Seeds of Support
2020
GARDEN OF EDEN
1 | GARDEN OF EDEN
2 | GARDEN OF EDEN
SEEDS OF SUPPORT
All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today. –Proverb
GARDEN OF EDEN | 3
Host Committee Melissa and Philip Babb Melissa and Jose Barra Liz and Bill Cary Mary Wayne Dixon and Bill Dixon Joy and John Dyer Katharine and Alan Elsas Jennifer and Marty Flanagan Pamela and Neville Isdell Sarah and Jim Kennedy Cara Isdell Lee and Zak Lee Tori and John Lewis Linda and Ed McGinn Vicki and Howard Palefsky Jennifer and David Poroch Nancy and Charlie Rigby Stephanie and Austin Stephens Linda and Mason Stephenson Greer and Alex Taylor Carol and Ramon TomĂŠ Janeen and Mark Traylor Ball Advisor Dean DuBose Smith 4 | GARDEN OF EDEN
Thank you! The Atlanta Botanical Garden is proud to serve our community as a place of hope and healing, today and tomorrow. Nature inspires us, and by joining together, we can promote a healthier, greener planet. It is with deepest appreciation that the Garden acknowledges the generosity of our sponsors and friends.
GARDEN OF EDEN | 5
Presenting Sponsor
6 | GARDEN OF EDEN
Presenting Sponsor
GARDEN OF EDEN | 7
Premium Sponsor
Supporting Sponsors
Jennifer and Marty Flanagan
The J.B. Fuqua Foundation, Inc.
Duvall and Rex Fuqua
PNC 8 | GARDEN OF EDEN
Benefactor Sponsors
Elkin Alston Arrow Exterminators Shearon and Taylor Glover Linda and Ed McGinn Robin and Marc Pollack Katharine Rayner Deen Day Sanders and Jim Sanders Dean DuBose Smith and Bronson Smith Patron Sponsors Mopsy and Doug Aldridge Christina and Paul Blackney Matt Bronfman and Ronit Walker Nena Griffith Hillary and Ben Jackson Barby and Bert Levy Anna and Hays Mershon Karen and Richard Parker Kim and Alex Smith Susan and James Spratt Margaret and Henry Staats Maria and Timothy Tassopoulos GARDEN OF EDEN | 9
10 | GARDEN OF EDEN
Your gift has an incredible impact! Your 2020 Garden of Eden contribution provides essential revenue for facility operations, conservation and research programs, educational outreach, and so much more. Each gift offers Seeds of Support that will grow and blossom in future years. For example‌
GARDEN OF EDEN | 11
• Supports best-in-class exhibits, ensuring that the Garden remains a top open-air cultural destination in our busy urban area • Contributes to foundational plant collections that offer yearround interest throughout our 30 acres in Midtown as well as 7 acres of public gardens in Gainesville • Helps to underwrite digital learning opportunities targeted to Title I schools so that area schoolchildren have access to best-in-class STEM-based enrichment • Fuels critical work in conservation genetics and evolutionary studies, pollinator research, and conservation seed banking at the Garden’s Southeastern Center for Conservation
12 | GARDEN OF EDEN
Your gift : • Provides for family-friendly shade structures and other amenities that make the Children’s Garden such a magical place for visitors of all ages • Helps to fund future “Kinder in the Garden” activities for every kindergartner in Atlanta Public Schools • Supports ex situ efforts to propagate Asclepias (milkweed), the key food source of endangered Monarch Butterfly caterpillars
GARDEN OF EDEN | 13
• Contributes to the care of amphibians in the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory so that guests better understand the interconnectedness of plants and animals • Provides funding for events and exhibitions including Scarecrows in the Garden, Chocolate Covered Weekend, Reindog Parade, and Orchid Daze
14 | GARDEN OF EDEN
• Brings the brilliant colors of hyacinths, daffodils and tulips to enliven early spring days as we celebrate the annual festival of Atlanta Blooms! • Contributes to on-site outdoor programming for children and families, including physically-distanced “room to bloom” singalongs and story time
GARDEN OF EDEN | 15
Board of Trustees EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
TRUSTEES
John M. Dyer Board Chair
Melissa Babb Melissa Barra Julie W. Cromartie Jennifer Flanagan Gene Kansas Cara Isdell Lee John Lewis, Jr. Jade A. Logan Ed McGinn Vicki Palefsky Karen Parker Cody Partin Sylvia Russell Keith M. Townsend
John H. Crawford, IV Vice Chair Mason W. Stephenson Secretary Kristine M. Brown Legal Counsel Charles W. Cary, Jr. Treasurer Mary Pat Matheson The Anna & Hays Mershon President & CEO / Ex-Officio COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Carol B. Tomé Trustees David P. Poroch Conservation Advancement Mark Traylor Development H. Alan Elsas Education Charles W. Cary, Jr. Finance and Endowment Paul M. Cushing Plant Collections Beth Rummel Garden Associates President Roger A. Key 16 | GARDEN OF EDEN
LIFETIME TRUSTEES
Douglas R. Aldridge Tricia Allen Sylvia Attkisson Moses Bond Norris A. Broyles, Jr. Moncure Crowder
George E. N. de Man Mary Wayne Dixon Flossie Dodge J. Rex Fuqua James Gibbs Shearon Glover Holcombe T. Green, Jr. Bernard L. Green, Jr. Sylvia Harris Patricia Hartrampf Aileen P. Hatcher Babette Henagan Trudy Huger, Jr. John J. Huntz, Jr. David S. Martin John Hays Mershon Robert E. Reiser, Jr. Olive Robinson Deen Day Sanders Margaret Shirley Dean DuBose Smith James Dean Spratt, Jr. Harriet Warren Tom Woodham
Garden of
Eden 1981-2019 GARDEN OF EDEN | 17
1981 Garden of Eden Chair: Mrs. N.V. Hendricks III 1982 1983
Garden of Eden Chair: Mrs. Anthony Ames
1984 1985
17th Century French Garden Chair: Mrs. Terry Walker Brown Honoring: Mrs. Philip Alston, Jr.
1986
Early 20th Century American Garden Chair: Mrs. George S. Branch Honoring: Mrs. Thomas E. Martin, Jr.
Alice in Wonderland Chair: Mrs. Josephine Westervelt
A Persian Pleasure Garden Chair: Mrs. Edward H. Inman Honoring: Mrs. Deen Day Smith
1987 Jungle Paradise Chair: Mrs. Frank Hulse IV Honoring: Mrs. A.H. Sterne, Jr. 1988 Oriental Ball Chair: Mrs. William B. Wiggins, Jr. Honoring: Mrs. J.B. Fuqua 1989 A Bouquet of Proms Chair: Mrs. Josephine Westervelt 1990
Le Cirque de Fleurs Chair: Mrs. William W. Dixon Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Edward D. Smith
1991
Dance of the Woodlands Chair: Mrs. Edwin Y. Hines Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Yates
1992
The Secret Garden Chair: Mrs. R. Dalrymple Burton Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. C. William Close, Jr.
1993 Une Fete de Provence Chair: Miss Mary Bray Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Sims Bray 1994 18 | GARDEN OF EDEN
Palm Court (Victorian) Chair: Amanda Brown Olmstead Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Strickland
1999
The Garden Swings Chair: Mrs. John Huntz, Jr. Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. William Law
2000
Before the Bite Chairs: Elizabeth Martin, Stella Martin, and Lisa Tunnell Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Inman Allen & Mr. and Mrs. Rex Fuqua
2001 2002
American Embassy Chairs: Ms. Laura Heery, Mrs. Joseph Hoffman, & Mrs. Nichols Robinson Honoring: Ambassadors from Atlanta and Georgia
2003
Out on a Limb Chairs: Teri and Mose Bond Honoring: Olive and Roby Robinson
2004
The Botany of Desire Chairs: Lynn and David Lowance Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. William W. Dixon
A Moonlight Sonata Chairs: Libby Lanier and Mary Alston Glenn Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Alston Glenn
1995 Scottish Links Chair: Mrs. Robert Keller Honoring: Louise Allen 1996
A Tropical Paradise Chair: Mrs. Aileen Hatcher Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Thrower
1997
Midnight at the Oasis Chairs: Duvall Fuqua and Frances Schultz Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Holcombe T. Green, Jr.
1998
Saturday Night Fever Chair: Mrs. H. Bronson Smith Honoring: Mr. and Mrs. Shepard Ansley GARDEN OF EDEN | 19
2005
The Magic of the Maze Chairs: Stephanie and Bill Reeves Honoring: Anna and Hays Mershon
2006
In Silver (25th Anniversary) Chair: Amanda Brown-Olmstead Honoring: The Ball Chairs from previous 25 years
2007
Flights of Fancy Chairs: Jackie and Jimmy Cushman, Jr. Honoring: The Late Philip H. Alston, Jr.
2008
Bell’Acqua Chairs: Jennifer and Terance Fowler Honoring: Mrs. J.B. Fuqua
2009
Sunrise: A New Day Dawns at the Garden Chairs: Susan and Jim Spratt Honoring: Jane and Dameron Black
2010
Canopy: Beauty of the Bower Chairs: Burch and Mark Hanson Honoring: Elizabeth and David Martin
20 | GARDEN OF EDEN
2011
Seed, Blossom, Fruit Chair: Dina Woodruff Honoring: Norris Broyles, George de Man, Mary Wayne Dixon, Dottie Fuqua, Holcombe Green, Ben Greer, Barbara Humphreys, Mary Izard, Peggy Martin, Olive Robinson, Deen Day Sanders, Dorothy Yates
2012
A Celebration of the Seasons Chairs: Paula Dickey and Kim Lape Honoring: New Seasons Capital and Endowment Campaign
2013
Circus Chairs: Ginger Molloy and Susan Been Honoring: Mary Wayne Dixon
2014
Into the Woods Chairs: Roger Smith and Christopher Jones Honoring: Anne Cox Chambers
2015
Eden in Bloom Chairs: Audra Dial and Matthew Ford Honoring: The Glenn Family: Lou and Tom Glenn, Louisa and Michael D’Antignac, Rand and Seth Hagen
2016
Reflections & Radiance Chairs: Stephanie and Austin Stephens Honoring: Shearon and Taylor Glover
2017 Kaleidoscope Chairs: Barby and Bert Levy Honoring: Susan and Jim Spratt 2018 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Chairs: Betty and Robert Balentine Honoring: Margaret and Bob Reiser 2019 Througth the Looking Glass Chairs: Cara Isdell Lee and Zak Lee Honoring: Pamela and Neville Isdell GARDEN OF EDEN | 21
This past year has been unlike any other. We often hear this time described as unprecedented, challenging, and turbulent…and all of those sentiments ring true. Here at the Garden, while we acknowledge both the difficulties and the opportunities inherent in this moment, we are focusing on the opportunities. We know that the Garden is making a positive difference in our community and our world. Our mission—to develop and maintain plant collections for display, education, research, conservation, and enjoyment—has never been more important. Our message throughout this time has been “Life Blooms On” and we will continue to be resilient, hopeful, and visionary as we connect people with plants in support of a thriving planet. Despite the fact that we did not gather in person for the Garden of Eden Ball, I am thrilled to share this special digital publication with you. I feel deeply connected to everyone who is part of our Garden family, and I’d like to personally thank each of you for your generosity and commitment to the Garden’s mission-driven goals. The Seeds of Support that you’ve planted will grow and flourish over time, ensuring the Garden’s ongoing success. As a result of your contributions, our educators will reach more Title I students and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards. Our conservation and research scientists will spend more time in our labs and out in the field working to save fragile ecosystems. And our horticulturists will cultivate new gardens in Midtown and in Gainesville to delight visitors of all ages. The Garden has always been a place of respite in our region—and this role is especially critical right now as people look to nature for peace and rejuvenation. Your investment in Atlanta’s urban oasis benefits our community in many ways, both large and small, and we are incredibly grateful. Once again, thank you for supporting the Garden’s growth, and please mark your calendar for the next Garden of Eden Ball, scheduled for Saturday, September 25, 2021, when we will have a very joyful reunion. Until then, all the best wishes for your continued well-being!
Mary Pat Matheson The Anna and Hays Mershon President & CEO
22 | GARDEN OF EDEN
Benefiting the Mission of
GARDEN OF EDEN | 23
Save the Date! Garden of Eden Ball September 25, 2021
24 | GARDEN OF EDEN