the garden dirt
FOR FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS
Rooted in Community Supporting Grassroots Efforts to Grow a Greener Birmingham
Save When You Dine and Shop at the Gardens and our Local Member Partners
Show your Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens membership card and enjoy 10% off regularly priced purchases at The Gardens Café by Kathy G and these local nurseries, garden centers, and flower shops.
Certain restrictions may apply. Please visit bbgardens.org/membership for details.
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/
GENERAL • SWEET PEAS GARDEN SHOP
VIVATIA PLANT CARE SERVICES
WILD THINGS
Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens
2025 Board of directors
Emily Bowron Chair
wally Evans immEdiatE Past Chair
KirK ForrEstEr sECrEtary
d�C Coston trEasurEr
sid Evans Chair oF CommuniCations & marKEting
EvElyn JonEs Chair oF dEvEloPmEnt
CarolinE littlE Chair oF EduCation & Community EngagEmEnt
John smith t Chair oF govErnanCE liBBa vaughan Chair oF govErnmEnt rElations
dEriCK BEldEn Chair oF oPErations
Members at Large
Maggie Brooke
Sharon Deep-Nelson
Eleanor Estes
Wendy Evesque
Nicole Faulk
David Germany
Leigh Haver
Janet Kavinoky
Bolaji Kukoyi
Dr. Desmond R. Layne G. Ruffner Page, Jr.
Anne Sanders Rand
Norman H. Ross, Jr.
Martha Emmett Sims
Sarah Slaughter
Joanice Thompson
Larry D. Thornton, Sr.
Jesse Vogtle, Jr.
Sharon Walker
Ginny Willings
John G. Wilson
Joseph M. Echols, Junior Board President
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
Tom Underwood.....................................................Executive Director
Julia Adams Horticulturist—Japanese Garden
Katelyn Bahr Horticulturist—Specialty Gardens
Stephanie Banks Chief Financial Officer
Rachael Daughtry Library & Information Services Manager
Dawn DeFrank Donor Services Coordinator
Amelia Haas Office Coordinator
Ellen Hardy Education Program Coordinator
Penney Hartline Director of Development
Cassia Kesler Director of Communications & Marketing
Sebastian Ortiz Muñoz......................................Communications & Marketing Associate
Kendra Poleshek Education Associate
Drew Rickel Donor Relations Officer
Kensley Sandlin Development Associate
Rebecca Stivender Director of Education & Community Engagement
Emma Thompson Volunteer Coordinator
Keith Turney.........Senior Horticulturist–Kaul Wildflower Garden
Jane Underwood Director of Gardens Support
Editor: Cassia Kesler
Art Design: Ellen Padgett
Cover & Lead Photos: Kelly Marshall & Sebastian Ortiz Muñoz
Contributors: Katelyn Bahr, Dawn DeFrank, Amelia Haas, Ellen Hardy, Penney Hartline, Sebastian Ortiz Muñoz, Kendra Poleshek, Drew Rickel, Basil Terhune, Graham Yelton
©2025 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, 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 gender identity.
Dear Friend,
It’s hard not to get excited about the arrival of spring. As the days grow longer and warmer, we are drawn back outside to walk in the Gardens, savor the expectation of blooms and new growth, and take comfort in the patterns of nature. The garden in spring is full of exclamation marks – daffodils, cherry blossoms, dogwood trees, azaleas, and more. It’s a time of renewal, growth, and opportunity.
The change of seasons also signals the start of a new program year and we are more excited than ever about what’s in store. This spring we will be launching a new community engagement initiative with our inaugural Rooted in Community awards program. This new program supports local, grassroots efforts to beautify and enhance neighborhoods across the Birmingham metro area. Learn more about this opportunity and how your organization might get involved on page 10.
We are also excited to host our annual Spencer Lecture. This year, we welcome leading interiors stylist Mieke ten Have as our featured guest speaker. Mieke is known for her distinctive use of floral artistry in her designs and will share her expertise for creating a compelling and vibrant living space.
Our biennial Native Plant Conference, March 21–22, will feature regional and national landscape design experts, horticulturists, conservationists, and leaders who are affecting change for healthier, more sustainable ecological landscapes in their local communities and beyond. Read more on page 2.
Be sure to mark your calendars—our Spring Plant Sale is planned for April 11–12, with a special presale for members of the Friends on April 10. Many of the plants featured at the sale are grown right here at the Gardens. With every purchase, you are not only bringing beauty to your own garden, you also are supporting the ongoing stewardship and enhancement of this shared community treasure.
Whether attending a program or walking the Gardens, we look forward to seeing you this spring! Thank you for your involvement, your generosity, and your friendship.
Tom Underwood Executive Director, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens
A pril 11 & 12
AT B IRMINGHAM B O TANICAL G ARDENS
Get ready for spring planting by shopping hard-to-find plants specially selected for our region by expert volunteer growers. Check or card only. Bring your own folding cart or wagon!
Member Early-Bird Shopping
Thursday, April 10 | 1–5:30 p.m.
Open to the Public
Friday, April 11 | 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 | 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
FEATURING
NATIVE PLANT CONFERENCE
Ecological Landscapes
MARCH 21 & 22
yourself in the ethics and principles of garden design as we “rethink pretty” and explore the ecology of gardening at this year’s Native Plant Conference from renowned landscape design experts, horticulturists, conservationists, and visionaries who are shaping sustainable landscapes and offering fresh perspectives on integrating ecological principles in garden design.
regional change-makers who actively champion the native plant movement in our state and in our local communities.
insights into Alabama’s native plant conservation efforts, explore how to create nature-inspired gardens, and discuss the transformative power of planting with native species.
Members: $195 | Nonmembers: $220 • REGISTER at bbgardens.org/npc
ABOUT BENJAMIN VOGT
Meet Keynote Speaker Benjamin Vogt, renowned author, garden designer, and owner of Prairie Up (formerly Monarch Gardens). Benjamin specializes in designing prairie-inspired landscapes that support biodiversity. Author of A New Garden Ethic and Prairie Up, Benjamin’s keynote will explore how ecological principles can transform garden design. Benjamin will join the 2025 Native Plant Conference virtually to reduce his carbon footprint, a decision that aligns with his deep commitment to sustainability and the environment.
HARVEST-TO-TABLE DINNER
HISTORY: Originally named the Central South Native Plant Conference, the first conference at Birmingham Botanical Gardens took place in 1989 and sprang from the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference that began in 1983 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The first five conferences at the Gardens, were themed “The Return of the Natives,” as the conference goal was—and still is—to foster awareness and appreciation of the Southeast’s native plant diversity and to
Join us for a delightful Harvest-to-Table dinner following our Native Plant Conference! Enjoy a thoughtfully curated plant-based buffet prepared by local Chef Ama Shambulia, featuring farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients. Unwind and connect with fellow plant enthusiasts and celebrate the power of plants—both in the landscape and on the plate.
ABOUT CHEF AMA: Chef Ama “Ifágbàmílà” Shambulia is a passionate advocate for whole food, plant-based nutrition and holistic wellbeing. Rooted in a love for food, cooking, and
celebrate Alabama’s unique biodiversity. The conference continues encourage a return to the use of native flora in both public and private landscapes. It is now a biennial conference attracting novices and professionals to engage in enriching discussions while cultivating a passion for native plants.
WHY NATIVE PLANTS?
Native plants play a crucial role in supporting both wildlife and human resilience, especially in the face of
gardening from her upbringing in Los Angeles, Chef Ama now shares her expertise in Birmingham through A Beautiful Life Enterprises LLC. As a chef, community food educator, and “herban” homesteader, she partners with organizations dedicated to food and health, bringing a deep commitment to nourishment and sustainability. Separate registration required.
COST: $50 I REGISTER: bbgardens.org/ harvest
climate change. Their benefits extend far beyond providing beauty, offering essential support to pollinators like bees and butterflies, as well as a variety of other wildlife.
SUPPORTING WILDLIFE:
Native plants provide essential habitats for many species, especially bees and caterpillars, which are key to the food chain. Research shows native plants support 15 times more caterpillar species than non-natives. This
Photos by Graham Yelton and courtesy of Benjamin Vogt and Ama Shambulia
WHITE TOP PITCHER PLANT (SARRACENIA LEVCOPHYLLA)
LONGLEAF PINE (PINUS PALUSTRIS)
insect abundance is vital for birds like chickadees and bluebirds that feed their young with caterpillars. Well-connected habitats cultivated from native plants help wildlife withstand disruptions like fires and storms.
CLIMATE RESILIENCE: Native plants boost climate resilience by converting CO2 and cooling urban areas. As urban heat islands and extreme weather increase due
2025 NATIVE PLANT CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, MARCH 21
Conference Hours 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
• REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST
• OPENING KEYNOTE
BENJAMIN VOGT I 9:15–10:30 a.m. Fundamentals of Garden Layers
• PATRICK THOMPSON Gardeners Mastering Conservation
• BOXED LUNCH I Noon–1 p.m.
• SARAH CARTER I 1–2:15 p.m.
Creating a New Perennial Movement Garden for the South
• BREAKOUT SESSIONS I
Keith Turney: Native Plant Cloning
Molly Hendry: Taming the Wild: Landscaping With Native Plants
Rebecca Stivender: Community
Dana Hazen: What About Native Bees?
Deborah Boutelier: Herbs: Medicinal & Other Uses
• DR. R. SCOT DUNCAN Gardening for Birds, Bugs, and Biodiversity (And Why It Matters!)
• RECEPTION I 5–6 p.m.
• HARVEST-TO-TABLE DINNER
Separate registration required
SATURDAY, MARCH 22
• FIELD TRIP I 9 a.m.– noon
Choose between Turkey Creek Preserve or the Kaul Wildflower Garden at registration!
SPONSORS
LONGLEAF Bham Now
BLUESTEM Parrot Structural Services • Woerner Landscape Source
CONEFLOWER GMC Network • Recreative Natives • Richter Landscape Company • Paula & Mike Rushing
TRILLIUM Central Alabama Wild Ones • Roots & Ramblings • Kent & Enid Keyser • Gail & Marvin Snyder
to climate change, these plants absorb carbon and lower the emperature.
ADAPTABILITY AND PRACTICALITY:
Native plants are well-adapted to local conditions, making them easier to grow and more resilient than non-native species. They thrive in their natural environment and require less maintenance and water, making them ideal for sustainable land scaping. Using native plants in gardens, parks, and urban spaces can help transform
neighborhoods, creating livable spaces that support biodiversity.
Native plants make a major impact on a variety of levels that extend beyond the garden. Whether you are interested in creating a wildflower garden, hoping to discover ways to promote more sustainable public spaces, or looking to attract more birds outside your window, native plants hold the answer.
HELIANTHUS HIRSUTUS
CELEBRATE THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY
May Membership Month
As a Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens member, you are an essential part of a growing movement that values the Gardens and the natural world, as well as the bonds they help foster.
THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO JOIN THE FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS. WITHIN THE PAST YEAR:
We completed the first phase of a major renovation of the Dunn Formal Rose Garden.
Thousands of local students had the chance to discover the Gardens’ wonders through our Discovery Field Trips series.
Friends volunteers planted and harvested thousands of pounds of fresh produce to help combat hunger in our community, part of a much larger volunteer effort that contributed over 20,000 hours in 2024.
Thanks to the help from a pair of Japanese craftsmen, we completed an authentic renovation of the Teahouse in the Japanese Garden.
Our Friends internship program gave two dedicated young people the chance to gain hands-on experience in the Gardens while also introducing them to the world of public gardens.
The Outdoor Classroom and Garden Lab have new energy and sense of purpose as the centerpiece of our focus on STEM education.
We embarked on a significant, much-needed renovation of the Herb Terrace.
Our signature fundraising events in 2024—Antiques at the Gardens, Spring and Fall Plant Sales, Rosé in the Roses—were well attended and resounding successes.
As an urban oasis featuring more than two dozen specialty gardens, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens shares the joy and beauty of nature every day of the year. Through our work at the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, we cultivate connections with plants, the environment, and one another. We’re excited to celebrate this spirit of connection during May Membership Month! This month-long celebration highlights the impact of our shared commitment and offers special perks for new, renewing, and current members, including:
MEMBER-EXCLUSIVE TOURS: SATURDAY, MAY 17
10 a.m.—Japanese Garden | 11 a.m.—Bruno Vegetable Garden and Herb Terrace | Noon—Kaul Wildflower Garden New, renewing, and current members are welcome—registration required. bbgardens.org/membertours
MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL: Enjoy $10 off any new or gift membership purchased during May. Use code MM25 at bbgardens.org/membership
CHOOSE FROM KEEPSAKE ITEMS FOR MEMBERS JOINING OR RENEWING. Take advantage of other great member benefits such as free or discounted admission to 380+ botanical gardens nationwide; 10% off regularly priced plant purchases at member partner nurseries, garden centers, and flower shops; 20% off our children’s summer camps; and more! 1 I 3 I 5 I 7 I I2 I4 I6 I8
2025 SPENCER LECTURE
Interiors: Styled by Mieke ten Have
Thursday, March 6 • Reception at 5:30 p.m.
Talk: 6 p.m. • Linn-Henley Lecture Hall • Book signing to follow Registration required • bbgardens.org/spencerlecture
The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is excited to welcome leading interiors stylist Mieke ten Have as the special guest speaker for our annual Spencer Lecture. Mieke will share her expertise for creating a compelling and vibrant living space. Mieke began her career as a design editor, and her work has been featured in House & Garden, Vogue, Elle Decor, VERANDA, The World of Interiors, and countless interior design books. She styles advertising campaigns for both big and small homeware and fabric companies. Her keen eye and attention to detail have made her a sought-after stylist for photoshoots worldwide. In this special lecture, we get a behind-the-scenes look at her floral artistry and distinctive use of flowers as sculptural works of art.
LIBRARY & ARCHIVES
The Library at the Gardens is a wonderful resource for nature enthusiasts, families, and anyone who would like to learn more about gardening. Bring your Jefferson County library card to check out books. Visit the Library from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. on weekdays.
THYME TO READ
A monthly book club
Select Tuesdays | 4 p.m.
Location: Library at the Gardens
Free and open to the public
Tuesday, March 4
Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration by Sara Dykman
Tuesday, April 1
Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Tuesday, May 6
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Spring is a great time to expand your horticultural knowledge, learn how to make your garden flourish, and explore the biodiversity of the Gardens. Learn more and register at bbgardens.org/classes
1. SPRING WILDFLOWER WALK
Wednesday, March 26 | Noon–1 p.m.
Location: Kaul Wildflower Garden
Learn about the intriguing spring-time wildflowers and other showyephemeral plants in the Kaul Wildflower Garden with Senior Horticulturist Keith Turney. On this stroll through the garden, you will learn about the unique groups of plants that give visual interest and provide important food and habitats for wildlife in early spring.
Cost: $20 (Members) | $25 (Nonmembers)
2. A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO CREATING A FLOWER BED
Tuesday, April 1 | 11 a.m.–noon
Location: Adventure Classroom
Filled with perennials, annuals, and blooming shrubs, a flower garden adds color and dimension to your landscape—and provides an inviting habitat for essential pollinators, like birds and butterflies. But if your yard is covered in grass, you may be wondering how to actually start a flower garden. Join gardening expert Bethany O'Rear as she discusses the basics of making a flower bed, from picking a location and selecting plants to putting flowers in the ground.
Cost: $20 (Members) | $25 (Nonmembers)
3. WARM-WEATHER BIRDING IN ALABAMA
Saturday, April 5 | 8–10 a.m.
Location: Adventure Classroom Spring offers the best season to observe birds in the garden! In addition to the lovely blooms and sweet scents, many of our resident songbirds busy themselves with establishing territories and building nests. In this class, Alabama Audubon Board
Secretary Greg Harbor will teach us how to use field marks to identify birds as we explore Kaul Wildflower Garden’s bird habitat. As spring migration begins, we can expect to see resident birds, lingering winter visitors, and early spring migrants. Binoculars will be provided for use during the class.
Cost: $40 (Members) | $45 (Nonmembers)
4. DISCOVER & EXPLORE MEDIA WORKSHOPS: PAINTING WITH ACRYLICS AND WATERCOLOR
Monday, April 14 | 10–11:30 a.m.
Location: Adventure Classroom
Join teaching artist Erica Scott, owner of Dabble art studio, for the next installment of the Gardens’ Discover and Explore workshops. This series of art workshops encourages participants to try new things and play with various mediums. In this session, participants will learn tips and tricks for painting with acrylics and watercolors and spend time enjoying the process of painting!
Cost: $35 (Members) | $40 (Nonmembers)
5. GETTING TO KNOW TOMATOES
Wednesday, April 23 | Noon–1:30 p.m.
Location: Outdoor Classroom
Learn the basics of tomato gardening with horticulturists Julia Adams and Katelyn Bahr. In this informative class, we will explore how to select varieties, care for your plants, and troubleshoot threats like insects and diseases. Bring your questions and leave with your own tomato plant to start your spring vegetable garden!
Cost: $25 (Members) | $30 (Nonmembers)
ALLIED EVENTS
JAPAN-AMERICA SOCIETY OF ALABAMA
PRESENTS THE ANNUAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL Saturday, March 29 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Explore the richness of Japanese culture through activities, delicious food, vibrant music, and thrilling martial arts demonstrations. Please note: parking is limited and ongoing construction in Mountain Brook Village is causing traffic delays. Carpool or ridesharing is encouraged. A shuttle will be provided from Mountain Brook Office Park to the Lawler Gate (back Gardens entrance across from Zoo).
ANNUAL ROSE SHOW
May 10 & 11 | Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday, 1–4:30 p.m.
SAVE THE DATE FOR BIRMINGHAM FERN SOCIETY EXPO & SALE
Fern Expo: June 7, featuring Richie Steffen, past president of the Hardy Fern Foundation and co-author of “The Plant Lover’s Guide to Ferns”
Fern Sale: June 14 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Fern Glade
Saturday, April 26 Stay tuned for more information.
by
Photos
David Frings, Graham Yelton
6. COMMUNITY SPRING PLANTING
Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m.–noon
Location: Bruno Vegetable Garden
Celebrate Earth Day at the Gardens by joining Specialty Garden Horticulturist Katelyn Bahr and fellow community members for the annual planting of the Bruno Vegetable Garden! We will be preparing garden beds; planting tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and okra; and mulching with leaf litter.
Cost: FREE | Registration required
7. ALABAMA BIODIVERSITY WALK
Friday, May 9 | 10–11:30 a.m.
Location: Blount Plaza
Discover the rich biodiversity of our state as Senior Horticulturist Keith Turney guides you through an exploration of various ecosystems where unique plant communities thrive in the Gardens. We will meet at the entrance to the Gardens in Blount Plaza. This hour-and-a-half walk covers uneven terrain and involves slight changes in elevation.
Cost: $25 (Members) | $30 Nonmembers)
8. CUT FLOWERS FOR EVERY SEASON
Tuesday, May 13 | 10–11:30 a.m.
Location: Outdoor Classroom
A cut flower garden has more seasons than
just spring and summer. Blue Rooster Farms owners Allison and Kirk Creel grow blooming flowers for most of the year! Learn their tips for expanding the types and variety of flowers you grow and extending the season of your cut flower garden. Topics include overwintering, succession planting, dahlias, and more! Participants are invited to share their gardening knowledge in an audienceinspired Q&A.
Cost: $25 (Members) | $30 Nonmembers)
9. DESIGNING AND PLANTING YOUR RAISED BED
Friday, May 23 | 10–11 a.m.
Location: Bruno Vegetable Garden
Victoria Crenshaw, an experienced organic vegetable gardener and owner of Fleurish Gardens, joins us in the Bruno Vegetable Garden to discuss the principles of raised bed gardening. In this class, she will guide you in creating a plan for your garden layout and teach you how to plant your own raised beds. The class will meet under the arbor in the Bruno Vegetable Garden. Hat and sunglasses are recommended.
Cost: $20 (Members) | $25 (Nonmembers)
KIDS & FAMILY
1. STORYTIME AT THE GARDENS
Fridays, beginning May 2 | 10 a.m.
Location: Southern Living Garden (weather permitting)
Cost: Free and open to the public. Registration required.
Lovely spring weather invites you to Storytime at the Gardens! Bring your little one to enjoy a story amid nature’s beauty. This program fosters a love of reading, sparks creativity, and encourages gardening.
This weekly offering allows preschoolers and their caregivers to enjoy stories in peaceful garden spaces followed by a nature activity.
2. MUSICAL GARDEN STORYTIME
Tuesday, April 22 | 10 a.m.
For children under age 5*
Location: Outdoor Classroom
Bring your little one to enjoy a special storytime filled with music and movement at the Gardens with Alyssa Jewell, musician and children’s librarian. Following the program, we invite you to let your little ones explore and play in our newly refreshed Garden Lab.
*Siblings under the age of 18 months may attend for no fee.
Cost: $10 (Members) | $15 (Nonmembers) | $5 (Additional Family Member)
Children’s Summer Camps
Programs are designed to promote your child’s natural curiosity and creativity with fun learning experiences in the beautiful setting of Birmingham Botanical Gardens! Each camp will include daily explorations of the Gardens, STEM and literacy activities, and learning in our new Garden Lab.
MORNING CAMPS
9 A.M.–NOON • $160 (MEMBERS)* | $200 (NONMEMBERS)
MORNING THREE-DAY CAMPS
9 A.M.–NOON • $96 (MEMBERS)* | $120 (NONMEMBERS)
*Family Level and above
REGISTER ONLINE AT BBGARDENS.ORG/SUMMERCAMPS OR BY PHONE AT 205.414.3950
Become a Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens member at the Family level or above and save 20% on select numbers of summer camp registrations. For more information, contact Education Program Coordinator Ellen Hardy at 205.414.3950, ext. 106, or ehardy@bbgardens.org.
1. TROPICAL PARADISE
MAY 27–30 (4-Day)
For children ages 4 years old–3rd Grade Join us in our own conservatory as we discover what makes the tropical rainforest a treasured place on Earth. We will explore this jungle habitat, discover many plants and animals that call it home, make a special cool treat using rainforest ingredients, plant in our houseplant workshop, and more!
2. ART IN THE GARDENS
JUNE 2–6
For children ages 4 years old–3rd Grade Dip your paintbrush into nature and the Gardens in this colorful week of artistic fun! Each day, we will visit a different garden which will inspire us to create. Using natural materials and various art supplies such as paint, pastels, watercolor, clay, and more, our imaginations and creativity will bloom.
3. ENCHANTED FOREST
JUNE 9–13
For children ages 4 years old–3rd Grade Calling all forest friends for a fun-filled week of enchanted wonder through whimsical adventures in the Gardens. Hide and seek throughout forest habitats where fairies and gnomes may roam. Imagine, create, and build a fairy/gnome garden to take home.
4. SCIENCE SUPERSTARS
JUNE 16–18 (3-Day)
For children entering 5K–6th Grade Campers will be inspired by nature scientists from around the globe who have made a difference in our world. We will explore the Gardens through the eyes of botanists, astronomers, ecologists, entomologists, and more through exciting experiments of our own, super investigations, and more!
5. NATURE’S KITCHEN
JUNE 23–27
For children ages 4 years old–3rd Grade
Have fun exploring nature’s kitchen in this fun camp perfect for budding naturalists and chefs. Each day, we will explore the Gardens to discover nature’s ingredients for making simple summertime treats. Design a keepsake cookbook, apron, summer vegetable garden prints, and more!
6. BACKYARD BUGS
JULY 7–11
For children ages 4 years old–3rd Grade Get your magnifier ready as we venture out to explore the Gardens. Seek the wonder of the world of insects through butterfly life cycles, in aquatic worlds, vegetable gardens, under fallen logs, and more! A new bug habitat adventure will have us asking
questions and discovering more each day. Special stories, games, and snacks round out this fun adventure.
7. BEST IN SHOW: NATURE’S TREASURES
JULY 14–18
For children ages 4 years old–3rd Grade
This summertime adventure is a special opportunity to explore and find your favorite treasures in nature at the Gardens! From favorite rocks to petals, moss, pinecones, and more, campers will curate their own unique collection. We’ll design our own museum, share, create art, play games in nature, and more! Campers will take their nature treasure box home so they can keep exploring.
8. BENEATH THE SURFACE
JULY 21–25
For children entering 5K–6th Grade
Inspired by Kate Messner’s Over and Under series, we will explore the many ecosystems at the Gardens. We will explore micro-worlds of soil as we find gardening secrets, splash into the world of water, tour the desert, and cool off in the rainforest as we discover ecosystems that live and thrive beneath the surface. Explore and create with soil, clay, water, and more!
Rooted in COMMUNITY
SUPPORTING GRASSROOTS EFFORTS TO GROW
A GREENER BIRMINGHAM
Contributors include CASSIA KESLER • SEBASTIAN ORTIZ MUÑOZ • BASIL TERHUNE
ABOVE: Students from the Urban Community Montessori School help to plant (and water!) flowers along their walking route from the school to the Titusville library. OPPOSITE: Gardening skills and learning to care for the environment are part of the school curriculum.
The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens is pleased to announce the launch of our inaugural Rooted in Community awards program. We are inviting the participation of organizations who are looking to serve and benefit their local communities with grassroots beautification projects, community gardens, pollinator projects, sustainability initiatives, edible gardens addressing food insecurity, therapeutic horticulture, and other similar endeavors.
MAKING YOUR VISION A REALITY STARTS WITH THAT FIRST SMALL STEP.
The Rooted in Community program is designed to help interested community groups take practical steps toward improving and beautifying public spaces. Participants receive a $500 monetary award that may be used to kick-start a new project or to supplement an ongoing project. Our goal is to encourage community involvement in projects that enhance our neighborhoods, help foster connections within our community, and contribute to civic pride.
Participants will gain learning opportunities and be connected to a network of individuals striving for similar goals throughout our region.
The Friends kicked off the Rooted in Community initiative in the fall of 2024 with a pilot group of diverse participants from eleven different neighborhoods within the Birmingham metro area, including neighborhood associations, libraries, community gardens, an elementary school, and an adult day care center. Each organization proposed a different type of project and focus, ranging from bolstering already established urban gardens to planting native species in roadway medians. They found that even
taking small steps toward a common goal can spur on bigger endeavors for the future.
“I enjoyed seeing the participants’ expertise and how they incorporated what they learned at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens—and what they learned from other awardees—into their projects,” said Libba Vaughan, executive director of Leadership Birmingham and FBBG board member. She noted that groups faced many of the same project challenges.
“For instance, watering. How do you provide water to a site inconvenient to a water source? The groups addressed that challenge in different ways, and learned from each other.” One group got permission from a nearby business to extend a hose, and another chose plants that were drought tolerant. They also learned about how to build a rain barrel.
“I think the biggest benefit of this project to Birmingham is enabling community leaders to carry out their goals of creating a beautiful space,” said Libba. “The Rooted in Community awardees are a passionate and inspiring group of people. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a regional resource, and this program highlights its value for the communities we serve.”
Photos by Sebastian Ortiz Muñoz
EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY. WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE? SOME EXAMPLES FROM THE PILOT PROGRAM:
URBAN COMMUNITY MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Courtney Davis, head of Urban Community Montessori School, said, “Our school community had already been talking about ways that we can give back to our neighborhood in Titusville, so this opportunity was right in line with it.” Part of the goal of Montessori education is to teach students stewardship—to care for the world around them. At Urban Montessori, the students often take a walk from the school campus down Center Street to the Titusville library. When the teachers heard about the FBBG Rooted in Community program, they decided to plant pollinators and native plants along their route to the library, and they also planted some in the library’s pollinator garden.
“This was just a great community effort for our school,” said Courtney. “A lot of the neighbors were home when we had our planting day, so the children had the opportunity to meet them and talk to them. We discovered that some of them had lived there all of their lives, going back for generations. They were so happy to see the children out and about. Being able to give back to Titusville was a meaningful way to connect with our neighbors.”
GLEN IRIS TRIANGLE
At the entrance to the Glen Iris neighborhood, a triangle intersection median that had once been maintained and planted with flowers had become overgrown with grasses and invasive weeds tangled with litter and trash. Tony Diliberto, head of the beautification committee for the Glen Iris neighborhood association, had just begun efforts to restore it to its former condition. Then he heard from his friend Laney DeJonge about the FBBG Rooted in Community awards. He thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to purchase some plants for the triangle.
“We had a clean-up day,” said Tony, “and found out that we could salvage some of the plants still growing below all the grass. Then we got the rest of the native plants through Ruffner Mountain, who worked with our budget and gave us a pretty good deal.
“For me, the grant was kind of a motivator,” said Tony. “It gave us the confidence to seek out and work with other people like this. And then it all came together. It was a true culmination of efforts by Birmingham-centric organizations all working together.”
LEFT: The inaugural group of award recipients. BELOW: The Glen Iris Neighborhood Association cleared and replanted an overgrown median at the entrance to their neighborhood. OPPOSITE: Urban Community Montessori School families and teachers plant a bed outside the Titusville library.
Photos by Sebastian Ortiz Muñoz and courtesy of Tony Diliberto
"THE PARTICIPANTS QUICKLY BONDED OVER A SHARED PASSION FOR GREEN SPACES AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND MANY HAVE STAYED IN TOUCH," SAID REBECCA STIVENDER, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE FRIENDS. "I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE VARIETY OF CREATIVE WAYS THEY USED THE AWARD TO IMPACT THEIR SPACES. AS EACH PARTICIPANT SHARED THEIR SUCCESSES AND EXPERIENCE, YOU COULD FEEL THE PRIDE THEY FELT—BOTH IN THEIR PROJECT AND IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD."
FRIENDS OF AVONDALE PARK
The Friends of Avondale Park, a community-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing one of Birmingham’s oldest green spaces, used their Rooted in Community award to complete a beautification project at the Avondale Library.
John Forney, president of the Friends of Avondale Park, said the initiative was part of ongoing efforts to maintain and improve the almost 40-acre park. “We always want to do what we can to help the library,” John said. “The library and park are key anchors for the neighborhood.”
The project involved a collaborative effort from various community members to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the parking lot turnaround in front of Avondale Library by incorporating flower
“THERE ARE STORIES HERE THAT WILL BRING
BEFORE AFTER
plantings and constructing a curb. Friends of Avondale Park board member and local contractor Patrick McGuire donated cobblestones left over from another project. Volunteers dug trenches, mixed concrete, and worked alongside skilled masons to set the cobbles in place. They also received donations of soil, mulch, and various plants.
John praised the Rooted in Community initiative, which aims to strengthen community ties through small-scale beautification projects. “This program helps grow the network of people who care about our shared spaces,” he said. “We are lucky to have such a horticulturally rich city, and partnerships like this make an impact far beyond their modest beginnings.”
KING’S GARDEN AT KING’S HOME
King’s Home Garden provides an educational horticultural program offering hope and healing for the residents of King’s Home, an organization that provides housing and educational opportunities for women and children seeking refuge from abuse, neglect, and homelessness. The farm produces fresh produce, flowers, honey, and eggs. King’s Home Garden used their award to buy soil to fill some wooden raised beds that were donated to the organization. With the additional funds, they were able to provide waistlevel garden plots for those who may have trouble bending down.
“These youth have been through so
much,” said Jonathan Mack, Garden Director at King’s Home. “There are stories here that will bring you to your knees. Getting your hands in dirt just feels good, and a lot of these youth have never done that, and that’s therapy. That brings joy. That’s what we want. Maybe they’ve never experienced joy like this before.”
The King’s Home campus boasts 88 forested acres of group homes, gardens, greenhouses, chicken coops, bee hives, and stables, as well as an educational center. But for King’s Home residents, the garden provides more than just an education—it’s therapy.
YOU TO YOUR KNEES. GETTING YOUR HANDS IN DIRT JUST FEELS GOOD, AND A LOT OF THESE YOUTH HAVE NEVER DONE THAT, AND THAT’S THERAPY. THAT BRINGS JOY.” Jonathan Mack
OPPOSITE: Before and after photos of a new curb and plantings installed in the Avondale Library parking lot by the Friends of Avondale Park. ABOVE: FBBG staff members Kendra Poleshek and Rebecca Stivender visit Garden Director Jonathan Mack at King’s Home. RIGHT: King’s Home residents enjoy helping to plant the new raised beds in the hoop house.
“IT’S GOT TO START WITH THE COMMUNITY—WITH THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.” Joanice Thompson
BUSH HILLS COMMUNITY GARDEN & URBAN FARM
On the once-vacant grounds of the old Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, neighbors talk and tend to their garden plots. For almost a decade since the school’s closure in 2008, this west Birmingham neighborhood struggled to find a use for the building. Now, with a renovated interior and outdoor growing spaces, the property thrives as a social hub and learning facility.
Through the work of the Bush Hills Connections, a nonprofit that works alongside the Bush Hills neighborhood association, the space has been transformed into a community garden, orchard, and USDA-certified urban farm that produces 50,000 pounds of produce annually.
“We knew we were in a food desert,” said Joanice Thompson, former president of Bush Hills Connections and current board member for the FBBG. Noting the lack of grocery stores nearby, residents began asking themselves, “What can we do to get some fresh
vegetables in the neighborhood?”
Grown from seed, the urban farm now produces a bounty of over 15 types of fresh vegetables such as okra, squash, sweet potatoes, beans, collards, and corn. The harvest is distributed throughout the community and shared with the wider Birmingham area.
The nonprofit group used their Rooted in Community award to purchase seeds and a means of housing seedlings. Joanice explained how sprouts started in their hoop house can then be planted in the garden or used to decorate the courtyard, a space used for community events.
Joanice notes how crucial it is for this involvement to be bottom-up. “It’s got to start with the community—with the people that live, work, and play in the neighborhood. It must start with those people,” she said. “It can’t be just people from the outside wanting to do it. You’ve got to have the community wanting it itself.”
Photos by Rebecca Stivender, Kelly Marshall, and courtesy of Bush Hills Community Garden, Fountain Heights Urban Farm, McCoy Adult Day Care, and Girl Spring, Inc.
LEFT: FBBG Board member Joanice Thompson hosted a tour for program participants at Bush Hills Community Garden. BELOW LEFT: Bush Hills neighbors help to plant seedlings in new container beds.
Additional Projects
1. TRUSSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
In spring of last year, the Trussville Public Library planted a raised bed with an assortment of herbs on the southwest side of the library to complement their native butterfly garden and to also create a space for their children’s Nature Club. The plantings in the raised bed were selected to attract and support pollinators. They used their award to create educational signage about local pollinators.
2. HOMEGROWN HABITAT
Laney DeJonge, founder of Birmingham-area native plant group Homegrown Habitat, used the award to purchase plants from Ruffner Mountain preserve for the Highland Park Native Plant Median Project. Over the past few years, the group has planted over 4,000 native plants in the neighborhood.
3. HUFFMAN COMMUNITY GARDEN
The Huffman Development Corp is in the process of developing a community garden to cultivate fresh produce for their community at the Huffman Baptist Church in their neighborhood. They used their award funding to go toward soil testing and amendments.
4. MCCOY ADULT DAY CARE
The McCoy Adult Day Care Center provides an on-site day program, including supervision, health screening, nutrition, and therapeutic activities. They used their funds for soil and plants to fill small, mobile, raised planting beds that can be rolled indoors, so that their residents may enjoy gardening no matter what their level of ability.
5. GIRLSPRING, INC.
GirlSpring’s mission is to provide reliable information, inspiring events, and positive role models to empower girls to reach their fullest potential. As one of their communitycentered events GirlSpring planted a vegetable garden at UAB’s Solar House. They served the harvested vegetables in a meal at First Light Shelter.
6.
FOUNTAIN HEIGHTS URBAN FARM
Fountain Heights Urban Farm, founded by Maria Dominique Villanueva and her partner Christopher Gooden, aims to address gaps in care and resources and to improve the quality of life for their historic Birmingham neighborhood and its residents.
Through their efforts, the organization has established four neighborhood-based farm spaces, built an aquaponics learning center, distributed thousands of pounds of free food to the community, provided employment for their neighbors, hosted workshops, and educated residents on land access and retention.
With funding from the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the team purchased bags of fertilizer for their orchid planting project. Volunteers, staff, and friends planted over 30 fruit trees, including elderberry, fig, peach, and beautyberry.
5 ROOTED IN COMMUNITY 2025 KICK-OFF
How to get Involved
TO APPLY, VISIT BBGARDENS.ORG/ROOTED. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY APRIL 14. AWARDED PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN MID-MAY. CONTACT REBECCA STIVENDER AT RSTIVENDER@BBGARDENS.ORG WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
PARTICIPANTS MUST:
• Reside or work within the community they wish to beautify
• Be 18 years of age (or have an adult sponsor)
• Candidates may propose practical, eco-friendly projects that enhance community aesthetics. Eligible project types include beautification efforts, edible gardens, pollinator habitats, sustainability initiatives, solutions for food deserts, and cleanup projects targeting neglected areas.
• Submit a project application outlining the vision, timeline, and expected outcomes.
• Attend an orientation session at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
New Board Members
BOLAJI KUKOYI
Bolaji Kukoyi serves as the president of Dynamic Civil Solutions (DCS), a civil and transportation engineering firm headquartered in Birmingham, specializing in urban development, transportation, aviation, and community-focused infrastructure projects. Under his guidance, DCS has made a substantial impact on Alabama, contributing to numerous prominent projects throughout the state. He received multiple degrees from the University of Alabama at Birmingham: bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and mathematics, and a Master of Science in mathematics. Beyond his professional achievements, Bolaji serves on the boards for the Cahaba River Society, the UAB Educational Foundation, and the YMCA of Greater Birmingham.
NORMAN ROSS
Norman H. Ross, Jr. serves as the vice president of public affairs and communications for Coca-Cola UNITED and is responsible for the company’s strategic direction of public affairs, government relations, communications, community engagement, and charitable giving. He has over 20 years of experience working with CocaCola. He previously served as vice president of government affairs for PIM Brands, Inc. and also as vice president of federal government relations for MGM Resorts International. In addition to earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Morehouse College, Norman also holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. His past civic involvement includes roles with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Corporate Advisory Council and the Negro League Baseball Museum Board of Directors.
JOHN GOLIGHTLY WILSON
Originally from Birmingham, John Wilson founded Golightly Landscape Architecture (GLA) in 2004, after working for nationally and internationally recognized landscape architecture firms specializing in high-end residential design. With a focus on master planning and garden design, GLA has created a robust portfolio of meaningful natural spaces, includingthe Memorial Garden at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, completed in 2022.
John earned a degree in landscape architecture from Clemson University. An active member of the Alabama Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), he served as Section Chair from 2019–2023 and currently serves on the Board.
Since 2020, John has led the selection process for Auburn’s School of Landscape Architecture Student Awards on behalf of the Alabama ASLA. John has also served on the vestry of St. Mary’s on the Highlands Episcopal Church, where he and his family are lifetime members.
JOSEPH ECHOLS
2025 Junior Board President Joseph Echols has been an active member of the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Junior Board since 2019 and frequently volunteers at the Gardens throughout the year. He serves as corporate counsel at Kemper Insurance, where he manages litigated matters presenting extra-contractual exposure to corporate entities and advises property and casualty claim professionals in claim handling best practices. Joseph received his J.D. from the Samford University Cumberland School of Law.
Joseph’s goals for the Junior Board in 2025 include increasing awareness and involvement from young professionals and building on the success of the Board’s signature fundraising activities, Rosé in the Roses and Flicks Among the Flowers. The proceeds from these events support the Friends’ Native Plant Summer Internship. He takes great pride in knowing that through its volunteering and fundraising efforts, the Junior Board is helping to cultivate the horticultural leaders of tomorrow.
SAVE THE DATE I OCTOBER 2-5
We are thrilled to announce our 2025 Antiques at the Gardens co-chairs: Sarah Slaughter, Heather Chadduck Hillegas, and Kathryn Dorlon. We would like to thank all of our generous patrons and supporters, including our design sponsor Schumacher. Your support helps sustain our exceptional Gardens. Stay tuned for more details and ticket information to be released this summer. We look forward to seeing you October 2–5 at the Gardens!
4
AROUND THE GARDENS
Five Remarkable Herbs for your Kitchen Garden
There is nothing better than using homegrown herbs in a home-cooked meal. Growing herbs in your garden provides many more benefits than just enhancing your culinary dishes. They improve the aroma and aesthetics of your backyard, play an important role for pollinators, and some even have medicinal properties or contain natural dyes. Here are some of our favorite herbs to include in our Herb Terrace at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Find them at our Spring Plant Sale, April 10–12!
By KATELYN BAHR, HORTICULTURIST FOR SPECIALTY
GARDENS
1. AFRICAN BLUE BASIL
(Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum)
Basil is a must-have in any vegetable garden. Not only is it harvestable all season long, basil is a great companion plant as they repel garden pests and attract beneficial insects. African Blue Basil is one of our favorites because of its constant blooms. The long, purple flowers are like a magnet to bees and other pollinators. It is a hybrid, sterile basil, so it does not go to seed. This means you must take cuttings to propagate, or purchase one at the spring plant sale!
2. ROMAN CHAMOMILE
(Chamaemelum nobile)
Chamomile is a sweet-smelling herb with gorgeous, daisy-like flowers. These flowers are used for medicinal purposes, both orally and topically, to treat a wide array of ailments. They also make tasty, relaxing herbal teas. Roman Chamomile is a low-growing perennial, so it is a great ground cover in the garden. This is one
of the sweeter smelling chamomile varieties, almost apple-scented.
3. LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon citratus)
Lemongrass is a hardy herb that is commonly used in Asian cooking. It is also used in teas and natural remedies. Because of its citrusy scent, lemongrass is deer-resistant and a natural mosquito repellent. Many organic bug sprays use lemongrass oil as their active ingredient. This is a great plant to have on the porch as it keeps the insects at bay while maintaining the look of a beautiful, ornamental grass.
4. GORIZIA ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus officianalis)
Rosemary is an evergreen herb that can reach 4 to 6 feet tall over time. It is winter hardy in our area, which means you can harvest yearround! This versatile plant can be grown in a pot or in the ground as an ornamental shrub. There are many different cultivars of rosemary,
varying in overall appearance, growth habit, taste, and cold-hardiness. One of our favorite varieties is Gorizia Rosemary, as it has the best flavor. It is fast growing, produces light blue flowers that attract pollinators, and has needles double the size of other cultivars.
5. TEXAS TARRAGON (Tagetes lucida)
Tarragon has many uses besides cooking. It makes a great tea, has many health benefits, and is used in some cosmetics. Texas Tarragon produces small, marigold-like flowers at the end of the growing season, making it one of the few things to bloom in fall. You can use these blooms to make a golden colored natural dye. Not only is it one of our favorite herbs, the pollinators seem to like it too! Texas Tarragon is a host plant for Eastern Black Swallowtails, so be sure to leave some for our butterflies when you harvest!
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. 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 all 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.
THE PERENNIAL LEGACY GIVING SOCIETY
As of January 31, 2025
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*
Fran Lawlor
William Brock Lewis
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*
Anne & Ira Mitchell
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*
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
Louise Wrinkle
Anonymous (3)
Thank you for your support!
2025 is off to a great start at the Gardens! Thank you so much for your generous support—through membership, annual donations, tributes, legacy giving, volunteering, and participating in our signature events. We look forward to seeing you at the Spring Plant Sale! Thank you for giving back to sustain the Gardens and all that it makes possible.
—Penney Hartline, Director of Development
HONORARIUMS
Nov. 2024 - Jan. 2025
Lindsey Ellis Beatty
Little Garden Club of Birmingham
Lynn L. Callahan
Mr. & Mrs. Timothy A.R. Callahan
Celine Chenoweth’s First Birthday
Mr. & Mrs. JR Davidson
Mary Carolyn Boothby Cleveland
Mr. & Mrs. Donald B. Sweeney, Jr.
Stephen Colvin & Jaime Martinez
Mr. R. Dan Colvin
Ms. Susan C. Colvin
D.C. & Debbie Coston
Elisabeth Coston Penry
Emily & Gregory Curran
Dr. & Mrs. John C. Shearer
Martha & David Elliott
Dr. & Mrs. John C. Shearer
Sam & John Gainer
Mr. & Mrs. Hugh S. Gainer, Sr.
Charlotte Gray
Emily Bowron
Mrs. Dwight Harrigan
Ellen McWhorter
Penney Hartline
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Walker
Patti Callahan Henry
Little Garden Club of Birmingham
Margi Ingram
Eloise & Bill Doty
Lynn B. Jackson
Paula & Curtis Thompson
Jim Jacobi
Margaret & Bob Agnew
Jan M. Jander & Joel Bangloy
Dr. H. Peter & Susie T. Jander
Norman Johnson
The Home Garden Club
Bob Koons
Ms. Cathy L. Robertson
Jeff Mann
Little Garden Club of Birmingham
Bart McCorquodale & Arden Richardson
Ellen McWhorter
Gwen & Robin McCorquodale
Ellen McWhorter
Dr. Michael L. McInturff
Robbin C. McInturff
Lee McLemore
Emily Bowron
Norita & Richard Murray
Dr. and Mrs. John C. Shearer
Nancy C. Natter
John T. Natter
Carol P. Poynor
Robin Stewart
Lindsay & Jason Puckett
Ellen McWhorter
Gail Pugh
Annette & Walter Dean
Elizabeth Rogers
Kat & Eric Rogers
Kensley Sandlin
Mr. Clark Maxwell
Garland Smith
Ellen McWhorter
Jane & Tom Underwood
Mr. & Mrs. Harry A. Rissetto
MEMORIALS
Nov. 2024 - Jan. 2025
James “Jimmy” Dilday Abernathy
Karen Chapman
Thomas “Tommy” Gilbert Amason, Jr.
Susan & Tom Lowder
Nancy Marguerite Perrin Bailey
Mr. Robert E. Heithaus & Ms. Anne M. Bailey
by Graham Yelton
Photo
Mary Lynn Moseley Baynes
Valley Offshoots Garden Club
Ted Berglund III
Sandy Berglund
Sivaleela “Leela” Boppana
Dr. Suresh B. Boppana
Lucy Ann Forsyth Brantley
Jane & Bill Costenbader
Mary Klyce Cobb
Bobby Cobb
Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Cobb
Harold Cecil Coghlan Cerda
Mr. & Mrs. Harold Coghlan
John Patrick Cooney
The Thompson Foundation
James Jeffery “Jeff” Creel
Dona & John Musgrav
Cornelia “Nina” Fox Crumbaugh
Debby & Bill Denson
Nina Faye Kelly Dekich
Ms. Dianne D. McGee
S. Eugene Dekich
Ms. Dianne D. McGee
Margaret Ann Spicer Dodson
William H. Dodson, M.D.
Baby Doores
Treva & Randy Doores
Brooke & Bob Lindstrom
Laura & Robert Lindstrom
Hayden Hope Doores
Treva & Randy Doores
Brooke & Bob Lindstrom
Laura & Robert Lindstrom
Martha Bonner Eskew & Robert L. Eskew, Sr.
Mr. & Mrs. John R. Eskew
Dr. Glenn T. Eskew
Linda & Butch McIntosh
Ansley Ruth Flannagin
Berea Baptist Church
Darleen Faye Board Kessinger
Ms. Julie P. Adams
John Martin Klyce
Louise & Butch Clayton
Dr. Frederick Robert Lehmeyer
Mrs. F.R. Lehmeyer
Jane Moore Leslie
Mr. & Mrs. Stewart T. Smith
Charles Maloy Love
Anita O’Neal
Margot Kessler Marx
Jane & Bill Costenbader
Jennifer Lauren McCorkle
Barbara & Ray Wheeler
Carol Ann McCoy
Ms. Freida S. McCoy
Margaret “Peg” Hobson
Walker McGowan
Mr. & Mrs. John G. McGowan
William “Bill” Batson McLain
Mr. Carlos S. Staples, Jr.
Lindsey Ann Thompson
Mobley
Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Buckman
Frederick “Fred” Whittlesey Murray, Jr.
Ms. Sandra E. Marquez
Julie Youngjoo Oh
Drs. Myung-Hi Kim & Shin Joong Oh
Alice Elizabeth Wolfe
Pigman
Jean Pigman Lytle-Helfand & Tom Helfand
James “Jimmy” Irvin Rotenstreich
Gayle W. Leitman
Lois Stitt Sherrill
Dr. Elizabeth Adams & Mr. Boyce Adams
Jack Randall Simmons
Mr. & Mrs. Gray Parker
William Jemison “Jim” Simmons, Jr.
Valley Offshoots Garden Club
Elaine Killette Smith
Peggy & Michael Balliet
Thomasene & Stephen Collins
The Hackney Foundation, Inc.
Her daughter’s Bunco Group: Ginny Behlen, Susan Chiepalich, Donata Griffith, Beth McDonald, Kim McKinney, Eileen Schwarz, Julia Smith, Jeanne Thames, Jill Turner, Nancy Walton & Paula Keith
Renona “Nona” Celeste
Thomas Stine
Forest Park Garden Club
Lucille “Lucy” Ryals
Thompson
Mrs. Tracey H. Anderson & Family
Mr. & Mrs. George L. Ryals
Mr. George C. Thompson, Sr.
Cheryl Todd
Emily & Travis McGowin
Katherine S. Weed
Warren E. Weed
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.
A bed of whitetop pitcher plants (Sarracenia leucophylla) creates a stunning display in the Kaul Wildflower Garden. This carnivorous perennial is native to Alabama and can be found in bogs, pine woods, and even shallow streams, as it prefers wet, acidic soil. According to the Alabama Natural Heritage Program, the whitetop pitcher plant is listed as an S3 Species in Alabama and a G3 species globally, indicating that it is vulnerable to extinction. As a recurring symbol of our biennial Native Plant Conference, the status of this plant reminds us of the importance of fostering awareness and appreciation for native plants. Learn more about how native plants impact your garden at bbgardens.org/npc.
The Garden Dirt is printed using vegetable-based inks. Please recycle.