane Lewis made a connection with nature with every piece she created. It is a singular experience to view her artistry in the center of a garden with significant living collections, such as at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Finally, there are few connections more tricky than the relationships among plants and insects. This issue explores how we use beneficial insects to manage our living plant collections. It also shares important information about Georgia’s diverse native bee species and how our gardens can help support these essential members of our community. My favorite among Georgia’s 500+ species of native bees is the Southeastern Blueberry Bee. What is your favorite?
I hope that our stories will encourage you to learn more. I also hope this issue inspires you to connect with us and learn more about the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Thank you for being a Friend of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Georgia is home to over 500 species of native bees—native referring to species that occur naturally in the region they evolved in, without human introduction. Among them are mining bees, mason bees, leaf cutter bees, squash bees, long-horned bees and blueberry bees.
Our native bees are facing immense challenges to their survival and are in even more peril than the highlypublicized honey bee. Recent research revealed that the abundance of native bees has declined on nearly a quarter of the land in the U.S. and that 40% of our bee species are threatened with extinction.
Habitat loss, pesticide use and a warmer climate are among their major threats. Bee decline directly impacts us through losses in ecosystem health and agricultural production.
But what can the average concerned person do about this massive, intimidating issue?
Providing the necessary habitat for our native bees to carry out their life cycle is the best way to help. According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a successful habitat requires three things:
A diversity and abundance of native plants
Native plants and bees have been co-evolving in our landscape for millions of years, developing relationships and dependencies that non-native species cannot equally fulfill. Some native plants are more helpful in supplying pollen, nectar and nesting materials for bees than others, so providing species in your yard that are known resources for bees is ideal. For example, native species in the Monarda genus (beebalm) will not only attract bees for their pollen and nectar but also have pithy stems that some use to create nesting chambers over winter and in the growing season.
The way plants are placed in the landscape also matters. Bees benefit from clumps of the same species over scattered species, so they can quickly hover from flower to flower and collect the same type of nectar/pollen at once. To provide the most effective meal for bees, plant
clumps of the same species and try to have two to three species that bloom in each season so they have rations year-round.
Shelter and nesting spaces
About 70% of our native bees are ground nesting, creating tiny burrows just below ground, and require surfaces free from tilling, thick mulch and lawn. Using alternatives to wood mulch—compost, pine straw and chopped-up leaves—will give the same benefits without smothering nesting locations. Leaving bare ground or debris piles where no one can see is also a great way for bees to access nest sites.
The other 30% of our native bees nest in cavities of various sorts, from hollow or pithy stems to dead wood. Strategically leaving stumps, standing dead trunks and logs in your yard will go a long way for bees and other insects to make homes. Landscaping with native species that have hollow or pithy stems—such as Beebalm Monarda spp.), Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium spp.) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)—will also provide natural nesting cavities after they go dormant. Allowing these dead stems to stay standing over the winter and cutting them into stubble 8-24 inches high in the spring will allow many bee species the ability to carry out a significant portion of their life cycle.
Spaces free from pesticides
Pesticides can directly harm bees or cause stress that compounds with the other struggles they face. As much as possible, avoid using pesticides on your landscape, especially where bees may be foraging or nesting. Landscaping with strong, resilient species appropriate for your existing planting conditions is an excellent way to avoid the need for pesticides in the first place. If pest damage does occur, consider if it is a problem that needs action or is just a part of a functioning ecosystem. Your local extension agent is a great resource for learning about and addressing pest problems in your yard.
Each species of bee uses different strategies to eat, nest and grow their young. By diversifying the resources available in your outdoor space within
the “successful habitat” categories, you will create opportunities for a higher diversity and abundance of native bees.
If you can only provide a portion of this, it is still helpful! Providing all three categories will ensure that wild bees can find a home in your space and not just pass through.
To learn more about providing for native bees, visit https://www.xerces.org/pollinatorconservation/nesting-resources.
Clarke County 7th graders hike the garden trails through Experience UGA
Audrey Mitchell children’s program coordinator
While the education department offers a variety of field trip programs for all grade levels and schools, one of the most meaningful to staff and students alike is one explicitly created for seventh-grade students in AthensClarke County through Experience UGA.
Experience UGA began in 2013 through a partnership between the University of Georgia and the Clarke County School District. Facilitated by the Office of Service-Learning, a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach, the program’s objective is to bring every CCSD student in each grade level to the University of Georgia each year.
The program’s two main goals are to enhance learning through hands-on, curricular-based activities in a university environment and to introduce local students to new opportunities that help them view post-secondary education as an attainable option for their future. The State Botanical Garden hosts the seventhgrade trip each year and, since inception, has welcomed an estimated 10,000 seventh graders to the garden’s outdoor classroom.
During this program, students spend half their day at the UGArden, the student community farm run through the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. They learn about composting, beekeeping and growing produce using organic methods.
The rest of their time is spent on a hike through the trails of the botanical garden. On their hike, students look for signs of forest life and utilize real-world forestry and scientific tools to identify, measure and age trees of various species to facilitate conversation on forest succession.
The favorite activity, however, is “fox:” a modified hide-and-seek game that touches on concepts of camouflage and predator/prey relationships. Even the most reluctant students dive behind logs and cover themselves in leaves to avoid being found by their friends.
These activities were designed to introduce ecological concepts and inspire enjoyment and appreciation of the
environment. By planting this seed, the hope is that students will return on their own to enjoy the garden and the outdoors.
The impact of this program is not limited to the students alone. Many of the educational staff at the garden are current university students or recent graduates, and the ability to engage with their local community bridges the gap between the local and university populations.
“I think the Experience UGA seventhgrade hike is a great opportunity as a student to step into a leadership role and teach younger students about the environment,” said Armando Gomez, a senior biology student at UGA and one of the garden’s education staff members. “It allows us to engage with our local community and get out in nature by hiking the garden’s trails.”
The overarching goal of all field trips is to welcome and encourage students to engage with the natural world. Although the State Botanical Garden is free and open to the public, many community members have yet to be able to visit or did not know that it was an option.
By exploring the forest in a safe, educational and fun way, students can begin to see that nature belongs to everyone.
HORTICULTURE
Carol Dyer McKeen, tropical collection and herb and physic garden curator
Harnessing the power of beneficial insects
There is a war happening around us all the time. Insects are eating plants! This is a gardener’s worst fear, and it happens every day in farms, fields, gardens and greenhouses. Fear not; some insects are preying on these herbivorous insects to help save our plants. We call them “beneficial insects.”
Beneficial insects help support ecological balance and discourage certain pests that threaten your favorite plants. By inviting more of the good bugs, we can reduce the use of chemical applications within our garden spaces.
Beneficial insects fall into three main categories:
POLLINATORS: We depend on these insects to pollinate our garden’s flowers. Common ones are bees, butterflies, flies and moths.
PREDATORS: These insects eliminate pests by eating them. Some you may know are ladybugs, praying mantis and green lacewing larvae.
PARASITIZERS: Like predators, parasitizers also prey on other insects, but in a different way. They lay their eggs on or in the bad bugs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the host insects. Parasitic wasps are the main members of this category.
We plant companion plants throughout the State Botanical Garden to attract pollinator insects. Any nectar-rich flowers such as
zinnia, coneflower, lantana or comfrey will attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies to the garden. This helps to boost the pollination of flowering crop plants. Dill is also a good food source for caterpillars and butterflies. And dill attracts beneficial ladybugs, which eat aphids.
To create a healthy habitat within the Tropical Conservatory, we’ve released some beneficial insects such as the mealybug destroyer and minute pirate bug. Within the conservatory, the plants are almost exclusively from equatorial climates.
These plants don’t experience weather, natural climate elements or predators and have very few, if any, pollinators inside to help maintain a balanced ecosystem. This leads to an increase in diseases and even destructive insects ravaging the vegetation.
The mealybug destroyer is a type of ladybird beetle. The adults and young larvae feed on
mealybug eggs, mealybugs of any age, scale insects and other soft-bodied insects like aphids.
The minute pirate bug feeds on mites, thrips, aphids and other small insects commonly found in flowers. They will also feed on pollen or nectar if no prey is available. In our greenhouses, ladybugs and a type of parasitizing wasp have been incorporated to cut down our aphid population.
The ladybugs lay hundreds of eggs in aphid colonies. As soon as they hatch, the larvae can immediately start feeding on up to 400 aphids before they pupate. An adult ladybug may eat as many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime.
Aphid parasitoids are minute wasps that
lay their eggs into the bodies of live aphids. The aphid host turns into aphid “mummies,” which look like swollen, brown aphids. Once hatched, the larvae feed on the aphids from the inside out.
In our gardens, there will be wars and victories. With some help from the beneficial insects, we can grow our plants in harmony with nature. Working with beneficial insects has been a huge success in managing our gardens to keep them as healthy and beautiful as possible for all to enjoy.
GRACE MOORMAN
Grace Moorman recently joined the garden’s staff as the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum Graduate Student Curator. Grace is from Mississippi and has a bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Mississippi. Before working at the garden, Grace was the Assistant Manager of Exhibitions and Collections at the University of Mississippi Museum. She recently earned a master’s degree in art history from UGA. She enjoys being outside with her dog, walking, bird-watching and reading.
HEATHER SCHWARTZ
The State Botanical Garden recently welcomed Heather Schwartz as the Assistant to the Director for Strategic Initiatives. Prior to working at the garden, Heather was the Assistant Director for Academic Services in UGA’s athletic department. Outside of work, she stays busy keeping up with her active, athletic boys.
ELI MCKINNEY
Eli Mckinney recently joined the horticulture department at the State Botanical Garden as the greenhouse manager. Eli is an Athens native who received a degree in horticulture from UGA. Prior to working at the State Botanical Garden, he worked at a farm in Winterville. His favorite part of the State Botanical Garden is the Conservatory because of all the unique plants. Eli enjoys playing soccer and riding bikes.
KEN DUFFEY
The State Botanical Garden’s horticulture department recently welcomed Ken Duffey as its grounds foreman. Ken is originally from Rome, Georgia, and has a degree in environmental policy from Kennesaw State University. He enjoys playing guitar and hiking.
SEAN LEDBETTER
Sean Ledbetter recently joined the State Botanical Garden of Georgia staff as the Assistant Director for Operations. Sean grew up in Germany and came to the U.S. to attend college. He has a bachelor’s degree in urban planning and a master’s degree in geography. Prior to working at the garden, Sean held a position in UGA’s Enterprise Information Technology Services office. Sean enjoys cooking and playing video games.
NEW GARDEN STAFF
TRAIL KEEPERS
Many of our outstanding volunteers at the garden work in various locations, performing many duties, and are easily spotted. Some volunteers serve in wonderful ways that are not seen as readily. One of these groups is the Trail Keepers.
Trail Keepers Tom Keene, Doug Kleiber, John Schelhas and John Ulmer are the ultimate behind-the-scenes volunteers. Weather permitting, and often despite the weather, you will find them on the trails every Wednesday morning.
The Trail Keepers assist Alex Ankirskiy, our grounds foreman, in maintaining all five miles of hiking trails. They help with refreshing water bars—diagonal channels across a path that divert surface water run-off away from the path into a protected drainway. They constantly redefine trails, remove tripping hazards and small branches with hand tools and identify problems such as large, fallen trees for Ankirskiy to handle.
Wade Seymour, who retired from the garden after 30 years, will often join the rest of the crew for maintenance but mainly checks the trails. He ensures that the Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies is cared for in areas of irrigation, trees and equipment. With his years of experience at the garden, his help has been invaluable.
Last year, the Trail Keepers were instrumental in relocating large swaths of the riverside white trail, relocated most of the blue trail and connected the orange and high-water trails to the new high-water bridge. The Trail Keepers are again working on restoring the riverside white trail.
All of our volunteers work to make the visit pleasant for each guest. These behind the scenes volunteers often work without face-to-face interaction with our visitors but share the same passion and dedication for the garden as those who do. We appreciate all the work done by our volunteers, including the Trail Keepers!
Volunteer opportunities are available for many positions. Please contact Andrea Fischer for more information at 706-542-6195 or afischer@uga.edu.
Tips and Tricks
Attract more beneficial ladybugs to your garden
Ladybugs love insect pests (aphids) and pollen!
Some great plants to grow in your garden to attract these coveted bug friends are cilantro, dill, chives, cosmos, fennel, feverfew, statice, yarrow and calendula.
Plant decoy plants so that ladybugs have enough to eat. This may seem counterproductive, but the decoy plants are ones that aphids love to eat. These plants will attract and provide aphids for the ladybugs to munch on while you keep your desired plants bug-free.
Examples of aphid-loving decoy plants are cabbage, marigolds, nasturtiums and radishes.
Another thing you can do to help bring ladybugs to the garden is to eliminate the use of insecticides. Insecticides will kill ladybugs the same way they will kill harmful bugs.
Place shallow plates of water for ladybugs to drink. You can also build ladybug houses to provide shelter for your ladybugs.
Classes & Events
SUMMER CAMP
The State Botanical Garden education department offers six different week-long summer camps for children ages 5-10. Each week focuses on a different outdoor theme to inspire fun and to connect with nature. Registration for all camps is available online through the State Botanical Garden of Georgia website, botgarden.uga.edu.
JUNE 3-7: GEORGIA CRITTERS
Learn to bound like a deer, sneak like a fox and build a home like a beaver. Georgia is full of many fascinating creatures that we can discover all around us. From turkeys to snakes, and mayflies to owls, we will meet a variety of creatures that call Georgia “home” and learn what they need to survive in their habitats. Come to this week of camp and leave a Georgia animal expert.
JUNE 10-14: AQUATIC ADVENTURERS
Want to meet creatures that can change colors, breathe through their skin and have their stomachs on their feet? Come explore the wacky world of water. Catch salamanders and crayfish in our stream, play water games that leave you soaked and learn what you can do to keep our water clean. This week of camp is sure to cool you down and excite your imagination.
JUNE 17-21: FOREST EXPLORERS
*There will be no camp on June 19 in observance of the holiday, and the cost of camp is prorated to reflect this.
The environment changes across the globe, and so do the ways people interact with it. In this week of camp, we will discover how humans have used nature throughout history. Follow the footsteps of famous plant explorers, learn to identify native species, and make your own medicinal plants first aid kit. We have a world of fun during this week of communitybuilding and exploration.
Full day camps; ages 5-10
Monday-Friday
9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Fee: $300
Sweet Pea Camp details vary, please see specific descriptions for info.
JUNE 24-26: SWEET PEA CAMP
Ages 3-4 with an adult helper
Monday-Wednesday 9–11 a.m. Fee: $75
This camp is planned especially for young nature lovers and their adult helper, offering a marvelous introduction to the natural world. Programs involve puppet shows, storytelling, outdoor games, nature crafts and garden explorations. This camp provides a great way to spend time outside this summer with your child.
JUNE 24-28: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES CAMP
Ages 11-14
Monday-Friday 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Fee: $500
This week of camp, run in partnership with Summer Academy at the Georgia Center, is designed for our oldest campers who have a passion for the outdoors and an interest in pursuing a career in environmental sciences. Through hands-on learning, field trips to the University’s campus and lessons with experts in the field, campers will find ways they can get involved in the study and protection of their environment. Registration is through the Georgia Center; details can be found at https://t.uga.edu/9D9.
JULY 8-12: AQUATIC ADVENTURERS
Please be advised that this week’s schedule will be a replicate of the first week of Aquatic Adventures camp. We ask that campers join only one of these duplicate weeks to allow space for others.
JULY 15-19: BEE SMART, EAT SMART
The Bee Smart, Eat Smart camp introduces campers to gardening, nutrition and cooking by discussing the connection between nature and the foods we eat. Campers will have the opportunity to try a variety of different fruits and vegetables throughout the week and the final project will include a Chef Day in which kids will work under the close supervision of camp counselors to create two healthy, kidfriendly recipes for all to try.
JULY 22-26: NATURE RANGERS
Come join the Nature Rangers for a week packed with outdoor exploration. Campers will participate in a variety of exciting games and adventurous activities showcasing Georgia’s natural history and resources. From mountains to coast, come see what makes our state great.
CHILDREN & FAMILY PROGRAMS
Friday, Aug. 23-Saturday, Aug. 24
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is one of many partners working with the University of Georgia Extension to gather a snapshot look at pollinators around Georgia. The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is a historical initiative where citizens across the southeast will record the numbers and types of pollinators that populate our state during late summer. Not an entomologist? No worries! The census was designed for everyone to successfully participate and make a difference for our pollinator populations. Swing by the visitor center’s front desk for information about pollinator investigations around the garden. Visit https://GSePC.org for details on how to participate at home.
ADVENTURE PACKS
Available during open hours by request Fee: $20 for materials for up to 20 participants
Ages: 5-12
The Garden Adventure Packs provide self-guided field trip options for youth leaders, home school groups, families and friends. Each pack contains maps and supplies for hands-on science activities, plant hunts and forest explorations to be completed in different garden areas. Bring your students or family to enjoy activities and games that introduce you to our shared earth at your own pace. For more information, contact sbgeduc@uga.edu or (706) 5830894.
BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT THE GARDEN Saturdays and Sundays
9 a.m.–noon or 1–4 p.m.
State Botanical Garden education staff
Visitor Center, children’s classroom
Fee: $300 for up to 30 guests
Ages: 5-10
Are you looking for a memorable, magical, kid-friendly birthday? Look no further! The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers a variety of birthday programs from September through May. You can choose from Animal Encounters, Critter Catchin’, Forest Treasure Hunt and more. Each party includes one hour of guided activities in our conservatory or forest trails and use of the children’s classroom for a total of three hours. For more information, please contact sbgeduc@uga.edu.
SWEET PEA CLUB
Every Thursday, through Oct. 31 10:15-11 a.m.
Theater-in-the-Woods
Fee: $3 per class per child
Ages: 3-5 with an adult helper
Join the State Botanical Garden of Georgia education team for Sweet Pea Club at the Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden. Families will join one another for a morning of adventure in the garden through various activities, including songs, puppets, stories, hikes and games. Each week will highlight a new theme, such as water, soil, foods we eat, pollination, plants or trees. The Sweet Pea Club program is an informal way to give young naturalists a better understanding of the importance of our shared earth. Please note that this event may not take place during inclement weather. Pre-registration is required and can be found on our website, botgarden.uga.edu.
ALICE H. RICHARDS CHILDREN’S GARDEN PERFORMANCE SERIES
Every third Saturday of the month, April through August 9:30 and 11 a.m. show times Theater-in-the-Woods Free and open to children of all ages
Every third Saturday of the month April through August enjoy a variety of engaging shows taking place on the Theater-in-the-Woods stage in the Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden. Experience music, laughter and connection in nature as our artists bring excitement to your weekend. All performances will take place at 9:30 a.m., with a second showing at 11 a.m.
ADULT CLASSES
PRINTING WITH BOTANICALS
Thursday, June 13
6-8:30 p.m.
See our website for more details.
Create lovely results with no drawing experience. We will print with leaves, flowers and vegetables using inks, watercolors and solar paper. Printing is a great way to see nature’s beauty up close in another way. Wear an apron or clothes suitable for creative, messy endeavors. No artistic experience is required, just a spirit of play and wonder!
RAMBLES & HIKES
FULL MOON HIKE SERIES
Thursday, May 23
8-9:30 p.m.
State Botanical Garden education staff
Meet at the fountain in front of the Visitor Center
Fee: $5/person, pre-registration required
NATURE RAMBLERS
Thursdays through Nov. 21
9 a.m. (each ramble lasts about 90 minutes)
Leaders rotate among a group of local naturalists and biologists featuring guest guides
Meet at children’s garden arbor
Join the Nature Ramblers to learn more about the State Botanical Garden’s natural areas, flora and fauna while making new friends and enjoying the fresh air. Rambles start with an inspirational reading by a nature writer such as Annie Dillard, John Muir or Janisse Ray. Ramblers are encouraged to bring their own nature writings or favorite poems and essays to share with the group. This is a ramble, not a hike; stopping to view interesting plants, insects, butterflies and mushrooms, etc., along the way is part of the experience each week. You can join for just one or all sessions. These informal rambles are free, but donations are accepted in the garden’s donation box in the lobby of the Visitor Center. To get a feel for what these rambles are like, visit http://naturerambling.blogspot.com.
See the garden come alive at night! Join our monthly Full Moon Hikes to enjoy the State Botanical Garden after hours and hear discussions on nocturnal plants and animals, the changing seasons and moon folklore. Be prepared to hike up to 2 miles on our wooded trails and in the garden, where visibility may be low at times. If you have young children or infants, a backpack carrier is suggested. Pre-registration is required.
PLANTS & POLLINATORS SPECIALIZATION
The garden has expanded its successful Certificate in Native Plants program to include a Plants and Pollinators Specialization designed for anyone ready to take an interest in protecting our native plants and pollinators! The specialization is open to people currently enrolled in or graduated from the CNP program and those who have not yet participated but are looking for an opportunity to get involved in pollinator protection in their area.
INSECT POLLINATORS IN OUR GARDENS
Tuesday, June 4
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Paola Barriga, faculty, academic professional, UGA Department of Plant Biology Virtual program, see our website for more information https://t.uga.edu/6Pd
This course is designed to allow participants to evaluate plant-insect interactions in gardens from an ecological perspective. For instance, we will focus on the importance of maintaining plant and insect pollinator diversity and the ecological factors that may influence this outcome. Among the factors that will be discussed in this course are the role of disease and pesticides on pollinator’s survival and how these factors could interact with plant species and produce certain outcomes.
SUNFLOWER CONCERT SERIES
The Sunflower Concert Series at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia is an opportunity for the community to enjoy music in the garden.
The concerts, held in the Flower Garden, offer visitors an unparalleled experience. Some of Athens’ finest musicians perform in a beautiful horticultural setting. Each concert includes beverages and people are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and picnic suppers to enjoy in the garden.
This year, the garden is offering a season pass, which will include tickets to all four concerts. The pass will be $80 for adults, $75 for Friends of the Garden members, and $40 for children ages 5-16. Ticket prices for single concerts are $24 for adults, $20 for Friends of the Garden members, and $12 for children ages 5-16. Children under 5 are admitted free of charge.
June 18 - The Original Splitz Band
July 16 - The New Orleans Jazz Stompers
Aug. 20 - Abbey Road Live
Sept. 17 - The Randall Bramblett Band
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit botgarden.uga.edu.
CERTIFICATE IN NATIVE PLANTS
For more information and a complete course listing, visit botgarden.uga.edu/education/adult-programs/.
Core
PLANT CONSERVATION: PROTECTING PLANT DIVERSITY
Saturday, Aug. 10, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 13, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Jennifer Ceska, conservation coordinator, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Virtual program, see our website for more information https://t.uga.edu/67N
Plant conservation is an applied science that draws upon many fields of knowledge from ecology to horticulture to ethics and politics. This course surveys threats to biodiversity in Georgia and worldwide, examples of rare plant research, techniques for restoration and reintroduction, and ways individuals and organizations are making a difference in protecting the rare plants of Georgia.
Course learning objectives and outline (topics covered will include): Why plants are critically imperiled, worldwide and in Georgia
• Grasslands, understory diversity
• Legal framework around plants, wildlife, protections, vulnerabilities
ETHNOBOTANY OF NATIVE PLANTS: THROUGH THE EYES OF NATIVE AMERICANS
Thursday, May 9
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Mark Warren, author and owner, Medicine Bow Wilderness School Medicine Bow Wilderness School, Dahlonega, GA https://t.uga.edu/8wz
This workshop will provide an ethnobotanical journey through a Southern Appalachian forest and field site to discover the gifts of nature that allowed the Native American society to flourish in this region. To understand that the forest offered everything that the Native Americans needed is to grasp the essence of precontact Native American life and, at the same time, truly appreciate the individual parts of nature. Participants will explore the crafts and lore of Native American life, including their use of wild plants for foods, medicines, repellents and everyday tools. These resources and cultural practices still exist today and continue to be helpful to those who follow in the footsteps of the first inhabitants of Katuah, the land we now call Southern Appalachia. Class time will be mostly outdoors, so come prepared for the weather that day. Please note that this class is located outside of the Athens area.
INTRODUCTION TO GRAMINOID ID
Saturday, May 11
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Melanie Flood, natural areas conservation coordinator
State Botanical Garden Visitor Center, classroom 2
https://t.uga.edu/9Az
The term “graminoids” refers to three types of monocots—grasses, sedges and rushes. In this course, students will learn the basic morphological differences between graminoids and how to identify some larger genera within each family. The class will begin inside to learn some background on the families and look at some plant specimens up close and personal under a microscope. Then, we will take our newfound knowledge outside to the trails of the State Botanical Garden to look at these differences among living plants.
CARNIVOROUS PLANTS OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S.
Saturday, June 1
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Will Rogers, research professional II, State Botanical Garden of Georgia State Botanical Garden Visitor Center, classroom 2
https://t.uga.edu/6Pb
If you are amazed by carnivorous plants, you’re in legendary company; the great Charles Darwin shared your passion and enthusiasm for them as well. This course will be a dynamic, hands-on experience getting to know various native carnivorous species and a few others from across the world. Learn about various prey capture techniques, unexpected symbiotic relationships, growing requirements and genetic work conducted here at UGA. There will also be a feeding tutorial since some lucky participants will go home with a carnivorous plant of their own!
NATIVE FERNS OF THE GEORGIA PIEDMONT Sunday, June 2 1-5 p.m.
Connie Gray, native plant specialist, Georgia Native Plant Society – Athens Chapter State Botanical Garden Visitor Center, classroom 2 https://t.uga.edu/9AC
This course will focus on the most common ferns typically found in the Piedmont region
of Georgia. We will begin with an introduction to the biology and morphology of ferns, especially those features that will help you identify the different species. The natural habitats of these different ferns will also be discussed. We will examine each of these ferns through a presentation, an outdoor venture to see many of these plants in person in the Dunson Native Flora Garden and we will examine samples under magnification when we return indoors. The primary focus of the course is to learn to recognize and appreciate these beautiful and fascinating native plants. There will be some discussion about using them in gardens as well.
THE BEE-UTIFUL WORLD OF NATIVE BEES
Friday, June 7
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Becky Griffin, UGA pollinator health associate Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center, Blairsville, GA https://t.uga.edu/7vG
Most people think of the European honey bee when asked about Georgia pollinators. However, there is an entire world of bees that are amazing pollinators. Join this class to learn bee identification and biology, how to make your own garden more bee-friendly, go on an insect hunt in the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center’s ethnobotanical gardens and finish the day with a honey tasting. We be(e)lieve we can make you fall in love with our native bees! Please note that this class is located outside of the Athens area.
SUMMER TREE IDENTIFICATION
Saturday, June 8
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Zach Wood, grasslands coordinator, State Botanical Garden of Georgia State Botanical Garden, Mimsie Lanier Center
https://t.uga.edu/7vC
About 200 tree species occur in Georgia’s Piedmont forests and woodlands. In this class, students learn to identify some of the most common by their leaves, bark, branching patterns and tree form. Students will learn to use a hand lens and a simple
dichotomous key for woody plants to identify species. Class time will be divided between classroom exercises and a field trip to the woods at the State Botanical Garden.
NATIVE PLANT PROPAGATION
Saturday, June 22
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Henning von Schmeling, senior director of operations, Chattahoochee Nature Center
Chattahoochee Nature Center, Plaza Conference Room, Roswell, GA
https://t.uga.edu/7vh
Have you ever wanted to learn to propagate native plants from your garden? Have you wondered how layering works in plant propagation? Is it possible to break the dormancy of a seed to initiate germination? These and other questions will be answered and discussed at length during this engaging workshop held outdoors at the Chattahoochee Nature Center greenhouses. Propagation from root, stem and even leaf cuttings will be demonstrated, and participants will be able to apply these techniques as part of the class. This elective will teach you the basics of native plant propagation and allow you to try various techniques perfected by native plant experts over the years. Please note that this class is located outside of the Athens area.
CARNIVOROUS
PLANTS AND THEIR HABITATS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S.
Saturday, July 27
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Henning von Schmeling, senior director of operations, Chattahoochee Nature Center
Chattahoochee Nature Center, Plaza Conference Room, Roswell, GA
https://t.uga.edu/6Pb
Pitcher plants are some of the most spectacular carnivorous plants. In this class, you can be up close and hands-on with many of those in the southeastern U.S. and their other bog cohorts, including sundews, bladderworts and Venus flytraps. Following a short classroom presentation, most of the time will be spent in the nursery greenhouse area of Chattahoochee Nature Center, where participants will begin
propagating many of these fascinating plants with expert assistance. There is no better way to learn about these special plants than through handson experience with experts who have decades of experience growing carnivorous plants. Please note that this class is located outside of the Athens area.
FUNGAL ECOLOGY & DIVERSITY
Friday, Aug. 23
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Bill Sheehan, co-founder, Fungal Diversity Survey
State Botanical Garden Visitor Center, classroom 2
https://t.uga.edu/8Cn
Fungi are one of the three major groups of multicellular organisms on Earth, yet they are far less well-known compared to plants or animals. Fungi evolved before plants, live inside all plants, provide nutrition to many plants and are the primary decay organisms that cycle dead plants back into nutrients. This course will start with an overview of fungal ecology and diversity. Students will then collect fungi samples in the field and, in the final part of the class, examine the findings in relation to structure and function.
NATIVE PLANTS & INSECT POLLINATORS
Saturday, Aug. 24
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Henning von Schmeling, senior director of operations, Chattahoochee Nature Center
Chattahoochee Nature Center, Plaza Conference Room, Roswell, GA https://t.uga.edu/7vG
Numerous ultra-specific pollination strategies exist all around us between our native plants and our native insect pollinators. Often, these relationships with our native pollinators go unnoticed in our gardens. In this class, you will learn about these fascinating pollination relationships through a lecture followed by a focused walk through the Chattahoochee Nature Center’s native plant collections to witness these specialized plant designs and insect adaptations in action. Please note that this class is located outside of the Athens area.
FRIENDS FIRST FRIDAY
FRIENDS FIRST FRIDAY
First Friday each month
9–10:30 a.m.
Fee: $12 general admission, $10 for members
Pre-registration is required
Gather for breakfast and find out what brings folks to the garden to visit and volunteer. Each month, a different garden subject is presented and conversation is encouraged among the attendees. To reserve your place for Friends First Friday, register online at botgarden.uga.edu.
MAY 10 – DO YOU LOVE CUT FLOWERS?
Lara Jackson will share the joy of growing flowers from her Oconee County specialty cut flower farm. Wolfsong Flowers is Jackson’s woman-owned and operated home-based small business—a specialty cut flower farm and blossoming botanical art studio. For Jackson, growing cut flowers and sharing the beauty of local flowers from her farm has been a deep passion and an immense labor of love.
Wolfsong Flowers has served as a farm/florist for four years, offering a wide variety of flowers and greenery to florists and locals. In addition to growing fresh flowers, Jackson grows crops for drying and crafting, presses flowers and foliage for artwork, and makes epoxy resin cast botanical jewelry. In addition, she specializes in bridal and memorial flower preservation.
JUNE 7 – WHO CARES FOR DOOLEY FIELD AND THE HEDGES AT SANFORD STADIUM?
Matt Hollan has been Director of Athletic Fields and Grounds for the University of Georgia Athletic Association since 2017. He will discuss the maintenance and care of Dooley Field and the hedges while highlighting the similarities and differences between athletic field management and gardening.
Hollan grew up in eastern Iowa with a passion for plants and sports. At the start, Hollan focused on lawn care and found athletic field management at Iowa State University. He studied horticulture and began athletic field management as a student worker for the Iowa State University Athletic Department Grounds Crew.
JULY 12 – WHO KEEPS TRACK OF PLANTS AT THE STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA?
Join us as Emily James presents a program on the ins and outs of plant records. She will discuss understanding botanical names, mapping and implementing GPS points throughout the garden.
James has worked at the State Botanical Garden since 2014. She is the curator of Freedom Plaza and the Garden Club of Georgia and manager of plant records, inventory and mapping. She is passionate about gardens and about creating an excellent experience for visitors.
This perfect combination of plants and sports led to a year of studying and conducting research at the University of Tennessee Center for Athletic Field Safety before accepting a full-time position as assistant athletic field manager at the University of Minnesota. Two seasons later, Hollan accepted the Director of Sports Turf role at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. After three seasons in L.A., he relocated to the University of Georgia to lead the grounds crew in charge of UGA athletic fields and grounds, including Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium.
AUG. 2 – MONARCH BUTTERFLIES
Join Shawna McGrath as she gives a presentation about protecting and conserving monarch butterflies, one of the most familiar North American butterflies. This informative and interactive presentation will be full of visuals and tips she has used for rearing and releasing these beautiful creatures for their migration to Mexico. “My passion is monarch conservation, and I hope I can bring some excitement and knowledge about how we can all become good citizen scientists and help protect this amazing species,” McGrath said.
McGrath is a retired teacher, having taught for 30 years in Georgia. After retirement, she started her business, Junie B. Farms, in Monroe, GA. Besides studying and protecting Monarch butterflies, she breeds Nigerian dwarf goats. McGrath continues her love of teaching by offering farm and garden summer camps and birthday parties for children. She likes to share her love of nature, gardening and animals with others.
FRIENDS
Dear Friends,
It is an honor and a great pleasure for me to serve as the incoming president of the Friends of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. First, let me introduce myself. Originally from northern Illinois, I am a former teacher and retired hospital pharmacist.
I have been a supporter of the State Botanical Garden for many years, serving on the Friends Board for over eight years and previously serving as the Friends president. I look forward to working with our new board members in the coming year.
Being a Friends member has allowed me to meet, work with and learn from the talented, inspiring and dedicated garden staff and volunteers who have helped the garden “grow” in so many ways. My garden experiences have also helped me develop as a gardener while volunteering in various gardens, attending classes and lectures and learning much more about botany, native plants, ecology, birds and insects.
I have grown to appreciate various arts through the addition of the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum, attending concerts, art exhibits and many functions in the garden. Most of all, I have met so many wonderful people, adults and children who visit the garden, ask questions, enjoy the changing garden displays and the hiking trails, shop at the plant sales and visit the Children’s Garden and Winter WonderLights.
I have learned that it is NEVER a bad day to be in the garden! Please encourage your family and friends to support and visit the garden as it continues to offer education, entertainment and relaxation while bringing peace and joy. Hoping to see you in the garden this summer!
Karen Radde, president, Friends of the Garden
JOIN THE FRIENDS
Joining our membership support group, Friends of the Garden, is the easiest way to become more involved in the activities of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. This charitable organization allows its members to support the garden’s work and mission while gaining a closer connection to the people who make it grow. Friends receive discounts on the majority of events and programs offered at the garden as well as special invitations to advance plant sales, horticultural talks and trips to other regional attractions.
The Friends’ newsletter provides additional information about upcoming garden events and features current articles by our knowledgeable garden staff.
Visit botgarden.uga.edu for more information.
President
Karen Radde
Vice President
Pamela Bracken
Treasurer
Dennis Calbos
Recording Secretary
Kay Petroff
Membership Services
Lynn Bryant
Immediate Past President
Eileen Hale
Endowment Trustees
Mercer Brockenbrough
James LaBoon III
John Quackenbush
Tom Wilfong
Ellen Wilkens Wiley
Board of Directors
Merry Anderson
Shirley Berry
Nancy Black
Barbara Bourque
Cheryl Briscoe
Cheri Crowley
Betsy Ellison
Juli Fields
Andrea Fischer
Celia Fowler
B.J. Garrett
Susie Haggard
Rosemary Maulden
Mary Mills
Teresa Morrison
Beverly Morton
Marsha Mulderig
Shelly Prescott
Mike Sikes
Rosemary Stancil
Gale Thomas
Barbra Turner
Bill Walker
Dot Williams
SUPPORTING THE GARDEN
Online Gifts. Make a one-time gift. Make a recurring gift.
Pledges. Pledges enable a donor to plan a personal gift that is both convenient and tax-wise. A pledge may enable a donor to consider a more significant gift than would have otherwise been possible. Terms for payment on pledges are flexible.
Matching Gifts. Many employers support matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. Ask your employer about its matching gifts program.
Memorial and Tribute Gifts. Memorials, tributes and other named gift opportunities will be remembered with a plaque recognizing the honoree and donor. Gifts range from benches and trees to statues and garden sections. Unique dedication opportunities are available throughout our landscape.
Endowments. An endowed fund is a dependable and continuous source of support, since the principal is invested and only a portion of the earnings is spent annually.
Planned Gifts. Long-term gift planning can be a preferable means of giving from an estate, financial and tax planning perspective.
Please contact Johnathon Barrett, director of development, at (912) 398-9750 or Johnathon.barrett@uga.edu to learn more about giving opportunities.
2450 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, Ga. 30605 botgarden.uga.edu 706-542-1244
HOURS GROUNDS OPEN DAILY, 7 A.M.-7 P.M. VISITOR CENTER TUES. -SAT. 9 A.M.-4:30 P.M. SUN. 11:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M. GIFT SHOP TUES. -SAT. 9 A.M.-4:30 P.M. SUN. 11:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M.
PORCELAIN AND DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM TUES.-SAT. 9 A.M.-4:30 P.M. SUN. 11:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M.
DEVELOPMENT Leaving a LEGACY
Kimberly Futrell donor relations and special events coordinator
Lilli Grenvicz left a lasting impact on those around her, embodying care, generosity and a love for gardening and animals. When she and her husband, Ed, moved from Atlanta to Statham, she couldn’t part with many of her cherished plants and brought them on their journey.
As a Friend of the Garden and a supporter of the garden’s plant sales, Lilli found joy and inspiration at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Following her passing in February 2023, Ed wanted to celebrate her life in a meaningful way. In her honor, he named the southwest area of the Flower Garden, a serene area that mirrors Lilli’s gardening style—informal, eclectic and even showcasing a hydrangea, her favorite.
In addition, Ed made a planned gift to endow the faculty position of the Director of Horticulture and Grounds to fittingly be named the Lilli Grenvicz Director of Horticulture and Grounds. This gift will have a profound and lasting impact on the garden’s future while leaving behind a legacy for Lilli’s memory.
“My mission is to keep her memory alive, so it was natural I’d want something physical so friends could come see it. The professorship is something that will go on later in life and continue to serve her memory,” Ed said.
With support from donors like Ed, the garden can continue to be a treasured resource to over 370,000 visitors each year, offering a space to enjoy educational programming, a leisurely stroll or inspiration for their own garden.
Thank you to Ed for his commitment to the garden and efforts to create an environment for learning, inspiration and engagement while ensuring Lilli’s legacy continues to thrive.
State Botanical Garden at UGA debuts 2024 Pollinator Plants of the Year
Laurel Clark, communications coordinator
One of the most important questions a gardener can ask themselves this spring is which plant species they want to incorporate into their garden. The Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year program hosted by the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia identifies four species each year that make wonderful additions to any garden.
Started in 2020 by the State Botanical Garden and Extension at UGA and green industry partners, the Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year program celebrates the benefits of pollinator plants. It encourages home gardeners to incorporate these plants into their own landscapes.
The pollinator plants of the year are chosen for each of the following categories: spring bloomer, summer bloomer, fall bloomer and Georgia native. The program is funded in part by the Vaughn-Jordan Foundation.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this year’s winners to anyone,” said Emily Laske, assistant conservation horticulturist at the State Botanical Garden. “Each of these species explodes into a show of blooms that delight people and pollinators alike.”
The four plants chosen for 2024 are:
Summer Bloomer – Spotted Horsemint
Monarda punctata
Spring Bloomer – Robin’s Fleabane
Erigeron pulchellus “Lynnhaven Carpet”
About: Robin’s Fleabane is a perennial with 6- to 12-inch flowering stems that provide an evergreen, carpet-like ground cover. The textured foliage bursts into bloom in the spring with small white to light purple daisy-like flowers.
Conservation value: Supports many native pollinators such as bees, butterflies and songbirds.
About: Spotted Horsemint is a biennial, up to 3 feet tall, in the mint family that blooms into beautifully complex, yellow-spotted flowers with pink bracts during the summer months.
Conservation value: Supports many native pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths and hummingbirds.
Fall Bloomer – White Wood Aster
Eurybia divaricata
About: White Wood Aster is a perennial in the aster family that typically grows up to 3 feet tall. It has attractive heartshaped leaves and showy white flowers in late summer through fall. The center of the flowers turns from yellow to red after being pollinated, providing more color and intrigue in the garden.
Conservation value: Supports many native pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
A committee selects the four plant species from a pool of nominations from gardeners, horticulturists, entomologists, ecologists and green industry professionals throughout Georgia. The committee announces the plants a year in advance, giving growers time to increase the supply of the plants for the public to acquire.
Ellen Honeycutt, board chair for the Georgia Native Plant Society, serves on the committee and says the program has several benefits for Georgia gardeners.
“It helps gardeners recognize that Georgians need to be growing pollinator plants across all three growing seasons, and it gives them specific recommendations to research for their area,” said Honeycutt.
Georgia Native – American Witchhazel
Hamamelis virginiana
About: American Witchhazel is a shrub or small tree that averages 15 feet tall but can get up to 35 feet. It explodes into a display of bright yellow, firework-like flowers in mid-fall to early winter.
Conservation value: Supports many native pollinators such as moths, bees and small flies.
“This program always features at least one plant native to Georgia to help raise awareness of using native plants in our gardens.”
The State Botanical Garden, a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach, sells the pollinator plants of the year at its spring and fall plant sales and in the garden’s gift shop and works with growers and retailers in Georgia to produce and market the plants.
For more information about the Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year program and a directory of native plant nurseries, visit t.uga.edu/8sn.
Masterful flowers: The art of Diane Lewis
The Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum celebrates the connection between art and nature in many ways, including showcasing artists who use their craft to capture nature in materials like copper, illustrations and, of course, porcelain. Among the incredible artists displayed in the museum is an English porcelain sculptor named Diane Lewis (1937-2005). Lewis was a tremendously talented individual whose natural artistic gift and careful attention to detail helped jumpstart a career that brought her porcelain into collections across the world, including the Smithsonian Institution, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vatican Museum (Rome), Glamis Castle (Scotland) and royal palaces of Brunei and Oman.
Lewis was born in Worcester, England, where she grew up exploring nature with her father before joining the Royal Worcester porcelain manufacturer at 16 as a porcelain flower maker. Lewis was immediately charmed by the job, recording in 2001 that she “watched a woman make a blackberry and remember[ed] thinking that I could not believe this was considered work. I think I would have worked for nothing just to get my hands in the clay.”
And get her hands into the clay she did, quickly becoming a senior flower designer for Royal Worcester, where she worked for many years. While there, Lewis apprenticed under the great Dorothy Doughty, whose American Birds collection is also on display at the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum, and created the highly realistic floral elements of Doughty’s sculptures.
In 1969, Lewis co-founded her studio Cranleigh Art Ceramics, which was then bought by the famous American porcelain artist Edward Marshall Boehm’s widow, Helen Boehm, and became the English subsidiary of the Boehm porcelain brand.
Lewis was chief floral designer for Boehm of Malvern for 10 years before co-founding her own porcelain manufactory, Connoisseur of Malvern. She continued producing exquisitely crafted bone china flower designs that were presented to numerous influential people, including Queen Elizabeth II, U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and First Ladies Lady Bird Johnson and Hillary Clinton.
Bone china refers to clay that contains a mixture of bone ash, ox in this case, and kaolin; the bone adds strength to the clay, allowing the artist to work in thin layers and add fine details.
The strong yet malleable material allowed Lewis to craft sculptures like Georgia Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on Pink Azalea on which the delicate pink petals of the azalea (Rhododendron sp ) and the vibrant wings of the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) seem frozen only until a breath of wind or a flutter of wings disturbs them.
Lewis modeled all her flowers from natural specimens that she found or had specially imported, allowing her to create natural sculptures and flowers that would forever be in bloom.
The Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum strives to highlight how art can be a way to explore nature, and we might use Lewis’ technique of careful and slow study of the natural world to enhance our own understanding of the flowers, both porcelain and living, in the museum and State Botanical Garden as a whole.
Grace Moorman, Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum graduate student curator
BOARD OF ADVISORS 2023-2024
Tootsie Adams, Athens
Cyndae Arrendale, Atlanta
Diana Barrow, Savannah
Lisa Bell, Savannah
Malinda Bergen, Savannah
Betsy Birkholz, Marietta
Mary Bishop, Sea Island
Dottie Blitch, Atlanta
Mark Callaway, Atlanta
Sherri Callaway, Hamilton
Pat Carlock, Atlanta
Natalie Coghill, Augusta
Jeff Cole, Athens
Geri Coleman, Atlanta
Amy Cowsert, Athens
Linda Cravey, Atlanta
Andrew Crawford, Atlanta
Martha Deméré, Sea Island
Betty DeVore, Athens
Evelyn Dukes, Athens
Susan Duncan, Highlands
Cindy Edwards, Savannah
Betsy Ellison, Athens
Susan Fant, Sea Island
James Farmer, Perry
Ann Frierson, Athens
Jim Gatewood, Americus
Sylvia Gibson, Athens
Cindy Glover, Atlanta
Kelly Grow, Athens
Lynwood Hall, Moultrie
Robert Hallock, Savannah
Catherine Hardman, Athens
Mary Hardman, Athens
Francie Hargrove, Cashiers
Georgia Hatcher, Macon
Margaret Hefner, Macon
Paula Hennessy, Atlanta
Melba Hill, Atlanta
Ken Hodges, Albany
Maudie Huff, Columbus
Karen Hull, Augusta
Holley Jaakkola, Savannah
Truett Jarrard, Atlanta
Jimmy Jeter, Moultrie
Sally Jobe, Atlanta
Dori Jones, Columbus
Sally Jones, Sea Island
Gena Knox, Athens
Merry Jo Kurrie, Valdosta
Mimsie Lanier, Sea Island
Kathy Lanigan, Thomasville
Sissy Lawson, Gainesville
Betsy Leebern, Columbus
Peggy Lientz, Atlanta
Brenda Magill, Athens
Alden Maier, Rome
Polly Mattox, LaGrange
Tavia McCuean, Atlanta
Marianne McConnel, Atlanta
Marilyn McNeely, Clarkesville
Jim Miller, Atlanta
Farolyn Mobley, Moultrie
Cindy Moore, Savannah
Caroline Morris, Augusta
Felton Norwood, Atlanta
Colleen Nunn, Atlanta
Penny Nunnally, Atlanta
Alannah O’Quinn, St. Simons Island
Sandra Paris, Atlanta
Alex Patterson, Gainesville
Hart Payne, Gainesville
Doreen Poitevint, Bainbridge
Mark Preisinger, Sea Island
Kathy Rainer, Atlanta
Stephen Reichert, Macon
Georgia Schley Ritchie, Atlanta
Adrian Robinson, Atlanta
Margaret Robinson, Sea Island
Riley Sams, Sea Island
Deen Day Sanders, Norcross
Victoria Simms, Sea Island
Henrietta Singletary, Albany
Lacy Sinkwich, Athens
Jane Skinner, Atlanta
Eileen Small, Atlanta
Betty Sponcler, Dalton
Colleen Sullivan, Albany
Nancy Tarbutton, Sandersville
Nancy Thomas, Screven
Elizabeth Townley, Bogart
Ruth Wellborn, Greensboro
Joel Wernick, Greensboro
Tom Wight, Macon
Cynthia Willett, Bluffton
Robert Winthrop, Athens
Kathy Young, Marietta
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Chazz Jordan
I am Chazz Jordan, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the plant biology department. I graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in biology, focusing on EEO (ecology, evolution, organismal) biology.
I also received two distinctions in the Georgia State Honors College, which were advanced and research honors, after completing my internship at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in its conservation genetics department under the direction of Dr. Lauren EsermanCampbell.
In my Ph.D. research, I work under the direction of Dr. Jim LeebensMack and use phylogenetics to analyze the Echinacea genus as a whole and, later, population genetics and species distribution modeling to focus on Echinacea purpurea specifically.
Since 2020, I have volunteered at the State Botanical Garden through its Learning by Leading program, specifically joining the conservation team. This summer, I will also start an internship in the UGA Herbarium to utilize their collection of Echinacea specimens across the southeastern U.S. In the future, I want to put my skills to use and also contribute to my goal of a comfy, cozy life by becoming a science librarian either at a university or a botanical garden.
Jordan Argett
In addition to being a member of the conservation team, Jordan Argett is a Ph.D. student at the Odum School of Ecology at UGA. For his research, Argett is passionate about understanding the interactions between parasitic plants, their hosts and soil microbes.
He conducts his primary research project in the Colorado Rockies, where parasitic plants are abundant. Through his research, he hopes to shed light on the importance of parasitic plants in natural plant communities and advocate for their importance in southeastern grassland restoration.
Outside his research, Argett spends most of his time making functional wares out of clay and recently set up a home ceramic studio. He likes to create organic pottery reminiscent of the plants and soils he works in at the garden and for his research projects.
After finishing his degree, Argett hopes to work at a botanical garden or herbarium and lead a research program focused on grassland conservation in the southeast.
Stop by the gift shop for your summer gardening essentials. Whether working in your garden or trying to avoid the heat, the gift shop has you covered.
Check out our handmade woven straw gardening hats, perfect for keeping cool while working in the yard. You’ll also find our new shipment of Terrabonne garden tools, including pruners, hori hori knives, hand rakes and gardening knee pads. Not to mention plenty of bug spray and sunscreen.
We have many tropical plants for sale inside and native plants right outside the Visitor’s Center. The gift shop is the perfect place to find something special for Mother’s Day, graduation, Father’s Day or an upcoming birthday. There’s always something new at the garden and the gift shop. We hope to see you soon!
