Atlanta | Gainesville | May – August 2015
Summer is set to sparkle!
The Gardens in Storza Woods Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville
| Atlanta President’s Message We all have different things that motivate us; my primary one is accomplishment, getting things done that are highly visible and impactful. Professionally, this has served me well over the years as I’ve had the privilege of raising capital funds to create beautiful gardens, facilities, and exhibits for guests to enjoy. When we build gardens we are planting a seed for the future. They are our legacies and will be here for generations to come. Opening a new botanical garden, however, is one of our profession’s most rare and magical moments. Few have the opportunity to create a garden that will be dedicated in perpetuity to the display of plant collections, visitor enrichment, educational programs and conservation of rare plants. We approach that rare milestone on the opening weekend of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville, May 2 and 3. It’s impossible to express the emotion behind the “birth” of our new baby. It’s truly taken a village to reach this momentous occasion – donors, designers, community leaders, board members, volunteers, and talented staff. But foremost on my mind as we prepare to open the new Garden is the generosity and vision of two very special people, Charles and Lessie Smithgall. They dedicated much of their lives to this beautiful piece of property, raised a remarkable family there, and allowed many of the youth in Gainesville to explore the woodlands and creeks of their beautiful homestead. Our Gainesville garden will forever be “the Smithgalls’ Woodland Legacy.” The oaks, hickories, maples, native azaleas, wild turkeys and resident birds will be there for a new generation to enjoy. Enhanced by our collections of hydrangea, witch hazel, magnolia and maple, the Garden already is bursting into bloom. We can all be proud of this magnificent “accomplishment”; my heart beats faster when I think about the opening that is fast approaching. The adrenaline has already kicked in, and I can see the families and community friends walking through our new “baby” with eyes wide in wonder and amazement. I hope you will all visit and enjoy the new Gainesville garden and remember that you were there when it first opened. That’s an accomplishment that you will also remember long into the future. Mary Pat Matheson, The Anna and Hays Mershon President & CEO
The Garden of Eden Ball: Eden in Bloom
The Garden has been awarded a major grant to aid in its conservation work with pitcher plants. In collaboration with the Florida Park Service, the Conservation Research Department received $657,000 in Gulf Environmental Benefit Funds through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore 250 acres of wet prairies and pitcher plant bogs. The fund supports projects that benefit natural resources of the Gulf Coast that were impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Pitcher plant bogs in the Southeastern coastal plain are diminishing because of fire exclusion, hydrologic changes, or conversion to other land uses. In some cases, these plant communities respond to large-scale restoration activities by sprouting from remaining seeds and dormant plants; in other cases it is necessary to propagate rare plants. The funding expands an ongoing collaborative project that has resulted in 35 restored acres and documented seed collections sourced from 16 locations in Florida State Parks and Eglin Air Force Base. The Garden is propagating 14 plant species, including pitcher plants (Sarracenia sp.), lily (Lilium catesbaei), and two orchids, rose pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides) and white fringed orchid (Platanthera blephariglottis). In 2013-14, 4,050 plants were planted into restored habitats. Jenny Cruse-Sanders, Vice President, Science and Conservation Photo: AMADa44
The 2015 Garden of Eden Ball gives a nod to the summer art exhibition Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden with the theme “Eden Matthew Ford in Bloom.” and Audra Dial As the largest annual fundraiser for the Garden, this year’s event, set for Saturday, Sept. 26, honors the Tom Glenn family, including Lou and Tom Glenn, Louisa D’Antignac and Rand Hagen, for their long- term philanthropic support of the Garden and its mission. Chaired by Audra Dial and Matthew Ford, the ball once again will be held in an air-conditioned tent on the Great Lawn, transformed by Kathy Rainer and Tricky Wolfes of Parties to Die For into a beautiful floral paradise. For ticket and sponsorship information, contact Rebekka Kuntschik at rkuntschik@ atlantabg.org or 404-591-1584.
Grant Aids Conservation Efforts
Pitcher Plants
| Official News Publication for Members of the Atlanta Botanical Garden | Atlanta | Gainesville Vice President, Marketing: Sabina Carr | Editor: Danny Flanders | Designer: Chris Kozarich | Membership Manager: Claudia McDavid 2
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woodland
Photo: chris kozarich
flourish
Photo: Teri Nye
Photo: Chris Kozarich
Photo: Teri Nye
The Gardens in Storza Woods debuts with striking renovations and additions Dramatic sweeps of lush, green ferns and flowering trees and shrubs will beckon from below as guests head down the Canopy Walk toward the woodland this spring. Their destination: The new Gardens in Storza Woods. Located in one of the city’s last mature hardwood forests, the new gardens open in May, and evening guests exploring Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden are encouraged to visit early and tour the new addition. As they leave the Canopy Walk landing, visitors will get a close look at the blues, pinks, and whites of several species of hydrangeas and white spikes of buckeyes while strolling through recently renovated existing gardens. From there, the new gardens feature a series of rooms that can be accessed via an upper or lower pathway that loops the entirety of the woodlands. The upper pathway takes visitors through the filtered light of the forest. This part of the path is highlighted by two overlooks providing expansive views of the swale of the Channel Garden, understory trees, spring-flowering trees, many colorful annual container gardens, and an intimate view of the Garden’s city-champion tulip poplar. Past the tulip poplar is the Glade Garden, an elliptical, sunny opening with masses of pastel-flowering perennials. The Glade Garden is bisected by the grand Water Mirror, an 80-foot-long rectangular stair-stepped water feature. The adjacent White Oak Overlook highlights a majestic white oak and provides a wonderful view of the surrounding gardens and water features. An expansive, arching stone bridge leading from the glade and overlook provides a beautiful uphill view of the Channel Garden and forest. Leading away from the bridge, a succession of fragrant pink, yellow, orange, and red flowering native azaleas surrounds a pathway that ushers guests back to the existing gardens. “The Garden has taken great care in the project’s design and development to preserve century-old trees and respect the wonderful topography of the woodlands,” Garden President & CEO Mary Pat Matheson said. “Visitors who, until now, have never been able to explore this part of our property are in for an amazing treat.” The new Gardens in Storza Woods marks the initial phase of improvements and enhancements in the Garden’s $50 million Nourish & Flourish capital campaign. Projects over the next two years will include an expanded Gardenhouse with café, renovated Children’s Garden and new Skyline Gardens. Dave Rife, Senior Horticulturist
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| Atlanta Bruce Munro, 2013. Photo: Mark Pickthall
British artist Bruce Munro stands illuminated by the gorgeous shifting colors of his Field of Light installation.
Artist Bruce Munro to transform the Garden with mesmerizing exhibition of light The Garden will be glowing this spring when it hosts a stunning art exhibition, Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden, featuring unique installations created from hundreds of miles of fiber optics. Munro, a British artist internationally acclaimed for his use of light as an artistic medium, will transform the Garden into an enchanting setting May 2 – Oct. 3, Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Light is designed specifically for the Garden and is the artist’s largest show ever in the Southeast. “This exhibition will be something unlike any other that Atlantans have experienced,” Garden President & CEO
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Mary Pat Matheson said. “At dusk, the Garden will become this enchanting yet natural landscape that visitors just have to see to believe.” Inspired by everything from childhood humor to meditation, Munro conveys his love of experimentation through flickering light tubes, LED-lit bottles and a variety of innovative repurposed materials. The exhibition includes six interactive installations, from massive displays to smaller sculptures. Equally diverse are the artist’s materials, from fiber optics to recyclable plastic bottles. The show’s largest and most spectacular work, Forest of Light, features 30,000 flower-like stems of lights blanketing Storza Woods – a meadowlike display that can be experienced both from the ground and the Canopy Walk above. The installation is an adaptation of Munro’s iconic Field of Light first exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2004 and the largest of its kind in the world to date.
Another installation, Water-Towers, includes massive 6-foot-tall sculptures made of thousands of lighted, waterfilled one-liter bottles – choreographed to music. Munro, whose first U.S. exhibition was at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, in 2012, learned about design and lighting while living in Australia. In 1992, he returned to southwest England and set up a studio as an installation artist working in light. Since then, his small team has become well known for creating architectural lighting schemes for private residences, hotels and restaurants. Matheson encourages visitors to come at dusk as Light slowly comes to life. The exhibition can be enjoyed as an extended evening experience complete with cash bars and dinner at The Café at Linton’s in the Garden. Supported By: Isdell Family Foundation Media Partner: AT&T U-verse®
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Why did you choose to present your work at the Garden? It’s an immense privilege to be asked to exhibit my work, especially in such a worldclass garden! I believe we are a great fit because much of my work requires large landscapes, and the Garden has some unique spaces. How will Forest of Light at the Garden be different from Field of Light? Atlanta will be home to the largest iteration of Field of Light to date. Every landscape it inhabits has its own unique characteristics, which in turn informs the rhythm of the installation. Storza Woods is a unique space with a wonderful skywalk, and this feature will allow visitors to experience the installation from a unique bird’s eye view.
What are you most excited about? Every aspect of an exhibition is exciting. I enjoy the whole process, which starts with the first visit and my return to the studio full of inspiration, the creations and finishes, and afterward when everything is dismantled, and the site is left pristine. I hope the exhibition is remembered as a positive experience for the Garden and viewer.
Water-Towers, Bruce Munro, 2013. Photo: Mark Pickthall
Tell us about the two installations you’ve designed specifically for the Garden. Three Degrees was an idea that landed in my sketchbook during my first visit to Atlanta. For some reason I was thinking about R&B and disco – curvaceous feminine forms that spangled light into space. My aim is create an installation that is energetic, uplifting, and captures the essence of a performance. Swing Low was inspired by the space, the Fern Dell Fountain. I had previously created a much smaller iteration of it for a private client in London. The circular water feature immediately drew me to thinking a giant Gulliver-size version would look wonderful. It’s been a technical challenge to realize this installation.
Water-Towers 20, 6-foot-tall columns of 216 bottles each pulse with color-changing light synced to music around the Aquatic Plant Pond. Beacon A massive geodesic dome formed by 2,730 glowing bottles is a focal point at Howell Fountain.
about the art
a chat with munro
Forest of Light Munro’s most iconic work features 30,000 illuminated frosted glass spheres atop slender stems blanketing Storza Woods.
Eden Blooms Exotic, futuristic flower-forms radiate bold color in the Fuqua Conservatory. Three Degrees A trio of curvaceous forms covered in shimmering reflective material are suspended from fine threads of fiber optic in the Fuqua Orchid Center. Swing Low A cradle of giant illuminated spheres is suspended over Fern Dell Fountain in the Southern Seasons Garden.
Discounted Member Tickets* Water-Towers Eden Blooms, Bruce Munro, 2013. Photo: Mark Pickthall
Adult $9.95 Child 3-12 $7.95 Child under 3 Free
Non-Member Tickets* Peak Non-Peak Adult $22.95 $19.95 Child 3-12 $15.95 $13.95 Child under 3 Free Free Garden members receive half-price every night! Advance ticket purchases are recommended at atlantabg.org. *Sales tax and transaction fees not included. Guest passes are not valid for this special ticketed event.
Eden Blooms
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| Atlanta
tour for connoisseurs
Hammond Garden
Explore 12 of Atlanta’s finest private gardens during this popular tradition Tucked away in Sandy Springs, Lee and Mike Dunn’s garden has been transformed from three wild “deer-ravaged” acres into an impressive woodland estate showcasing distinct garden rooms accented with artwork. Across town, Jane and Michael McLain have opted for a more formal design in their Buckhead garden – one that complements their Greek Revival home. These two stunning retreats are only two of the 12 locations featured on the annual Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour May 9 – 10, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Mother’s Day weekend tradition benefiting the Garden offers the opportunity to explore exquisite private gardens by talented landscape designers and local gardeners in Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Chamblee, Ansley Park and Decatur. Selected by tour chairs Paula White and Kathryn LaTour, the sites “represent the rich diversity of Atlanta’s landscape, from elegant estates to cottage gardens and traditional to modern,” White said. For the Dunns, who are passionate gardeners and art collectors, their Sandy Springs acreage provides “an ever expanding canvas… with each room telling a unique story,” Lee Dunn said. Visitors will delight in a delicate bronze figure that greets them in the Welcome Garden, an antique aviary from Belgium overlooking the Kitchen Garden, and a variety of sculptures set throughout the woodlands. For a European aesthetic there’s the classically inspired McLain garden, designed by noted landscape architect Richard Anderson. The garden features a French-style parterre that frames an antique wellhead and adjoins a pool terrace with a pavilion that overlooks a picturesque woodland rill and rose garden. The McLains enjoy late-afternoon walks through the lower garden spilling with mountain laurel and rhododendrons. Jane McLain especially loves the custom turquoise bridge over the creek. “We had it copied from the Zuber wallpaper in our dining room,” she said. Sponsors: Beacham & Company Realtors, Gramma B’s, Monrovia, Scottsdale Farms, Marcia Weber ~ Gardens to Love
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Dunn Garden
McLain Garden
Tour Tickets* $25 Advance Tickets ($20 Garden members, online only) $30 Day of the Tour Tickets Ticket are available at atlantabg.org and select garden retailers. *Tickets are valid both days of the Tour. Children under 12 are free.
One of the Garden’s most unique trees is the iconic dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) marking the entrance to the Edible Garden. The tree is unusual because it looks like an evergreen – some consider it a giant Christmas tree – and yet it loses its leaves (needles) in winter. This redwood is one of only five genera of deciduous conifers in the world. The tree has a statuesque, pyramidal shape but is fairly uncommon in the urban landscape. Fossil records date the redwood as far back as the Mesozoic Era. It was thought to be extinct, but in the early 1940s it was discovered in a remote valley of China. This explains why the dawn redwood often is referred to as “a living fossil.” E.D. Merrill with the Arnold Arboretum distributed seed from this discovery to arboreta and public gardens throughout the United States in the late 1940s. Baby boomers have existed here as long as the dawn redwood – if you don’t count all the trees that thrived here 15 million years ago. The Garden’s redwood was planted in the late 1970s by horticulturist Bob Sanfelippo. The tree, only a few feet tall at the time, has since reached more than 60 feet tall, illustrating its rapid growth rate. Indeed, this tree can achieve heights of more than 100 feet when planted in conditions it loves best: full sun and moist, well-draining soil that is slightly acidic.
Photo: Erica George Dines
Julie Hogg, Horticulturist
Senior horticulturist Moe Hemmings and Chef Linton Hopkins talk plants in the Edible Garden.
partners in food Photo: Bart Sasso
The Iconic Dawn Redwood
Photo: chris kozarich
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Chef Linton Hopkins plans ahead with the Edible Garden team
Taking its mission to heart, the Garden is working with The Café at Linton’s in the Garden to present the plant-to-plate concept of dining in its most literal definition. In addition to supporting Outdoor Kitchen programs, Summer Cooking Camps, and the Atlanta Community Food Bank with produce grown in the Edible Garden, the horticulture team is collaborating with the Café at Linton’s on a game plan for the year and well into the future. Discussions have helped shape a planting plan and allow for the Edible Garden team to think outside the box in incorporating new plants so that cafe guests can experience in the garden what they may find on their plates. Keep an eye out for blueberries (Vaccinium), strawberries (Fragaria) and dwarf bananas (Musa), to name a few. Since last fall when the Café at Linton’s opened, the Edible Garden has provided the chef with a harvest of fresh winter crops, such as radicchio, cabbage, and even Swiss chard used in a sliced salad paired with chow chow (a mixture of pickled peppers and onions) and a light buttermilk dressing. Café staff also have joined horticulturists in walking the Edible Garden to explore various inspirations for dishes, such as using fig leaves as a wrap for cooking fish. The partnership is expected to grow even stronger as the new full-service restaurant opens next winter in an expanded space next to Gardenhouse. Construction begins this spring on Linton’s in the Garden offering a seating capacity of more than 200 with sweeping vistas of the woodland garden along with a rooftop deck for enjoying views of the Midtown skyline. Moe Hemmings, Senior Horticulturist
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| Atlanta
bold inspiration Persian Shield
Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden inspires summer annuals This summer visitors will be treated to thousands of bold colorful flowers throughout the Garden, many carefully chosen to complement the Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden exhibition. Planning for this year’s plantings began last fall because it takes several months to select, grow and plant the bulbs and annuals. Helping drive the color combinations were the six installations in the exhibition, many of which feature brightly colored – often
changing – lights. The annual beds and pots near Munro’s Water-Towers, for example, will be filled with plants with saturated jewel-toned leaves such as those of the deep purple Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus) and flowers like coral Hibiscus ‘Florida Sunset’ and Impatiens ‘Bounce Violet’. For the horticulture team, the challenge was making a strong impact in a setting seen at nighttime. The key was to accent displays with white flowers because they require only little lighting for visibility while also making other colors pop. Balancing bold with light, bright colors will make this year’s annual displays ones worth remembering. Jim Smith, Senior Horticulturist
Hibiscus ‘Florida Sunset’
Impatiens ‘Bounce Violet’
Photo: Chris Kozarich
border refresh
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The latest phase of development in Perennial Border’s facelift comes this spring when waves of warm colors and seasonal plants are added to the long bed along the east side of the Great Lawn. The garden was converted last year in preparation for housing the Philip Haas sculpture exhibition The Four Seasons. After the exhibition closed in October, three hedges of boxwood, plum yew and distylium were planted to give the bed some form and structure. This planting also included groupings of ‘Purple Magic’ Crape Myrtle and ‘Winter Gold’ Winterberry. This spring, the horticulture team will be adding more exciting new plantings including bulbs and perennials displaying a variety of hot colors. Perennials like agastache, alstroemeria, clinopodium, and dicliptera will warm the garden with their oranges and yellows while attracting hummingbirds and other nectar lovers. The electric-yellow flower stalks of ‘Fireworks’ goldenrod blending with the dark wine purple of Hibiscus ‘Midnight Marvel’ and Salvia ‘Purple Majesty’ will round out the palette of hot hues. Bradley Roberts, Assistant Horticulturist
Atlanta | Atlanta Rose Show
Wednesdays – Sundays, May 2 – Oct. 3, 6 – 11 p.m. Explore stunning installations by British lighting artist Bruce Munro during this special ticketed event.
Saturday, May 9, noon – 5 p.m. Sunday, May 10, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Hosted by the Greater Atlanta Rose Society, the cut-flower show features roses of every variety and color. To enter, email show chair Sarah Coleman at alsara.coleman@att.net.
Photo: Jenny Cruse-Sanders
Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour Saturday and Sunday May 9 – 10, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tour 12 of Atlanta’s finest private gardens. Visit atlantabg.org for tickets and information.
Interns Helping Conservation
Jenny Cruse-Sanders, Vice President, Science and Conservation
Endangered Species Day Saturday, May 30 , 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Celebrate rare plants and animals at the Garden! Come nose to nose with exceptional creatures and learn about conservation efforts statewide. Guided tours available at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., or 12:30 p.m. Photo: Joey Ivansco
Atlanta area students are helping the Garden with local conservation projects, thanks in part to new funding from Audubon/ToyotaTogetherGreen and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The goals of the program are to remove invasive species and restore habitats for native plants and wildlife; provide areas as examples of how habitats can be restored and enhanced for pollinator health; and train local student interns in such efforts. The partnership highlights the Garden’s ability to reach broad audiences with information about habitat restoration and improving habitats that support wildlife and water quality. Activities provide key examples of how habitat restoration can improve and protect the area’s most fragile and diverse wetland and natural areas. Spelman College interns from the Greening Youth Foundation are working with conservation staff in contributing to the Greater Atlanta Pollinator Partnership (www.gapp.org) and participating in the Atlanta Science Festival. As part of a project to restore the rare monkey face orchid (Platanthera integrilabia), students at Grady High School and the Lovett School have trained at the Garden to work on practical hands-on solutions to better conserve wetland communities. The project targets five wetland areas within 70 miles of Midtown that provide habitat to the native orchid.
SunTrust Concerts in the Garden
Garden Chef Cooking Demos Weekends, May – October noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. The Garden Chef showcases fresh seasonal vegetables, fruits and herbs in Edible Garden Outdoor Kitchen with tasty mouth-watering recipes.
Science Café Second Sundays, May – October, 2 p.m. Science Café is moving to Sundays with coffee, tea and a juice bar. This season’s topic is the Science of Light in celebration of the International Year of Light and Light Technologies (light2015.org). Visit early and enjoy brunch at The Café at Linton’s.
atlanta happenings
Bruce Munro: Light
2015 Atlanta Concert Series
June 20 Josh Turner July 23 Smashmouth Toad The Wet Sprocket Tonic July 24 The Beach Boys Aug 7 Colbie Caillat Aug 21 Taj Mahal & John Hiatt Aug 22 Melissa Etheridge this is M.E. Solo Aug 28 The Mavericks & Los Lobos Get ready for a spectacular summer under the stars with a stellar lineup of performers on the Great Lawn in Midtown Atlanta. For the first time this year, there are also additional acts at the new Ivester Amphitheater in Gainesville! (See page 11) Visit concertsinthegarden.org for tickets and information. Members receive a discount, and members at the $500 Donor level and above may purchase Platinum Tickets which provide early entrance for prime seating.
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| Gainesville Director’s Message
Mildred Pinnell Fockele, Vice President, Horticulture, Gainesville Director
A New Place to Celebrate! In addition to beautiful new gardens, the Gainesville location offers a variety of options for private rentals. Say “I do” under a cathedral of trees or host a party inside the striking event space overlooking a terrace pond. Contact events@ atlantabg.org for more information.
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ready to bloom! Photo: Jason Getz
“Garden open” – two wonderful words that we have been waiting for years to hear! This is a special moment in the history of the Garden. And while there is not enough room here to thank all those who helped us reach this point, this opening of the first phase of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville is the result of tremendous vision, thoughtful planning, and tireless fundraising. The Gainesville garden is about expansion – of plant collections, our audience, programs and conservation, with our native plant conservation nursery. And most importantly, it is about the preservation of this beautiful property for Gainesville, Hall County and northeast Georgia. Throughout its history, the Atlanta Botanical Garden has been shaped by visionaries, among them Charles and Lessie Smithgall. By donating their homeplace property to the Garden in 2001, the Smithgalls placed great trust in this organization. As stewards of this land, we have created an enchanting garden that changes and delights with each season. It will be activated with dynamic programming, fun concerts, and exciting events and exhibitions. Whether you go to enjoy the beauty of the garden, drop by for Wine in the Woodlands, or experience a concert, I look forward to sharing the Garden with you!
Gates open at new Gainesville Garden on May 2 The long-awaited opening of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville is here, and a family-oriented weekend chock full of fun activities is planned for May 2 and 3 to celebrate North Georgia’s newest attraction. Whether it’s enjoying the Model Train Garden, listening to the soothing sounds of the tumbling stream or simply soaking up the beauty of the garden, there is something for everyone. Throughout the year, families will learn something new at Discovery Stations, kids will enjoy story times, adults will delight at concerts in the magnificent Ivester Amphitheater with its forested backdrop, and everyone will be enthralled with the exciting fall exhibition, LEGO: Nature Connects! And for a beautiful escape from hectic schedules, relax with a drink during Wine in the Woodlands. Then there’s the Garden itself. This 5-acre jewel box – carefully designed with a detailed palette of more than 1,200 different kinds of plants – offers something in bloom every season of the year. Of those 1,200 plant types, 400 were carefully grown on site in the Garden’s nursery over the past eight years. The entry drive is lined with plants from signature collections: deciduous magnolias in spring, billowing hydrangeas in summer, and brilliant species maples in fall. The Event Lawn is surrounded by a 10-foot deep perennial border with a multitude of perennials that bloom from spring through frost. Spring features blues and pinks; summer is a riot of yellow, lavender and blue; and fall brings brilliant purples, oranges and golden yellows. The main woodland Promenade features a backbone of flowering shrubs, beginning with witchhazels in late winter, native azalea cultivars throughout spring, mophead hydrangeas and summersweet in summer, and brilliant maple leaves around every turn in fall. The Promenade also is highlighted by a series of annual color beds that feature dramatic colors and textures in the summer – from giant elephant’s ears to bright hibiscus. These same beds will be home to thousands of tulips in spring 2016. The Overlook, Stream and Glade gardens have their own unique features – unusual plants, quiet overlook decks for enjoying a cool breeze, or a garden swing for visitors to create their own breeze! Decks, benches and pathways are accented by gorgeous glazed containers filled with creative plant combinations. The Garden will continually change and grow, including the plants, the programming, and the guests – a journey the staff looks forward to sharing with everyone. Mildred Pinnell Fockele, Vice President, Horticulture, Gainesville Director
Opening Weekend Celebration Saturday and Sunday, May 2 – 3, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Celebrate the opening of the new Garden in Gainesville with fun family activities, including children’s performances, live entertainment, games, crafts, discovery stations and more.
Colorful shrubs offer options galore
The first hydrangea bloom signals the arrival of summer, much like that first daffodil heralds the start of spring. Also like daffodils, hydrangeas offer literally hundreds of different varieties to choose from. The new Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville is home to a collection of more than 250 different types, and visitors can explore more than 300 shrubs flourishing in the garden. One of the hot new topics with hydrangeas is the ability to rebloom. What this really means is whether a hydrangea will bloom on new season’s growth. Typically, the traditional big leaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla), bloom only on last year’s growth, or old wood. With new developments in breeding there are many new hydrangeas that bloom both on last season’s and the current season’s H. macrophylla cultivar. growth. Some of these new plants include ‘Endless Summer’, ‘Bloomstruck’, and ‘Let’s Dance Starlight’. Another wonderful group of hydrangeas are the many cultivars of the panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata). H. quercifolia ‘PeeWee’ The great thing about these is that they can tolerate full sun. They actually love and crave it! Most may know them as the old giants of the garden with their large floppy blooms. Well, no more! There are many great options available that have sturdy stems, and even some dwarf varieties are available. Hydrangea ‘Limelight’ really spurred the development of the panicle hydrangea, and now there is even a more well behaved version called ‘Little Lime’, which tops out at about 3 to 5 feet, along with ‘Baby Lace’ and ‘Bombshell’ which grow to about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. All of these hydrangeas make wonderful plants in the ground, but with the introduction of the dwarf varieties some also are right at home in container gardens. Ethan Guthrie, Horticulture Manager
Wine in the Woodlands Last Thursdays, May – October 6 – 9 p.m. Enjoy the tranquility of the woodland gardens while sipping a glass of wine from cash bars. Photo: Jason Getz
hip with hydrangeas
H. macrophylla ‘Double Licious’
gainesville happenings
Photos: Ethan Guthrie
Gainesville Atlanta |
Grand Opening of Ivester Amphitheater 2015 Gainesville Concert Series June 13 Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell July 11 The Temptations
More acts to be announced! This year, the SunTrust Concerts in the Garden series expands with a new stage at the Ivester Amphitheater at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville. Now there are two beautiful Garden venues for taking in a show under the stars! Visit concertsinthegarden.org for tickets and information. Members receive a discount, and members at the $500 Donor level and above may purchase Platinum Tickets which provide early entrance for prime seating.
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Light Member Premiere
Breakfast in the Garden
Contributing and Above Members Thursday, April 30, 6 – 10 p.m. Free for two adults and children
Tuesday, May 5, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Contributing and above members are invited for a light complimentary breakfast and sneak peak of Lee and Mike Dunn’s garden featured on the 2015 Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour.
Light Member Night Individual – Family Plus Members Friday, May 1, 6 – 10 p.m. $9.95 per adults, $7.95 children (Guest passes not accepted for this event.) Enjoy an evening celebration of Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden, featuring live music and fun activities for the entire family! Complimentary treats while supplies last and food available for purchase. The Café at Linton’s is open for dinner. (Reservations recommended)
Garden Gift Shop Book Sales April 28 – May 17, members receive 25% off on pre-paid purchases of the book Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden. July 21 – 31, members who spend $50 on jewelry receive 30% off the book.
planthotline What is straw bale gardening? It’s an easy, inexpensive way to create a raised bed for vegetables and flowers. Place bales of wheat, oat or alfalfa straw (hay bales have too many seeds) in a sunny spot with the cut straw ends facing up. Condition the bales for planting by watering them every day for one week. Then, water for another week, this time adding a liquid fertilizer. The temperature inside the bale will
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Breakfast in the Garden Tuesday, Aug. 18, 8:30 – 10 a.m. Contributing and above members are invited for a light complimentary breakfast and a presentation about the Edible Garden by Senior Horticulturist Moe Hemmings with a food demonstration by Garden Chef Megan McCarthy.
Summer Strings Monday, Aug. 31, 7 – 9 p.m. Supporting and above members are invited to an elegant summer cocktail reception and an evening filled with a surprise repertoire of live music by local musicians.
404-888-GROw planthotline@atlantabg.org rise as it decomposes. Once the bale is “cured,” plant by digging holes in the top and exterior sides. Spread a layer of soil and compost on top to plant seeds. Top-heavy plants, such as corn, okra or tomatoes, won’t do as well as beans, peppers, cucumbers and squash. Hotline Tip: Sticky Traps are an effective, non-poisonous way to catch thrips, leafminers and aphids.
Clippings is now available online at issuu.com/atlantabotanicalgarden for free!
Volunteer in Gainesville!
commonground
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Questions? Email membership@ atlantabg.org or call 404-591-1539 for assistance.
Volunteers have been working behind the scenes at the new Gainesville location for more than 10 years, growing and repotting plants, weeding garden beds and assisting at the annual plant sale. Last fall, they finally got to see the fruit of their labor when many of the collections were transplanted from the greenhouse to the gardens. With the opening of the Gainesville Garden comes the need for additional volunteers to assist with outdoor gardening, the visitor experience, educational programs and special events. Garden maintenance positions are available Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Greeters and Gift Shop positions are available during regular hours. Discovery Stations and special events offer more flexible opportunities to help.
Discovery Volunteer Training Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Attend these training sessions in Atlanta on how to enhance the visitor experience by engaging the public about plants, conservation and exhibitions. WANT TO HELP? Visit the “Support” section of atlantabg.org to view more volunteer opportunities. Contact volunteer manager Josh Todd at jtodd@atlantabg.org or 404-591-1548 to get started.