The Garden Dirt | Fall 2021 by Birmingham Botanical Gardens

FALL 2021

the garden dirt FOR FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS

Protecting, Nurturing & Sharing

FALL 2021

the Wonders of the Gardens

MEMBER KEEPSAKE BOOKMARKS

Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens 2021 Board of Directors

Join the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens or renew your membership this fall and in addition to your annual member gift, member gift plant, and other great benefits, enjoy two complimentary bookmarks featuring iconic garden scenes, part of our new keepsake bookmark collection.

Join or renew online at bbgardens.org/membership or by phone at 205.414.3950.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GROW A GREENER TOMORROW!

TAKE THE FRIENDS’ NEW VISITOR SURVEY

SCAN ME

Have you visited the Gardens recently, or are you planning to stop by soon? Let us know what brings you to the Gardens and how we can better serve you by completing our online visitor survey after your next visit. You’ll find the QR code posted at the Gardens’ exit and in various locations around the Garden Center. PLEASE LET US KNOW

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Members at Large Uday Bhate Evelyn Jones Sharon Brown Janet Kavinoky Stephanie Cooper Blevins Naff Bob de Buys Tiffany Osborne Wendy Evesque Mike Rushing Helen Harmon Sharon Sherrod Chris Hastings Martha Emmett Sims Beverley Hoyt Benjamin Torczon Jesse Vogtle

Our Mission

The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens seeks to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. We are dedicated to serving the Gardens, serving the community, serving our visitors, and inspiring a passion for plants, gardens, and the environment.

Staff

VISITOR SURVEY

How was your visit?

Wally Evans �� Chair John Smith T �� Immediate Past Chair D.C. Coston ��Treasurer Brian Barr ��Secretary Kirk Forrester �� Chair of Communications & Marketing Emily Bowron ��Chair of Development Caroline Little ��Chair of Education & Visitor Experience Bill Ireland ��Chair of Governance Norm Davis ��Chair of Government Relations Lee McLemore ��Chair of Operations

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Tom Underwood ................................................... Executive Director Stephanie Banks ��Chief Financial Officer Mindy Keyes Black ��Director of Communications and Marketing Dawn DeFrank �� Donor Services Coordinator Ellen Hardy �� Education Program Coordinator Penney Hartline �� Director of Development Molly Hendry ��Garden Assessment Project Leader Jason Kirby �� Library Assistant and Archivist Dawn Coleman Lee �� Education Activities Specialist Hope Long ��Director of Library Services Brooke McMinn ��Director of Education and Visitor Experience Alice Thompson Moore... �� Volunteer Coordinator Tina Nelson ��Accounting Clerk Michelle Phillips ��Office Coordinator Drew Rickel �� Donor Relations Officer Jane Underwood ��Director of Operations

https://new-survey.newsouthresearch.com/surveys/1232/1232.htm

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK!

SAVE WHEN YOU DINE AND SHOP AT THE GARDENS Show your Friends membership card and enjoy 10 percent off at The Gardens Café by Kathy G and Leaf & Petal at the Gardens.

Editor: Mindy Keyes Black Art Design: Ellen Padgett Cover and Lead Photos: Graham Yelton Contributors: Susan Emack Alison, Dawn DeFrank, Jamie Haas, Ellen Hardy, Penney Hartline, Molly Hendry, Jason Kirby, Hope Long, Brooke McMinn, Dee Moore, Michelle Phillips, Drew Rickel, Christiana Roussel, Quez Shipman

A facility of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board, Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the result of a public/private partnership between the City of Birmingham and the nonprofit Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, a mission-driven membership organization that seeks to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of the Gardens. We hope you enjoy this issue of the Friends’ award-winning quarterly publication, The Garden Dirt. Thank you for visiting and supporting the Gardens! Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens practices a policy of equal opportunity and equal access to services for all persons regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, orientation, or sex identity.

20 21

WELCOME

free & open to the public

Dear Friend, Not long ago, we received a kind gift and heartfelt note from a longtime visitor, Laura Dooley, expressing her gratitude for the Gardens and all that it has meant to her since moving to Birmingham 25 years ago. From taking classes and becoming a Master Gardener and beekeeper to enjoying picnics and family photo shoots here, she has walked the Gardens’ trails in challenging times and joyous ones. “These Gardens have been a blessing in many ways,” she writes. “I am proud of the fact that everyone can come and experience them—thank you to all.” Birmingham Botanical Gardens means so much to so many, and it is because of the commitment of all who value and give back to support this community treasure—through your annual membership, your donations, your tribute and planned gifts, your volunteer service—that the Gardens continues to offer a source of beauty, education, and inspiration for everyone to enjoy. Grateful, like Laura, for what the Gardens means to their families and our community, hundreds of members and volunteers have devoted countless hours in recent months to helping the Friends fulfill its mission: to protect, nurture, and share the Gardens’ wonders. They have weeded and planted garden beds, harvested fresh vegetables to share with those in need, and prepared for two much-anticipated events of the fall: our annual Fall Plant Sale and the 15th-anniversary Antiques at the Gardens. In addition to raising important funds for the Friends, these two signature fall events celebrate the creativity and commitment of the people and organizations who are bound together by their shared dedication to the Gardens and its success. Their efforts—and your support—make not only the Gardens but also Birmingham a better place. We are rooted in community, and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for making the Gardens and our work here possible.

September 11

AT B IR M ING H A M BOTA NIC A L G A R DE N S Benefiting the Gardens and featuring our Member Plant Gift

Members enjoy priority shopping opportunities: MEMBERS-ONLY ONLINE SHOPPING Friday, August 27 ME MB E R S SH O P I N PE R SO N Friday, September 10 | 4–5:30 p.m. Stop by the membership table at Fall Plant Sale 2021 and receive your annual member plant gift—a lovely ‘Blue Billow’ hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata ‘Blue Billow’) courtesy of our friends at Leaf & Petal. Thank you for being a Friend of the Gardens!

bbgardens.org/fallplantsale A facility of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board, Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the result of a public/private partnership between the City of Birmingham and the nonprofit Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, a mission-driven membership organization that seeks to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of the Gardens.

Tom Underwood Executive Director Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens

FALL 2021

Warm Welcome

A monumental new sign at the intersection of Cahaba and Lane Park roads—the Gardens’ most-traveled path of arrival—celebrates Birmingham’s architectural heritage and botanical treasures By MINDY KEYES BLACK Inspired by local stone- and steelwork and surrounded by plants native to the region, a new signature sign now greets Birmingham Botanical Gardens visitors approaching from Mountain Brook Village or U.S. Highways 31 and 280, pointing the way to the Gardens and setting the stage for what they will find within. A project undertaken by the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the sign replaces a smaller, more utilitarian sign that stood for many years nearby on Lane Park Road and had to be removed to make way for much-needed storm drainage improvements. This new symbol of the Gardens was designed by landscape

architect Cindy Tyler of Terra Design Studios, a nationally recognized firm known for its work with public garden spaces. Crafted from stone and aluminum washed to replicate the look of weathered steel, the new sign stands higher, for greater visibility, on an area often called “the Point” because of its location at the Gardens’ southernmost tip. In addition to acknowledging Birmingham’s famed industrial days, the sign also recalls iconic stone columns of various heights found throughout the Gardens and Birmingham community, including a historical Cahaba Road column and signpost constructed from locally quarried stone as part of a public works

program during the Great Depression. That column and other examples are located near the Gardens’ Lawler Gate leading to the Birmingham Zoo. Tyler employed an asymmetrical design to create dynamic tension, balancing the tall column on the left with taller plantings on the right, leading the eye—and directing the visitor—to the right toward the Gardens. Constructed this spring, the new sign honors the legacy of late Southern Living Editor at Large Philip Morris, who led the way in curating Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ distinctive sculpture collection. During the 1980s, while the Gardens implemented master plan updates that

reimagined its outdoor spaces as a series of distinct garden “rooms,” Morris helped oversee the process of enhancing individual gardens with art tailored to them. During the next 15 years, with Morris’s guidance the Gardens saw the addition of artworks from the metal gazebo, or “topiary tempietto,” in the Dunn Formal Rose Garden and the multipart Granite Garden in Blount Plaza to Nike, Interlude, and the still-water Kayser Lily Pool in the Hill Garden; the reimagined Floral Clock in front of the Conservatory; Hare with Collar in the Bruno Vegetable Garden; and Echo, Genesis, and Loblolly in the Southern Living Garden. Morris, an Oklahoma native recruited to Birmingham in 1969 to write about architecture for the three-year-old Southern Living, believed that art should reflect the spirit and character of its garden setting. “What we wanted was art that complemented the Gardens,” he once said. “The Gardens remained the most important thing.” He remained a volunteer and staunch supporter of the Friends of

Birmingham Botanical Gardens throughout his life, leaving a generous bequest to the Friends upon his death in 2017. Morris’s gift paved the way for the new sign, which is based on an initial idea by his former colleague and good friend John Floyd, the skilled horticulturist and longtime editor in chief of Southern Living who served as a driving force in the creation of the Southern Living Garden and oversaw the Gardens’ second master plan. Floyd, who passed away earlier this year, sketched his concept for the sign in 2018 after one of the first meetings of the Friends’ Capital Improvements Task Force, created to guide the latest master plan refresh. The sign became the committee’s first project, setting the tone for future planned enhancements. “We set out to create a timeless design that reflects both Birmingham’s heritage and the spirit of the Gardens, both of which were so important to Philip and John,” says Friends Executive Director Tom Underwood. “This new signature signage

celebrates their vision and lasting legacy. It also invites others to step into the Gardens and find their special place in it.” “The sign is in many ways a tribute to two Southern Living legends who were equally passionate about elevating the Gardens and about encouraging Birminghamians to join them in supporting this community treasure,” says Friends Board Chair Wally Evans. “John was excited to honor his friend in this meaningful way and eager to create a sign of arrival that reflects the heritage—both architectural and botanical—of our region.” The sign also represents the Friends’ ongoing commitment to enhancing the Gardens for the betterment of Birmingham, says Evans. “We are pleased to have once again been able to lead the way in funding and executing a significant capital project that will positively impact not only this City of Birmingham facility but also our city’s image and appearance for out-of-town visitors, an important tool for promoting economic development.” Goodwyn Mills Cawood, one of the

FALL 2021

Southeast’s largest architecture and engineering firms, crafted the construction plans in response to Terra’s conceptual drawings. Birmingham-based architectural signage firm Fravert Services created and installed the sign, which features moss rock stonework by Iron City Stone. In June, Bright Future Electric completed the installation with the addition of energy-efficient LED lighting with a nighttime sensor. “We capped off the design by working with Blackjack Horticulture on landscaping that showcases 12 native plants that reflect Birmingham through the seasons,”

says Friends Director of Operations Jane Underwood, who managed the project. “While annual beds put on a show, they also require a lot of time and labor. Native plants need less maintenance and conserve water because they are well adapted to the growing conditions, so we are being efficient with our resources while also celebrating our native flora. “We set out to make a statement: to let our visitors know that the garden they are about to explore is not one they could find anywhere but instead is of this community, region, and place,” she adds. “It serves as both a warm welcome and a sign of many good things to come.”

“We set out to create a timeless design that reflects both Birmingham’s heritage and the spirit of the Gardens ...” —TOM UNDERWOOD

SENSE OF PLACE For more than a century, landscape architecture emphasizing the beauty of natural settings has helped shape the look and feel of Birmingham

CLOSEUP OF LOCAL STONEWORK AND NATIVE PLANTINGS

“In dealing with existing real landscapes,” landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. once wrote, “I have been guided by an injunction impressed upon me by my distinguished father: namely, that when one becomes responsible for what is to happen to such a landscape his primary duty is to protect and perpetuate whatever of beauty and inspirational value, inherent in that landscape, is due to nature and to circumstances not of one’s own contriving, and to humbly subordinate to that purpose any impulse to exercise upon it one’s own skill as a creative designer.” The son of Frederick Law Olmsted Sr.—a creator of Central Park and a founder of the American landscape architecture profession—Olmsted Jr., or “Rick,” wrote the credo to the National Park System established in 1916 and became senior partner in the prestigious Olmsted Brothers firm four years later. When the firm, which participated in thousands of design projects nationwide, was approached about creating a plan for Birmingham parks and parkways, the idea of protecting natural wonders for the health and enjoyment of residents became a guidepost for the city’s future development. Under Rick’s direction, firm representative Edward Clark Whiting visited Birmingham for field work, and in fall 1925 Olmsted Brothers presented a report* to the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board to recommend improvements for established parks and suggestions for future park sites. The report underscored opportunities to expand “highly scenic” areas, establish neighborhood parks, and expand parks with natural landscape features. “Birmingham is fortunate to have an Olmsted Brothers park report for the region,” says Marjorie White, Director of the Birmingham Historical Society and a longtime member of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. “The report sets forth the firm’s vision to pass on, unharmed, the treasury of natural scenery that we inherit.” While many potential green space properties in the area had already been developed—or were in process of being developed—when the report was released, parks remained a key civic focus in Birmingham during the late 1920s and 1930s. In 1926, Jemison & Co. engaged Boston landscape architect Warren Manning to design a new subdivision in the Appalachian foothills south of Birmingham. Manning, who had worked on a city plan for Birmingham in 1916 and trained with Olmsted Sr., applied the same reverence for the natural world to his plan for the ridges and valleys

AROUND the GARDENS

Native Plants in the Landscape

The Gardens’ new signature sign and surrounding planting sing the spirit of the place through the seasons with some of our native gems By MOLLY HENDRY SPRING ‘Emerald Blue’ Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Blue’) Above the stone retaining wall is a solid mat of moss phlox, whose silvery-blue evergreen foliage is covered in violet-blue blooms in spring.

that would become Mountain Brook, preserving select land features and trees. The passion of these visionaries has continued to inspire generations of landscape planners and conservationminded organizations seeking to protect the area’s natural beauty and to reclaim former industrial land for all to enjoy. Today, as the City of Birmingham celebrates its 150th anniversary, the spirit of their work is reflected in recent greenway developments such as Red Mountain Park and Railroad Park. At Birmingham Botanical Gardens, their influence can be seen throughout this 67.5-acre urban oasis. Woven into native woodlands, the Gardens offers a glimpse of the oak-hickory-pine forests that once dominated this state. From rock outcroppings at the north to floodplains at the south, our 24 garden spaces highlight the region’s rich and varied terrain and the many plants that thrive in Southern gardens. These include more than 900 species of native plants—many rare and endangered—that clean the air and provide a feast for the eyes as well as for local pollinators. As we plan for the Gardens’ future and promote this community treasure as a destination of local and regional significance, the Olmsteds’ guiding principle continues to instruct the Friends’ work here. By celebrating the Gardens’ natural wonders and honoring sense of place throughout our garden spaces, we perpetuate the beauty of our region and create a healthier Birmingham.

‘Henry’s Garnet’ Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’) You will spot this Virginia sweetspire on either side of the sign with its long white spire flowers in spring and the added bonus of fall color as the seasons turn. This woodland shrub is a great choice for those moist sites in your garden. SUMMER Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’) This beloved perennial is a mainstay of the Southern garden with its bright yellow flowers that put on a show from summer to autumn.

Black-eyed Susans are happy in those full sun spots in the garden, which is why we chose to have them front and center at “the Point.” ‘Brido’ Snowflake Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Brido’) This shrub is about as native to the Birmingham area as you can get! Local nurseryman Eddie Aldridge discovered this doubleflowered variety in the woods. Now we get double the bang for our buck when this beauty blooms! FALL ‘Wildfire’ Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wildfire’) The ‘Wildfire’ black gum is the statement canopy tree for the Point, providing protective shade for the plants below. Its brilliant red fall color is sure to catch your eye here this autumn! ‘White Cloud’ Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘White Cloud’)

The green wiry foliage of muhly grass gives way in fall to fluffy white flowering plumes that persist through winter. The only care this easygoing perennial grass needs is a cutback at the end of winter to make way for spring growth. WINTER Cherokee Sedge (Carex cherokeensis) One of the best choices for a native ground cover in Birmingham is Cherokee sedge, an evergreen native grass that will thrive in your garden in those winter months when their flowering native friends are dormant. ‘Gem Box’ Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra ‘Gem Box’) Below the stone wall is a hedge of inkberry, a great native alternative to boxwood. These evergreen shrubs will hold those structural elements of a native planting design with their deep green, glossy foliage.

MOSS PHLOX

VIRGINIA SWEETSPIRE

BLACK-EYED SUSAN

OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA

BLACK GUM

MUHLY GRASS

CHEROKEE SEDGE

INKBERRY HOLLY

—Mindy Keyes Black

* The Olmsted Brothers report is in print and available for purchase. Visit birminghamhistoricalsociety.com to learn more.

FALL 2021

Nurturing Passions

Friends interns impact the Gardens through the lens of their special interests By Birmingham Botanical Gardens has long been a haven for education. With 67.5 acres filled with unique and natural treasures, this urban oasis inspires curiosity. And where curiosity thrives, so does the opportunity to enrich lives with the thrill of learning. Thanks to the commitment of members and donors, the Friends of Birmingham

Meet Alex Forrester

Rotary Club of Shades Valley Intern

Alex Forrester’s summer internship has really been more of a reunion than an introduction. The Trussville native began volunteering with the Friends at age 14, assisting with summer camp workshops for four consecutive years. She also spent her junior and senior years of high school interning with the Friends, an experience that provided a closer look at the many moving parts of public garden planting and maintenance. Now a junior at Auburn University, Alex studies biosystems engineering, the sector of engineering that revolves around renewable energy, water conservation, and soil sample analysis. Like many students, Alex is unsure of her exact path but has followed her passion for environmental science, which has led her back to this treasured urban greenspace. “I love it here,” says Alex. “If I could choose to do something in the future, it would be working at Birmingham Botanical Gardens or somewhere like here.”

JAMIE HAAS

Botanical Gardens’ intern program allows dedicated young people the chance to help with hands-on projects and educational initiatives while also exposing them to the world of public gardens. Although their time at the Gardens is limited, their contributions here and the lessons they take with them last long after their internships draw to a close.

Developing a ‘Native Azalea Jewel Box’ As the Friends’ 2021 Rotary Club of Shades Valley Intern, Alex drew on her experience caring for native azaleas at Auburn’s Donald E. Davis Arboretum to help develop a new, native-focused planting plan for the Abroms Rhododendron Species Garden. Working closely with Friends team members, she researched and identified 17 native azaleas and a list of companion plants that will thrive alongside them in Southern gardens. She also weeded out non-natives to make way for future native plantings. “I learned to prune azaleas and to tell species apart even when they aren’t in bloom,” she says. “That was a challenge—there are slight differences in the buds, but it’s still quite difficult.” Interested in stormwater management, Alex also studied drainage issues in Abroms and proposed new placements for select azaleas and the addition of rain gardens and bioswales, or mulched channels, to control the path of water. “Azaleas prefer high and dry environments,” she says, “so you want to watch for exposed roots where soil has been eroded by stormwater.” She looks forward to seeing the results of her work on future visits to the Gardens. “It’s exciting: I believe this garden has the potential to become a native azalea jewel box,” she says.

Meet Trent Gilmore Native Plant Intern

Hailing from the small town of Boldo, Alabama, Trent Gilmore grew up exploring his family’s land and developing a fascination with the great outdoors. “I’ve always had an appreciation for nature and for the way ecosystems interact with one another and regulate each other,” says Trent. “That was the only thing I could see myself studying.” Now a senior at the University of North Alabama, Trent does just that with a major in environmental biology and minors in chemistry and environmental geospatial information systems. His specialty is community ecology: how certain ecosystems and communities develop symbiotic relationships that allow those ecosystems to thrive. “There’s not a single ecosystem where plants are not at the bottom of that hierarchy, which is what interested me in this internship,” says Trent. Because plants are such a key part of community ecology, he believed Birmingham Botanical Gardens would be a fitting environment to learn and grow.

— FOR KIDS — Cost: $20 (Members of the Friends) $25 (Non-members)

“Knowing there’s something here that I left behind that people can stand and take in is really amazing.” —TRENT GILMORE

Conserving and Sharing Rare Plants After learning the scientific names of more than 200 native plants, Trent dove into his Native Plant internship by mapping the GPS coordinates of rare natives in the Kaul Wildflower Garden as part of the Friends’ current efforts to restore and renovate that space. As the Friends team plans for the conservation of the garden’s rare plants and researches the feasibility of seeding and replanting, Trent’s record-keeping will provide a useful road map for Kaul, which boasts more than 900 species of native plants. “The real benefit is helping to ensure that special finds like Alabama pinkroot (Spigelia Alabamensis) and the Gardens’ Boynton oak (Quercus boyntonii), both of which are endemic to Alabama, are documented and easily sought out,” he says. Putting his research to further good use, Trent developed descriptions about prominent native plants growing in the Kaul Wildflower Garden for new QR code signs to allow interested visitors to learn more. “These locations are highly asked about by visitors,” he says. “If staff and volunteers are not there when visitors walk by, they will have a resource to explore for themselves.” Working as well alongside Friends staff and volunteers to plant natives, reorganize beds, and care for Kaul, Trent says the experience gave him an appreciation for being mindful of details and giving his full attention to help plants thrive. “Knowing there’s something here that I left behind that people can stand and take in is really amazing.”

Calling all aspiring young gardeners and chefs! Fall is here, and it’s a great time to plant a windowsill herb garden. We have designed this kit with everything your gardening chef needs to plant culinary herbs and design an apron. Seeds are provided by the Library at the Gardens and were collected from plants grown at the Gardens. Each garden kit, wrapped with seasonal ribbon, includes a planter, soil, seeds, planting instructions, a canvas apron with markers, a special recipe, and a culinary children’s bibliography. Kits will be available for pickup at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

CHILDREN’S STORYTIME Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message (A Reading Rainbow Book) By Chief Jake Swamp | For readers age 6-11 Saturday, November 13 | Noon Native American Area at Birmingham Botanical Gardens Cost: Free (Members of the Friends at the Family level and up) | $10 (Non-members)

Pickup dates: Wednesday, October 13–Friday, October 15

Giving Thanks is a special children’s version of the Thanksgiving Address, a message of gratitude that originated with the Native people of Upstate New York and Canada and that is still spoken at ceremonial gatherings held by the Iroquois, or Six Nations. The book’s author, a Mohawk Chief, shared the story throughout the world, underscoring the belief that the natural world is a precious and rare gift that should be cherished. Join Miss Indian Alabama, Reagan Bonner of the Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, for this special seasonal reading. Includes commemorative book for your family library. Registration is limited to 15 families, so reserve your spot today!

bbgardens.org/fallkit

bbgardens.org/classes

Order through Wednesday, October 6

FALL CALENDAR

FALL GARDEN KIT A Special Seasonal Offering for Children

FAMILY FUN DAYS IN THE GARDENS Select Saturdays | 9-10 a.m. | Cost: $15 (adult + child), $5 (each additional family member) Enjoy fun encounters in the Gardens for the whole family! Different topics each week will provide opportunities for visitors of all ages to discover the wonders of the Gardens. FAMILY YOGA | Saturdays, September 18, October 23 Led by Annie Damsky, Owner, Villager Yoga This energetic class in the Formal Garden will include individual and partner yoga poses for strength and balance, plus breathing exercises to help foster calm and focus. CREATURE FEATURE | Saturday, October 23 | 10 a.m.–noon Family Fun Day Bonus Activity (Free to all garden visitors!) Led by Kendra Abbott, Research and Outreach Coordinator, Alabama Museum of Natural History After enjoying Family Yoga in our Formal Garden, get in the Halloween spirit with our Creature Feature add-on! Things that creep and crawl don’t just bump in the night. Learn how cool and beneficial bugs are with live insects from around the world and your own backyard. BIRDWATCHING | Saturday, November 13 Led by Greg Harber, Vice President of Conservation, Alabama Audubon Birdwatching is a hobby your entire family can enjoy, and with winter soon upon us, there is no better time to learn your backyard birds, and how to attract them. HOLIDAY STORY WALK | Saturday, December 18 Led by Dawn Coleman Lee, Education Activities Specialist, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Take a walk in the Gardens’ Conservatory, see our iconic poinsettia tree, and hear Tomie dePaola’s The Legend of the Poinsettia, a heartwarming retelling of the Mexican folktale about the origin of the poinsettia. bbgardens.org/classes

FALL 2021 CALENDAR

IN PERSON

HEALTH & WELLNESS Classes will meet outdoors through October; visit bbgardens.org/classes and follow us on social media for details about classes during cold-weather months. ASHTANGA YOGA IN THE GARDENS Instructor: Jason Kirby, Certified Yoga Instructor Mondays • 8:30–9:30 a.m. Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden) Cost: $12 (Members of the Friends) | $15 (Non-members) MINDFUL WALK & YOGA IN THE GARDENS Instructor: Ashley Clarke, Certified Mindful Outdoor Guide and Yoga Instructor Tuesdays • 8:45–10 a.m. Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden) Cost: $12 (Members of the Friends) | $15 (Non-members) VINYASA YOGA IN THE GARDENS Instructor: Lelia Neil, Certified Yoga Instructor Wednesdays • 8:30–9:45 a.m. Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden) Cost: $12 (Members of the Friends) | $15 (Non-members) TAI-JI IN THE GARDENS: BEGINNER Instructor: Stephen Guesman, Tai-Ji Quan Instructor Thursdays • 3–4 p.m. Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden) Cost: $12 (Members of the Friends) | $15 (Non-members) TAI-JI IN THE GARDENS: PRACTICE (INTERMEDIATE) Instructor: Stephen Guesman, Tai-Ji Quan Instructor Thursdays • 4:30–5:30 p.m. Moore Cultural Pavilion (Japanese Garden) Cost: $12 (Members of the Friends) | $15 (Non-members) FAMILY YOGA IN THE GARDENS Instructor: Annie Damsky of Villager Yoga Saturdays, September 18, October 23 • 9–10 a.m. Formal Garden Cost: $15 per adult + one child, $5 each additional child

Space is limited; preregistration is required. Learn more and prereregister at bbgardens.org/classes.

IN PERSON SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS Monthly on third Saturdays 10 a.m.–noon Cost: $16 (Members of the Friends | $20 (Non-members) Join Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens staff and volunteers to explore the Gardens’ collections, peek behind the scenes, and learn how to garden like a pro. 1 ALABAMA’S AMAZING BIODIVERSITY Saturday, September 18 Led by Larry Stephens, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Volunteer Learn about the vast and varied ecosystems that contribute to Alabama’s amazing biodiversity with a guided walk in the Bog and Kaul Wildflower Gardens (qualifies for two Native Plant Studies credit hours). 2 TENDING TO PERENNIAL PLANTS Saturday, October 16 Led by Perennial Plant Group volunteers with the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens

perennials are so popular, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the Gardens’ own perennial plant propagation operations. 3 WHAT MAKES A JAPANESE GARDEN Saturday, November 20 Led by Japanese Garden volunteers with the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Learn about the essential elements that make up the Japanese Garden at Birmingham Botanical Gardens with a guided walk including a tour of Toshinan, our iconic Japanese teahouse. 4 SCULPTURE AND HISTORY OF THE GARDENS Saturday, December 18 Led by Jason Kirby, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Library Assistant and Archivist Learn about the Gardens’ history and how art and sculpture enhance our gardens by reflecting the spirit and character of their settings with a guided walk through selected spaces.

Learn from the Friends’ Perennial Plant Group volunteers why

IN PERSON

5 GROW GREENER: A SUSTAINABLE GARDENING SERIES Monthly on second Sundays 2–4 p.m. Cost: $16 (Members of the Friends | $20 (Non-members) Join Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Alabama Cooperative Extension System experts in the Bruno Vegetable Garden to learn how to grow greener at home. A portion of this series is made possible through a gift from the Annie Lee Buce Matthews Fund for Sustainable Gardening. GARDEN TECH Sunday, September 12 Garden robots, automated irrigation, smartphone apps, and more—learn how cutting-edge technology can help you save time, money, and even the planet. FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING AND BEYOND Sunday, October 10 Learn about tools and techniques that can keep your vegetable garden growing into the winter season. GROWING GARLIC IN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE Sunday, November 14 Learn about the urban garlic variety trial that Extension experts are conducting and how you can apply its results in your garden. SELECTING SEEDS FOR SPRING Sunday, December 12 Discover everything you need to know to select and order seeds in plenty of time for a successful spring garden to come.

VIRTUAL

FREE BROWN BAG LUNCH & LEARNS Free and open to the public | Preregistration required at bbgardens.org/classes Wednesday, August 25 • 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. INDOOR GARDENING Led by Jessica Watts, House Plant Collective Find out the secrets to healthy houseplants and indoor herbs. Wednesday, September 8 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. FALL TURF MAINTENANCE Led by Dr. David Han, Extension Specialist with Alabama Cooperative Extension System Learn what the pros know about keeping weeds at bay. Wednesday, September 22 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ASK THE EXPERTS Bring your garden and landscape questions to ask our panel. Hosted by the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, this series is presented in partnership with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System; the Alabama Green Industry Training Center; the Jefferson County Department of Health; Jefferson County Commission; City of Leeds, Alabama; City of Birmingham Stormwater Management; and the Storm Water Management Authority, Inc.

IN PERSON THYME TO READ A monthly book club hosted by the Library at the Gardens Every first Tuesday • 6 p.m. Free and open to the public bbgardens.org/library Tuesday, September 7 The Cooking Gene: A Journey through African American Culinary History in the Old South By Michael W. Twitty Tuesday, October 5 Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey through Every National Park By Conor Knighton

Tuesday, November 9 The Secret Wisdom of Nature: Trees, Animals, and the Extraordinary Balance of All Living Things By Peter Wohlleben

AUTHOR TALK WITH BEN RAINES:

Saving America’s Amazon Thursday, September 2 6 p.m. • Garden Center Auditorium Tickets: $10

Ben Raines is a journalist, filmmaker, and author who may be best known for discovering the wreck of the Clotilda, the last ship to bring enslaved Africans to the United States, off the coast of Alabama. He has won more than two dozen awards for his coverage of environmental issues and natural wonders in Alabama and on the Gulf Coast. Saving America’s Amazon is a call to preserve the nation’s most diverse ecosystem: 260,000 square miles of South Alabama known as the MobileTensaw River Delta. Home to 30 species of amphibians, 46 mammals, 69 reptiles, 126 fish, and at least 300 species of birds, the area has been described by famed Alabama native and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning biologist E.O. Wilson (author of the book’s foreword) as “America’s Amazon.” Join us to hear from Ben why this place is an international hotspot of biodiversity and what we need to do to protect it for future generations. Books will be available for sale, and Ben will sign copies after the talk. Light refreshments will be provided. Preregistration is required. Register at bbgardens.org/ libraryprograms.

PRESENTED BY

A ATG

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 HONOREES CELEBRATION 6:00–7:00 p.m. GALA IN THE GARDENS* Sponsored by Starnes Davis Florie LLP 7:00–11:00 p.m. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1 Show Hours 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

2021

Antiques at the Gardens September 30–October 3

Join us at beautiful Birmingham Botanical Gardens

I 10 SPEAKERS I 21 DEALERS 150 VOLUNTEERS I 1 CAUSE

DAYS

RED DIAMOND LECTURE SERIES Sponsored by Red Diamond, Inc. CHARLOTTE MOSS* 11:00 a.m. CHRISTOPHER SPITZMILLER* 2:00 p.m. COCKTAILS & CONVERSATION MARK D. SIKES* 4:00 p.m. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2 Show Hours 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. TASTEMAKER PANEL* Presented by Veranda magazine CATHY KINCAID,

THE FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS is pleased to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Antiques at the Gardens (AATG) this fall! Presented by IBERIABANK (a Division of First Horizon Bank) and created by a committee of 150 dedicated volunteers, Birmingham’s premier antiques show will include talks by nationally and internationally acclaimed interior designers, floral designers, architects, and landscape architects. The three-day show will also welcome 21 celebrated dealers offering furniture, fine art, vintage and fine jewelry, silver, rugs and textiles, home decor, and garden accessories. In addition to show favorites like Thomas M. Fortner Antiques, Dana Kelly Oriental Rugs, Edwin C. Skinner, and Whitehall Antiques, attendees will discover seven new faces. The caliber and variety are the true constants for every AATG show, and this one is no exception. Be our guest Thursday, September 30, for our Gala in the Gardens—outdoors and under the stars— sponsored by Starnes Davis Florie LLP and honoring the show’s first co-chairs, Kim Matthews and Joan Starnes. On Friday, October 1, the show’s Red Diamond Lecture Series will feature talks by noted designers Charlotte Moss (in the morning) and Christopher Spitzmiller (in the afternoon), followed by cocktails and conversation with Mark D. Sikes. On Saturday, October 2, Cathy Kincaid, Corey Damen Jenkins, Ken Pursley, and Matthew Carter will talk about tips and trends as part of a Tastemaker Panel presented by Veranda magazine, and Fernando Wong will share past projects and current trends for outdoor spaces in his talk presented by Flower magazine. The weekend will conclude on Sunday, October 3, with “Sunday with Suzanne” featuring Suzanne Tucker, followed by James Farmer, sponsored by LICOA. Talks will be followed by book signings, with books available for purchase at the show. In its 15th year, the show continues to attract visitors from all over Alabama and across the Southeast. Proceeds benefit the mission of the nonprofit Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which seeks to protect, nurture, and share the wonders of the Gardens. Committed to growing a greener tomorrow, the Friends celebrates the Gardens and all that it makes possible by providing impactful educational programs and outreach, promoting the ongoing stewardship and enhancement of this community treasure, sharing its story, and raising funds to support these efforts. Mark your calendar to join the Friends for this special anniversary celebration. The event will be held September 30–October 3, 2021. For tickets, show schedule, speaker bios, and dealer information, visit bbgardens.org/antiques. Follow show announcements and reveals on Facebook and Instagram @antiquesgardensbham. We look forward to seeing you at Antiques at the Gardens!

COREY DAMEN JENKINS, KEN PURSLEY, MATTHEW CARTER 11:00 a.m. FERNANDO WONG* Presented by Flower magazine 2:00 p.m. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3 Show Hours 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. SUNDAY WITH SUZANNE SUZANNE TUCKER* 11:30 a.m. JAMES FARMER* Sponsored by LICOA 1:30 p.m. bbgardens.org/antiques Free Parking *Additional ticket is required. Limited seating

Antiques Gardens Birmingham

@antiquesgardensbham

Friday October

RED DIAMOND LECTURE SERIES *

Sponsored by Red Diamond, Inc. charlotte moss

christopher spitzmiller

cocktails with mark d. sikes With 35 years in the business of design, CHARLOTTE MOSS is known for her timeless aesthetic, layered interiors, Southern warmth, and keen eye. She has received numerous honors, including the New York School of Interior Design’s Centennial Medal and The Royal Oak Foundation’s Timeless Design award. She has been named to Elle Décor’s Grand Master List of Top Designers and is on the Advisory Board of The New York School of Interior Design, where she holds an honorary doctorate degree. In spring 2022 Charlotte will deliver the commencement address for Virginia Commonwealth University, her alma mater. Charlotte has used her experience culled from 35 years of decorating homes to design licensed collections with Century Furniture, Fabricut, Stark Carpet, Pickard, P.E. Guerin, Soicher Marin, IBU Clothing Artemis Design Company, and more. She lectures widely and is a prolific author, having published 11 books to date. Her latest, Charlotte Moss Flowers (Rizzoli, 2021) will be followed by Home: A Celebration: Notable Voices Reflect on the Meaning of Home (Rizzoli, 2021) to benefit No Kid Hungry. Of all her work, philanthropy plays an important role in her life. Charlotte is Emerita Trustee of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello, on the Boards of The Bone Marrow Foundation and The Madoo Conservancy, a member of the International Council of Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, and on the Board of American Corporate Partners, where she mentors veterans. CHRISTOPHER SPITZMILLER’S lamps, tableware, and other ceramics are found in every chic A-list interior, including the White House. His iconic designs draw inspiration from classical forms and traditional gem-like glazes. He began his career in Georgetown in Washington, D.C., where he worked out of an old schoolhouse near Dumbarton Oaks. Shortly thereafter, his work received critical acclaim and his reputation as a noteworthy ceramicist began to emerge. In the summers, he worked from Mecox Gardens in Southampton as an artist in residence, and such designers as Albert Hadley, Richard Keith Langham, and Suzanne Rheinstein began to commission his work. Since 1996, Christopher has been concentrating his efforts on his unique lamp designs. In the fall of 1999 after outgrowing his Washington studio he moved to New York City, where he now creates his one-of-a-kind lamps with his crew of skilled artisans. The lamps are of timeless appeal and luxurious quality. Beautiful classic forms are drenched in bold, vibrant, rich glazes. He has expanded his designs to tableware and other ceramic accessories. Christopher’s work is often featured in celebrated publications such as Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Elle Décor, Departures, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. His latest book, A Year at Clove Brook Farm, from Rizzoli, was released in March 2021.

esteemed interior designer and tastemaker working on projects throughout the An United States, MARK D. SIKES is known for all-American sensibilities and a fresh take on classical aesthetics. His talent for creating beautiful and timeless interiors that embody an indoor/outdoor lifestyle has been featured in Architectural Digest, Veranda, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, The Wall Street Journal, C Magazine, Milieu, and Domino, and he is a member of Elle Décor’s A-List. Mark’s first book, Beautiful, was a New York Times best seller, and his highly anticipated newest book, More Beautiful, from Rizzoli, debuted in September 2020.

* Additional tickets required. Limited seating Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 7. bbgardens.org/antiques

A ATG

Saturday October

CATHY KINCAID’S enviable sense of color and intricate design detail has established her as one of the country’s top designers and an editorial favorite whose work is published internationally. For more than 30 years, Cathy has designed houses that are as individual as her clients. A recipient of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s John Staub Award, Cathy is highly respected for her commitment to restoring old houses and filling them with traditionally stylish antiques and furnishings. From a historic Beaux Arts estate in Dallas and a 1750s Ship Captain’s Cottage in Old Lyme, Connecticut, to a Mas de Baraquet in the south of France, Cathy’s interiors evoke a sense of comfortable elegance. She offers a diverse combination of old and new design elements, but her primary goal as a designer remains: to create inviting, livable spaces with her clients’ happiness the top priority. Cathy’s work has been featured in several books including Farrow & Ball: The Art of Color and D. Porthault Linens. In fall 2019, Rizzoli published The Well-Adorned Home by Cathy Kincaid.

TASTEMAKER PANEL *

Presented by Veranda Magazine cathy kincaid corey damen jenkins ken pursley matthew carter

Nationally acclaimed designer COREY DAMEN JENKINS mixes vivid colors with layered patterns to create architecturally inspired spaces that are polished, inventive, and unexpected. Taking cues from the haute couture runway, his projects feature luxurious and refined materials. His bold interiors have graced the front covers of House Beautiful, Traditional Home, and more. He has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Detroit News, and Vanity Fair. Corey is an inducted member of Architectural Digest’s AD100. In 2020, he was named to Elle Décor’s prestigious A-List. Corey’s first coffee-table book, Design Remix: A New Spin On Traditional Rooms (Rizzoli), was released worldwide in March 2021. A son of Detroit, he is a tireless advocate for many charities, including the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He resides in New York City.

A graduate of Auburn University’s school of architecture, KEN PURSLEY is a principal and partner at Charlotte, N.C.-based Pursley Dixon Architecture. Having cultivated his interest in residential design under the tutelage of his mentor and friend Bobby McAlpine, Ken went on to develop his unique aesthetic, which resonates with clients throughout the country. Pursley Dixon views both modernism and classicism as part of a broader architectural language, drawing from multiple traditions when crafting design solutions.The 14-person firm has received numerous accolades including Veranda/ADAC Architecture firm of the year and Southern Living home of the year while their work is regularly featured in publications including Veranda, Traditional Home, House Beautiful, and Milieu. Their first book, Finding Home, will be published by Rizzoli this fall and available at the show.

* Additional tickets required. Limited seating Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 7. bbgardens.org/antiques

fernando wong Presented by Flower Magazine

MATTHEW CARTER creates dynamic, timeless interiors for clients around the world. Established in 2002, Matthew’s eponymous firm is known for breathing new life into antiques and heirlooms, designing houses and spaces that respect history but feel fresh and relevant for today. Although he is based in Lexington, Kentucky, current and recent projects span the map from Napa Valley, Vail, Charleston, and New York to Palm Beach, Lynford Cay, and Harbour Island, Bahamas. Throughout his career, editors and photographers have celebrated Matthew’s signature layered look and keen ability to relax even in the grandest of houses. In January 2021, he was named one of Veranda’s “Next Legends.” Matthew’s work has been published in House Beautiful, Veranda, Traditional Home, C Magazine, Southern Living, and The New York Times and in books such as Fortuny Interiors by Brian Coleman, Linens: For Every Room and Occasion by Jane Scott Hodges, Kentucky: Historic Houses and Horse Farms of Bluegrass Country by Peter Estersohn, and Beige Is Not a Color by Carlos Mata.

FERNANDO WONG is an award-winning, internationally recognized landscape designer who has been called a “design genius with the soul of a poet” by Elle Décor, “one of the most important landscape designers in America” by Architectural Digest, and a “landscape legend” by Forbes. His new television show, Clipped, with Martha Stewart on the HGTV and Discovery Plus channels, debuted in May 2021. In April, he won the prestigious Palladio Award for his landscape design on a 3-acre, John Volk-designed estate that recently set a Palm Beach record for lakefront when it sold to Charles Schwab for $71 million. In addition to residential projects around the world, his projects include the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club in Miami, the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach, the sculpture garden of the ICA Museum in Miami’s Design District, the Starwood Luxury Collection Perry Lane Hotel in Savannah, a National Park for the Bahamian Government, and a master plan for the Lyford Cay Club in Nassau.

suzanne tucker Sunday with Suzanne

james farmer Sponsored by Licoa

Sunday October

A NOTE FROM OUR CO-CHAIRS

SUZANNE TUCKER strongly believes that by surrounding ourselves with the authenticity of thoughtful design and timeless architecture, we enrich and enhance the quality of our lives. She is recognized as one of the country’s leading interior designers, known for her personal approach and enduring style, attention to detail, and passion for architecture and the decorative arts. Her award-winning projects are frequently published in magazines worldwide. Architectural Digest has honored her repeatedly on the AD100 list of top designers, and she is included in the Elle Décor A-list. Having worked under the legendary Michael Taylor and often referenced as his protégée, she and her husband/ partner, Timothy F. Marks, founded Tucker & Marks in 1986, building it into the distinguished firm it is today. Suzanne Tucker Home was launched in 2010 with her textile, tabletop, and home furnishings line. Suzanne’s first monograph, Rooms to Remember, The Classic Interiors of Suzanne Tucker (The Monacelli Press, 2009) was followed by the publication of Suzanne Tucker Interiors—The Romance of Design (The Monacelli Press, 2013). A third book is planned for publication in 2022.

JAMES FARMER is a Southern author, interior designer, and speaker known for his ability to create beautifully familiar and welcoming homes. To James, a home engages all of the senses—the pleasantries of colors and materials, the feel of the doorknob warmed by the sun, the scent of fresh laundry, the sound of the closing door, and the taste of supper on the table. James is the author of The Wall Street Journal best-selling books A Time to Plant, Sip & Savor, Porch Living, Wreaths For All Seasons, A Time to Cook, Dinner on the Grounds, A Time to Celebrate, and A Place to Call Home. His most recent publication, Arriving Home, features design projects from the farmlands of Georgia to the rolling countryside of Connecticut. His work has also been published in various magazines including Southern Living, House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Southern Home, Flower, and more. As a frequent event speaker and guest, he lights up the room with his natural grace and warmth. Whether designing homes or sharing his gardening expertise, he is truly a fresh voice for his generation. Born and raised in Georgia, James proudly has built his business in his hometown of Perry.

Thanks so much to all of our sponsors—including our presenting sponsor, IBERIABANK (a Division of First Horizon Bank), Gala sponsor Starnes Davis Florie LLP, Red Diamond, Inc., benefactors, and patrons! Your support helps sustain this beloved community treasure and all that it makes possible. To purchase tickets to our 15th-anniversary events, visit bbgardens.org/antiques or call the Friends at 205.414.3950. We look forward to seeing you September 30–October 3 at the Gardens! —Stephanie Lynton and Shannon Lisenby, 2021 Co-chairs

ANTIQUES DEALERS Antique Cupboard • Atlock Farm • B. Viz Design • Blackwell Botanicals • Black Sheep Antiques • Brocante French Country Antiques • Dana Kelly Oriental Rugs • D.R. Grissom Collection Estate & Fine Jewelry • Edwin C. Skinner • Gum Tree Farm Designs • Hedgerow Antiques • Leftovers Antiques • Madison James • Maison de France • McDonough Fine Art • Recreo Jewelry • Rick Ingenthron Antiques • Thomas M. Fortner Antiques • Very Vintage Villa • Vieuxtemps Porcelain • Whitehall Antiques

Special thanks to Dogwood Hill for creating our lovely 15th-anniversary crest and to Blackjack Horticulture for designing the show’s beautiful garden entry!

richard keith langham 2021 Show Ambassador Alabama born and Manhattan based, Keith has been a force in the decorating world for more than 30 years. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and studying at the Study Center for the History of Fine and Decorative Arts in London, he then apprenticed with design legend Mark Hampton. Keith spent 10 years with Irvine & Fleming before founding his own firm in 1990. His keen eye and ebullient talent serve well in assembling his signature rooms—those that speak to the past in a fresh way and are brimming with luscious color, pattern, and couture detailing. Perhaps no one summed up his aesthetic better than Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis herself, who once proclaimed him to have “a sorcerer’s eye.” We could not be more honored to have Keith bring his talent and affection for Birmingham to our 15th-annual Antiques at the Gardens show!

Meet the 2021

A ATG

Antiques at the Gardens

For guests who were not able to attend that very first show, Kim and Joan paint a picture for us: “The theme was Heirlooms in Bloom, which helped us marry the concept of having antiques and flowers, allowing us to showcase both,” says Kim. “One of our biggest challenges was coming up with the name, Antiques at the Gardens.” Curating a cohesive feel for a three-day event with lots of Honorees moving parts—a gala, talks, and time with dealers—is no small feat. Having just the right people in just the right positions is a testament to Joan and Kim’s leadership style and ability to share their vision with others. “If you could look back at our printed material, catalog, 15th-Anniversary Show brochure, etc., [from 2006], you could see how we blended the two Celebrates the Event’s First Co-chairs concepts—antiques and flowers—in a creative and elegant way,” says Joan. “A special nod to Val Holman, our marketing chair, who By CHRISTIANA ROUSSEL was instrumental in creating the initial design concept.” While expectations were high that A show as grand as Antiques at the Gardens year for a successful event, no one does not just come together overnight. really knew exactly how everything In addition to months of planning and would play out. When asked what was a squadron of dedicated volunteers, it on their wishlist for the event, the two requires vision, dedication, cajoling, listening, are quick to respond with humor and researching, engaging, and a whole lot of humility. “Our wishlist was simple: to heavy lifting. This year, the nonprofit Friends pull it off!” Kim says with a laugh. By of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the any measure, their tireless dedication mission-driven membership organization and hard work paid off in spades. “We that works side by side with the City of had no idea what to expect as far as Birmingham Park & Recreation Board at the how [Antiques at the Gardens] would Gardens, honors Kim Matthews and Joan be received, so we were delighted with Starnes, chairwomen of the first Antiques at the funds raised, show attendance, the Gardens show. The show we experience and positive feedback from all fronts,” today would not be possible were it not says Joan. “The dealers lined up to for the dedication and work Kim and Joan return the next year, which was also a undertook more than fifteen years ago. positive sign.” Kim and Joan are eager These two longtime Birmingham to share the credit for their big win residents and lifelong friends joined forces for the Friends: “Our biggest success to create something both grand and was choosing the right committee intimate, sophisticated and approachable, [members] to help us achieve our goal,” entertaining and educational. Their ability to says Kim. “In addition to the staging attract beloved antiques dealers—convincing chairs, Tricia and Mitzi, our hospitality JOAN AND KIM them that this show would be amazing committee chairs, Cameron Crowe and and worth participating in—was just the Kate Phillips, were invaluable in creating beginning. Crafting an atmosphere befitting a warm and welcoming atmosphere the treasures these vendors would showcase for both dealers and committee “We have been friends was instrumental in setting the tone for the members. We should also honor our for a long time, so joining event. Their deft hands ensured that guests Men’s Committee Chairs, Stewart forces to bring this beloved felt welcomed and that this would become Dansby, Hubert Goings, Jr., and Douglas an annual event not to be missed. Stockham. They jumped in with us to antiques show to the Joan and Kim will be the first to tell make the first show a success.” Gardens was a natural fit.” you that it was their prior community Today Joan and Kim are enjoying involvement and phenomenal committees a bit more downtime—traveling with —JOAN STARNES that made it all possible. “We were both their spouses to mountain retreats involved with the Junior League of Birmingham antiques show, and in Highlands, N.C., or taking grandchildren to the Japanese Garden that gave us the inspiration and confidence that we could re-create to see the koi and turtles there. Today more than ever, they can that same feel at the Gardens,” says Joan. When asked how that appreciate the impact they had in producing that first Antiques at the concept translated to an event here, Kim adds, “It appealed to us Gardens show, knowing that scores of schoolchildren are learning to use the smaller, more intimate space that the Gardens offered. about the science of plants, vegetables grown and harvested at the [Staging chairs] Tricia Noble and Mitzi Davis were instrumental in Gardens are being shared with area residents in need, the Gardens’ optimizing the Gardens’ space into a perfect setting for the dealers, two dozen garden spaces have continued to grow and thrive thanks showing them Southern hospitality at its best—a tradition that in part to the success of the Friends’ fundraising efforts, and visitors continues today, creating a welcome atmosphere for our dealers, from near and far can enjoy a safe and welcoming retreat in the speakers, and guests.” heart of the Magic City.

Kim Matthews

I Joan Starnes

Building on the show’s 15-year legacy, current Co-chairs Shannon Lisenby and Stephanie Lynton invite home and garden enthusiasts, antiques lovers, and loyal supporters from across the region to join them in celebrating Joan and Kim at the 2021 Gala in the Gardens sponsored by Starnes Davis Florie LLP on Thursday, September 30. Learn more and purchase tickets at bbgardens.org/antiques. Thank you for your support!

FALL 2021 GARDEN SUPPORTERS

Thank You

We are grateful for the many ways that you show your support of our work here at the Gardens! Through your annual membership, contributions, planned gifts, and volunteer service, you help the Gardens grow and thrive, ensuring that future generations will have the same opportunities we have to enjoy this community treasure. HONORARIUMS May–July 2021

Joe & Ann Andrews Sharon & Bobby Sharp David Bruce Andrews Sharon & Bobby Sharp Sonya Carpenter Wildflowers Garden Club David E. Doggett Charnwood Estates HOA Charlotte Hammonds’s 90th Birthday Anne & Bob Waudby Tricia Noble Julia Ann & Joe Cleage Stephanie Teal Robinson Ingram & Associates, Inc. Stephen G. Rostand Ms. Valerie Peake Dr. Mike Rushing Charnwood Estates HOA Debbie & D.C. Coston Ms. Martha Council Ms. Mary N. Moore Mr. Philip Foster & Ms. C. Diann Weatherly

Charles Maloy Love Ms. Jeannie Bissell Mr. & Mrs. John Conner Mr. & Mrs. Reaves Monroe Crabtree Carolyn & Henry Frohsin Jessica & Ben Johnson James Stanley Mackin, Sr. Mary & Jamie French Mr. & Mrs. Carl E. Jones, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Barney Lanier Margot Kessler Marx Jessica & Ben Johnson Dr. & Mrs. Charles Russell Janneen Mealing Mrs. Keaosha Lewis Mary Sue Sewell Parnell Ginger & Carey Hollingsworth Christia Nan Pelham Ms. Danielle Viale William (Bill) Alexander Pogue Hill & Dale Garden Club Julia Bell McWhorter Pope Karen Chapman

Dr. Neal Schooley Debbie & D.C. Coston

James Ferrell Purnell Mrs. Robert Eskew Mr. & Mrs. Clayton E. Richard, Jr.

Patricia Sholund Ms. Martha Council

Allen Rokach Ms. Virginia P. Allen

Ann Skipper Mr. Andrew Willson

Peter Paul Scalise, Jr. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Mr. William E. Engel Mr. & Mrs. James E. Lehe Mrs. Anna Miller Jack & Carol Reamey Ms. Judi Wurm

Larry Stephens Dr. & Mrs. Kirk Hawley Patricia Woods Jonnie & Paul Caddell Louise A. Wrinkle Kathy & Jim Park

MEMORIALS May–July 2021

Caroline Yates Middleton Amason Mr. & Mrs. George Johnston III Catherine & Roger Smith Mr. Thomas W. Sparrow V Mr. & Mrs. Bryson Stephens Tom & Jane Underwood Walter Lee Amerson Dr. Callie A. McQuaig PHOTOS: DEE MOORE, LEFT; GRAHAM YELTON, ABOVE RIGHT

Wilma Hui Hsu Mr. & Mrs. Hao Hsu

Sivaleela (Leela) Boppana Suresh Boppana, Shilpa Boppana & Sushma Boppana Friends & Colleagues of UAB Dr. Suresh Boppana & daughters (Dr. Sushma Boppana & Dr. Shilpa Boppana) Hayden Hope Doores Mr. & Mrs. Bob Lindstrom Robert L. Eskew, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. John R. Eskew Dr. John Alex Floyd, Jr. Debbie & D.C. Coston Lane Gregory Ms. Anna Thode James Howard Freeman, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. John M. Musgrave Ann Calisto Geisinger Norm Geisinger Mary Josephine Hamre Mr. & Mrs. Dod Hamre Mr. Chris H. Hamre Mr. & Mrs. Christian J. Noll III

Patricia Trent Scofield Rockridge Garden Club Nancy Carol Stewart Thompson Penney & Roger Hartline Mona & Jeff Holmes Teresa (Terri) Von Hoene David & Mary Kimerling Cynthia Shelton Watson Mrs. Deborah Prince Dr. Robert (Bob) Joseph Wendorf Debbie & D.C. Coston Jane Kaul Wilson Derry B. Bunting Ralph Walter Womer, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell Cooper

LIBRARY DONORS May–July 2021

Karen Larsen Dr. Harold Settle

LIBRARY HONORARIUMS May–July 2021

Jason Kirby Edward Waters Chapter of the Daughters of the American Colonist Heatherwood Garden Club Indian Springs Garden Club Mimmi Stanton Edgewood Garden Club

LIBRARY MEMORIALS May–July 2021

Lella Clayton Bromberg Oak Street Garden Shop Employees Catherine Jane Bromberg Byrne Billy Angell Dr. Henry Crommelin, Jr. Oak Street Garden Shop Employees Mary Patton Eatman Inge Oak Street Garden Shop Employees Elizabeth Benners Marbury Oak Street Garden Shop Employees Nancy Carol Stewart Thompson Oak Street Garden Shop Employees

PERENNIAL LEGACY GIVING CIRCLE

As of July 31, 2021 Recognizing those who have made or pledged a planned gift Mr.* & Mrs. Edgar G. Aldridge Mr. & Mrs. Michael Balliet Ms. Camille A. Becker Mrs. Lucille S. Beeson* Peggy Bonfield & Orrin Ford* Ida C. & D. Joseph Burns* Mr. & Mrs. Arthur I. Chenoweth* Mary Carolyn Gibbs Cleveland Suzanne G. Clisby Dr. & Mrs. D.C. Coston Mrs. Martha Stone Cobb Daniel* The Daniel Foundation of Alabama Dr. L. Aubrey* & Elizabeth Drewry The Dunn-French Family Dr. John D. Elmore* Martha B. & Robert L.* Eskew Mrs. Trudy Evans Mr. & Mrs. Wally Evans Mrs. Claire H. Fairley* Bernadine Rushing Faulkner Mr. F. Lewter Ferrell, Jr.* Dorothy Ireland Fletcher Dr.* & Mrs. Charles P. Grant Patti Hammond Jody & Don Hamre* Penney & Roger Hartline Mr. R.R. Herbst* Mrs. Jimmie Hess* Mr. J. Ernest Hill & Mrs. Ora Lee Hill* Mrs. Jane Hinds Fay B. Ireland* Dr. Susan Jackson Mr. George L. Jenkins Bobbe & Hugh Kaul* Ms. Pamela Kaul* Mr. Jason C. Kirby & Mr. Benjamin J. Faucher Fran Lawlor Dr. Bodil Lindin-Lamon* Hope Long Dr. Michael E. Malone Annie Lee Buce Matthews* Ms. Louise T. McAvoy* Douglas A. & Linda P. McCullough Margaret H. McGowan* Mrs. Mary Jean Morawetz Mr. Philip Morris* Thelma Vaughan Mueller* Mr. & Mrs. Fred W. Murray, Jr. Don & Pat Nelson Dr. James L. Newsome* Dr. & Mrs. A. I. Perley* LeAnne* & Steve Porter Mrs. Carol P. Poynor Mrs. Dorothy L. Renneker* Deborah & John Sellers Sandra S. Simpson Mr. & Mrs. William M. Spencer III* Mr. Douglas Arant Stockham Janet & Jarry Taylor Dr. Wendell H. Taylor, Sr.* Mrs. Barbara D. Thorne* Dr. & Mrs.* Jack W. Trigg, Jr. Mrs. Carolyn D. Tynes* Mrs. Ann H. “Nancy” Warren* Mrs. Robert Wells Anonymous (2) *Deceased

WATER LILY

Plant the Seeds for Your Lasting Legacy at the Gardens JOIN OUR PERENNIAL LEGACY GIVING CIRCLE You can help us perpetuate the wonders of Birmingham Botanical Gardens and all that it means to our community and region by including the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens in your planned giving. Gifts to the Friends ensure that this botanical treasure will remain a place of beauty and source of inspiration to all who visit for generations to come. Every gift makes an impact. Please consider designating the Friends as a beneficiary of your estate through your will, charitable trust, or retirement beneficiary designation. We are grateful to those who have made this special commitment. Please join them in supporting and protecting this beloved community resource. Call Director of Development Penney Hartline at 205.414.3950, ext. 103, to learn more.

Growing Community JUNIOR BOARD CULTIVATES CONNECTIONS THROUGH SERVICE After a year of virtual meetings, members of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Junior Board gathered for an in-person summer social at Carrigan’s Beer Garden. Champions of the Friends’ internship program, the Junior Board solicited sponsorships and donations in late July as hosts of our 2021 Flicks Among the Flowers featuring the movie-musical Grease.

FRONT ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Laura Monroe Elliot, OIivia

Backer, Carson Brewster, Benjamin Torczon (chair), Jamie Talecki, Erin Gardner, Christina Myerson BACK ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Molly Hendry (Friends staff liaison), Cory Brewster, Michael Harris, Joseph Echols, Blakely Lloyd, Beth Cunningham, Jim Pickle (past chair) For a full list of Friends Junior Board members and to learn more about getting involved, visit bbgardens.org/ juniorboard.

The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens thanked dedicated donors and top-level members for their generous support throughout the year at a private event held Sunday, May 16, in the beautiful setting of the Hill Garden. More than 100 people attended the special gathering, which featured Champagne, small bites, and the gift of a rosemary or lavender plant grown at the Gardens.

BRONWYNE AND JOHN CHAPMAN, MARGI INGRAM

PENNY AND MIKE FULLER

JANIE AND WALLY EVANS, MANDI AND JOHN SMITH T

PHOTOS: QUEZ SHIPMAN

SUMMER 2021

Celebration of Friends

CARNETTA AND NORM DAVIS

EMILY AND BILL BOWRON

D.C. AND DEBBIE COSTON

LEAH TAYLOR, LEAH HAZZARD, PENNEY HARTLINE

ROSEMARY FISK

LOWELL AND ALICE WOMACK

DOUGLAS AND LINDA MCCULLOUGH, LARRY STEPHENS

BENJAMIN TORCZON AND ELIZABETH BOWAB, JENNIFER AND KEVIN WAGONER

Garden Dirt Receives Creative Awards THE FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS is honored to have received a prestigious Platinum Award in the Print Media—Newsletter category of the international Hermes Creative Awards. The prize was awarded to the fall 2020 issue of the Friends’ quarterly publication, The Garden Dirt, which showcased the Friends’ Harvest for the Hungry initiative and other ways that Birmingham Botanical Gardens feeds mind, body, and soul. Administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), the Hermes Creative Awards recognizes creative work that serves as a benchmark for the industry in 200 print and digital categories. More than 6,500 submissions were received in the 2021 competition, one of the largest creative competitions in the world. The Friends is also excited to have received a 2021 GardenComm Media Awards Silver Medal of Achievement in the Publisher/Producer: Newsletter or Brochure category presented by GardenComm: Garden Communicators International. The award, which recognizes the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications, was presented to the summer 2020 issue of The Garden Dirt, which showcased the Friends’ recent redesign of the Southern Living Garden flower border. The issue will now advance to compete for a Gold Award at the 2021 GardenComm Virtual Conference. Many thanks to our entire staff and all who contribute to our publications as we seek to share the great love our community has for the Gardens and the important strides we are making in education, outreach, garden stewardship, and conservation. We are also grateful to our regular freelance contributors: Ellen Shanks Padgett, Graham Yelton, and Susan Emack Alison. Enjoy past issues of The Garden Dirt on the Birmingham Botanical Gardens page of ISSUU.com. To receive upcoming issues, join the Friends or renew your membership at bbgardens.org/membership. Thank you for your support! —Mindy Keyes Black

Shop Our 10 Member Partner Nurseries, Garden Centers, and Flower Shops The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is grateful for the many ways that local businesses give back to support the Gardens. Be sure to show your membership card when shopping at these local nurseries, garden centers, and flower shops, which offer 10% off regularly priced plant purchases* to members of the Friends: BOTANICA • DOROTHY MCDANIEL’S FLOWER MARKET • FARMSTAND BY STONE HOLLOW • HOUSE PLANT COLLECTIVE • LEAF & PETAL AT THE GARDENS • MYERS PLANTS & POTTERY • PETALS FROM THE PAST • SHOPPE: BIRMINGHAM • SWEET PEAS GARDEN SHOP • WILD THINGS

BOTANICA

DOROTHY MCDANIEL’S FLOWER MARKET

FARMSTAND BY STONE HOLLOW

HOUSE PLANT COLLECTIVE

LEAF & PETAL AT THE GARDENS

MYERS PLANTS & POTTERY

PETALS FROM THE PAST

SHOPPE: BIRMINGHAM

SWEET PEAS GARDEN SHOP

WILD THINGS

Learn more about these businesses and hear their owners’ favorite gardening tips by checking out our member partner video series at youtube.com/birminghambotanicalgardens We hope you enjoy all of your member benefits! Thank you for supporting the Gardens and all that it makes possible through your annual membership. *Certain exclusions apply; visit bbgardens.org/benefits to learn more.

Non-Profit Org. US Postage

PAID

Birmingham, AL Permit No. 2513

2612 Lane Park Road Birmingham, Alabama 35223 205.414.3950 bbgardens.org

Thank you for your commitment to this community treasure. Your support is vital for the Gardens and those we serve. Please renew or upgrade your membership at bbgardens.org/membership.

The Garden Dirt is printed using vegetable-based inks. Please recycle.

Visitors enjoy a stroll in the cool of the bamboo via the new Protective Life Boardwalk and education platform in the Japanese Garden at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.