Atlanta | Gainesville | January – April 2016
Chihuly in the Garden
Escape to Orchid Daze Atlanta Blooms heats up!
| Atlanta
welcome back! Dale Chihuly, Denver Botanic Gardens, 2014
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ust in time to commemorate its 40th anniversary, the Garden is in full bloom this spring once again with the return of Dale Chihuly’s magnificent works of art. Chihuly in the Garden, set for April 30 - October 30, will showcase 20 sculptural installation sites throughout the Garden, including sculptures created specifically for the site. The internationally acclaimed artist’s work also can be experienced in a different light after dark when it’s dramatically lit for Chihuly Nights. The much-anticipated exhibition marks 12 years since the artist first presented his work at the Garden. The 2004 show proved a blockbuster, putting the Garden on the map as a major cultural attraction as well as a horticultural showcase. The new, larger exhibition is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of guests from throughout the Southeast. The vibrantly colored artwork can be experienced in a variety of botanical
Richard Royal, Charles Parriott, David Levy, Chihuly, and Brian Brenno The Boathouse hotshop, Seattle, 1993
displays, including floating in pools, suspended in air, and interspersed with plantings. Featured installations include a vibrant Chartreuse Hornet Chandelier suspended from the Canopy Walk, hovering over bright purple Reeds rising from the forest floor. Nearby, a 30-foottall Saffron Tower stands sentinel at one end of the Water Mirror pool, shining brilliantly in the woodland after nightfall. In addition, visitors can explore six of the artist’s paintings in the new Linton’s restaurant and a display on the artist and his career in the Fuqua
Orchid Center Gallery. Chihuly has mastered the alluring, translucent and transparent qualities of ice, water, glass and neon, to create works of art that transform the viewer experience. He is globally renowned for his ambitious site-specific architectural installations in public spaces and in exhibitions presented in more than 250 museums and gardens worldwide. Chihuly in the Garden is presented with support from The Home Depot Foundation and the Isdell Family Foundation.
| Official News Publication for Members of the Atlanta Botanical Garden | Atlanta | Gainesville Vice President, Marketing: Sabina Carr | Editor: Danny Flanders | Designer: Bo Shell | Membership Manager: Claudia McDavid 2
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Atlanta | President’s Message
Dale Chihuly, Sol del Citron, 2014
CHIHULY NIGHTS
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There’s more than one way to experience the beauty of Chihuly. By day, the magnificent sculptures sparkle in bright sunlight, while at night, the artwork is dramatically lit for evening viewing. Chihuly Nights, presented Wednesday through Sunday from 6 – 10 p.m., offers a complete guest experience, with cash bars and dinner options at the new Linton’s.
questions with Dale Chihuly
Can you describe the Chihuly approach to glassblowing? I don’t know what it is about glass and me. It’s just my material -- it’s the one I like to work with. To think that glass is made simply of silica or sand, the most common material in the world and can be transformed from a solid to a liquid to a solid from just fire -- it’s the most mysterious and magical of all man’s inventions. Since I was a little boy I always loved glass. Thirty four years ago I put a pipe into some stained glass that I melted in my basement, and I blew a bubble. From that moment on I have spent my life as an explorer searching for new ways to use
glass and glassblowing to make forms and colors and installations that no one has ever created before me. Teamwork suits me. Having the support and skills of a large team can be tremendously gratifying. I feel very fortunate to be able to have such talent on my team. How did your team come up with the custom designs for the Garden? This exhibition is in essence a culmination of my work in an outdoor setting. Many of the installations have been presented in
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The Garden turns 40 this year, a landmark event that we plan to celebrate throughout 2016. As botanical gardens go, ours is an adolescent – still youthful but with many accomplishments under its belt. To mark this important milestone, we are celebrating with a few very important events – the return of Dale Chihuly; publication of the Garden’s first book documenting its history, collections, and important conservation work; and the openings of Linton’s restaurant and the newly renovated Children’s Garden. This issue of Clippings showcases the exhibition that will light up our city with excitement, chatter and celebration of the integration of art and nature. I expect Atlanta will truly be buzzing as friends and family describe their experiences at Chihuly in the Garden. When you visit, I hope you will drop by the Gift Shop to buy our new book, Atlanta’s Urban Oasis: The Atlanta Botanical Garden. It’s beautifully written and celebrates the founders of the Garden, volunteers who had the vision and temerity to create a new botanical garden for one of America’s most dynamic cities. I feel certain that all future visits to the Garden will include a taste of the delicious food served at Linton’s, which will include quick bites in the café and leisurely meals in the full-service restaurant. The restaurant plans to whet the appetites of young and old alike, including the children who visit with a special “seedlings” menu. And our seedlings will be especially excited to explore the new Lou Glenn Children’s Garden, opening in two phases this summer. I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the Garden’s anniversary year than with the beauty of art, the inspiration behind the Garden’s story, the taste of fresh food from the Edible Garden, and the squeals of children frolicking in their new garden. This promises to be a year to remember, creating new history for Atlanta’s urban oasis! Mary Pat Matheson The Anna and Hays Mershon President & CEO
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| Atlanta Dale Chihuly, Neodymium Reeds, 2010
5 QUESTIONS: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 different ways from previous projects but have evolved and have been designed to complement this beautiful garden. The creative process for these types of garden installations starts with a site visit. Of course I’d been to the Garden and was familiar with it; however, since the last time we had an exhibition there the Garden has nearly doubled in size. I sent my team down to take photos and gather information for the new locations. Once we had a full picture of what I had to work with we began considering works in a variety of colors, forms and scale. In some cases I chose existing sculptures; for others new designs were conceived. Once the design was done on paper we started to blow new work and build the installations full-scale in my studio in Ballard, Washington. This gave me the opportunity to make changes or modifications if needed. The artwork is then prepared for shipment. The same team that builds the artwork in Seattle then travels to the Garden to build the work on site. What percentage of your pieces are botanically inspired? A lot of work I do is nature inspired or looks like it might come from nature, but I don’t look specifically at something to make it. I just sort of have a natural feeling for using glass and try to take advantage of the color and the transparency glass offers. I love to juxtapose the man-made and the natural to make people wonder, is this something manmade or did it come from nature?
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art meets annuals No doubt, the beauty of Chihuly’s art can stand alone. But in the Garden setting, considerable thought is given to placement and the colors of the surrounding annuals so the sculptures look their best. Once the location of each installation was determined, members of the Chihuly team and Garden staff selected color schemes to suit each piece. From there, the Horticulture team took the look of each sculpture and color scheme and created the supporting annual displays. For the dazzling Blue Icicle Tower just outside the visitor center, silver, blue and white are the complementing colors with elements of spiky-ness that relate to the piece. A planting bed design was drawn so that the eye is drawn to the artwork, and white vinca, blue salvia, and silver Agave were chosen to complete the pallet. For the White Belugas in Storza Woods, a contrasting color scheme was chosen. The installation will seemingly levitate out of black potato vine, with purple Angelonia and silver Agaves playing a supporting roll. All summer annual displays meet basic criteria: They must bloom from May through October, plants must look good for the duration of the season, and blooms must hold up well and colors stay true. Having a good relationship with local growers and staying on top of new plant introductions help keep the displays fresh.
SHOP CHIHULY!
Be sure to visit the new Chihuly Gift Shop located in Gardenhouse. From T-shirts and books to limited-edition prints and Studio Edition glass, you’ll find the perfect memento or addition for your art collection! Was the flora of your childhood home in the Pacific Northwest influential to your designs? My mom had a beautiful garden that she worked in every day. When I
‘Blue Salvia’
Agave
Once the entire color and plant combinations were developed, picture boards for each area were created. By integrating the art with the Garden’s planning process, the annual displays help create a dazzling sight. Amanda Campbell Bennett Manager of Display Gardens
was about 10 years old I liked to play with my toy soldiers in the garden and remember how vibrant all the colors were and how good all the flowers smelled. She had 90 rhododendrons – some as high as 20 feet. That’s what I remember the best, and I’m sure it had a great influence on my work. What attracts you about presenting your work in a garden vs. indoors? I’m attracted to gardens because of the variety in texture, color and light that I’m able to work in. Light is so important to my work, and in gardens it changes throughout the day and into the night. That’s very exciting to me.
Atlanta |
new Linton’s opens this spring
PHOTO: PERKINS + WILL
Garden visitors will be wined and dined with a total epicurean experience when the new Linton’s restaurant opens this spring. The two-level contemporary glass structure, nestled next to Garden House, will offer full-service dining, the grab-and-go Quick Café, and much-needed flexible space for educational programs, private rentals and special events. From inside, guests may enjoy commanding views of the Southern Seasons Garden and Levy Parterre, while from the patio and rooftop terrace they can drink in the beauty of Storza Woods, Alston Overlook and the Atlanta skyline beyond. Regardless of table, all will be treated to a savory menu by James Beard Award-winning Chef Linton Hopkins. “We wanted to create a Chef Linton Hopkins new model for Atlanta in which the dining experience would match the Garden’s beautiful displays and visitor experience,” Garden Q&A WITH CHEF LINTON HOKPINS President & CEO Mary Pat Matheson What’s most exciting for you about said. “The timing could not be more opening the new Linton’s? right for creating a food destination Our collaborative dream with that will be unparalleled at a cultural the Botanical Garden becomes fully institution in Atlanta.” realized. Now we have the opportunity The glass-and-stone restaurant, to truly be of service to the Garden, our designed by Perkins + Will, includes shared guests and our community. more than 3,000 square feet of dining space with seating capacity of about What sets this restaurant apart from 250. While the main dining areas will so many others in the city? offer a full menu of garden-inspired Its location is the biggest reason. cuisine, the café will focus on items This is about being a part of the Garden such as sandwiches, salads, soups and and its continuing mission to be of serdesserts for visitors on the go. vice to its members and the community. On chilly days and nights, guests The Garden is an important part of the may cozy up to a double-sided fireplace fabric of our city and how we shape our in the restaurant and on the rooftop. relationship with the flora of our world Floors feature architecturally polished and, therefore, each other. Many of the concrete, and wood panels showcase plants in the Orangerie and the Edible original art by Dale Chihuly. Garden will find their ways into the Once the restaurant opens, the exmenu. We might be the only restaurant isting Café at Linton’s in Gardenhouse in the country that will have nutmeg, will close, and the space will become vanilla and peppercorns grown at its the Chihuly Gift Shop. backdoor.
Describe your concepts for the menu. The Garden menu should reflect our guests and offer them a hospitality respite during their visit with fresh, honest cuisine based upon vegetables that define our region. Beefsteak Tomato Salads at their peak in the summer. Small vegetable snacks with all-natural spreads for children. Fresh soups and sandwiches in our café as well as plated lunches and dinners in the restaurant. Also, of course, favorites from the past year such as Beef Bourginon and Chicken Pot Pie. Tell us about the chef. Jason Paolini is a natural chef. His food just tastes great. As we like to joke, Jason is not afraid of flavor. What kind of special programs and events are you planning to offer? We look forward to hosting more author dinners, speaker series, more teaching classes as we believe in the role of the Garden as an educator.
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| Atlanta
Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour
be inspired by 10 private sites Tucked away in Brookhaven, Russell and Jack Huber’s charming Arts and Crafts style garden exemplifies the ideas of English garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, with its “rooms” of informal plantings, whimsy and delightful sculptures. In Sandy Springs, the major renovation Robin and Marc Pollack undertook of their property retains its indigenous plant material while incorporating new elements to complement their stunning mid-century modern home. These two beautiful retreats are only two of the 10 locations featured on the annual Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour May 7 – 8. Benefiting the Garden, this Mother’s Day weekend tradition, held from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., offers the opportunity to explore exquisite private gardens by talented landscape designers as well as local gardeners in Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven and Ansley Park. Selected by Tour Chairs Paula White and Debbie Swann and Tour Adviser Kathryn LaTour, the sites “represent the rich diversity of
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Atlanta’s landscape, from elegant estates to cottage gardens and traditional to modern,” White said. Passionate gardeners, the Hubers transformed what was once an overgrown yard into a picturesque shade garden blooming with hellebores, camellias and hydrangeas. Meandering paths lead to a tranquil fountain with a koi pond, a sunken garden and a quaint cedar and stone garden house with stained-glass windows. “We love the challenge of arranging plants, hardscape, sculpture and whimsy to create a personal and stimulating garden environment,” Jack Huber said. “As frequent visitors to the Cotswolds, we realized that what Gertrude Jekyll advocated as ‘arts and crafts gardens’ resembled ours.” For a garden originally planted in the mid-1950s, Master Gardener Robin Pollack retained plants including old grape vines, fruit trees and a ginkgo tree while adding native azaleas, hydrangeas, bamboo and grasses. “Full of wonderful old, native plant material, we renovated
Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour May 7-8, $28 in Advance ($22 Garden members, online only); $35 Day of Tour Tickets available at atlantabg.org and select garden retailers, valid both days. Event rain or shine. Children under 12 free. Sponsored by Beacham & Company Realtors, Boxwoods Gardens & Gifts and Land Plus Associates, Ltd.
it with full respect for its original design, keeping as much plant material as possible while bringing it into the 21st century,” Marc Pollack said. Featuring both sun and shade gardens, woodlands and wetlands, their garden now includes walkways, a custom greenhouse, raised organic vegetable beds, two koi ponds, and birdhouses and sculptures throughout. The three acres surrounding the Pollacks’ home are a National Wildlife Habitat. Rebekka Kuntschik Senior Development Officer
Atlanta |
Children’s Garden reopens! Renamed for Lou Glenn
Kids and parents are eagerly awaiting the reopening of the popular Children’s Garden this summer, and with good reason. Designed by Deneen Powell Atelier, the renovated Lou Glenn Children’s Garden will offer quite a few new features and refreshed familiar ones as well. The new name honors longtime Garden supporter Lou Glenn, who was instrumental in forging the partership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for developing the original garden in 1999. The Children’s Garden was among the first in the country when it opened and has been very much in need of an update. Before beginning the redesign, the Garden surveyed and conducted focus groups with members and their children to determine where they spent most of their time and what they’d like to see revisited.
A LARGER SPLASH PAD This popular feature was always crowded on hot days; now it will be nearly twice the size of the former splash area, with lots of room for parents and caregivers to sit. Additionally, the entrance to the garden has been re-routed so that guests can visit it without having to walk through the water feature.
MORE PLACES FOR ACTIVE OUTDOOR PLAY
A NEW RESTROOM BUILDING
In addition to the expanded splash area, look for a new treehouse area with climbing nets, a climbing wall, and a slide as well as some fun bridges to play on.
Designed by Smith Dalia Architects, this much-needed facility will include a family restroom and large courtyard.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HANDS-ON PLAY
The flower growth chart, where so many families have marked their children’s growth, will remain. Honeybees will return as well. The pond will be virtually unchanged, though the carnivorous plant bog will be larger, and the gnomes will be around, too.
These include a water “painting” wall, a building area, and musical instruments to play. The Garden is also rolling out new nature play activities, and a new position, an Educational Horticulturist, to help facilitate these programs.
WHAT’S NOT CHANGING?
Tracy McClendon, Vice President, Programs
Edibles: Get your kids interested in plants With children out of school and the weather warm, summer is a great time to get them interested in plants and the natural world. One popular activity is watching roots grow; it’s even better when you can eat them! Here is a simple activity using carrots: • Remove the top one-third of empty plastic water bottles and fill with moist potting mix to about an inch below the lip. Plant two or three seeds around the inside surface of the plastic bottles. Smaller carrot varieties like Caracas, Short ‘n Sweet and Atlas work best because they don’t require a lot of growing space.
• Make a construction paper sleeve for the bottle to block light from the seeds for the first two to three weeks. • Store the bottles in a bright, warm area and keep the seedlings moist. After about two weeks you should see small sprouts of vegetables growing. This activity works well for other edibles like radishes, nasturtiums and lettuce. Other kid-friendly garden activities that get them outside include watering, planting transplants and picking flowers or finding leaves and using them to make bookmarks or cards. Moe Hemmings, Senior Horticulturist
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| Atlanta
New plantings pop in Storza gardens The Gardens in Storza Woods opened last May with much anticipation, and now as the landscape continues to mature, new plantings make it a must-see. One new plant is the Mountain Gordlinia (X Gordlinia grandiflora). This evergreen beauty’s leaves turn fiery hues in the fall. It is a fascinating cross between the Franklinia alatamaha and Gordonia lasianthus, making it a captivating botanical specimen. Be sure to look for its broad, creamy white blooms later this summer. Conspicuously different, Lobelia cardinalis ‘Black Truffle’ is a breathtaking beauty. ‘Black Truffle’ features stalks of carmine flowers almost four feet tall, sending hummingbirds into a frenzy. The plant’s rich, dark foliage, however, is perhaps its most striking feature. This attractive perennial is sure to delight visitors year after year. Adding to Storza Woods’ impressive collection of Maple trees, Acer kawakamii is most appealing for its bark. A member of the “snakebark” family of maples, its smooth bark is lined with stripes of brown or dark green and lighter hues, creating a snake-like appearance. Flowers hang elegantly from pendulous racemes framed against
X Gordlinia grandiflora
lance-tipped leaves. It is a true treasure to have in the Garden. Meanwhile, Acer discolor has remarkable leaves like no other. Turning over the shiny-green leaves of this tree reveals the meaning behind its name. The underside of the three-lobed leaves is significantly lighter in color, creating a striking difference between the
two sides. In late fall, the top side of the leaves plunge into attractive rich red hues, making this tree unmissable. Dynamic and gorgeous, the Gardens in Storza Woods is an enchanting space, so be sure to watch this setting evolve with the seasons. Jonathan Ray Assistant Horticulturist
COMING UP
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Garden of Eden Ball celebrates 35 years
New book chronicles 40 years of the Garden
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Garden of Eden Ball, to be presented on Saturday, September 24. The Garden’s largest annual fundraising event, the ball will honor Shearon and Taylor Glover for their leadership and support of the Garden. Stephanie and Austin Stephens are chairing the event, and Cox Enterprises Inc. is returning as presenting sponsor. For more information call call Devin Cowens at 404-591-1730 or visit gardenofedenball.org.
This year the Garden celebrates its 40th anniversary, and what better way to commemorate that milestone than the release of a new book about its history, collections, programs and exhibitions. As a nonprofit organization, the Garden was incorporated in 1976 after years of grassroots efforts by a core group of volunteers and supporters to lease the land from the city for developing a garden. Their story is the basis for a new coffee table book, Atlanta’s Urban Oasis: The Atlanta Botanical Garden (Sea Hill Press, $49.95), to be published
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in May. The 208-page volume will be available for purchase exclusively through the Garden Gift Shop.
Atlanta |
Tuesday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Wednesday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. April 30 – October 30 Explore 20 sculptural installation sites throughout the Garden by internationally acclaimed artist Dale Chihuly.
Chihuly Nights Wednesday – Sunday, 6 – 10 p.m April 30 – October 30 Experience Chihuly’s artwork after dark under dramatic lighting while enjoying cash bars and dinner at Linton’s. Closed during Concerts in the Garden.
Alston Lecture: Andrea Wulf Tuesday, May 3, 7 – 8 p.m. Best-selling author Andrea Wulf presents “The Invention of Nature. Alexander von Humboldt’s New World” exploring the extraordinary life of the visionary German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) and how he created the way nature is understood today. A book-signing will follow the talk.
Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour May 7-8, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tour 10 of Atlanta’s finest private home gardens. For tickets and details, visit atlantabg.org.
Atlanta Rose Show May 7 – 8, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Hosted by the Greater Atlanta Rose Society, the cut-flower show features roses of every variety and color.
Science Café Second Sundays, May – October, 2 p.m. Science Café returns to Mershon Hall, and this season’s topic is Pollinators in the Garden. Bees, butterflies, birds, beetles, bats and more are responsible for billions of dollars of pollinator services each year. This series features expert speakers and discussions on pollinators and their conservation.
Indigo Girls
Concerts in the Garden Kick back and drink in the sounds of great musical acts. Featured performances in Atlanta include John Prine, June 25; k.d. lang/Neko Case/ Laura Veirs, July 29; Phillip Phillips & Matt Nathanson, July 30; Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, August 19; and more to be announced! In Gainesville, see the Four Tops, June 18; Indigo Girls, July 16; and Loretta Lynn, Aug. 13. For tickets and information, visit concertsinthegarden.org.
Endangered Species Day May 14 , 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Celebrate rare plants and animals in honor of Endangered Species Day. Come nose to nose with exceptional creatures and learn about conservation efforts happening throughout Georgia. Attend a tour led by Conservation staff at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
Alston Lecture: Bruce Means Tuesday, July 26, 7 – 8 p.m. In “Over the Rainbow: Exploring South America’s Lost Worlds,” Bruce Means recaps his 30 years of exploring tepuis of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Lost World—on foot and lately by helicopter.
atlanta happenings
Chihuly in the Garden
Alston Lecture: Christopher Herndon Tuesday, August 30, 7 – 8 p.m. Dr. Christopher Herndon discusses his experiences in learning from Amazonian healers, the vital importance of their ancestral knowledge to indigenous cultures – and to our own – in “Tribal Healers: Conservation and Medicine”.
Garden Chef Cooking Demos Saturdays & Sundays, May-October Noon, 1 and 2 p.m. Join the Garden Chefs in the Outdoor Kitchen as they showcase fresh seasonal vegetables, fruits and herbs. Free with Garden admission.
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| Gainesville A Note from the Director What an amazing year it has been since we opened last May! From the Garden’s beautiful displays to its outdoor concerts to our LEGOs exhibit, the first year has been a huge success. And I have to thank an incredible staff and all our dedicated volunteers for their hard work in making the first year such fun. As we celebrate the first anniversary of the new Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville, I hope you will put some of our upcoming activities on your calendar. If you have not yet seen Patrick Dougherty’s wonderful sculpture on the Event Lawn, I hope you will soon. It was such a delightful experience to have this amazing artist here and to watch his sculpture go up, twig by twig. Wine in the Woodland, held the last Thursday of every month, is a wonderful way to see the Garden in a new light. The Garden is a delight to enjoy in the evenings with a glass of something refreshing – whether enjoying the sunset or the scent of flowering shrubs around the pond or listening to the chorus of tree frogs as they warm up at nightfall. Our many drop-in educational offerings – Story Time and Smiles, Budding Artists, weekend Discovery Stations, and monthly musical performances – all offer engaging activities for both children and adults. And we have opened another half-mile trail, which connects to the Holly Ridge Trail, and added numerous new plantings to the garden and along its pathways. Hope to see you soon in the Garden! Mildred Fockele Vice President, Horticulture; Gainesville Director
Backpack through the Garden! The Garden Backpack program is a new, self-guided school field trip program for elementary school children. The Sensational Senses (K-5), Fabulous Flowers (grades 1-2) and Garden Explorer (grades 3 -5) packs offer teacher guides, nature ID materials and games for groups to use as they explore. Activities are relevant to younger students and the Georgia Performance Standards. Visit gainesvillegarden.org or call 404-888-4763 to learn more.
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STICKWORKS
Artist Patrick Dougherty weaves in a big way
The Gainesville garden has a new sculpture, and it’s not your typical granite monument. This spring, visitors may explore Woven Whimsy: Stickworks by Patrick Dougherty – a massive sculpture created on site by the North Carolina sculptor using gathered twigs and branches that he and volunteers wove together. The sculpture, which because of its organic nature breaks down over time, will be on display indefinitely. What inspired you to become a sculptor? Dougherty: I have always loved to make things. When I was young, I would often surprise my mother with statements like, “Mom, I could make that” about anything and everything. After an initial career choice of hospital administration, I decided that the pull of making was too
strong and found myself enrolling in sculpture and art history courses at the University of North Carolina. Where do you get your ideas for your sculptures? As I struggle to understand the location, I might see a word or a title on the newsstand, the outline of a mountain range in the distance, or hear a turn of a phrase from a passerby. The creative state of mind is one rich in connections, whereby words and images can blend and give rise to an inkling of a new idea. Once the overall effort is described, the actual work is shaped day by day as I react to what I see and try to improve the overall effect. What is your most unusual installation?
Gainesville Atlanta |
Ribbon Plant
Basketgrass
Liven up containers with unique annuals Thoughtfully planted containers are a great way to add interest to outdoor spaces. The possibilities are endless, from big bold containers overflowing with lush tropical-looking plants and flowers to more subtle and shaded containers that seamlessly blend into the woodland background. Designing beautiful combinations to fit any situation is a fun process with an ever-evolving array of plants to choose from. It’s always nice to have some tried-and-true plants, such as elephant’s ears and lantana for sun or maples and impatiens for shade, but don’t be afraid to try something new. • Princess Flower, Tibouchina grandifolia: highly textured center plant with large fuzzy leaves • Copperleaf, Acalypha: a big, bold center plant with large ruffled leaves that comes in a wide variety of colors • Otomeria ’O’Premiera Pink’: this
plant blooms nonstop and is adaptable to dry succulent pots or lush mixed planters • Ribbon Plant, Homalocladium platycladum: this plant’s ribbon-like appearnace adds a wow factor and can double as a center plant in smaller containers • Hemizygia ‘Candy Kisses’: white and green variegated leaves with beautiful purple stems that can highlight and play off other flower colors • Variegated Primrose, Asystasia gangetica ‘Variegata’: this variegated trailer performs well in shade or part sun and before long will reach to the ground from almost any size container • Variegated Basket Grass, Oplismenus hirtellus ‘Variegatus’: this vigorous pink, green and white trailing plant will tolerate almost any light condition and mingles well with other plants
One recent one in an unusual setting was Fit for a Queen, which I built in the moat of a castle in France. It invites visitors to amble within a labyrinth of 16 rooms, 27 doors, and many windows . . . I wanted the shape and complexity of the design to suggest a castle ruin.
not often been stopped, even by snow. Sometimes, it is the site and problems with city zoning and other requirements that enmesh us in paperwork before the real work can begin. However, despite these and sometimes sticks that refuse to bend and an occasional lack of assistants, I have always finished the work on time. I imagine myself to be a problem solver, and I face all kinds of snags every day with that mindset.
What is your biggest challenge in creating the sculptures? Sometimes it is finding the right material, which can be particularly challenging in tropical settings. Sometimes, it is weather, though we have
Woven Whimsy: Stickworks by Patrick Dougherty Tuesday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Explore a unique massive sculpture made entirely of sticks, twigs and tree branches on the Garden Event Lawn.
Wine in the Woodlands Last Thursdays, May - October, 6 - 9 p.m. Sip a glass of wine from cash bars while exploring the tranquility of the garden, including the Woodland Promenade, Glade Garden and Overlook Garden.
gainesville happenings
PHOTO: JUAN VILLA
Otomeria
Beth Perdue Senior Horticulturist
Mildred Fockele Vice President, Horticulture Gainesville Director
Concerts in the Garden June – August Concerts in the Garden features three performances in the Ivester Amphitheater plus five other acts at the Atlanta garden. Gainesville shows include The Four Tops, June 18; Indigo Girls, July 16; and Loretta Lynn, August 13. Shuttle service to and from parking provided. For more information, visit concertsinthegarden.org.
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Atlanta Botanical Garden | Atlanta 1345 Piedmont Avenue, NE Atlanta, GA 30309
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Volunteer of the Year:
Anita Wallace Position: Anita Wallace began volunteering in 2000 as a docent and was the Docent Chair in 2004. She realized her true passion when she started volunteering in the Amphibian Conservation Department in 2006. She spends her time in the Frog Lab and Amphibian Display Areas, collecting and growing fruit flies and crickets for frog feedings, making algae plates for tadpoles, misting display tanks, and making salads for the turtles. Supervisor Mark Mandica: “She is consistently positive and friendly, always wears a shirt with an amphibian on it during her shifts, and even has her own personal frog-finding flashlight to point out frogs to visitors. Anita revolutionized the way we keep our baby frogs by first suggesting we use tulle, the fabric used in tutus, as a lid for the baby frogs to keep the tiny bug food in the tanks. This technique has been adopted by other institutions that have amphibian captive breeding programs.” Volunteer hours: She is a three-time Volunteer of the Month and Perennial
planthotline HOW DO I AVOID POWDERY MILDEW ON MY ROSES? This frustrating leaf disease is common in spring and fall when days become warm and humid, and nights are cool. Air circulation is critical to minimizing this problem. Plants need room to grow, away from each other and solid
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Breakfast in the Garden
Contributing and above members Tuesday, May 3, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a light breakfast and tour Susan and Carl Bolch’s estate garden, which is featured on this year’s Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour
Centennial Volunteer, donating at least 100 hours a year. Personal: Wallace has lived all over the world, from Mississippi to Japan, and has moved 15 times since graduating from Ole Miss. She finally settled in Virginia-Highland 16 years ago. Hobbies: A lifelong gardener with membership in several plant societies, she also enjoys tennis, piano, cooking, reading and sewing. Wallace on the recognition: “I remain basking in the glow of the Volunteer of the Year award! It really took me by surprise, and I am proud and grateful for the distinction.”
404-888-GROW planthotline@atlantabg.org surfaces like walls or fences. For organic fungicide help, consider neem oil, an extract from the neem tree, available at garden centers. HOTLINE TIP: Handpick and destroy azalea or camellia leaves that become distorted and pale, symptoms of leaf gall.
Clippings is now available online at issuu.com/atlantabotanicalgarden
Tuesday, August 9, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. A light breakfast will be served with a presentation by horticulturist Amanda Campbell Bennett about the planting design featured in the renovated Children’s Garden.
First Tuesday Evenings Enjoy the Garden surrounded by the beauty of Chihuly 5 – 8 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month, May – September. Refreshments available for purchase. Guest passes accepted. (Please note: Chihuly installations will not be illuminated).
Member Summer Evenings Individual, Dual, Contributing and Above July 11, 6 - 9 p.m., Family and Family Plus July 18, 6 - 9 p.m. (with children’s activities) Hear live music, shop the marketplace and meet Garden staff. Delicious food and drink will be available for purchase.
Summer Strings August 15, 7 - 9 p.m. Supporting and above members are invited to an elegant summer cocktail reception with a surprise repertoire of live music. Invitations will be mailed. To upgrade membership levels and attend all these exciting events, call 404-591-1538. QUESTIONS? Call 404-591-1539 or email membership@atlantabg.org