The Garden Dirt | Summer 2019 by Birmingham Botanical Gardens

FOR FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS

SUMMER 2019

Sustainable Gardening PLANTING THE SEEDS TO A GREENER FUTURE

Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens 2019 Board of Directors

John Smith T ��Chair Beverley Hoyt �� Immediate Past Chair Wally Evans ��Treasurer Emily Bowron �� Secretary Peyton King ��Chair of Development Chris Boles ��Chair of Education Bill Ireland ��Chair of Governance Cathy Adams �� Chair of Government Relations Lee McLemore �� Chair of Operations

Members at Large

Brian Barr Craig Beatty Uday Bhate Sharon Brown Stephanie Cooper D.C. Coston Kate Cotton Norm Davis Bob de Buys Ian Dexter Kirk Forrester

Helen Harmon Chris Hastings Fred Hawkins Rick Heartsill Turner Inscoe Natalie Kelly Caroline Little John Miller Blevins Naff Tiffany Osborne

O ur M ission

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.

AROUND THE GARDENS:

Summer Favorites

Be sure to watch for these seasonal standouts on your next visit. What it is: Plumleaf Azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium) What we love about it: This is one of the rarest of all our native azaleas, found only in the wild in a narrow region of Georgia and Alabama. Its deep orangered blooms are a final crescendo to the native azalea show. Where to find it: Kaul Wildflower Garden

What it is: Endless Summer Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’) What we love about it: This shrub brightens shady corners and is true to its name, blooming into fall. Where to find it: new planting

at the southern end of the Formal Garden What it is: Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) What we love about it: Large, dark brown, fertile fronds emerge from the crown of the foliage in midsummer and persist through winter. Where to find it: bog area near entrance to Kaul Wildflower Garden 3

What it is: Daylily (Hemerocallis) What we love about it: This is a staple in Southern gardens, with thousands of varieties available. Where to find it: Jemison Lily Garden 4

What it is: Coneflower (Echinacea) What we love about it: Coneflower features a wonderfully long bloom time, which extends through warm summer months. Where to find it: Forman Garden

What it is: Lavender (Lavendula) What we love about it: Lavender’s fragrant, deep purple bloom spikes appear at the beginning of summer and can be dried and enjoyed long past their bloom cycle. Where to find it: raised beds in the Enabling Garden

S taff Tom Underwood .............................. Executive Director Stephanie Banks �� Chief Financial Officer Mindy Keyes Black �� Director of Communications and Marketing Rachael Daughtry ��Library Assistant Dawn DeFrank ��Donor Services Coordinator Missy Fooshee ��Staff Accountant 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 John Manion �� Kaul Wildflower Garden Curator Brooke McMinn ��Director of Education and Visitor Experience Alice Thompson Moore �� Volunteer Coordinator Heather Oliver ��Special Events Coordinator Michelle Phillips ��Office Coordinator Drew Rickel �� Donor Relations Officer Jane Underwood �� Director of Operations Editor: Mindy Keyes Black Art Design: Ellen Padgett Cover Photo: Graham Yelton Contributors: Susan Emack Alison, Molly Hendry, Wendy Wallace Johnson, Abby Logue, Francie MacDougall, Brooke McMinn, Leslie Register, Drew Rickel, Graham Yelton ©2019 Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. All rights reserved. 2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham, AL 35223 | 205.414.3950 | bbgardens.org communications@bbgardens.org A facility of the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the result of a successful 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’ quarterly newsletter. 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.

Photos of flowers and Tom Underwood by Graham Yelton; top right photo by Leslie Register of Leslie’s Party Diaries. Recipe reprinted from The Hot & Hot Fish Club Cookbook courtesy of Chris Hastings.

Field of Dreams!

Savor the fruits of your home garden by trying your hand at two recipes in the issue! Shrimp Gazpacho (at right) comes courtesy of James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Hastings, who is co-owner of Hot & Hot Fish Club and a valued member of our Board of Directors. Enjoy as well “The Bruno” (see page 9), a cocktail created by Feizal Valli and Rachael Roberts of The Atomic Bar & Lounge, a James Beard semifinalist, after a recent visit to the Gardens. Fall is around the corner, so mark your calendar now for our Fall Plant Sale (September 14–15) featuring our member-plant giveaway, and the 2019 Antiques at the Gardens (October 3–6), which has benefited the Gardens since 2006. Thank you for your support throughout the year, and for your commitment to protecting, nurturing, and sharing these extraordinary Gardens!

Tom Underwood Executive Director Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens

WELCOME

Dear Friends: Warm days signal beautiful blooms, hearty vegetables, relaxed visitors, and loads of summertime botanical inspiration here at the Gardens. In this issue, we are excited to showcase some of the many happy campers who are discovering the wonders of nature over their summer breaks, as well as passionate volunteers and donors who share their time and resources to enhance this special place and tell its powerful story. Our feature article about the Bruno Vegetable Garden highlights a theme that is much on our minds as we plan for the future of the Gardens: that of sustainable gardening. City of Birmingham Gardener Steven Knop took a six-month leave of absence in 2018 to apprentice at UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems; he returned to Birmingham with new ideas for sustainable gardening techniques. As you’ll see in this fun and thought-provoking interview, a commitment to sustainability takes time and careful planning but in the end makes for a healthier earth for current and future generations. A generous memorial gift from the Buce family will allow us to expand the ways that we’re sharing lessons of sustainability with visitors of all ages. The Annie Lee Buce Matthews Fund for Sustainable Gardening is serving as a catalyst for strengthening our emphasis on earth-friendly practices and the benefits of fresh vegetables. Planned enhancements include new educational materials and signage in the Bruno Vegetable Garden. This endowed gift will make an incredibly meaningful impact on our visitors’ experience. We hope that you’ll visit soon to experience for yourself what’s in bloom or to enjoy a gardening or fitness class in this inspiring setting. Let friends and family know that we still have openings in several of our great summer camp offerings. (Visit bbgardens.org/summercamps to learn more.) Be sure to join us as well on July 17 for our popular Flicks Among the Flowers featuring a 30th-anniversary showing of

CHEF CHRIS HASTINGS’ SHRIMP GAZPACHO YIELD: ABOUT 6 CUPS/SERVINGS Chris Hastings, chef and co-owner of Birmingham’s Hot & Hot Fish Club and Board member of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, offers up this delicious Southern take on a classic Spanish soup. I½ pounds ripe tomatoes, cored (3 to 4 medium tomatoes) ½ cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced cucumber ½ cup finely diced zucchini ½ cup finely diced yellow squash ½ cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced tomato ½ cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper ½ cup seeded and finely diced yellow bell pepper ½ cup finely diced poblano pepper ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¾ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pound cooked, peeled, and diced fresh shrimp (about 26 large) 12 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons lemon oil* Slice tomatoes into quarters. Place tomatoes in a food mill set over a bowl, and turn to extract about 2 cups of fresh tomato juice. Discard seeds and peel. (Or seed and puree in a food processor or blender.) Strain through a fine-meshed sieve, and discard any solids. Combine tomato juice and next 9 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the diced shrimp. Chill at least 2 hours. Ladle into six serving bowls, and garnish with chopped basil and lemon oil. Serve chilled. *Chris uses Agrumato Lemon Olive Oil.

BELOW: Summer campers from Memorial Park Recreation Center visit the Barber Alabama Woodlands during the daylong Garden Explorations program. OPPOSITE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Campers look closely at different types of rocks as instructors talk with them about

weathering and erosion. A student from Fountain Heights Park Recreation Center chooses a bedding plant to pot and take home. Instructor Taylor Steele tells campers about the varieties of minerals in lava. A camper from North Birmingham Park Recreation Center pots an aluminum plant cutting as part of a hands-on lesson about the meaning of propagation.

Exploring the Gardens

From what happens to rocks over time and how to plant seeds and make cuttings to the meaning of propagation, the Friends’ Garden Explorations program encourages young people to dig into environmental science. By BROOKE MCMINN Photography by GRAHAM YELTON

EACH SUMMER, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens staff and volunteers work with 300-400 children from across the Magic City through Garden Explorations. Gardens Explorations is a free program developed by the Friends for elementary children ages 6-12 enrolled in the City of Birmingham’s Park and Recreation Centers’ summer camps. Campers visit the Gardens for a full day of science, learning, and fun in one of Birmingham’s most beautiful settings. The Garden Explorations program began in 1997 under the name of Zoo Gardens, which brought students to both the Birmingham Zoo and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens

for lessons in environmental science. More than 7,500 children have visited the Gardens to learn about plant-related sciences through immersion in nature since the program’s inception. Garden Explorations introduces campers to the basics of horticulture, incorporates components of environmental education, and emphasizes the Gardens as a resource and respite for them. The program implements a distinct curriculum with fun and educational games, activities, and tours of the Gardens’ collections such as the Barber Alabama Woodlands, the Crape Myrtle Garden, and the Bruno Vegetable Garden. The Garden Explorations curriculum

includes hands-on activities related to soil formation and composition, plant propagation methods, and even container gardening. Campers get their hands dirty and play fun games as soil scientists as they learn about soil formation and composition. They become horticulturists creating their own herb containers. They are plant scientists propagating new plants by seeds, cuttings, and divisions. Through these interactive lessons, the Friends hopes to instill a lasting appreciation for the Gardens, for plants, and for the crucial role they play in our environment.

Warm Welcome to our Summer Interns

The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is excited to welcome these three talented students this summer. Be sure to say hello when you see them out and about in the Gardens! JESSICA WILLIAMS Rising Senior, Environmental Science, Alabama A&M University Recipient of the 2019 Rotary Club of Shades Valley Summer Internship From working on hydrology and geographic information systems in Alabama A&M’s Remote Sensing Lab, to developing a fish farm with a sustainable aquaponics system for the university’s Wildlife Lab, to conducting research on the effects of biochar on greenhouse soil at Nanjing Forestry University in China, Jessica is well on her way to becoming a plant and environmental scientist. As our 2019 Rotary Club of Shades Valley Summer Intern, she is working on signage for 45 varieties of flowers growing in the Dunn Formal and Ireland Old-Fashioned Rose Gardens and the Japanese Garden, studying storm water management, and assisting with Education and Outreach programs. JEFF MARGREITER Rising Senior, Horticulture (Greenhouse/ Nursery Management), Auburn University 2019 Kaul Wildflower Garden Summer Intern Passionate about ecology and native species conservation, Jeff is studying greenhouse and nursery management at Auburn University, where he plans to pursue a Graduate Certificate in Public Horticulture after earning his bachelor’s degree. He believes that public gardens have the power to impact how we interact with our environment. This summer, he is helping with the propagation of native plants—many of which are rare and endangered—and organizing and cataloging plants in the Gardens’ shade house. Working alongside Kaul Wildflower Garden Curator John Manion, he also played an integral role in the 2019 Native Plant Conference and is engaged in the design and planting of an area in the Kaul Wildflower Garden. ABBY MCLEOD LOGUE Rising Senior, English, Wofford College 2019 Communications and Marketing Intern With a deep-rooted interest in storytelling and communications, Abby is studying English, creative writing, and studio art at Wofford College in South Carolina. She has written blog posts and overseen social media for South Carolina-based artist Dorothy Shain and has coordinated social media for Wofford College’s Office of the Chaplain. She traveled to New Zealand in January 2018 to study geography, wildlife, and culture, and to Paris in spring 2019 to study art history and communications, and plans to return abroad in January 2020 to explore cultural history and the modern world in Vietnam. As our 2019 Communications and Marketing Intern, she is helping share the Gardens’ story through social media and digital promotions. The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is grateful to the Rotary Club of Shades Valley, which has sponsored a summer internship at the Gardens for more than a decade. Internships are excellent opportunities for full-time college students and recent graduates to learn skills in applied horticulture and visitor services. Interested in sponsoring a named internship at the Gardens? Please contact Penney Hartline at phartline@bbgardens.org or 205.414.3961.

SUSTAINABLE GARDENING:

Planting the Seeds for a Greener Future

For three decades, the Bruno Vegetable Garden has inspired visitors of all ages to choose, cook, and grow fresh produce. As it continues to fuel young minds and provide food for people in need, the garden is also cultivating an appreciation for the power of eco-friendly growing practices. By MINDY KEYES BLACK Photography by GRAHAM YELTON

“WHO KNOWS WHAT THIS IS?” CITY

of Birmingham Gardener Steven Knop asks his latest visitors, two dozen bubbly 4to 7-year-olds touring the Bruno Vegetable Garden on day three of their weeklong Summer Garden Chefs camp. “Eggplant!” the cheerful chorus sings out. “A giant eggplant!” one enthusiast adds. “Eggplant is right—you are so smart!” Steven congratulates them. “Now this next one might be a little tricky: What is this?” The kids pause, and a quiet voice asks, “Parsley?” “I heard it—that’s it—it’s parsley! You

can pass it around, touch it, and smell it if you like,” Steven says. “We actually take all this food that we grow and donate it to homeless shelters around the city for people who don’t have enough food,” he continues. “So I come out here to work, and all these volunteers—do you see the people working in the garden behind you?—they help us to grow and harvest this food and to weed the garden. We’re trying to turn this garden into an organic garden, which means we want to grow it without pesticides. That’s the stuff you spray on plants to keep the bugs away, but a

lot of it is dangerous to bees. That’s not good because every single veggie you see is here because a bee came and pollinated it.” Since its creation in the late 1980s, the Bruno Vegetable Garden has served as an inspiration for gardeners and garden chefs of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. Designed by Mary Carolyn Cleveland, Jody H. Hamre, and Carolyn D. Tynes and funded by the Bruno family, which continues to provide support, the year-round garden showcases favorite seasonal crops from kale, cabbages, broccoli, and greens in winter; to sweet peas, lettuce, kohlrabi, and >

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: City of Birmingham Gardener Steven Knop shows freshly picked produce to Summer Garden Chefs campers. Seven-year-old Miles Coleman-Sizemore proudly displays a pole bean. Students listen as Knop talks about eggplants. Campers explore the Herb Terrace adjacent to the Bruno Vegetable Garden. Students prepare to taste fresh green beans before continuing their tour of the garden (three bottom pictures). Instructor Tanya Allen shows a camper how to plant a lima bean. OPPOSITE: Students in the Friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Summer Garden Chefs camp enjoy a stroll through the bean arbor.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens member Blair Reynolds, who volunteers with the Vegetables growing group, harvests flat-leaf parsley. ‘Sun Gold’ cherry tomatoes and leaf lettuce are among the more than 3,000 pounds of fresh produce that the garden donates each year to Birmingham-area homeless shelters. Friends member and volunteer Janet Lauer shows off a basket of freshly picked eggplant. Member and volunteer Dan Jones welcomes a UAB student volunteer. City of Birmingham Gardener Steven Knop and volunteers start the morning with a group huddle. Steven holds onions on the first day of the summer harvest. The garden’s new fencing, donated by Brasfield & Gorrie and constructed in fall 2018 by Brasfield & Gorrie volunteers, keeps rabbits at bay.

onions in spring; to tomatoes, peppers, squash, and eggplants in summer; to okra and pumpkins in fall. As a living classroom, the garden also has the potential to demonstrate the importance of sustainable farming to our collective future.

Season’s Greetings It’s the first harvest day of the summer—several weeks before the Summer Garden Chefs tour—and Steven is getting out buckets for members of the Vegetable volunteer group who will arrive soon to pick the season’s first crops. As he works, he talks about the planting plan that he and Horticulture District Supervisor Virgil Mathews update each year to make sure that the Gardens’ vegetables—from low-growing to roamers to climbers—have the space, time frame, and physical supports they need to thrive. To Steven, the vegetable garden is as much art as it is science. “You’ll see we have cucumbers growing up along the trellis there with okra, which will grow as tall as me,” he says. “Then the beans will come cascading down. I’m trying to make it pretty and edible. The scarlet runner beans growing along the wall don’t taste that great, but they make really nice scarlet flowers.” Steven stops at a partially empty bed where cowpeas are growing. “This bed used to have a problem with nematodes,” he says. “These are mini microscopic worms that can show up when a bed gets too much fertilizer or too much water. A lot of water can kill all the good things in the soil, so parasites come out. But the beans growing here now fix nitrogen in the soil, so this bed will be able to grow other vegetables after the soil nutrients are restored.” Passionate about organic farming and sustainable gardening practices, Steven took a six-month leave of absence from the Gardens last year to accept an apprenticeship at UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS). The program, now in its 52nd year, researches best practices in sustainable agriculture, organic food production, and resource-conserving farming techniques. “Basically, they use a 3-acre garden and a 30-acre production farm to teach gardeners how to manage small organic gardens,” explains Steven. As one of 40 apprentices accepted to the 2018 program, he studied organic gardening and farming; ecological interactions among plants, soils, climate, insects, and pathogens; and political, economic, and cultural facets of the American—and global—food system.

On Home Ground The Bruno Vegetable Garden’s planting plan already incorporated a number of longtime best practices including crop rotation to prevent disease and balance soil nutrients while also keeping vegetables on display for visitors to see and learn from through the seasons. Steven came back from his apprenticeship with new guidelines for other sustainable techniques, such as cover cropping, the process of tilling crops back into the soil, where they release important nutrients as they decompose. “For a garden to be truly organic and sustainable, you can’t just pick and choose pieces,” he says. “You

GIFT PAVES WAY FOR SUSTAINABLE GARDENING PROGRAMMING, SIGNAGE An endowed fund given in memory of Annie Lee Buce Matthews is providing the seed money to develop new educational programs and signs in the Bruno Vegetable Garden to teach the Gardens’ 350,000 annual visitors about sustainable gardening. Created by the Buce family as a tribute to the longtime educator, the Annie Lee Buce Matthews Fund for Sustainable Gardening will enable the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens to communicate the importance of fresh, locally grown food and earth-friendly gardening practices and will provide ongoing support for the demonstration of sustainable gardening techniques. “This visionary gift will allow us to make a significant step forward in communicating the importance and relevance of sustainable gardening, both to those who visit the Gardens in person and those who visit virtually,” says Tom Underwood, Executive Director of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. “We are grateful to the Buce family for their generosity, which we believe will make a tangible and meaningful impact on the experience of visitors for years to come.”

have to implement a system. I’ve been trying to introduce more and more, but it’s a long process that requires resources. I would love, for instance, to get drip irrigation out here. We need that badly. And to have mini hoops [to support garden fabric] for the beds. A lot of our disease in the vegetable garden comes from too much water. Tomato plants, you don’t want to get wet at all, but the only way I can water ours right now is to put a sprinkler head at the corner of the bed. That drenches everything and promotes disease. “Drip irrigation would prevent disease from spreading and would use a fraction of the water because it would go right where it’s needed instead of getting everything wet. And then hoops would be good because with a lot of insect pests, they could break the life cycle. They could also help shade plants that need to be shaded in the summer, and we could put frost cloth over the beds to extend the growing season. Those are next on my wish list.” For longtime volunteer Hope Cooper, who leads the Friends’ Vegetable growing volunteer group, teaching earth-friendly gardening provides this and future generations with a powerful model that they can put into practice at home. “I think that sustainable gardening is important as a teaching tool and as an example,” she says. “Kids learn from it. Visitors come in and ask us questions while we’re out in the garden weeding and harvesting every Wednesday. It’s a great way to learn just by observing what’s going on.” Central to the message of sustainability, Hope says, is the garden’s practice of delivering the harvest to community kitchens, which she volunteers to do regularly. “People need food to live, food can be expensive, and people sometimes get down on their luck,” she says. “You give a hand and maybe that hand gets given to somebody else in the future. In the same way, the young people who visit love learning about fresh vegetables, and hopefully they pass it on.” “It’s wonderful to see the ways that this popular garden continues to plant the seeds not only for a love of gardening and fresh, locally sourced food but also for a deep respect for the earth,” says Tom Underwood, Executive Director of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. “Sustainability is a timeless lesson of taking care of what we have and then paying it forward for those who come after us.”

Strong Roots Steven wraps up the Summer Garden Chefs tour by holding up the bucket of vegetables closest to him. “Now … who wants to try a green bean?” “Me! I do! I want one!” sounds the reply. “You’ve got it! We just picked these beans this morning—I’ll pass them around,” he says. “Break a piece off and give it to somebody else to try.” “Look at what I’ve collected!” says one camper. “He gave me a green bean!” “I want to keep this for my family!” another announces. “I got a seed out, and I’m not eating it,” says a third. “I’m gonna plant it!”

SUMMER CALENDAR

JULY

1 ART AT THE GARDENS: Works by Kim Kreis (through August 31) 2 YOGA WITH LINDSEY 2 THYME TO READ BOOK CLUB: The School of Essential Ingredients 7 TANABATA FESTIVAL 8–12 LITTLE SEEDS: Growing Little Gardeners (5K–Grade 2) 8–12 SUMMER GARDEN EXPLORERS (Grades 3–6) 8–12 TROPICAL GARDEN CHEFS: A Conservatory Adventure (Grades 3–6) 9 YOGA WITH LINDSEY 10 BROWN BAG LUNCH & LEARN: Critters 10 APOLLO MOON TREES AND NASA MOON ROCKS PROGRAM 11 YOGA WITH LINDSEY 13 WHAT’S THAT PLANT? How To Identify Plants 15–19 SPA CAMP (5K–Grade 4) 15–19 JAPANESE GARDEN EXPLORATION (5K–Grade 2, Grades 3–6) 16 YOGA WITH LINDSEY 17 BIRMINGHAM FERN SOCIETY WELCOMES SHOPPE: Care and Mounting of Staghorn Ferns 17 FLICKS AMONG THE FLOWERS: Field of Dreams 18 YOGA WITH LINDSEY 20 IDENTIFICATION OF NATIVE WOODY PLANTS: Trees, Shrubs, Vines, and Ground Covers 20 FAMILY YOGA IN THE GARDENS 22–26 FAIRY TALES IN THE GARDENS (Age 4–Grade 2) 22–26 ADVENTURES IN THE GARDENS: A Family Camp Experience (Adult[s] + children age 4+) 22–26 THE SECRET GARDEN: A Summer Play in the Gardens (Grades 3–6) 23 YOGA WITH LINDSEY 27 SOUTHERN FOLK MEDICINE 29 SECOND NATURE: Adult Summer Camp (through August 2) 29 GARDEN HACKS: Technology in the Gardens (Grades 6–9, through August 2)

AUGUST

6 YOGA WITH LINDSEY 6 THYME TO READ BOOK CLUB: The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globetrotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats 7 BROWN BAG LUNCH & LEARN: Permaculture 17 FAMILY YOGA IN THE GARDENS 21 BROWN BAG LUNCH & LEARN: Alabama’s Top Outdoor Spots

SEPTEMBER

4 BROWN BAG LUNCH & LEARN: Propagation 6 OPENING RECEPTION—ART AT THE GARDENS: Art by Crest Glass Collective (through October 31) 7 FAMILY YOGA IN THE GARDENS 10 THYME TO READ BOOK CLUB: Stir My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home 14–15 FALL PLANT SALE 18 BROWN BAG LUNCH & LEARN: Ask the Experts For more information about these classes and events visit bbgardens.org. We look forward to seeing you soon at the Gardens!

REACH FOR THE MOON

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is excited to partner with Homewood Public Library to host two special programs about Alabama’s Moon Trees and NASA Moon Rocks. Jason Kirby, Archivist for the Library at the Gardens, will share fun facts about the 1971 Apollo 14 NASA mission that explored the effects of weightlessness on seeds, and the trees—including the Gardens’ own Moon sycamore— that grew from them. Judith Wright, Teen Librarian at Homewood Public Library, will show off Moon Rocks on loan through the NASA@ My Library project. Mark your calendar to blast off and explore these fascinating artifacts—as well as Apollo 14 memorabilia in our collection—with us! Monday, July 8 | 4 p.m. Homewood Public Library Wednesday, July 10 | 1 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens bbgardens.org/library

For children entering grades 3-6

For children age 4 to 2nd grade

THE SECRET GARDEN: A SUMMER PLAY IN THE GARDENS

FAIRY TALES IN THE GARDENS

Themes from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s popular book will serve as a guide for this weeklong summer camp, which is designed to give each participant a chance to unlock the secret garden inside while moving, playing, and acting in the Gardens. The camp will culminate in an outdoor showcase—family and friends are invited! July 22-26 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Our picturesque garden and woodland landscapes serve as an ideal setting for classic fairy tales and young imaginations! We’ll share stories from the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Beatrix Potter while also allowing our young princesses, fairies, witches, and mythical creatures opportunities to explore the Gardens and learn more about the world around them. July 22–26 | 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Instructor: Cristal Brister, B.A. in Theatre

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Instructor: Erika Poe, B.S., Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Friends*: $280 | Non-Members: $350

Friends*: $160 | Non-Members: $200

*Hydrangea Level and above

bbgardens.org/summercamps

Courtesy of The Atomic Bar & Lounge

Inspired by a recent visit to the Bruno Vegetable Garden and Herb Terrace, Feizal Valli and Rachael Roberts of The Atomic Bar & Lounge in Birmingham created this refreshing cocktail. Enjoy, then join us in August for a fun Members-only class led by Feizal and Rachael!

For children entering grades 3-6

JAPANESE GARDEN EXPLORATION Discover what makes the Japanese Garden and the Japanese culture so unique through daily walks, art projects, cooking, and other activities. This fun summer camp will also include a special tour to discover garden treasures such as the Torii Gate, Moon Bridge, Karesansui Garden, Tea House, Japanese Stone Lanterns, Turtle Island, “zig-zag” bridge, and a bamboo forest, just to name a few. July 15-19, 2019 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens Instructor: Donna Long, B.S. Elementary Education

INGREDIENTS 1 ½ ounces Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka ½ ounces St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur ¾ ounces fresh, pulp-free lemon juice ½ ounces lemon verbena/cucumber syrup* 2 dashes Creole Bitters 1 egg white

* FOR THE SYRUP Juice three large cucumbers, and strain through a fine strainer. Add white sugar in equal parts to the amount of cucumber juice yielded. Stir until sugar is totally dissolved. Add 6-8 large leaves of lemon verbena, and blend in a blender for 30 seconds. Strain again.

FOR THE COCKTAIL Add all ingredients into a shaker without ice. Shake for 30 seconds. Add ice. Shake for 30 seconds. Double-strain into a cocktail glass or martini glass. Garnish with bloomed flower or fresh lavender.

WARM-WEATHER FUN

THE BRUNO

Friends*: $160 | Non-Members: $200 *Hydrangea Level and above bbgardens.org/summercamps

Members-Only Class: Botanical-Based Cocktails Featuring Feizal Valli and Rachael Roberts of The Atomic Bar & Lounge. Try this recipe at home, then register to join us for this special class as Feizal and Rachael share ideas for other creative ways to use herbs in cocktails. Monday, August 19 | 6-8 p.m. For Members of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Cost: $20 Register at bbgardens.org/classes

FALL PLANT SALE Mark your calendar to join us for our annual Fall Plant Sale at the Gardens! Choose from a large selection of herbs, trees, fall annuals, shrubs, natives, perennials, and more. (Autumn is the best time to plant trees and shrubs.) The fall sale will also feature our Member plant giveaway. Get ready to get planting: Proceeds benefit the stewardship and enhancement of the Gardens, educational programs, and outreach activities. Saturday, September 14 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

FLICKS AMONG THE FLOWERS Enjoy a modern classic on the big screen in the beautiful setting of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens by joining us for our summer Flicks Among the Flowers presented by Publix Super Markets Charities. Our July flick is Field of Dreams, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this summer! Food by the Gardens Café by Kathy G will be available for purchase. (Don’t miss the cafe’s featured adult specialty drink, Strawberry “Fields” Lemonade.) Gates open at 6 p.m., and the film will begin at sunset! Wednesday, July 17 | Sunset (around 8 p.m.) Formal Garden in front of the Conservatory

Sunday, September 15 | Noon – 4 p.m.

Free and open to the public ($5 suggested donation)

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Make it a date night or bring friends and family, and don’t forget your blanket.

bbgardens.org/fallplantsale

bbgardens.org/flicks

Emily and Bill Bowron By WENDY WALLACE JOHNSON

FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS

is pleased to announce the 2019 Antiques at the Gardens honorees: Emily and Bill Bowron. Emily, a Savannah native, is a past co-chair of AATG, an avid gardener, and a former competitive equestrian. Bill, a native of Birmingham, is Chairman, President, and CEO of Red Diamond Inc., which has sponsored the headline lectures at Antiques at the Gardens since 2009. Bill is also Vice Chair of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and President of the Mountain Brook Sports Foundation. The Bowrons’ involvement in the Gardens

stretches back decades. “I remember visiting the Gardens as a child with my mother, and I recall how excited she was when the Conservatory opened,” says Bill. “We donated coffee trees to the Gardens shortly thereafter.” “I did a little bit of volunteer work in the greenhouses many years ago, but then life got in the way,” says Emily. “My horse and I retired from riding competitively in 2011. I turned to volunteerism to fill the void, so when I was asked to co-chair Antiques at the Gardens with Leah Taylor in 2015, I considered it a wonderful opportunity.”

2019 honorees Bill and Emily Bowron, at the 2018 Antiques at the Gardens Gala

Emily serves on the Antiques Advisory Board, having chaired it for two years. Shortly after Antiques at the Gardens, she became a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens and continues to serve on the Board today as Secretary. Antiques at the Gardens and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens have long been a family affair for the Bowrons and their two children. “My mother would come over from Savannah to attend and to support the dealers at Antiques at the Gardens,” Emily says. “And Bill and I always enjoyed attending Antiques at the Gardens, especially the Gala. Our house is a testament to the fact that we have supported the show over the years, so we have come to know several of the dealers pretty well,” says Emily. Over the years the Bowrons have taken advantage of other aspects of the Gardens and its many program offerings. “I try to fill my garden with plants from the Spring Plant Sale. As a family, we love to visit the Dunn Formal Rose Garden on Mother’s Day; we have hiked the Kaul Wildflower Garden, and I have taken a class on native plants with John Manion; we have attended Bonsai Society and Orchid Society shows, to name just a few things,” Emily says. “Flicks Among the Flowers has become a favorite event for our family also, as we enjoy setting up a delicious picnic and watching a good movie under the stars.” During their tenure as AATG co-chairs, Emily and Leah impacted programming by reintroducing

I love that we are keeping “Antiques exciting! It is very special that Antiques at the Gardens is able to bring in nationally acclaimed speakers to share with the Birmingham community. —Emily Bowron

”

Saturday programs and offering the lectures at no charge to see how they would go over. Taste In Spades was a huge success, and the lectures were filled to capacity. A takeaway from that year was to expect the unexpected: A fully set table that was the subject of one presentation collapsed just prior to the session, breaking every glass and plate. “Everyone, including the presenter, handled the mishap with a sense of humor,” says Emily. “You have to roll with the punches sometimes!” Emily says subsequent chairs have done much to advance the event. “With the inclusion of Martha Stewart last year, they have taken our special weekend to a whole new level, and it will simply keep getting better and better,” she says. “The volunteer committees are always looking for ways to change

Bottom right: photography by Virginia Jones, virginiajonesphotography.com

MEET OUR 2019 ANTIQUES AT THE GARDENS HONOREES:

Cover art by Patty B. Driscoll

From left: Emily Wood Bowron with her parents, Bill and Emily, at our June Flicks Among the Flowers

2018 CATALOG WINS HERMES CREATIVE AWARD things and make improvements … exceptional speakers, different vendors, new programs … I love that we are keeping Antiques exciting! It is very special that Antiques at the Gardens is able to bring in nationally acclaimed speakers to share with the Birmingham community. And even more special that the funds from this event make the Gardens more accessible to all.” Reflecting on her year as co-chair of AATG, Emily says, “I loved every second of working with an amazing team of volunteers and the Friends and Gardens staff. But, needless to say, serving as a co-chair can be exhausting and stressful. As I was leaving on one particularly trying day, perhaps questioning why I had volunteered in the first place, I stepped outside and saw a bus of schoolchildren getting ready for their field trip, and I could tell that they were so excited!” she says. “That’s why I’m here, and that’s why I’m doing this: to share my love of the Gardens and the outdoors with these kids that might not otherwise have an opportunity to experience this wonderful place.” With the leadership and generosity of supporters such as the Bowrons, the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is able to develop educational programs and outreach activities that impact thousands of children and adults each year and to provide important support for the ongoing stewardship and enhancement of the Gardens. “I believe that the Birmingham Botanical Gardens is one of the true gems of Birmingham,” says Emily. “There is truly something for everyone: education, recreation, exercise, and just plain fun. One only has to visit to see the diversity of people enjoying the Gardens.” Bill says there are many reasons that Red Diamond continues its support of the Gardens. “It is part of our community outreach and is in recognition of the stature of the Gardens nationally, which further benefits our city,” he says. “The Gardens creates the opportunity for people to enjoy a culturally rich environment, free of charge, year-round, and as such this is a wonderful asset.” Please join us as we celebrate Emily and Bill at the 2019 Antiques at the Gardens October 3–6!

The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens was honored to receive a Gold award for overall publication design for our 2018 Antiques at the Gardens catalog as part of the 2019 Hermes Creative Awards! Many thanks to freelance designer Karin Fecteau, Antiques at the Gardens Co-Chairs Leigh Haver and Virginia Amason, our dedicated Antiques at the Gardens volunteer committee, and Friends staff for creating this beautiful publication. Watch for our 2019 catalog in August!

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE

2019 ANTIQUES AT THE GARDENS KICKOFF & BOOK SIGNING Featuring Margot Shaw, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Flower magazine and author of Living Floral Wednesday, August 28 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Garden Center Auditorium Limited tickets available! bbgardens.org/antiques

S ave t h e Date

Antiques at the Gardens October 3-6

20 19

bbgardens.org/antiques Antiques Gardens Birmingham antiquesgardensbham

GARDEN SUPPORTERS

You Tell the Story

THE STORY OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS and its successes is not told in its numbers—it is told in each person who plants a seed. The Gardens has 67.5 acres filled with 30 lush thematic gardens composed of over 3,000 taxa of plants. Our library, the only public horticultural library in the U.S., shelves over 9,000 items and loans over 10,000 items annually. Our education programs host more than 10,000 schoolchildren for free each year. While we could continue to share more staggering numbers of the things we do for our community and people we serve, like our more than 350,000 annual visitors and 30,000 volunteer hours logged, the real story of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is you. The people listed here, those who each give their time, their donations, and their social media space to the Gardens, are the real mosaic of what keeps this place special, fruitful, and growing. Each individual’s contribution is vital to ensuring that this amazing green space continues to serve as a respite for people of all abilities and backgrounds, and that impactful education programs, revitalization projects, community outreach, tree plantings, endemic plant preservation, food donations, conferences, archival history, and internships enrich our community daily. We thank those below who are making the difference, and you, for taking that next step to enrich the Gardens by making a donation by visiting bbgardens.org/support, by calling 205.414.3950, or by making a check out to “Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens.”

GARDEN SUSTAINERS As of March 31, 2019

Orchid Mr. Gregory R. Schumann Camellia The Forman Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Carl E. Jones, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. D. Paul Jones, Jr. Azalea The Ann & Angelo Bruno Foundation Mrs. Camille H. Butrus C.S. Beatty Construction, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Jim Dixon Dr. & Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Wilmer S. Poynor III Southern Progress Corporation Anonymous (2) Dogwood Mr. & Mrs. Brian Barr Maggie & Will Brooke C. Eugene Ireland Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Bob de Buys Mrs. Trudy R. Evans Mr. & Mrs. Christopher T. Fennell Mr. & Mrs. T. Michael Goodrich Mr. & Mrs. Jay Grinney Mr. & Mrs. Christopher W. Hoyt Dr. & Mrs. Leland Hull, Jr. Ashley & Turner Inscoe Mr. Leo Kayser III Mr. & Mrs. Jack A. Nesmith Mr. & Mrs. Andrew J. Noble III

Rucker & Margaret Agee Fund Paula & Mike Rushing Mr. & Mrs. William J. Rushton III Mr. & Mrs. Murray W. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Joseph C. South III

GRANTORS

As of March 31, 2019

Thank you to the individuals, foundations, companies & cities who support Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Alabama Power Foundation, Inc. Baptist Health Foundation, Inc. Birmingham Park & Recreation Board Brasfield & Gorrie The Butcher Fund City of Birmingham City of Hoover City of Mountain Brook City of Vestavia Hills Dunn-French Foundation Energen Corporation The Goodrich Foundation Hill Crest Foundation, Inc. The Hugh Kaul Foundation Independent Presbyterian Church Foundation ITOCHU Coal Americas Jefferson County Commission Jemison Investment Company Inc.

Junior League of Birmingham The Linn-Henley Charitable Trust Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation Nancy & John* Poynor Redmont Neighborhood Association Shades Valley Rotary Club The Strain Foundation Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust Vulcan Materials Foundation

THE PERENNIAL SOCIETY

As of June 1, 2019 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 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* Mr. F. Lewter Ferrell, Jr.* Dr.* & Mrs. Charles P. Grant Alicia & Ken Hall 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* 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* Margaret H. McGowan* Mrs. Mary Jean Morawetz Mr. Philip Morris* Mr. & Mrs. Fred W. Murray, Jr. Dr. James L. Newsome* Dr. & Mrs. A. I. Perley* LeAnne* & Steve Porter Mrs. Carol P. Poynor Mrs. Dorothy L. Renneker* Deborah & John Sellers Mr. & Mrs. William M. Spencer III* Frederick R. Spicer, Jr. 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

MEMORIALS

January 1 - March 31, 2019

Nell Plott Cain Mr. C. Michael Brogan Ms. Doris M. Cain Ms. Marilyn D. Fishel Mr. & Mrs. Terry R. Hanes Home Instead Senior Care Mr. John Hunt Ms. Silvia M. Kaminsky Mr. Glenn A. Lay & Ms. Regina Reynolds Mr. Jared A. Rohn Mrs. Ginny Sisson W. Garner Cheney Mrs. Lucy F. Brantley Mr. & Mrs. J. Fredric Ingram Valley Offshoots Garden Club Thomas C. Clark, Jr. The Village Club John M. Corey, Jr. Mrs. Betsy Marbury William Shepard Fuller, Jr. Mrs. Kay I. West Roxanne R. Given Mr. & Mrs. Jett Hawk

HONORARIUMS

January 1 - March 31, 2019

Alicia Andrews Red Mountain Garden Club Elise Bogdanchik Camellia Garden Club Richard Cybulsky Camellia Garden Club Molly Hendry Birmingham Fern Society Henry F. Hughes Edgewood Garden Club Lois Mash The Home Garden Club Lee McLemore The Home Garden Club Carolyne Respess Mr. & Mrs. Mark Holtkamp Leonora Roberson Center Point Garden Club Mike Rushing Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Burgess Ms. Elizabeth S. Cobb Mr. & Mrs. R. Neely Craig Jo J. Harris Highland Lakes Garden Club Mr. & Mrs. Champ Lyons III Mr. & Mrs. Steve A. Morris Trussville Garden Club Margot Shaw

Penney & Roger Hartline Mary Alice Thurman Garlandia Garden Club Jane Underwood Edgewood Garden Club Mr. & Mrs. William E. Smith, Jr.

DONORS October 2018 – March 2019

1919 Investment Counsel Cathy & Tom Adams Mr. Edmund R. Agee, Jr. Alabama Aquarium & Pond Services Alabama Chapter American Society of Landscape Architects Alabama Museum of Natural History Mrs. Kay S. Aldridge Mr. & Mrs. Michael Alosi AmazonSmile Betty & Walt Anderson Mr. & Mrs. Rip Andrews Anonymous Ms. Linda B. Arnold Dr. & Mrs. Dean G. Assimos AT&T Employee Giving Campaign / YourCause Cindy & Brian Barr Mr. & Mrs. Craig S. Beatty, Sr. Charitable Trust Lucille S. Beeson Charitable Trust Ms. Rachel Bell Belle Meade Garden Club The Benevity Community Impact Fund Sandy & Ted Berglund Bham Now Birmingham Area Hemerocallis Society Inc. Birmingham Audubon Society Birmingham Zoo, Inc. Kathryn & Richard Blackwell Bluegrass Restaurant Holdings I, LLC dba Pieology Pizzeria Mr. & Mrs. James R. Bonner Kelly & Robert Boone Mr. T. Lyons Bradley & Ms. Joanne M. Montowski Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Brady Mrs. Ann Bruno The Ann & Angelo Bruno Foundation Mr. Robert E. Buce & Mrs. Barbara Buce Winfield & Elinor Burks Barbara Lovelace Burton Mr. & Mrs. John E. Butcher The Butcher Fund C. Eugene Ireland Foundation C.S. Beatty Construction, Inc. Cahaba Brewing Company, LLC Ragan & Brad Cain Ms. Barbara Capper John & Molly Carter Chalker Group Mr. John Chandler Both Dr. Chenbei Chang Mr. Robert Christian & Mr. James M. Clark City of Hoover City of Mountain Brook City of Vestavia Hills Julia Ann & Marvin Cleage Ms. Kelly J. Cloud Kathy & Andy Coats

The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham Mr. & Mrs. James L. Cooper, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell Cooper Ann Chapman Cox Cameron & Derrill Crowe Ms. Tiffany Crull Dr. & Mrs. Richard S. Cybulsky Mr. C. Hartwell Davis & Mrs. Martha P. Davis Mr. & Mrs. Norman B. Davis, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Bob de Buys Mr. & Mrs. A. Fox de Funiak III Mr. & Mrs. Edward H. Deason Diamond Tours, Inc. Marilyn & Jim Dixon Mr. & Mrs. Charles T. Dodge Mr. & Mrs. George S. Eastwood II Ms. Jo Ann Eberlein & Mr. Mark Widener Ms. Alison L. Eddy

Energen Corporation Mr. Glenn T. Eskew Mr. & Mrs. John R. Eskew Father Nature Landscape of Birmingham Inc. Linda & Charlie Faulkner Dr. Rosemary H. Faust & Mr. Charles D. Faust Mr. & Mrs. Christopher T. Fennell Margaret L. Fleenor Betsy & Michael Fleenor Dorothy Ireland Fletcher Dr. & Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. J. Ross Forman III The Forman Foundation Ms. Emily Forrester Ms. Elizabeth H. Foss Mr. & Mrs. Simon Foweather Ms. Allyson S. Fox Ann & David Fraley Mr. & Mrs. William W. French III

From left: Louise Wrinkle with Norman Kent Johnson, Barbara Paul Robinson, and Tom Underwood at Louise’s home in February

GARDEN SUPPORTERS

Elizabeth (Betty) W. Jones Shannon & Bill Blount T.C. & Phyllis Klumpp Ms. Miriam J. McClung George Ladd Mr. & Mrs. Griffin Lassiter Henry A. Long Ms. Olivia E. Alison Mrs. Elizabeth Drewry Penney & Roger Hartline Mr. & Mrs. Robert R. Pless Paula & Mike Rushing Mr. & Mrs. Ronald L. Stichweh Ms. Leilani B. Urbatsch Kendyl Dunn Lowe Mr. Chuck S. Lowe Gordon Dallam Martin Mr. & Mrs. Gordon G. Martin Jimmy E. Massey Ingram & Associates, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Gary A. Whitfield Douglas Langston McCrary Alabama Historical Radio Society, Inc. Andrew J. Noble, Jr. Penney & Roger Hartline Claudia Parks Penney & Roger Hartline Mary Ann Pass Mr. Andrew I. Philipsborn & Ms. Jane Bilger Frank Joseph Pesto Marilyn Pesto Ann S. Raburn Ms. Sharon D. Kirby Phyllis P. Rickart Cherokee Garden Club W.T. Goodloe Rutland Tremont Garden Club George F. Scofield Redmont Park Garden Club Charles R. Terry, Sr. Penney & Roger Hartline Sandra Tippen Ms. Susan S. Swagler John A. “Lex” Williamson Tricia & Andy Noble

Gardener Louise Wrinkle Receives National Honor BIRMINGHAM’S OWN LOUISE AGEE WRINKLE received the 2019 Place Maker Award from the Foundation for Landscape Studies in New York. A revered name for those who know their way around a garden, Wrinkle has made a mark on Birmingham with her stewardship of the land that surrounds her immediate home and beyond. This prestigious award celebrates the extraordinary achievement that is her woodland garden, which she shares with readers in her book Listen to the Land. A scholar, advocate, teacher, and get-your-hands-dirty gardener, Wrinkle’s visual and literary memoir tells the story of her garden’s ever-evolving creation and her role as its interpreter. If Birmingham had a best-seller list, she’d be on it. As a Place Maker who has spent almost 40 years dedicated to the landscape, an active and distinguished member of The Garden Club of America, a Horticulture Judge for GCA and other shows, and a Founding Board Member of the Garden Conservancy, and having spent many years of service as a board member to the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Aldridge Gardens, Wrinkle gifts us the story of her garden and inspires us to listen to the land. Floral designer Sybil Sylvester says, “Whenever she has opened her gate for me and allowed me to cut a few blooms or take a tour, I feel as though I’m walking on hallowed ground. It’s a really special place.” Says Tom Underwood, executive director of the Friends: “This award reflects what those of us with a passion for the landscape know: Louise Wrinkle’s impact on her place, on our place, is indelible, and we are grateful for it.”

—Francie MacDougall

GARDEN SUPPORTERS

Mr. Norman Geisinger Frances P. Givhan Mr. & Mrs. Christopher A. Glaub Goodrich Foundation Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Charles Goodrich Mr. & Mrs. William W. Goodrich Maura & Will Goodwyn Ms. Theo N. Greene Joy & Beau Grenier Ms. Margaret W. Grubb Mr. & Mrs. Edward L. Hardin, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Christopher B. Harmon Mr. & Mrs. Frank Harper Leigh & William Haver Mr. & Mrs. Thomas R. Helfand Mrs. Barbara Hirschowitz Ms. Bronwyn Hobson The Home Garden Club Mr. & Mrs. Robert T. Hoomes Mr. & Mrs. Christopher W. Hoyt Hugh and Bobbe Kaul Hugh & Bobbe Kaul Wildflower Garden Fund Mr. & Mrs. James Hyde Turner & Ashley Inscoe Dr. & Mrs. James H. Isobe ITOCHU Coal Americas Izel Plants Dr. Susan Jackson Ms. Virginia M. Johnson Mr. & Mrs. James Milton Johnson Mrs. Sarah R. Johnston Jones Family Fund Ann & Carl E. Jones, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. D. Paul Jones, Jr. Walker & Bill Jones Karen & Brian Judd Dr. & Mrs. Charles R. Katholi Ms. Denise Kaufman

Leo Kayser III Natalie D. Kelly Dr. & Mrs. Raleigh B. Kent III Mr. & Mrs. Kent T. Keyser Mr. & Mrs. Ejaz A. Khan Dr. & Mrs. Price M. Kloess Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Koons Leaf & Petal Mrs. Sallie M. Lee LibertyFi Life Insurance Company of Alabama (LICOA) Dr. & Mrs. Mark D. Little The Little Garden Club Dr. John A. Long & Dr. Sheri S. Long Lopez-Dejonge Inc. dba Rojo Lyndonwood Foundation Stephanie & Wade Lynton Mary Jo & Stan Mackin Mary & Michel Marcoux Mary & Mr. & Mrs. John Markus Mr. & Mrs. Cliff Martin Mr. & Mrs. Gordon G. Martin Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Mason Ms. Anne H. Maura Ms. Carol A. McCoy The McPherson Companies, Inc. Ms. Anna McWane Heather & Phillip McWane Drue & John Miller Anne & Ira Mitchell Mobley & Sons Mr. & Mrs. C. Grady Moore, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Moore Mouron Family Foundation Ms. Dorothy Mueller Mrs. Catherine S. Murphy National Bank of Commerce Admiral & Mrs. John T. Natter Ms. Deon Neighbors Tricia & Andy Noble

Oakworth Capital Bank Dr. George Omura & Dr. Emily F. Omura Mr. Hans Paul & Ms. Lori Oswald Paige Albright Orientals Parrot Structural Services, LLC Mr. & Mrs. William C. Patterson Steve & Mary Phillips Planet Fundraiser, LLC Pranzo Pronto, LLC dba Freddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wine Bar Ms. Susan Z. Pretnar Sarah & Gene Price ProAssurance Corporation RaderMcCar Red Mountain Garden Club Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Reich, Jr. Dr. John Riser & Dr. Emily S. Riser The Riser Family Fund Ms. Janice W. Roberts Mr. & Mrs. Thomas W. Roberts Dr. Fred W. Rock & Dr. Karin Rock Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Rogers Mr. & Mrs. Emmet S. Ross, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Stan Roth Rucker & Margaret Agee Fund Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve Paula & Mike Rushing William & LaVona Rushton Dr. & Mrs. Ed Rutsky Ms. Marianne M. Schoel Mr. Andrew T. Schrimscher Ms. Virginia Scruggs Dr. & Mrs. B. Chandra Sekar Shades Valley Rotary Club Ms. Janet L. Sharpe Sherwood Forest Garden Club Shoal Creek Properties / Thompson Realty Company Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. William M. Slaughter Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Slive Dorinda M. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Thomas H. Snoddy Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Snyder Mrs. Teresa G. Soto Southern Progress Corporation Sylvia & Alfred Stanley Mr. & Mrs. Michael Steiner The Steiner Foundation Dr. & Mrs. Larry G. Stephens Stifel Mr. William Stone Mr. & Mrs. Larry Stone The Strain Foundation Mr. Michael A. Summerville Mr. & Mrs. Michael A. Tate Mr. & Mrs. Jesse R. Taylor III Rebecca & John Thomas Susan & Hugh Thomas The Thompson Foundation Mr. George M. Thompson Staci & Ben Thompson Dr. & Mrs. Ray Thweatt Dr. Jack W. Trigg, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Vann Peter Walsh & Linda Vernon The Village Garden Club of Mountain Brook Ms. Dorothy H. Vines Dr. Phillip Smith & Dr. Beverly VonDer Pool Vulcan Materials Company Mr. & Mrs. Robin A. Wade III Mrs. Bettie D. Walker Ms. Courtney M. Walls Mr. Howard P. Walthall & Dr. Rosemary M. Fisk Mrs. A. Brand Walton Mr. Draper Watson Ms. Jane S. Webb Mrs. Kay I. Wes Wildflowers Garden Club Dr. & Mrs. Thomas A.S. Wilson Ms. Lee L. Woehle Dr. Parker Wolf & Dr. Andrea O. Wolf Mr. & Mrs. Richard M. Womack Liz & Mike Woods Mr. & Mrs. Melvin M. Zivitz

LIBRARY DONATIONS January 1-March 31, 2019

A generous gift from ITOCHU Coal Americas Inc. will be used toward enhancements, including the installation of a new lantern, in the Japanese Garden. Pictured are (at center) ICA President and CEO Kotaro Suzuki with (from left) ICA Manager Masaki Morioka, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Board Member D.C. Coston, ICA Director of Accounting Penny Parham, Friends Donor Relations Officer Drew Rickel, Friends Trustee John Floyd, and Friends Garden Assessment Project Leader Molly Hendry.

Lindsey Barclift Carol Bergeron Jane Cannon Alleen Cater Melissa Gray Nancy McGreevy Helen Rosa (Wodie) C. Monaghan Janet Taylor Bryson Waldo Louise Wrinkle Jesse Weldon In Memory of Henry A. Long, Jr. Olivia Alison Bertice Brown Elizabeth Drewry Gail Pless Thelma Stichweh Leilani Urbatsch In Memory of Dr. George F. Scofield Redmont Park Garden Club In Honor of Jason Kirby Colonial Dames 17th Century

George Maris Chapter Country Garden Club Garden Dale Garden Club Princess Sehoy Chapter DAR Trussville Garden Club In Honor of Margot Shaw Penney Hartline

NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS January - March 2019

President’s Circle Cathy & Tom Adams Mrs. Kay S. Aldridge Kirk & Tate Forrester Helen & Chris Harmon Mr. & Mrs. William C. Hulsey Mr. & Mrs. James Milton Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Peyton R. King Mr. & Mrs. Cliff Martin Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Mathews, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. William McCown Heather & Phillip McWane Mark Rosse & Kay McWane-Rosse Mr. & Mrs. William C. Patterson Mrs. Janet W. Rooney Mr. & Mrs. Stan Roth Mr. & Mrs. William M. Slaughter Jane & Tom Underwood Mrs. A. Brand Walton Ambassador Sarah & Paul Beasley Katherine & Ryan Burgess Patricia & Benjamin Carroll Mary & Robert Cobb John Cowin Linda & C. Coleman Daniel Sandie & Kevin Forsyth Patricia & James Hill Varina & Allen Rushton Pardis & Frank Stitt Oak Diane & Otello Alessio Jean & Carl Bailey Mena & John Brock Anne & Bruce Cusic Mary & James Davis Eugenia & Lawrence Greer Marlon Priest & Leta Herring Jessica & W. Benjamin Johnson Sallie M. Lee Allison & Duncan Manley Roslyn & Peter Mannon Marsha & John Markus Hans Paul & Lori Oswald Joyce A. Ratliff Gail & Marvin Snyder Jack W. Trigg, Jr. SuAnn & Russell Vandevelde Phillip Smith & Beverly VonDer Pool Grace & C. Lawrence Whatley Magnolia Bertice & Edwin Brown Barbara & Charles Bugg Janis & John Butcher Ragan & Bradley Cain Nancy & Otha Carter Joy & Walter Clark Kathy & Andy Coats Susan Colvin Patricia Cosgrove Sue & Richard Cybulsky Wanda Elkourie

Jackie & Robert Fitts Margaret L. Fleenor Melanie & Michael Geer Alice & Paul Goepfert James Gordy Linda Grissom Harriet & James Heacock Trent & Hewes Hull Elaine Kassouf Sandra & Dennis Kisiel Melinda & William Lalor Ethelwyn Langston Jane & Wayne Lewis Jill & Robert Luckie Mary & Michel Marcoux Carol McCoy Mary Evelyn & David McKee Jane & Donald Menendez Betsy & David Middlebrooks Frances & Walter Morris Sharon & Harry Nelson Sandra & Lawrence Oden Stephanie & Dale Onstine Allison & Glenn Peters Carolyn B. Reed Virginia & Adam Robertson Katherine & O. Gordon Robinson, Jr. Jane & Neil Ross Nancy & Lewis Shannon Katherine & James Shepherd Sandra & Gene Siegal Dinah & Stephen Sisson Anne W. Smith Rolando Garcia & Anne Smith Patricia & Michael Tate Janie & Marcus Waits Darlene & James Walker Mary Lou & Charles Watkins Deborah & Michael White Marjorie White Norman Jefferson & Margery Wirth Sandra & William Wolf Hydrangea “Family” Beth & Guy Able Honey & Joseph Adams Kelli & Jay Agnew David Hope & Joy Aldridge Kim & Blake Alexander Carol & Rex Alexander Debra & Tommy Alfano Caroline & David Alford Leslie & Bibb Allen Courtney & William R. Andrews India & William Askew Brenda & David Bagley Elizabeth & Robert Baker David Ball & Libby Lassiter Kimberly & Nelson Bean Darwin Bell & Sandra Gilley Walter Dawkins & Mary Benoist Ann & Victor Bey Charles Bice John Bingham & Tammy Bradley Alexia & Gray Borden Cheryl & Mark Bourn Catherine & Philip Boyd Jan & David Bradford Nancy & Frederick Bromberg Caroline & E. T. Brown Susan & Christopher Brown Glenn Bryant Susanna & Clay Buie June Bulow Karen & John Burleson Megann Cain

BELOW, LEFT: The Ireland Iris Garden comes to life each spring with a variety of Dutch and bearded iris species and other plants in the iris family. Dedicated in 1986, the garden was made possible through a generous gift from Fay and Bill Ireland. RIGHT: Fay, pictured here with Greenhouse Specialty Grower Gregg Clark, poses in 2008 atop “Fay Baby,” a forklift purchased through a major gift to improve the Gardens’ potting shed.

FAY BELT IRELAND

A True Perennial

THERE IS A CERTAIN POETIC BEAUTY in a tree you plant yourself. It grows in ways and directions you couldn’t anticipate no matter how much you trim or fertilize it. As it matures, you look at its stout trunk, the spread of the roots, the kaleidoscopic sun dappling the ground as it peeks through the tree’s enormous canopy, and you remember when and who you were when you planted and tended to this once-fragile plant that now thrives on its own and provides for those around it. We hope that Fay Belt Ireland looked at Birmingham Botanical Gardens in the same way, with profound pride at what has grown from her nurturing. All around the Gardens are seeds she planted and helped to tend and grow to maturity. From the Ireland Iris Garden (named for her) that she helped cultivate to the creation of the Fall Plant Sale (then called the Fall Fiesta), Fay’s hands-on approach, example, and advocacy helped make this place that gives so much to so many. It wasn’t just the public-facing events and landmarks that benefitted from Fay’s touch. She started a potting shed group of volunteers that still exists today and now bears her initials: the “FBI Perennial Society.” The potting shed itself was upgraded, based on needs and her experience, through the funding of a new garage door, cushy floor mats, soil tables on motorized lifts, and even an ice machine. She also lent her knowledge and activism as the president of the Birmingham Botanical Society Auxiliary from 1983 to 1985, along with six additional years as a member of the Board of Directors. Being a volunteer, board member, philanthropist, and plant enthusiast meant that Fay knew the importance of all aspects of the Gardens. From the obvious plant collections and the soil that feeds them to education and the volunteers who make it all work, Fay was the mechanic who knew how to service this intricate machine and all of the seemingly disparate parts to keep it moving forward and to maintain this unique urban oasis she held dear. Fay Belt Ireland passed away in April, but Birmingham Botanical Gardens remains a monument to her memory as but one aspect of her life’s work. Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens and all those whose lives were and are enhanced by her vision and enthusiasm mourn her passing and aspire to fulfill the legacy she established for the good of this community.

—Drew Rickel

GARDEN SUPPORTERS

Ditra Campbell & Sarah Novara Ann & Harold Cannon Leslie & W. Roger Carlisle Jan & Charles Carper Ann & Russell Chambliss Lois & Vandiver Chaplin Daniel Chu & Patricia Chen Megan & Christian Cherry Lindsey & Lewis Chitwood Robert Christian & James Clark Millie & Craig Christopher Frances & Jon Clemmensen Barbara Clotfelter Patricia & Harold Coghlan Patrick Sizemore & Margaret Coleman Pamela & John Collin Elizabeth & Merrill Compton Juliet & George Converse Deane & Philip Cook Nancy & Douglas Cooper Rhonda & John Cooper Donna & Alan Cope Anne & Steven Corhern Jane & William Costenbader Deborah & Donald Coston Anne & Robert Couch Miriam Cowan Myra Crawford Sarah & Marc Cribbs Carol Crow & Ellen Renfro Christina & Merritt Cullum Jane Cusick Susan & Charles Dasher Catherine & William Davis Dianna & Richard Davis Sara & Mark Davis Gail & Joseph De Sciose Jolletta & Andrew Dean Kelly Denson Sally & Dustin Dew Patricia & Joe Dice Robin & David Donahue Shirley & George Elliott Virginia & Bonner Engelhardt Beverly & Stanley Erdreich

Calla lilies in the Southern Living Garden

Samuel Erwin & Robert Haughton Deborah & Marzette Fisher Shannon & Sean Flynt Augusta & William Forbes Anita & William Fowler Toye & Herbert Gannon Thomas Bailey & Paula Garman Linda & Ken Goode Julia & Jim Goyer Patricia & Arthur Green Margaret Grubb Alicia & Kenneth Hall Terry & Sam Hamilton-Poore Susan & Allen Hammack Abigail & James Harris Ann & Fletcher Harvey Margaret Hauenstein Robert Haughton & Samuel Erwin Yvette & Donald Heath Jean & Thomas Helfand Rebecca & Matt Hemrick Kristen & Luther Henninger Patricia & William Hiden Nancy & William Hopewell Melissa & Mickey Hudson Terry & James Hyde Myrtle & Richard Jett Marjorie & J. Brooke Johnston Karen & Daniel Jones Leonard Jones & Shannon Smith Jennifer & J. Terrence Joyce Diane Kanzler & Christy Russell Gina & Gerald Karcher Shamsa & Ejaz Khan Grace & Jonathan Kipp Patricia & Christopher Klug Millie & Clark Lamb Susanne & Edwin Lambert Rebecca Langner & Katie Little Cornelia & Joseph LaRussa Teri & Patrick Lavette Joyce & Cheney Lawler Ina Leonard Jacob Linder & Ashley Davenport

A generous gift in memory of Gordon Dallam Martin from his children has made possible a new landscape planting at the south end of the Formal Garden. For giving and naming opportunities at the Gardens, contact Drew Rickel, donor relations officer, at 205.414.3955 or drickel@bbgardens.org.

Mitzi & Maxwell Link Sheri & John Long Joyce & James Lott Jean & Thomas Lubbert Suzanne Lucas Lynn & Brian Luckianow F. Ruth Luketic & Jon Turner Donna Lummus Jennifer Massey Pauletta & Norman McClure Lisa & Doug McCrary Mary & Will McDonald Lila & Thomas McGahey Ann & George McMillan Cheryl & Burk McWilliams Gwen & James Mizzell Nanette & Raymond Mock Michelle & Robert Moloney Joanne & Whit Montgomery Jane & C. Grady Moore Sherry & Jerry Moore Jodi & Clifford Morgan Dorothy Morgan Judi & David Morris Julia & George Morris Nina & Ashok Mujumdar Lynn & Charles Murray Laural & W. Donald Myers Ronald & Martha Napier Callie & Wilson Nash Nancy & John Natter Anna & Chris Newsome Lauren Nichols Patricia & Silvio Papapietro Katherine & Thomas Payne Carol Pearce Jayne & James Pool Rebecca & Raymond Prescott Hyacinth & Charles Prince Patricia & Steve Putnam Laura & Erskine Ramsay Virginia & John Randolph Aurelia & Bruce Rasco Marilyn & Harry Reich Dorothy & William Renneker Herman Richards Nancy & Paul Roberts Valerie & Stuart Roberts Janet & Thomas Robertshaw Eva & James Robertson Mandy & Robert Robison Mary Roebuck Sherrye & Ludolf Roell Denise Rose Martha & Robert Ross Victoria & McRoy Sauls Anne & Vincent Schilleci

Thames Schoenvogel Jessica & Ryan Sciacca Cheryl & James Scott Virginia Scruggs & Sarah Olson Marshall McEuen & Kathleen Scudder Judith & Ronald Seitel Pamela & Patrick Selph Jane & Thomas Shelton Kathy & James Sherrer Jennie & Bobby Shewmake Leslie & Ryan Simms Lindsey & Talmadge Simpson Kate & Zach Sims Diane & Dan Smith Helen & Clinton Smith Sundra & Marc Smith Sue & Allan Solomon Lucy & Stephen Spann Donna & Wayne Speegle Samantha & James St John Hilty & Jeff St. Denis Alan Stamm & Mary Altz-Smith Anne Stanfield Mary Stanley Jeremy Newsome & Carla Stefanescu Hampton & Bart Stephens David Shelby & Jamie Stephenson Christianne Strang Jera & William Stribling Malcom Marler & Mary Bea Sullivan Nathan English & Amy Swindle-English Judy & George Taylor Patti & Hal Tichenor Alison & Michael Tomberlin Patricia & Brock Tompkins Kristin & Andy Tunnell Bethany & Robert Underwood Eva & Alexander Vare Patti & Alan Vines Kay & James Vinson Sandy & Gregory Vitalis Jodi & James Waitzman Jamie & Dexter Walcott Joseph Bullock & Sunaree Watson-Bullock Jana & Tyler Watts Diane & G. Allen Weatherford Linda & William Weber Mary & Robert White Alice Wideman Annette & Bentley Wilder Beverly & Bruce Williams

Carvetta & Anderson Williams Cissy & John Williams Doris & James Wilson Lee L. Woehle Carolyn & James Woodson Cheryl Wooten Colleen & Harold Yoder Elizabeth & Frank Young Ivey & Peter Young Jane & George Zorn Trillium “Individual” Rebecca Adams Robert Anderson Shirley Andrews Ritsuko Asano Linda C. Askey Christopher Autrey Katherine Y. Avant Linda Baggett Carol E. Ball Barbara Ann Beckett-Gaines Christie Bevis Bonnie Black Caroline Bolvig Margaret Peggy Bonfield Daphne E. Bradley Angelia P. Brady Myra Brown Nancy Brown Sarah Burchfield Margaret Burnham Donna Byrne Jonnie Caddell Margaret C. Caley Ross Callaway Richard Carroll Marjorie K. Colvin Peggy Comer Anna Cook

Donald L. Cook Kathryn Corey Susan Craft Mary Crockett Barbara Cusimano Anita G. Dark Margaret W. Davis Patricia P. Day Diane Dudney Elizabeth B. Elliott Bernadine R. Faulkner Nancy Forshaw Kay Free William W. French III Wayne Garrett Susan W. Gaskins Sheryl H. Gould Jan Greer Linda V. Griggs Stephanie W. Gurley Susan Hagen Patricia Hardy Thomas Hart Mary B. Hawkins Lida Hill Deborah L. Hiltz Keelon Hobbs Sandra Holtzclaw Carolyn Hughes Sharon Johnson Sarah R. Johnston Laura Jones Sonya M. Jordan Dot Kachelhofer Sharon Kachelhofer Karen Kelly Charlotte King Karen Larsen Joyce E. Lehmeyer

Dedication of the Dr. Bob Wendorf memorial landscape project surrounding the recently relocated Japanese lantern. Pictured are (at center) Margaret Wendorf and son Marc with Gardener Adam Benjamin and dedicated Japanese Garden volunteers and friends.

Katherine Lineberry Derrick Lovett Jane Malloch Rita Manogue Cecile L. Mason S. Catherine Mason Linda M. Massey Ann McAdams Kathy McCrimmon Bess McCrory Virginia McDonald Ellen McLaughlin Virginia McLean Melissa McLemore Susan McNamara Carol Medders Sandra Mezzell Adeline Mitchell Stephen R. Monk Melanie Murphy Janice Neal Marsha Oglesby Lana R. Olson Frances W. Owens Phoebe Palcanis Edward W. Parish Suzanne J. Peterson Angela M. Powers Hallie H. Rawls Ann Reddy Katherine S. Reed Adrienne Retief Jean Rhone Emily T. Richardson Dolores D. Rogers Margaret Rogers Gloria M. Roque Daniel E. Rousso Judith M. Rutsky Patricia Saffles Diana Seevers Francis E. Seibel Joan Shores Carole Simpson Carol Slaughter Debra Slocum Donna J. Slovensky Jenny Smith Sandra Smith Brenda N. Stacey Martha Stevenson Anne Sturm Michael Tatum Connie Taylor Pam Thompson Brenda Tiner Cheryl Todd Sharon Treece Patricia Tremaine Bayard S. Tynes Joyce Vallance Alison Virden Kathy Wales David Waters Phyllis A. Weaver Lyn Webb Clyde Renee West Virginia Willard Joan Williamson Laurence E. Wilson, Jr. Linda M. Wilson Mary S. Winfree Jann Young Sally C. Young

If we have inadvertently left your name out or incorrectly listed you, please accept our apologies and contact Drew Rickel, donor relations officer, at 205.414.3955 or drickel@bbgardens.org.

Tour leader Richard Lyon

Travel with us to the gardens of New Zealand! Gardens, Wine & Wilderness: A Tour of New Zealand January 4–19, 2020—with Tom & Jane Underwood

RESER V YOUR E SPOT NOW!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY for this oncein-a-lifetime garden travel experience led by New Zealand-born landscape architect Richard Lyon! Join Tom Underwood, executive director with the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and his wife, Jane, director of operations with the Friends, for this exclusive, 16-day garden travel experience to explore the spectacular scenery, gardens, architecture, artwork, cuisine, and wines of New Zealand. You'll enjoy the company and camaraderie of like-minded travelers while experiencing the country's awe-inspiring beauty and warm hospitality. The trip will be led by Richard Lyon of Garden Adventures. Richard, a New Zealandborn, Pennsylvania-based landscape architect, has been leading tours to New Zealand for nearly 30 years for prestigious horticultural organizations across the United States. His design experience and personal insights into New Zealand culture and scenery will make this an unforgettable visit. To learn more and reserve your spot, contact Penney Hartline, director of development for the Friends, at phartline@bbgardens.org or 205.414.3961.

bbgardens.org/newzealand2020

Non-Profit Org. US Postage

PAID

Birmingham, AL Permit No. 2513

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

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

Four-year-old Amelia Smith holds a stem of freshly picked flat-leaf parsley, which she and other Summer Garden Chefs campers got to smell, feel, and taste during a recent tour of the Bruno Vegetable Garden.

“Exploring the Bruno Vegetable Garden fosters a sense of excitement and wonder and exposes our youngest visitors to the mindset of thinking about where their food comes from and how it’s grown.” —GARDENER STEVEN KNOP