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
Tina Christie . Laurel Clark
James Gilstrap . Ellie Lancaster
Lisa Parrish . Lisa Nation
Adam Stewart . Shené Stroud
DEVELOPMENT
Johnathon Barrett
Kimberly Futrell
EDUCATION
Cora Keber
Audrey Mitchell
HORTICULTURE
Jason Young
Joey Allen . Alex Ankirskiy
Gareth Crosby . Carolyn Dyer
Emily James . Sheldon Jones
Katie McCollum . Jim Moneyhun
Melanie Parker . Brian Santos
Heather Alley . Jennifer Ceska
Melanie Flood . Emily Laske
Will Rogers . Zachary Wood
Daun Fest
Andrea Fischer . Adam Lowe
Deirdre Peters
FROM THE DIRECTOR
Imagining the future
I am so delighted to share this fall and winter season in the State Botanical Garden with you. As you might imagine, we never stop growing. This year we said a heartfelt goodbye to some of our team members and welcomed others—including our new Director of Horticulture and Grounds, Jason Young, and our new Associate Director for Administration and Visitor Services, Daun Fest. When you see Jason and Daun in the garden, please share a warm welcome and ask about the latest events in the garden.
Another new introduction is a feature in Garden News about our Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum. In this issue, we are leading with a most appropriate story about hot beverages and the collection of coffee, tea and chocolate wares in the museum. I hope you will enjoy the stories we share and plan a visit to see the exquisite porcelains in the museum.
In previous issues of Garden News, I’ve described how our horticulture team never stops imagining the future. I think that this is a form of hope. Fall is when our horticultural experts begin planning how the garden will look in the spring. Foxglove is one of our garden showstoppers. You will learn more about this charismatic garden star in this issue, and hopefully, it will help you to plan for your spring garden.
Garden spaces offer opportunities for rest, rejuvenation and resilience. We are so pleased to share the story of our newest program called Meet Me in the Garden. When we completed the initial study with our partners this past spring, we knew there would be excitement about planning for the future of the project. I’m so delighted to share the story of this collaborative effort with you as we imagine the future of this program.
I can’t think of a better way to imagine a brighter future than through the work of our conservation department. As our team seeks “diamonds in the ditches” when they develop native plant materials for the restoration and conservation of natural areas across the state, they are truly imagining a future that includes resilient spaces that support the health and well-being of people and wildlife in Georgia.
Finally, we will launch our 2023 season of Winter WonderLights in mid-November with a newly designed light show that will surely delight you. Our team has imagined a fantastic display of ice caves, winter gardens and northern lights along the fully accessible garden path.
Thank you for being a Friend to the State Botanical Garden. I hope you invite one or more of the people you know to become a Friend, too. With your participation, we will see the garden grow.
Jennifer Cruse-Sanders, director
Diamonds in the Ditches: Road trips with botanists
Zach Wood, grasslands coordinator
I have a love-hate relationship with car rides, but my colleagues and I often find ourselves on the road in the name of conservation. Driving can be time-consuming, dangerous and hard on the body. However, I wish every Georgian could experience one of these long car rides with me because, inevitably, there may be a single stem or a splash of color that ignites an exchange of excitement.
“Did you see that?”
“What?”
“Milkweed, rosinweeds, wild quinine, rattleweed.”
If time allows, we quickly turn around to catch a glimpse of what may be a small remnant of grassland before continuing with our work.
There are diamonds in the ditches. Have you noticed them? Our native flora tends to persist in the corners and on the outskirts. When you are near urban areas, the roadsides are dominated by non-native invasives, but as you move into rural landscapes, things change for the better.
Who cares about weeds on the roadside?
Native plants are groceries for some critters and homes for others. These plants perform ecological services we often do not consider, like preventing erosion and filtering runoff. To top it all off, they are beautiful.
Our roadsides hold remnants of grassland species. Some species, like the Royal Catchfly, only persist along a single roadside. These roadside remnants can serve as sources of plant materials for future conservation efforts in Georgia.
Unfortunately, roadsides have also experienced significant shifts in management, causing domination by non-native invasive species like tall fescue and Chinese lespedeza.
Public perception matters. Non-native invasive species dominate roadsides near urban areas. This situation is largely influenced by public perception and other factors.
Vegetation management is one of the many responsibilities that departments of transportation must juggle. They consider safety, cost, aesthetics, ecological impact and more. Aesthetics, in particular, are subjective. Who determines what is aesthetically pleasing? We do! And for better or worse, we like things that look neat and kempt.
The aesthetic standards set for our lawns, parks and golf courses have spilled over to our roadsides. Unfortunately, the management practices that produce this desired look are detrimental to our native flora, which cannot tolerate these mowing and herbicide regimes. However, there is hope. Public perception has the power to influence these matters.
So, what can you do?
Keep an eye out for native wildflowers in your area. I encourage you to develop an appreciation for Georgia’s native flora. We don’t have to settle for non-native plants when we have our own, which possess unique beauty.
If you come across a patch of native wildflowers and unmown grasses on the roadside, reach out to a government representative and express your appreciation for the Georgia Department of Transportation and their dedicated efforts in conserving Georgia’s diamonds in the ditches.
A few words of encouragement can go a long way to shaping a natural open space ethic, as they have shaped the current “lawn-like” roadsides. This is a stepping stone towards achieving ecologically valuable roadsides once again.
How you can help
Start a protocol of praise for partners who leave open spaces unmowed for biodiversity. Contact companies, agencies, parks and schools, and thank them for their efforts on behalf of insects and other wildlife.
Help locate remnant grasslands by joining our iNaturalist Georgia Grasslands Initiative project.
Plant high-impact native plants in your garden or patio. “Mailbox gardens” can also make a difference. Check out Connect to Protect and Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year on the State Botanical Garden’s website, botgarden.uga.edu.
Reduce your mowed area by adding gardens or allowing flowers to grow throughout your green space, including clovers, dandelions, daisy fleabane, lyre-leaf sage, butterweeds, vervain and more.
For the love of foxglove
Gareth Crosby, Heritage Garden curator
Foxglove, Digitalis sp., is one of our curators’ favorite late-spring flowers. Nothing eats it, which is a priceless attribute, to be sure, but few flowers match these bold, eye-catching beauties that complement any annual or perennial planting scheme.
They come in several colors, including purple, pink, peach, white, yellow, red, burnt orange, amber and beigebrown; the latter colors are often associated with smaller flowered species.
Foxglove are one of the tallest flowers in the garden and are best planted in masses to show off their structure and color. We always plant many and reserve them for the middle or back of the garden bed as their elegant spires tower over snapdragons and dianthus growing alongside.
If you want a smaller version, try any of the ‘Dalmation’ series foxgloves or small yellow foxglove (Digitalis lutea). These tend to stay under three feet and usually need no staking. We also love planting perennial flowering Alliums (Allium sp.) alongside foxglove—their spherical flowers are a perfect complement.
Many recognize foxglove as a biennial, but of the 25 foxglove species, the only true biennial is Digitalis purpurea and its cultivars. Most of the common cultivars you find as seeds or started plants are of the purpurea species, but they can be forced to bloom in the spring of
their “first year” if you plant them from seed in August/September or buy in started seedlings to plant in October.
Most foxgloves, including ancient species and modern hybrids, are considered short-lived perennials, whose lifespan varies according to the growing conditions but are usually three to five years.
Perennial foxglove species are divided into two groups: herbaceous perennials, such as Digitalis grandiflora and Digitalis lutea, which die down during cold winters, and those retaining an evergreen rosette, including Digitalis parviflora and Digitalis ferruginea. We are currently growing a few of these perennials in areas of the Flower Garden.
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a pollinator garden, and foxglove is a major attraction in late April and early May. Hummingbirds are often seen visiting foxgloves as each spike produces a large amount of nectar, and bees can climb right inside each large pendulous flower and sip without fear of attack.
Digitalis species planted in the State Botanical Garden:
D. lanata - Grecian foxglove
D. grandiflora - yellow foxglove
D. x mertonensis - strawberry foxglove
D. ferruginea - rusty foxglove
D. purpurea - common foxglove hybrids
D. obscura - willow-leaved foxglove
TIPS AND TRICKS Foxglove Edition
As foxgloves elongate, they tend to bend and flop with heavy rain or wind, so we always have stakes ready just in case. But, you must stake before they break!
If you aren’t interested in staking, try buying seeds of the Digitalis purpurea ‘Dalmation’ series.
Hybrids like D. hybrida ‘Foxy’ will bloom in the spring when seeded in the fall of the previous year.
The best place to plant foxgloves is in full sun or afternoon shade in moist, well-draining soil.
Digitalis purpurea and its cultivars will grow in clay soil with mulch but do not reach the same height as those in richer soils.
Species such as D. ferruginea and D. lanata prefer hotter, drier and more gravelly soil.
D. purpurea ‘Pam’s Choice’ - Bred from the seed of a foxglove found on a compost heap at Wayside Gardens in South Carolina.
RIGHT:
Photo by: Gareth Crosby
COLLECTIONS OF THE PORCELAIN AND DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM: coffee, tea and chocolate wares
Jennifer Cruse-Sanders, director
As temperatures of fall and winter dip, leading to cooler days and evenings, hot beverages of coffee, tea and chocolate become even more enjoyable.
A steaming mug of these three beverages can warm our hearts and hands, providing the perfect addition to a well-deserved break or present an opportunity to gather with colleagues, friends and family. Each beverage is derived from plant sources originating from different corners of the earth, now propagated worldwide, for production that satisfies our cravings for tasty beverages.
Chocolate, Theobroma cacao, a name that translates to “food of the gods,” originates from Mesoamerica and was once valued so highly that seeds were traded as currency. The plant species that make up the majority of global coffee in production, Coffea arabica, originates from the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Whereas tea, Camellia sinensis (yes, that’s correct, it is a species of camellia), originated in East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, where leaves and buds of this evergreen perennial plant were first collected for use as tea.
All three beverages are made from perennial evergreen trees and shrubs, but these caffeine-containing plants that provide such delicious beverages are not closely related. Coffee, tea and chocolate are part of different plant families: Rubiaceae, Theaceae and Malvaceae. And unlike tea, coffee and chocolate products are produced from the processed seeds of each species.
Plants propagated to produce delicious hot beverages are endlessly fascinating, and just as interesting are the porcelain wares produced to serve them.
The Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum has exquisite collections of hot beverage porcelain wares. Collections at the museum within the State Botanical Garden include Chinese export porcelains from the 1740s that depict the early production of tea in China. Another piece on display is a Teapot and Cover Decorated in Polychrome Chinoiserie Figures produced at Worchester Porcelain Factory, Worchester, England, in 1760.
A display of hot chocolate pots from the early 18th century to the early 21st century highlights porcelain designs from manufacturers in Japan, Denmark, France and the United Kingdom. Among the porcelain wares on display is a Blackberry Chocolate Pot produced in Japan in 1911. Another notable piece is the 20th Century Red and Purple Floral Opulent Service Collection Chocolate Pot produced at Meissen Porcelain Factory, Meissen, Saxony, Germany. This piece is displayed with the wooden molinet, which was used to keep the chocolate beverage mixed in the pot.
Coffee and tea services are displayed to share the history of their production and service. One notable service on display is the 19th century Imari tea service from Nigoshide Japanese porcelain factory. The porcelain work is so fine that it is possible to see a woman’s face in the tea cup when it is held up to the light. Another notable coffee and tea service displays paintings of the Georgia state bird and flower, brown thrasher and Cherokee rose, on Herend porcelain produced in Hungary in 2019.
This is just a taste! I hope you will visit soon to see the variety of porcelains on display at the State Botanical Garden.
Please join us in welcoming the new Director of Horticulture and Grounds, Jason Young, to the garden.
Jason comes to us from Charlottesville, Virginia, where he was the Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens at Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello. He holds two bachelor’s degrees in art and biology, also a master’s degree in horticulture. He is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist.
JASON YOUNG
Please join us in welcoming Daun Fest to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia as associate director for administration and visitor services.
Daun is a native of Iowa and has lived in Athens since 2017. She studied business and marketing and held positions in international development for 25 years, working in 23 countries throughout her career. In her most recent role, she was the project manager for UGA’s Project F.R.E.E., and is the former director of operations for the Athens Land Trust.
Daun enjoys hiking, biking and being outside. She is a beekeeper and has five of her own hives. Her favorite part of the garden is the Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden. She loves seeing the joy on people’s faces when they experience the State Botanical Garden and looks forward to being a part of our impactful projects and programs.
DAUN FEST
Anne and Bill Walker
When a volunteer joins the garden, we’re excited. When two volunteers join the garden, we’re thrilled. When those two volunteers come as a team, we’re over the moon! Anne and Bill Walker have had us over the moon since day one.
In 2004, Anne Walker’s love of plants and gardening brought her to the State Botanical Garden through the Master Gardener program. Being the ideal teammate, Anne’s husband Bill became a Master Gardener a couple of years later and joined her for practically every event at the garden.
Over the years, they have been active in every aspect of the garden. These two do everything from being ambassadors for the garden at Atlanta Garden and Patio shows to Winter WonderLights.
The Spring Plant Sale is one garden event closest to their hearts. Anne is in her element on the plant “floor.” While greeting customers and advising them of the best plant selections for their landscapes, Anne brings the best of the garden to all the guests. Bill is part of our parking crew and one of the few people I know who can make a gravel parking area friendly and welcoming.
As individuals, Anne and Bill are great. As a team, they are fantastic!
Volunteer opportunities are available for many positions.
Please contact Andrea Fischer for more information at 706-542-6195 or afischer@uga.edu.
Grow your legacy
Leave a legacy at the State Botanical Garden through a planned gift in your will or estate plans. A planned gift may enable you to make a larger gift than you thought possible. There are favorable financial and tax benefits as well.
Please contact Johnathon Barrett, director of development, at (912) 398-9750 or Johnathon.barrett@uga.edu to learn more about giving opportunities.
Friends of the Garden has joined Brent and Becky’s Bulbs’ Bloomin’ Bucks. It is a simple program–you buy bulbs, plants, tools and more from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs through a special website and Friends receive a generous percentage of your order. Your order is sent directly to you when it is the appropriate time to plant. Just follow these simple steps:
1 Go to www.bloominbucks.com (no ‘g’) and from the pull-down menu of orgnizations select FRIENDS OF THE STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA.
2 You will be sent to Brent and Becky’s Bulbs website where you can order whatever you want.
3 Your order is delivered directly to you and a percentage of the proceeds of your order helps to support the garden.
Andrea Fischer, volunteer coordinator
Classes & Events
FALL/WINTER 2023
CHILDREN & FAMILY PROGRAMS
SWEET PEA CLUB
Every Thursday, through Oct. 26
10:15-11 a.m.
Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden 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.
SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS
Tuesdays-Fridays, September-November
Available times between 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
State Botanical Garden education staff Children’s classroom, gardens and trails Fee: Varies with program, $5-$8 per student
Bring your students to the garden to learn about natural ecosystems near and far. Each field trip program correlates with Georgia State Standards and includes hands-on learning through our curated gardens and trails. For more information, contact sbgeduc@uga.edu or 706-583-0894.
VOLUNTEER TRAINING FOR SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS
Friday, Sept. 1
9 a.m.–noon
State Botanical Garden Visitor Center, children’s classroom Free, pre-registration required: https://www.givepulse.com/event/374578
Are you interested in encouraging a love for nature in future generations? Consider being a volunteer for our botanical garden field trips. Learn more about the program themes that are offered for fall. For more information, contact sbgeduc@ uga.edu or 706-583-0894.
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, homeschool 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 706-583-0894.
BIRTHDAY
PARTIES
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.
34TH ANNUAL INSECTIVAL!
Saturday, Sept. 30
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Fee: $5 per person, $20 per family
One of our largest and most well-known festivals—Insectival—will return to the garden this year! Participants will meet and interact with various entomological experts and their buggy friends. Activities include presenter booths, a puppet show and the popular butterfly release on the Flower Garden lawn. Join garden staff and partners as we celebrate our beloved six-legged neighbors.
Insectival is sponsored by the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, UGA Lund Club, UGA Department of Entomology and Georgia Museum of Natural History.
FULL MOON HIKE SERIES
Friday, Sept. 29
Saturday, Oct. 28
Monday, Nov. 27
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
Come and experience the garden at night! Each hike will focus on a different topic, such as the moon, plants after hours or nocturnal creatures. Bring family and friends of all ages along to enjoy the mysterious world of nature in the dark. Be prepared to hike up to two miles on our wooded trails and in the garden. If you have young children or infants, a backpack carrier is suggested. Pre-registration is required.
ADULT PROGRAMS
HOLIDAY DÉCOR: WREATHS AND MORE!
See State Botanical Garden of Georgia website for date Carol Dyer, curator, Herb and Physic Garden, State Botanical Garden Fee: $30; Swag is a $15 add-on
This workshop will teach you how to embrace the coming winter season by bringing the colors of the holidays into your home. You will learn to craft a festive wreath or swag with greenery collected from the garden. Wreaths will be constructed with freshly cut, traditional holiday greenery and arranged on a wire frame. Door swags (a vertical decoration) will be built with greenery and tied with wire or ribbon. Holiday greenery, wire frames and wires will be provided but feel free to bring any trinkets, ornaments or dried materials to incorporate into your designs. No prior experience is necessary. Embrace your creativity and bring a festive touch of nature back home!
All participants will need to bring the following materials for this class: (1) ribbon to construct bows, (2) a pair of gardening shears, pruners or clippers and (3) a pair of garden gloves (if you have sensitive hands).
RAMBLES
FALL BIRD RAMBLES
8 a.m.
See State Botanical Garden of Georgia website for dates Oconee Rivers Audubon Society
Upper Parking Lot
Free and open to the public
ATHENS BEGINNERS BEEKEEPING SEMINAR
Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Garden Club of Georgia Headquarters, Terrace Room
In partnership with Eastern Piedmont Beekeepers Association Fee: $65 (includes lunch)
Beekeeping is a complex and fascinating pursuit with plenty to learn and sweet rewards! If you want to become a beekeeper, this comprehensive seminar featuring Georgia Master Beekeepers and industry professionals will prepare you to create a successful hive. This workshop will guide you through understanding the honey bee and the steps to obtain your bees, tools and hives. This program will also cover harvesting, various hive products and how to use them. Participants will also learn about proper care and some common challenges beekeepers face today.
Each participant will receive a box lunch, a copy of “First Lessons in Beekeeping” and a one-year membership to the Eastern Piedmont Beekeepers Association. As a bonus, all participants can join a follow-up, hands-on class at a nearby apiary on a separate date.
NATURE RAMBLERS
Thursdays March 2 through Nov. 16 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.
Join the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society for a morning bird walk in the garden. Look and listen for our fall migrants. First time birding? No problem. ORAS members will help you spot and identify the feathery creatures. All birding levels are welcome. Bring binoculars if you have them. For more information, visit www.oconeeriversaudubon.org.
PLANTS & POLLINATORS SPECIALIZATION
The garden has expanded its successful Certificate in Native Plants program to a new 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 to get involved in pollinator protection in their area.
MONARCHS & BEYOND: POLLINATOR STEWARDSHIP
Saturday, Sept. 23
9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Susan Meyers, monarch watch conservation specialist, Monarchs Across Georgia
Visitor Center, classroom 2
https://t.uga.edu/6g4
This class will take an in-depth look at the biology and ecology of the monarch butterfly in North America, its migration, species status assessment and conservation efforts. With an overall 90 percent population decline in the past 20 years, the monarch has become the poster child for pollinators and the subject of much research, monitoring and educational endeavors. Participants will utilize habitat assessment tools, practice a variety of community science projects, and plan their pollinator enhancement activities to become pollinator stewards. Class time will be spent both indoors and outside hiking in the garden.
GROW YOUR OWN PRAIRIE IN NORTH GEORGIA
Saturday, Oct. 21
9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Karin Hicks, Georgia master gardener and master naturalist Visitor Center, classroom 2 https://t.uga.edu/6gf
Prairies, meadows, savannas and woodlands were once integral to Georgia’s Piedmont and mountain ecoregions. These habitats have nearly disappeared but are now being restored and re-created by gardeners, ecologists and landscapers. This class will teach you the basics of creating a prairie on your property, including site analysis, species selection and habitat management. Class time will be divided between a classroom lecture and a field trip to the prairie at the State Botanical Garden. Hicks will share her experience cultivating and managing 10 acres of meadow, forest and natural garden in North Georgia, where she encourages wildlife to come and live.
Oct. 5-7 and 12-14
Join garden professionals at the Mimsie Lanier Center for six days of on-site plant shopping. Experts will answer questions about incorporating native plants into every space, from large gardens to pots. See details and a plant list at botgarden.uga.edu. 12th annual
Thursday and Friday 4-6 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m.-noon
CERTIFICATE IN NATIVE PLANTS
The Certificate in Native Plants offers committed individuals a comprehensive series of short courses in identification, cultivation, propagation, ecology and conservation of native Georgia plants. With an emphasis on participatory learning, the short courses are designed to provide a supportive and challenging learning atmosphere. Participants will gain a greater appreciation and understanding of native plants in a broad context.
The certificate program is appropriate for home gardeners, garden club members, native plant enthusiasts, green industry professionals, conservationists and others interested in the study of native plants. The program is also designed to appeal to professionals working in land, resource and park management, including natural resource agencies and private conservation programs. Knowledge and skills gained can be applied to both volunteer and professional services in the fields of conservation, horticulture, landscape design, land management and environmental education. One of the goals of the program is to have certified students participate in ongoing public and private efforts to preserve and restore Georgia’s flora and natural habitats. For a complete course listing, visit botgarden.uga.edu/education/adult-programs/.
Core Electives
BASIC BOTANY: THE LIVES OF PLANTS
Online course content available Nov. 1
Saturday, Nov. 11, 1–3 p.m. lab session (limited to 20)
Monday, Nov. 13, 6–7 p.m. Zoom Q & A
Sabrina Sewell, botanist
Virtual program, see our website for more information https://t.uga.edu/6lB
Explore the biology of plants in this introduction to general plant anatomy, morphology, physiology, evolution and development. This course presents the fundamental information about plants upon which other courses in the native plant certificate program will build, particularly Plant Taxonomy. With an emphasis on relating form to function, it surveys the origins of plants along with their basic forms and life processes. Students will become acquainted with plant tissues and structures, as well as their roles in the life of plants.
Course learning objectives and outline (topics covered will include):
● Origins of plants and their basic groups
● Brief history and fundamentals of the science of botany
● Plant structures (internal and external)—their forms, functions and development
● Plant life cycles and reproduction
● Introduction to basic plant genetics
● Evolutionary adaptations of plants
Course structure:
This class consists of pre-recorded introductory videos, in-person or at-home lab exercises exploring plant anatomy, and a wrap-up discussion session through Zoom.
● Part 1 – Introductory video lectures – content released Nov. 1
● Part 2 – Exploratory lab exercises – self-paced at home OR in-person session Nov. 11, 1–3 p.m.
● Part 3 – Online discussion session – through Zoom Nov. 13, 6–7 p.m.
Additional lab sessions will be added as needed to accommodate student interest. Participants who cannot attend the in-person lab will be provided instructions for conducting their own activities at home.
FALL WILDFLOWERS OF THE GEORGIA PIEDMONT
Saturday, Sept. 9
9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Linda Chafin, botanist State Botanical Garden, Mimsie Lanier Center https://t.uga.edu/79Z
Our gardens, roadsides and meadows are aglow with color in the fall. In this class, students will learn to recognize the most common fallblooming wildflowers in the Georgia Piedmont and be introduced to the basic botanical terminology used in identifying and describing fall-flowering plants, with an emphasis on plants in the aster (composite) family. We will then apply that knowledge to plants in the field, learning to recognize families, genera and species based on characteristics readily observable.
CNP REQUIREMENTS
Four core courses (8 hours each) 32 hours
Six elective courses (4+ hours each)
FUNGAL ECOLOGY AND DIVERSITY
Friday, Sept. 15
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 than 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 samples of fungi in the field and, in the final part of the class, examine the findings in relation to structure and function.
WARM-SEASON GRASSES OF THE GEORGIA PIEDMONT
Saturday, Oct. 7
9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Linda Chafin, botanist
State Botanical Garden Visitor Center, classroom 2
https://t.uga.edu/7a1
Grasses are the most economically and ecologically important plant family, but most of us know very little about them, and fewer still know how to identify grasses. In this class, we will learn to recognize common fall-flowering grass species of the Georgia Piedmont. During the first half of the class, we will dissect grass plants to learn the basic structures useful for identification in the field. The last two hours of the class will be spent in the field, examining a variety of native and exotic grasses. Be sure to bring a hand lens if you have one.
PLANTING DESIGN FOR THE SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE
Friday, Oct. 13
9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Richard Ludwig, PhD, former host of PBS TV’s GardenSmart, past garden specialist for Southern Living State Botanical Garden Visitor Center, Gardenside Room https://t.uga.edu/891
This day-long workshop focuses on the effective use of various types of plant material through an artistic approach to design centering on combining form, texture and color. With an emphasis on native plants, participants in this class will learn how to use block design to create stunning combinations and draw realistic elevation views for communicating their ideas. Additionally, this course will provide research-based information on soil preparation for herbaceous and woody plants.
PLANTS
WE LOVE TO HATE: IDENTIFYING AND CONTROLLING NON-NATIVE INVASIVE PEST PLANTS
Saturday, Oct. 14
9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Gary Crider, naturalist and invasive plant control specialist State Botanical Garden Visitor Center, classroom 2 https://t.uga.edu/6g5
This workshop is an introduction to the identification and control of invasive, non-native pest plants. Students will learn about the major “offenders” in the Georgia Piedmont and how these plants cause ecological harm to native plant communities and wildlife. The class will also focus on habitat restoration through the management and control of invasive plants. Various control methods will be outlined, including a description of tools, techniques and detailed strategies for some high-priority species. This class will include a portion of outdoor field study.
This class will visit various sites to compare and contrast groundcover restoration projects and management practices. With an emphasis on management decisions rather than identifying specific plants, this course will discuss common challenges, successes and landscape restoration strategies while managing invasive plant species. The types of restoration sites and projects surveyed in this class will include minimum understory management (thin and burn), economy understory restoration (thin and burn with limited use of supplemental seeds), high-quality seed mix for pollinator gardens, conversion from turf grass to meadow and wetland rehabilitation. Please note that this class is part of a new program and is located outside of the Athens area.
FRIENDS FIRST FRIDAY
FRIENDS FIRST FRIDAY
First Friday each month
9–10:30 a.m.
Gardenside Room
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.
SEPT. 1 – GPPY - Join us as Heather Alley, conservation horticulturist at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, shares information on the Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year for 2023. She will also give us a glimpse of the best offerings at the Native Plant Sale in October.
OCT. 6 – BEFORE THERE WAS THE GARDEN - Roger Collins has always enjoyed exploring Georgia’s landscape and history. He avidly participates in the Thursday morning Nature Ramblers at the State Botanical Garden. He is passionate about researching land use history in the Athens area and surrounding counties.
His research includes finding old tax maps, aerial photos and analyzing tree rings and land formations to interpret the land. Join us as Collins presents a program on the history of the land the State Botanical Garden occupies and the surrounding nearly 2,000 acres. He will share information about the three generations of the White family who owned the land. This family created the mill village of Whitehall and built the mansion on the forestry school property of the same name. You will learn how the property eventually became a part of UGA.
Collins is a graduate of UGA’s Grady School of Journalism. After working in South Carolina and Tennessee, he returned to Georgia to serve as editor of The Oconee Enterprise in Watkinsville. He followed a career in residential construction as a homebuilder, electrical contractor and plumbing contractor. He is now semi-retired and lives on Lake Oglethorpe in Oglethorpe County.
NOV. 3 – WINTER WONDERLIGHTS - Join us as we learn what will be found nightly at the third annual Winter WonderLights at the State Botanical Garden. James Gilstrap, assistant director of operations at the State Botanical Garden, will hint at what exciting changes are in store and give an overview of past features coming back for everyone to enjoy. Winter WonderLights tickets may be purchased online.
DEC. 1 – A YEAR OF GARDENING, MY FAVORITE PLANTS FROM JANUARY-DECEMBER. Cliff Brock enjoys gardening, especially in his mom’s garden in an old homesite in the central Georgia town of Hillsboro. Originally from Monticello, Ga., Brock has a degree in horticulture from UGA and was the curator of the State Botanical Garden Flower Garden for four years. He has also worked at the New England Wildflower Society and Plant Delights Nursery. His interests include heirloom plants, perennials, wildflowers and shrubs and trees. He currently serves as the organist and music director at Newnan Presbyterian Church. He also enjoys writing on his blog at cliffordbrock.com.
BOARD OF ADVISORS
2023-2024
Tootsie Adams, Athens
Cyndae Arrendale, Atlanta
Betty Balentine, 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
Cynthia 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
Marianne McConnel, Atlanta
Marilyn McNeely, Clarkesville
Tavia McCuean, Atlanta
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, Athens
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
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
Sandy Turbidy, Sea Island
Ruth Wellborn, Greensboro
Joel Wernick, Greensboro
Tom Wight, Macon
Cynthia Willett, Bluffton
Robert Winthrop, Athens
Kathy Young, Marietta
EVENTS THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY
February 2024
After a successful series in 2023 welcoming over 200 guests and selling out two events, we are excited to bring Orchid Madness back for its 10th year in 2024.
Friends of the Garden
Become part of the garden family today, or gift a membership to a friend or loved one. Memberships can be purchased or renewed online, by phone or mail, in the garden gift shop and at many garden events.
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.
2450 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, Ga. 30605 botgarden.uga.edu 706-542-1244
GIFT SHOP TUES. -SAT. 10 A.M.-4 P.M. SUN. NOON.-4 P.M.
PORCELAIN AND DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM TUES.-SAT. 10:30 A.M.-3:30 P.M. SUN. 12:30-3:30 P.M.
DEVELOPMENT FRIENDS
Hello Friends,
I volunteer on Thursday mornings at the welcome desk in the Visitor Center. It is a delightful adventure every time. I’ve met people from all over the U.S. and the world.
I start by telling the visitors that the garden is 313 acres of an old cotton plantation. This always brings a look of awe, mainly because they think they will walk the whole thing. But I assure them only 33 acres are developed into various gardens to walk through.
By showing our beautiful map, I point out the layout of the sections that always look perfect, which in my book is the entire garden. I detail all the buildings; the Day Chapel, Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum, Garden Club of Georgia Headquarters and the Conservatory. For the children, I leave the Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden last. The excitement in their eyes is wild, and they can’t wait to get there.
Thursdays are busy. We have the Nature Ramblers, Sweet Pea Club, children’s day camps, tours and the Athens Lacemakers. It’s always a pleasure to talk to visitors who have not been here, or it’s been a long time, especially those who explain they got married here.
This is the perfect time to join the Friends with the Native Plant Sale coming in October, Friends First Friday having wonderful speakers and of course, the spectacular Winter WonderLights will return in November.
Thanks to the curators, staff and volunteers, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia looks wonderful. Things will be changing again with the end of summer and fall approaching. Then the garden goes into a welldeserved rest.
The Learning by LeadingTM program has been building at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia since 2017, providing students with a wide range of hands-on experience across the garden. One of the ways LxL students learn and support the garden is through independent projects. Jai-anna Gonzalez has been with the horticulture team in the Heritage Garden for a year and has had the chance to dig into the history behind the peanut in Georgia.
Peanuts have long been an important staple crop for Georgia, providing products such as whole raw nuts for the food industry, solvents and oils, medicines and even textile materials. In 2020, Georgia was the top producer, growing almost 54 percent of the nation’s peanuts. Here in the Heritage Garden, we grow peanuts to show visitors about the peanut’s history in Georgia and the interesting way peanut plants reproduce.
Originating in South America, Arachis hypogaea, the peanut, also called a groundnut, is a perennial plant in its tropical native region, but here it is grown as an annual. It was brought to Europe by Spanish explorers after they discovered its versatility in South America. Traders spread peanuts to Asia and Africa, and they finally made their way to North America on sailing ships carried by enslaved Africans in the 1700s.
Interesting fact—peanuts are closely related to black-eyed peas and are a legume. Peanuts have been known throughout the south as goober peas. The word goober comes from the Congo name for peanuts—nguba. Until the Civil War, the peanut remained a regional food associated with people experiencing poverty in the southern U.S.
Peanuts thrive in well-drained sandy loam and require lots of soluble calcium in the soil. They produce
22 State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Iowa. He soon transferred to the Iowa Agricultural College, now Iowa State University, to pursue a career in science. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1894 and a master’s degree in bacterial botany and agriculture in 1896, Carver was invited by Booker T. Washington to lead the agriculture department at what would become Tuskegee University, where he remained for 47 years.
bright yellow flowers that send down an unusual stalk-like structure called a peg, which grows from the base of the flower toward the soil. The peg continues downward until the tip is well below the soil surface, which develops into the characteristic peanut. This habit of ripening underground is known as geocarpy.
A scientist named George Washington Carver is one of the most well-known people in history to work with and promote the peanut and many other important crops. He wrote, “How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it For Human Consumption.” Carver was born into slavery around 1864 near Diamond, Missouri. Freed from slavery at age 4, he lost his parents when he was young and was raised by his former enslavers, Moses and Susan Carver.
An advocate for his education, Carver was accepted as the first Black student at Simpson College in
In his work with the peanut, Carver detailed the many benefits of growing them beyond human consumption–how they enrich the soil, are easily and cheaply grown, and can be used to feed pigs.
Around this time, the boll weevil had swept across the south, destroying profitable cotton crops. Many farmers turned to peanuts as an alternative cash crop, especially since they could feed their livestock and families with what they didn’t sell. Carver’s contributions to agriculture helped save the southern economy during this difficult time. For these reasons, Carver has earned his place in the Heritage Garden.
Jai-anna
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
THANKS FOR 30 YEARS
The garden extends its gratitude and sincerest well-wishes to Jim Affolter, whose retirement this June closed 30 years as the State Botanical Garden’s first director of conservation and research, with a joint appointment as a professor for UGA’s Department of Horticulture.
Jim has been a foundational pillar of support to the development of conservation programs at the garden and beyond, such as the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance. He is well known in the UGA community for teaching “Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants,” the most popular science course for nonscience majors, and developing a hands-on course about the multi-disciplinary subject of conserving native plants in Georgia.
Jim will be best remembered as the first professor in the Department of Horticulture to mentor graduate students desiring to focus on native plants. He stands out for his dedication to helping students succeed on their chosen path throughout his career. Thank you, Jim, for your passion, commitment and hard work. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!
RECOGNITION & AWARDS
Jennifer Ceska, the garden’s conservation coordinator, was awarded the Zone Conservation Commendation from the Garden Club of America Zone VIII on April 26. The GCA’s regional conservation commendation is presented to individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to conservation.
The Junior Ladies’ Garden Club of Athens hosted the Garden Club of America Zone VIII Meeting at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia on April 23-26. Throughout the meeting, 120 guests visited the garden to compete in the flower, horticulture and photography shows, participate in business meetings, and tour the garden.
JIM AFFOLTER
Program supports people with dementia and caregivers
By Laurel Clark, communications coordinator Lauren Baggett, director of communications, UGA College of Public Health
by Shannah Cahoe Montgomery
It’s a quintessential spring morning at the University of Georgia’s State Botanical Garden. The sun is starting to peek out from behind a patchwork of pale gray clouds, warming the air.
It’s an idyllic setting for another session of Meet Me at the Garden. This pilot program, delivered by the education teams at UGA’s Cognitive Aging Research & Education (CARE) Center and the State Botanical Garden, wants to “expand the bubble” of persons living with dementia and their caregivers through interactive education and sensory activities.
Four pairs of people with dementia and their caregivers signed up to participate in this pilot program, attending four sessions over four months. Each two-hour session has a learning theme – today’s is all about greens – and CARE Center team members, cheerfully referred to as garden gurus, support each pair throughout the session by answering questions and serving as personal guides.
The pairs and their gurus gather at the Children’s Garden among a semi-circle of raised beds chock full of winter vegetables and flowers. Today, they are planting and harvesting greens and herbs. “Oh, that’s exciting!” exclaimed Odette, one of the participants. “Tony, we get to take home some plants. Won’t that be nice?” she asked her husband Tony, who stands at her side.
Odette takes a few steps back as Tony leans over a spray of kale and cabbage leaves. Yellow and purple pansies stand out against a background of bright green. Children’s Garden curator Katie McCollum shows Tony where to snip the stems of the kale he wants to take home and hands him a pair of scissors.
Odette is watching from a few feet away. She takes a few pictures of Tony, then turns to survey another raised bed of lettuces next to her.
Two months ago, at the first session of Meet Me at the Garden, Odette stuck close, seemingly reluctant to leave Tony alone for too long. It’s become habit. For the last year and a half, Odette has watched as Tony’s processing speed, memory and ability to take care of himself have slowly slipped away due to Alzheimer’s disease.
The CARE team knows this dynamic all too well.
When someone becomes a caregiver, one thing that happens,” said CARE Center Co-Director Lisa RenziHammond, “is that relationship dynamics shift in a way that is uncomfortable for both caregivers and for patients.”
Photos
“Spouses, for example, who were equal partners in a relationship end up becoming unbalanced and asymmetrical,” she said. “So, instead of both partners jointly making decisions together, problem solving together, one partner ends up having to make the bulk of the decisions and telling the other partner what to do.”
Odette is learning to care for Tony in this new dynamic.
Tony was a chemical engineer who loved working with his hands and getting out into nature. He used to garden, and once built a catamaran from scratch, even sewing the sail himself. And, Odette and Tony loved taking walks at Sandy Creek Park with their dog, Zoro.
Now, Odette says, Tony just wants to watch TV most days.
“My main goal [of participating in Meet Me at the Garden] was to see Tony interacting and how he enjoys being creative still,” she said.
Stimulating the senses
Art and music therapy are commonly recommended to help persons living with dementia because they help them tap back into their creativity and engage their senses.
“Senses are the gateway to the brain,” said Renzi-Hammond. “If you are going to stimulate a brain and have it do something magnificent, it usually happens through the senses.
“While no one should expect that people living with Alzheimer’s or dementia will improve their processing speeds, memory or executive function, we should be able to engage senses.”
We believe strongly that connections to plants and nature are essential for a good life. We also believe that those connections should be accessible to everyone. With this program, we could adapt our preexisting curriculum to connect us with an audience that is becoming ever larger in our country.
Jenny Cruse-Sanders State Botanical Garden Director
The CARE Center is engaged in multiple levels of research to better understand and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. The center also provides outreach to communities in order to offer better support and education on an issue that impacts over 6.5 million people in the U.S. and an estimated 150,000 Georgians.
When State Botanical Garden Director Jenny Cruse-Sanders approached the CARE team about adapting a Meet Me at the Garden program she’d learned about at the Naples Botanical Garden in Florida, they jumped at the opportunity.
“We believe strongly that connections to plants and nature are essential for a good life,” said Cruse-Sanders. “We also believe that those connections should be accessible to everyone. With this program, we could adapt our preexisting curriculum to connect us with an audience that is becoming ever larger in our country.”
The garden’s Director of Education Cora Keber was connected with Master of Public Health student Lydia Burton to start developing a curriculum for the program.
Each session, they decided, would have things available to taste, touch, smell, manipulate and to take home to look back on and remember. The participants also get to take home a lesson about the topic du jour. The group has learned about the history of coffee and tea, chocolate, how eating greens helps your brain, and native plants and pollinators.
Burton is delivering the program curriculum as part of her capstone project, which is required for all MPH students. At the end of each session, Burton and the garden gurus help their pairs fill out a questionnaire that asks about how the day’s session made an impact on both the dementia patients and their caregiver.
“We want to see if their quality of life has improved from learning and being out in nature and seeing new things or new sides of the person that they love,” said Burton. “I’m hoping to see changes and improvements in quality of life, their bond together, and I’m hoping to see that they are engaged with the activities.”
The benefits of a bigger bubble
As Alzheimer’s disease or dementia progresses, people living with the disease and their care partner tend to stay at home where the environment feels familiar and safe, rarely socializing with others.
“When people are in that bubble together, they’re isolated. Every day is exhausting, it’s just getting to the next day. This is something that’s accessible,” said Burton.
Meet Me at the Garden was designed to offer a space where everyone can be on equal footing and the responsibility of caregiving is distributed around the room.
Garden Guru Hannah Huff is happy to take on this responsibility. She’s been working with Tony and Odette since they first contacted the CARE clinic hoping to get a diagnosis.
“I just think it’s great that I’m able to be here to support them so that they can experience these things without Odette having to be like, ‘OK, I’m the caregiver. I need to be a caregiver 24/7. No, I can just exist and be here with my husband and go on a walk in the sensory gardens,’” said Huff. “It’s really nice to see her exhale and let her explore.”
Odette also has more opportunities to interact with other caregivers and talk about the challenges and the difficult days.
Odette says she does see a difference in Tony on the days they come to Meet Me at the Garden. He’s engaged with the activities and moves around a lot more. When Odette tells Tony they’re going to the Botanical Garden, he smiles.
“When I see him involved in something that he likes, of course it makes me feel good,” Odette said. “And also, it breaks our schedule being able to meet other people, because it’s me and him all the time, or doctors and appointments. So, it’s nice. It’s refreshing, and I feel supported. This is like my second family. My first family, really, because I don’t have anybody here.”
These are the types of benefits that the team wants to demonstrate to apply for funding. Additional funding will allow them to expand the program to benefit more people across Georgia.
The pilot program wrapped up in April, but the team is planning to take the program to the CARE Center and use raised garden beds. Eventually, the programming will be developed so that rural counties that have been working with the CARE Center through the UGA Archway Partnership can adopt Meet Me at the Garden for their communities.
Today, Odette and Tony are going home with a bag of kale, a salad dressing they made together with fresh thyme, and plenty of photos of Tony that Odette will share with her cousin.
Renzi-Hammond hope that each of the participants, whether in this pilot or in future programs, will take home more than souvenirs of their day at Meet Me at the Garden.
“We hope that people look at the things that they take home from the garden, the plants that they bring back into their spaces, as a way of remembering that it is still possible to connect with their loved one and engage with them,” she said.
TUESDAY
JOHNSTONE LECTURE SAVE THE DATE
featuring
Abra Lee
‘The Invincible Garden Ladies’
It was nothing short of a grand affair when Blanche Hurston launched her Florida floral business during the roaring twenties. And when it came time to sell beautiful blooms, the mighty Mahalia Jackson made customers an offer they couldn’t refuse! From the ordinary to the extraordinary—join in as we shine the spotlight on these lady legends in horticulture who forged a path to economic and social freedom, providing inspiration for plant lovers today.
The University of Georgia Office of the President presents
Mid-November to Dec. 30
GARDENS OF THE WORLD BALL 2023
Kimberly Futrell, donor relations and special events coordinator
On Saturday, May 6, the garden held the 38th annual Gardens of the World Ball, celebrating the Kentucky Derby. Over 230 guests, styled in their best Derby hats and fascinators, enjoyed a delicious multi-course dinner, warm fellowship and dancing.
A heartfelt thank you to our tri-chairs, Sandra Paris, Hart Payne and Nancy Thomas, for their vision to bring the Derby to life at the garden. We also extend a special thank you to the honorary chair, Cindy Moore, for her dedication and support of the ball and the garden for over 30 years.
The Gardens of the World Ball is the premier fundraiser for the garden. With the tri-chairs’ leadership, the ball was a huge success. Proceeds will help to fund a beautifully designed and much-needed expansion of the garden entrance to improve safety and accessibility for the garden’s increasing number of visitors.
thank you to our
2023 garDens of the WorlD Ball sPonsors
Presenting
Rosalind & Jimmy Jeter
Farolyn & Patrick Mobley
DiamonD
Susan Braselton Fant
Deen Day & Jim Sanders
Platinum
Altria, Inc.
Callaway Blue Spring Water
Capstone Properties
Cindy & Richard Moore
Cynthia Willett
golD
Blossoms Wholesale
Malcolm Burgess
Pat & Tom Carlock
Geri & Wade Coleman
Brenda & Ham Magill
Sandra & Trey Paris
Lyndy & Joel Wernick
Tom Wight
Wilmington Trust
706.542.1244 . botgarden.uga.edu . garden@uga.edu
If you’re looking for a great place to shop for the holidays, look no further than the State Botanical Garden gift shop. The garden shop has been filled with gifts you and your loved ones will cherish and appreciate long after the holidays.
Remember, the Holiday Market will be open every evening during Winter WonderLights. You can grab coffee mugs, commemorative ornaments, a unique Condor Chocolate bar and other great items to remember your trip to Winter WonderLights.
