The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Romantic Valentine’s Dinner at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

2012-01-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

Athens, Ga. – The orchids are in a tropical landscape, the lighting romantic, the setting unique for a Valentine’s Day dinner at the State Botanical Garden, 2450 South Milledge Avenue, Athens. “We’ve combines a distinctive atmosphere and special menu into a memorable, yet affordable, evening” explains Andrew Pearson, of Donderos’ Kitchen, the new coffee and sandwich shop inside the garden’s Visitor Center & Conservatory, and Donderos’ Catering.

For $70 per couple or $40 per person (add $10 per person if reservations are made after February 10th) guests can enjoy the following menu:

Appetizers:

Vegetable stuffed Vol au Vents
Amaranth Blinis w/ Honey Cream Cheese & Smoked Grapes
Prosciutto & Fig Rolls

Salade:
Spinach and roasted beet salad with goat cheese and raspberry vinaigrette

Mains:
French –Tropical shrimp sautéed with hearts of palm and cognac
Pork tenderloin medallions braised with cherries
Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast
Roasted Butternut Squash Strudel
Leek & Potato Gratin
Moroccan Spiced Quinoa Stuffed Portabellas & Zucchinis
Fruit & Nut Biryani
Dinner rolls

Dessert:
Red Velvet Cake
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate Éclairs
Mini Seasonal Fruit Tarts
Chocolate Truffle Heart Pies
Raspberry Mousse

Coffee, Tea
Guests are invited to bring their own bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner.

A charming quilt display will decorate the visitor center and the garden gift shop will be open. Call 706-542-6359 or 706-389-7955 to make reservations or for more information. Seating will be at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

Lecture Series Brings a World of Gardens to Athens

2012-01-18T11:05:00.000-08:00

Noted horticulturist Allan Armitage will speak about gardens around the world in a series of talks at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Armitage (www.allanarmitage.net) is a writer, speaker and researcher who has studied annuals, perennials and more in various climates and runs The Trial Gardens at UGA in Athens.

Once a month through June, attendees will be able to hear about gardens in different countries at ‘The World is My Garden,’ starting with The Gardens of Ireland on January 24, 2012. The $10 ticket price per lecture includes a $2 voucher to purchase a beverage or snack from Donderos’ Kitchen in the Visitor Center. The lectures will be in the Garden’s Visitor Center & Conservatory at 2450 South Milledge Avenue in Athens from 7:00-8:00 pm.

This series is cosponsored by the Friends of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the Friends of the Athens-Clarke County Library, with proceeds benefitting the garden and library. Visit botgarden.uga.edu or call 706-542-6138 for tickets to the talks.

The first lecture is also the first evening for TGIT: Think Garden – It’s Tuesday! The Garden’s Visitor Center will be open until 8:30 pm on Tuesday evenings so visitors can enjoy the Garden at a different time of day, including the Garden Gift Shop and Donderos’ Kitchen

Schedule for ‘The World is My Garden’:
January 24 - The Gardens of Ireland
February 21 - The Gardens of Japan
March 20 - The Gardens of Wales
April 17 - The Gardens of Eastern Australia
May 15 - The Gardens of Western Canada
June 19 - The Gardens of New Zealand

TGIT: Think Garden - It's Tuesday!

2012-01-13T11:22:00.000-08:00

When imagining the perfect place to hear about gardens around the world, enjoy a far-from-average date, meet friends after work, stroll outside, take a class, pull out a sketchbook or engaging novel, or focus on a project with coffee and wi-fi, ‘Think Garden’ – The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, that is.

“We want everyone to enjoy the Garden in all seasons, even in the evenings. In the winter, enjoy dinner or a cup of coffee in the tropical conservatory, which is especially lovely at night. In summer, stroll outside in the evening hours or relax on the plaza” explains garden director Wilf Nicholls. “Our staff had several ideas to make the Garden more available to the public, so we created TGIT – Think Garden, It’s Tuesday!”

Garden classes and talks are often offered on Tuesday nights and may have a admission cost, but anyone can enjoy the art exhibit, free wi-fi, and special beauty of the Visitor Center great room until 8:30 pm for free. Donderos’ Kitchen and The Garden Gift Shop will have extended hours on Tuesdays and local musicians will perform.

On Tuesday, January 24, the first evening the Garden will stay open to the public, there will be both a class and a lecture offered. Botanically Inspired Silk Scarf Creations includes two dying techniques that will be taught by Lauren Zeichner of Good Dirt Art Studio during the 2 hour class ($36, register at botgarden.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-6136).

The Friends of the Garden and Friends of the Athens Clarke-County Library are cosponsoring a travel lecture series by noted horticulturist Allan Armitage. Each month through June Armitage will focus on a different country, starting with The Gardens of Ireland on January 24th. Also scheduled are talks about gardens in Japan, Wales, Eastern Australia, Western Canada, and New Zealand. Visit botgarden.uga.edu or call 706-542-6138 to register for the $10 garden talks.

Announcing the 2012 Georgia Gold Medal Winners…

2012-01-13T07:49:00.000-08:00

2012 Annual Georgia Gold Medal Winner
Million Bells (Calibrachoa)
Calibrachoa is a close relative of the petunia, whose smaller flowers have the same form and last from early spring until late fall.

2012 Perennial Georgia Gold Medal Winner
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
The leaves of this evergreen woodland plant come in many color variations and patterns, in shades of green, chartreuse, peach, burgundy and purple.

2012 Shrub Georgia Gold Medal Winner
Rabbiteye Blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum (ashei))
Not only do you get tasty fruit with blueberries, but spring blooms and fall color.

2012 Tree Georgia Gold Medal Winner
Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’)
This small, finely-textured landscape tree is useful in a woodland edge, as a specimen tree or in a shrub border and is known for its red branches.

2012 Native Plant Georgia Gold Medal Winner
Athens Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus ‘Athens’)
A native shrub that works well for screening, plus adds a fruit-scented fragrance in April.

Georgia Gold Medal plants are proven performers for Georgia gardens. There are now close to 100 Georgia Gold Medal winners, creating a large palette of plants for homeowners to feel comfortable using in their home landscape. Find out more about Georgia Gold Medal plants at www.georgiagoldmedalplants.com.

State Botanical Garden Announces Statewide Art Competition

2011-10-31T13:37:00.000-07:00

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is conducting an art competition sponsored by the J.A. and H.G. Woodruff, Jr. Charitable Trust to recognize student talent and create signature items for the Garden’s Gift Shop. Funding for this competition not only awards significant cash prizes to students throughout the state, but the Garden is then able to use winning artwork to create signature pieces that can only be purchased at the Garden Gift Shop. The artist of the winning design will be awarded $1,000. Other awards of $500 and $250, plus certificates of merit, will be awarded. The deadline is December 1, 2011.

This competition is open to Georgia students 9th grade and above. This year’s theme is Georgia’s Native Plants, celebrating the beautiful flora native to our state. Although the art does not have to include native plants, it is recommended and the guidelines include four websites that show native plants.

Artwork should be within a certain size and must be two-dimensional. Entrants should keep in mind that the goal is to create items for the State Botanical Garden Gift Shop, such as totes, stationery, T-shirts, journals, scarves and more. All two-dimensional media including pencil, pen and ink, paint, photography, collage, and computer enhanced graphics are permitted. One color designs are welcome. The artwork does not need to be framed, but should be signed.
Winning entrants in previous competitions have not only included the expected art, graphic design, scientific illustration and photography majors, but high school and home schooled students and students majoring in degrees not related to art or horticulture.

For more information, call 706-542-6014 or see the complete guidelines and entry form at:
www.uga.edu/botgarden or www.uga.edu/botgarden/documents/events/artcomp.pdf

Forged From Nature Poetry Contest

2011-04-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

Our first Twitter contest! The six sculpted gates that create the Forged From Nature exhibition look so great in our ever-changing gardens that we thought they could inspire poety! And so here is our first Twitter contest! Write a poem that fits inside one Tweet and you might win prizes from our Garden Gift Shop and have your poem features on a Garden post card. Official Rules: Each person may submit poetry of any kind inspired by Forged from Nature: An Exhibition of Garden Gates by Andrew T. Crawford. Each poem must fit within one tweet (141 characters) and each tweet must also include #BGpoem (this is not part of the poem, but only tweets containing #BGpoem will be considered). The contest begins Friday, April 8th and continues until 8PM on Sunday, April 17th. Garden staff will choose the winner and seek poems that capture the essence of the gates and Garden most eloquently. The chosen winner will receive a prize package from the Garden Gift Shop which includes a Forged From Nature t-shirt (sizes S-XL available). The selected poem will be used by the Garden on postcards to be sold in the Garden Gift Shop and be posted in our Fall Newsletter. The Garden retains the right to use the winning poem to help celebrate and promote Forged from Nature. We look forward to reading your poems!

BotJam playing at the 40 Watt!

2011-02-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

We've got some great musical talent at the Garden that will be playing Friday night. Come support them and a great cause. William Tonks explains it all below:
This will be one for the record books. This week will see a three night battle of the bands descend on the 40 Watt Club, the epicenter of Athens’ musical scene. The event, a benefit for Nuci’s Space, has allowed local businesses (25 have entered!) to corral their talent and put together a band specifically for this, what it known as the AthensBusinessRocks contest. Well, here at the SBG, we have a leg up, as there is already an ensemble ready to go, made up entirely of SBG staff, present and past, going by the name “botjam.” The players: Susan Cooper (Gift Shop Mgr), Bill Kirch (Visitor Services), Bill Leveque (Hort. Staff), Ryan McNeill (former Hort. Staff curator), Steve Mitchell (former hort. staff curator), Wade Seymour (Hort. Staff, Hort Staff, Shene Stroud, Visitor Services, and William Tonks, Visitor Services. The gig: a 15 minute set Friday night, February 4, at 9:30 at the Fabulous Forty Watt Club. There is a cool website at athensbusinessrocks.com, which lists more details about the event and the competition, and the far-ranging, interesting rules for judging.
If you are willing to venture out for a pretty-early slot, 9:30 on a weekend night (the bands play til 1:00, and they initially had us slated for the 11:30 slot, but I wheedled us a more friendly time), that will increase the likelihood of success-big support, big results! They will be charging an admission fee ($5) at the door, and all this goes to Nuci’s as well. The 40 Watt’s pleasant and experienced barkeeps can meet any beverage need, and you get a chance to be part of a really cool cause, and have a chance to see if Botjam can deliver (and what they’ll deliver!). And, if you really, really want to get involved, you can vote for botjam on the website, with your dollars attached, and this is one of the judging criteria. So, if you can’t attend Friday night, you can still help propel Botjam to the final round! So, big opportunity for fun, for involvement in a great cause, great pr connection for the SBG, a great night out with your friends, both offstage and on, and, from what I’ve heard so far, some pretty fine singing, picking, banging and shaking! Let there be rock.

Winners of Statewide Art Competition Announced!

2011-01-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is pleased to announce the winners of their 2010 Art Competition. This competition is sponsored by the J.A. and H.G. Woodruff, Jr. Charitable Trust to recognize student talent and create signature items for the Garden’s Gift Shop. Funding for this competition not only awards significant cash prizes to students throughout the state, but the Garden is then able to use this artwork to create signature pieces that can only be purchased at the Garden Gift Shop. Eighty-seven entries were received by Georgia students 9th grade and above.

First place winner Elizabeth Nixon is a UGA senior studying Ecology and Scientific Illustration. “I've spent many hours wandering through the botanical garden, and though I have seen a vast collection of plants and animals from around the world, I am most fascinated by the native flora and fauna of Georgia. I hoped to show that in my art by researching the types of plants, animals and fungi found in the area and using that in my paintings. Georgia has the highest number and greatest diversity of amphibian species of all the United States, and is a contender for the state with the most species of turtles. I wanted to show that though birds and mammals are charismatic and very noble creatures, it is our overlooked herpetofauna that are what make Georgia truly a gem of biodiversity." Accompanying the painting "Come Out of Your Shell" was a list of scientific names for all species shown: eastern box turtle, spotted touch-me-not, endemic psylocybe mushroom, black raspberry, ox-eye daisy, globular drop snail, and seven-spotted ladybeetle. Nixon also won a certificate of merit for another entry. Second place and both third place prizes were awarded to high school students.

Now that the winners are chosen, Gift Shop manager Susan Cooper will determine how to use this art to create signature items, such as T-shirts, totes, scarves, stationery, and more to sell in the Garden Gift Shop. “We have many handmade pieces created by local artists and by volunteers who gather together to craft items to sell in our gift shop. The objects created from the winning art will complement our selection of unique, garden-themed items.”

Congratulations to our winners:

First Place, $1,000:

“Come Out of your Shell at the Botanical Garden” - watercolor by Elizabeth Nixon, University of Georgia (Athens)

Second Place, $500:

"Inversion" - watercolor and ink by Katie Siegel, Collins Hill High School (Suwanee)

Third Place, $250:

"Unnamed" - acrylic by Kristen Pack, Wesleyan School (Norcross)

"Together" - photo by Julie Rodriguez, Wesleyan School (Norcross)

Certificate of Merit, $100:

"Owl Tree" - ballpoint pen by Elise Longnecker, Georgia Gwinnett College (Lawrenceville)
"Bufo americanus" - watercolor by Elizabeth Nixon, University of Georgia (Athens)

Honorable Mention:

"Pod" - charcoal by Julia Timms, Gainesville State College (Watkinsville)
"Grasshopper" - photo by Evan Anderson, Wesleyan School (Norcross)
"Leaf" - photo by Jake Cusick, Wesleyan School (Norcross)
"Breeze" - photo by Robyn Johnson, University of Georgia (Athens)
"Yellow" - acrylic by Adriana Galvez, Wesleyan School (Norcross)
"Forgotten Hope" - handmade paper by Corey Masccida, Cross Keys High School (Atlanta)
"Daisy" - photo by Emily Howell, Wesleyan School (Norcross)

Volunteer Road Trip to Andrew Crawford's studio, GPC Garden

2010-11-01T13:50:00.001-07:00

Two staff members and some of our great volunteers squished into a van and headed out to Atlanta last week to tour the Georgia Perimeter College Botanical Garden in Decater and visit artist Andrew Crawford at his studio. We felt right at home at the Georgia Perimeter College Botanical Garden after the first volunteer we met told us she was in the first graduating class in the Certificate in Native Plants program at the State Botanical Garden, then the second volunteer told us she received her Master Gardener training here. George Sanko led us on a walk through the extensive fern collection – in fact, he told us it is the largest fern collection in the world. Then we went into the classroom for a talk on botany. We felt lucky to be there, since George Sanko, who is such an expert on ferns, said he would be retiring next year. There is so much that we can learn from him.

We were pretty crowded in that van before, but with creative packing we managed to fit in many ferns, palms and other plants before heading over to see Andrew. Gardeners just can’t walk away from a plant sale.

Andrew Crawford is working on the first art exhibit that we will have within the State Botanical Garden’s display gardens. Two of the six gates that will be on display are completed and wonderful. A couple weeks ago he brought a large stainless steel sunflower gate to the Garden, with a video crew and professional photographer there to document the installation and the amazing gate. He showed us a prototype of an ear of corn for his next gate, then explained and demonstrated how it was designed and made. The silk, kernels and husk are so realistic that they look like they were cast from a real ear of corn. Since a picture really is worth a thousand words, let’s let them tell you about these gates…

Georgia Students Invited to Enter Art Competition with $1,000 First Prize

2010-10-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is pleased to announce their 2010 Art Competition is now open to all Georgia students 9^th grade and above. This competition, funded by The J.A. and H.G. Woodruff, Jr. Charitable Trust, celebrates student talent while producing artwork for signature items in the Garden Gift Shop. Your winning design may win up to $1,000.00, plus be used to decorate journals, scarves, travel mugs, and unique gift items. Don’t hesitate to enter – the judges may contact Certificate of Merit winners to purchase their designs.

What are we looking for? Keep in mind, a goal is to create items for our garden gift shop. Previous winners have included pen & ink, paintings, photography and computer enhanced graphics, usually with a botanical, animal or insect subject or an abstract design. Flora and fauna found in the botanical garden or in Georgia is encouraged. One color designs are welcome. The design must be two dimensional. The artwork does not need to be framed but should be signed. For more information, refer to the complete guidelines found at http://www.uga.edu/botgarden/documents/events/artcomp.pdf or call Connie Cottingham at 706-542-6014.

Two great workshops on Saturday at the Garden!

2010-09-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

Fall Wildflowers. An introduction to the basic botanical terminology used in identifying and describing fall-flowering plants, with an emphasis on the terminology unique to plants in the Aster (composite) Family. $45, $40 members. 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Visitor Center, Classroom 2.

Gardening Photography. A hands on workshop to improve your skills with the two most popular garden photographs: the overview of the garden and the real challenge, close-ups of flowers. $45, $40 members. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Callaway Building Auditorium.

Contact: 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu to register.

Weekend Sustainability Conference in Athens

2010-09-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Sustainability: Bring It Home!
Friday evening – Sunday afternoon, November 12-14
members $175; non-members $200 (includes lunch on Saturday)

“Sustainability: Bring It Home!” is a weekend workshop for people who want to transform their home into a fun and practical part of a more ecological world. This comprehensive workshop is filled with interactive presentations and hands-on sessions that educate and inspire participants to create home systems to meet their needs for food, water, and energy as locally, sustainably, and economically as possible. Topics will include: Home Energy Alternatives; Home Orchards and Forest Gardens; Annual and Perennial Vegetable Gardens; Soil Health and Composting; Raising Animals at Home; Natural Building; Creative Erosion Control; Rainwater Catchment; and Creating an Ecological Neighborhood. Visit our website at www.uga.edu/botgarden/educationalevents.html for registration and the complete workshop schedule.

AGENDA
Friday
7:00 – 9:30 pm The Foundations of Sustainability
Challenges to Sustainability: Peak Resource Extraction, Climate Change, Economic Instability
Solutions: Permaculture, Transition Strategies, Transition Homes & Neighborhoods

Saturday
9:00 am – 12:30 pm The Toolkit
Nine Permaculture Principles
Designing an Integrated Home System
12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 – 3:45 pm The How To’s
Presentations and Hands-On Projects (Choose One)
Presentation: Annual and Perennial Vegetable Gardens-----Hands-On: Mulch Bed/ Herb Spiral
Presentation: HomeEnergy/Alternatives-----Hands-On: Building a Solar Water Heater
4:00 – 6:00 pm The How To’s
Presentations and Hands-On Projects (Choose One)
Presentation: Healthy Soils-----Hands-On: Compost Bins, Worm Composting, and Composting Toilets
Presentation: Natural Building-----Hands-On: Building with Cob

Sunday
9:00 am – Check-in
9:30 – 11:45 am The How To’s
Presentations and Hands-On Projects (Choose One)
Presentation: Home Orchards and Forest Gardens-----Hands-On: Planting a Polyculture
Presentation: Water in Your System-----Hands-On: Erosion Control/ Rainwater Catchment
11:45 am – 12:45 pm The How To’s
Presentations (Choose One)
Creating an Ecological Neighborhood
Animals and Aquaculture in Your Home System
12:45 – 1:45 pm Potluck Lunch
2:00 – 5:00 pm Design Teams: Students, in small teams, create sustainable home system designs on miniature landscapes; presentations to whole group
5:00 -5:30 pm Summing Up, Next Steps, Conclusion

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:

Dennis Hoffarth is a civil engineer with extensive experience in home energy efficiency and passive solar designs, as well as home construction, sanitary systems, and home renovation. He has worked as a consultant in bicycle and pedestrian-based community design. He holds an advanced permaculture design certificate, and has taught many workshops and classes on passive solar design, community planning, and alternative transportation.

Sharon Bagatell is a teacher and farmer with an advanced permaculture design certificate. A former elementary school teacher, she is the author of several environmental education curricula, including a permaculture curriculum for children. She has worked extensively with urban and suburban communities on bicycle and pedestrian planning and education. Sharon is also co-owner of a small organic farm where she is developing a food forest.

Big, Big News!

2010-07-23T06:22:00.000-07:00

This week we spent an afternoon with artist Andrew Crawford to finalize plans and select locations for The State Botanical Garden of Georgia's first art exhibition within the gardens. We're so excited! Andrew is working on 6 gates that will be placed in the Visitor Center, International Garden, Heritage Garden and Flower Garden in March and stay in place throughout 2011. There will be an exhibit of drawings, video and sample pieces in the Visitor Center lobby during March and April. There will also be special events, talks, trips, contests and gift shop items - all celebrating this wonderful exhibition of metal garden gates that will range from about 5' to 10' tall. You'll hear more soon, but for a glimpse of what's coming look at Andrew's facebook page (Andrew T. Crawford Ironworks) and a few videos on his website (www.ironisking.com/media).

Sunflower Concert Series Celebrates Athens Music in a Garden Setting

2010-05-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia announces its 10th annual Sunflower Music Series. Each concert will be performed on the stage of the new Flower Garden, a terraced garden between the Day Chapel and the Visitor Center and Conservatory, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. The relaxed, beautiful garden setting creates the perfect outdoor summer event. Bring a blanket and picnic, kick off your shoes, and enjoy an evening in the Garden with friends or family.

Performing this year are:

June 22: Randall Bramblett, with Rick Fowler opening.
Randall Bramblett is a singer-songwriter who recently released his 7th solo album and has performed with the Allman Brothers Band and Widespread Panic. “He’s one of Georgia’s musical treasures…Guaranteed to improve your day!” – Dave Schools (Widespread Panic).

July 13: Bloodkin, with Winfield Smith (from Stewart and Winfield) opening
A rock ‘n’ roll band formed in 1986, the Drive-By Truckers and Widespread Panic have both cited Bloodkin as a chief influence. Bloodkin released its 8th album in 2009 and it was named Album of the Year at the Flagpole Athens Music Awards. “Bloodkin are at a hot peak in their odyssey!” – David Fricke (Rolling Stone).

August 24: Grogus, performing two sets
A crowd favorite from the 2009 Sunflower Music Series, Grogus plays Latin jazz, traditional Cuban and Caribbean styles, and funk versions of jazz standards. They have won the Flagpole Athens Music Award in both the Jazz and World Music categories.

Tickets are $15 each ($10 for members of Friends of the Garden, $5 for children ages 6-12). Each concert includes beverages and light snacks and people are encouraged to bring blankets and picnic suppers to enjoy in the Garden. Concerts will be held inside the Visitor Center & Conservatory if weather necessitates. Lawn chairs are not allowed. Call 706-542-1244 for more information or tickets.

The Sunflower Music Series is sponsored by Friends of the Garden, R.E.M., Northeast Sales Distributing, Inc., Athens Coca-Cola, Musicians Warehouse, WUGA 91.7 FM, Flagpole and AthensMusic.net.

Not sure what all the fuss is about invasive plants and how they really affect the environment?

2010-05-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

Well, you’ll know much more after spending a Saturday morning in this class: Invasive Non-native Plants.
This course is an introduction to the problem of invasive, non-native plants in Georgia, taught by Connie Gray, M.L.A., a consultant in natural area restoration and management. Students will learn how to identify the major offenders, their current ranges and habitats, and how these plants impact natural plant communities. Basic management and control strategies will be discussed and demonstrated. Most of the class will be indoors, but we will venture outdoors to see some of the plants in the wild and visit sites where control efforts are underway.
This is an elective in the Certificate in Native Plants Program (http://www.uga.edu/botgarden/educnp.html), but you do not have to enroll in this program to take this class. You may, however, decide to take more classes in this program after this class.
This will be an eye-opening class for landowners, land managers, outdoorspeople, gardeners, and others who care about Georgia’s natural habitats. Register under the ‘Certificate Programs’ at http://www.uga.edu/botgarden/eduregister.html. This 5 hour class on June 5, 2010 is $45 ($40 for SBG members) and runs from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens. Bring a sack lunch.

Tours!

2010-05-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

We've been happy to see lots of visitors and tour groups in the Garden this May, celebrating spring and admiring the beauty. The photo above shows Belinda leading a tour of National Garden Club members in Georgia for the NGC Annual Convention in Atlanta. Notice that a group of schoollchildren are passing by. Our tour guide volunteers and Education staff have mastered the skill of coordinating groups and tour routes. When things get really busy I may get a call to lead a tour, which is always fun. Last week a group of Master Gardeners from Greenville, SC started their 2-day tour of Athens' gardens and nurseries at the State Botanical Garden. We hope the Garden Club members and Master Gardeners - and all of our visitors - had a great visit last week. And we hope to see you at the Garden soon!

If you are interested in a tour, call Andrea at 706-542-6195.

We suggest a late morning tour, ending with lunch at the Gardenside Cafe.

Interim Director Shirley Berry was a 'driving force' during the NGC tour.

- posted by Connie.

How Can I Support Public Gardens?

2010-05-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

It's National Public Gardens Day!

Here are 4 ways to support public gardens:
- Become a member of their suport organization. For us it is Friends of the Garden. This supports the garden financially, but also keeps you informed of the garden's accomplishments and how you can be involved (events, classes, volunteering, plant sales and more). A gift membership to a local public garden would be a great housewarming or wedding present.
- Introduce a friend to the garden. Have lunch in the cafe or stroll through the gardens. Invite someone to attend an event or take a class with you.
- Volunteer! This can benefit you as much as the garden - you'll learn so much and make new friends. Our volunteers work beside curators, help run special events, staff the gift shop and library, lead tours, help with educational programs, and more.
- Donate. Donations support the gardens and surrounding communities. Money can be given as gifts to the garden, presented in honor of friends and loved ones, or written into a will.

Come visit us! We'd love to see you here!

Classes and Events in April!

2010-04-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

Gardening 101
Monday, April 5
5:30 – 7:00 pm
members $10, non-members $12
Visitor Center, Classroom 2
Amanda Tedrow, ACC Cooperative Extension, UGA
New to gardening or Georgia? This quick start class will teach participants the basics of home gardening. The class will touch on the topics of testing and preparing the soil, sunlight and water requirements, planting tips and yearly maintenance. Amanda will provide basic zoning information to help participants plant and maintain annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees in their yard.

Spring Plant Sale!!!
Saturday, April 10
8:00 am - 2:00 pm

Beekeeping for Beginners: Units 4-6
Unit 5: Installing Bees/Spring Buildup
Friday, April 9 or Saturday, April 10
1:00 - 3:00 pm members $40; non-members $45
meet at Shade Garden Arbor
Dan Harris, Beekeeper
Have you ever wanted to harvest honey from your own beehive? Would you like to collect beeswax to make candles or soap? Do you have a touch of ‘backyard biologist’ in your blood? If so, these workshops, covering the fundamentals of beekeeping, may be for you. Weather alternative dates will be scheduled if necessary. Completion of the Unit 1 – 3 is not required to attend. However, a protective veil and gloves are required for Unit 4 and 5. In Unit 5, Dan will demonstrate how to install a package of bees into a new hive. He will also open an existing hive and compare it to the previous inspection from Unit 4.

Basic Botany
(a Certificate in Native Plants Core Course)
Saturday, April 10
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
members $90, non-members $100
Visitor Center, Classroom 2
Robert Wyatt, Adjunct Professor of Ecology, University of Georgia
Basic Botany provides an introduction to general plant anatomy, morphology, and physiology, with an emphasis on relating form to function. Using live material and slides, students will make detailed observations of root, stem, and leaf tissues and discuss the processes of water and nutrient movements. The mechanisms of flower pollination, seed dispersal, and germination will be explored, along with the basics of plant genetics, photosynthesis, and evolution.

Spring Wildflower Ramble
Saturday, April 10
10: 00 am
Free
meet at Shade Garden arbor
Heather Alley, Conservation Biologist, SBG
It’s springtime at the Garden! Enjoy a promenade around the Native Flora Garden and discover the many interesting wildflowers blooming this time of year.

Spring Wildflowers of the Granite Rock Outcrops of Georgia
(a Certificate in Native Plants Elective Course)
Saturday, April 17
8:30 am – 12:30 pm
members $40; non-members $45
Visitor Center, Classroom 2
Linda Chafin, Conservation Botanist, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Students will be introduced to the ecology of Piedmont granite outcrops and their flora in the classroom, then visit Rock and Shoals Natural Area to learn to identify the species that characterize Georgia’s granite rock outcrops and surrounding plant communities.

Botanical Garden Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, April 17
10:00 -12:00 noonmembers $8; non-members $10 (per team)
Meet in front of Visitor Center
SBG Education Staff
What better way to get to know the Garden than to become an explorer! Throughout history and even today, explorers have traveled the globe in search of plants that could be used for food, medicine, shelter, and much more. In the process, they often moved plants from their original location to the one where they are found now. Did you know our own Georgia peach originally came from China? Each team (no more than five) will work together to complete a list of Garden explorations, finding plants and forests treasures and documenting their uses and native regions. Teams must stay together during the hunt. Prizes will be awarded to the first five teams to finish. This program is designed for families but others are welcome as well.

Vegetable Papermaking
Monday, April 19
9:30 am – 12:00
noonmembers $24; non-members $27
Visitor Center, Classroom 2
Cindy Bowden, Director of the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum
Join the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum and the Georgia Museum of Art for a morning of papermaking and fun. We will be making paper from abaca (banana leaf fiber), recycled cotton and linen rags, daylily fibers, and leeks. Wear washable clothing, tour the garden to identify potential fiber sources for papermaking and make your own sheets. Fee includes materials. Class is designed for adults and limited to 25 participants.

The State Botanical Garden - Frequently Asked Questions

2010-03-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

Where is the State Botanical Garden located?
Off South Milledge Avenue about 3 miles from the central UGA campus in Athens.

When was the State Botanical Garden established? 1968
The Garden was enacted by Senate Resolution 277 in 1984 to be designated ‘The State Botanical Garden of Georgia’, where the General Assembly of Georgia stated “it is only fitting and proper that we recognize the achievement and beauty represented by the garden; and it is only appropriate, therefore, that the significance of this institution to the State of Georgia and to all Georgians be recognized.”

Does the State Botanical Garden “own” its facilities and property?
No, all University property is owned by the State of Georgia under the auspices of the Board of Regents.

How is the State Botanical Garden administered?
The State Botanical Garden is a unit of the University of Georgia. The Director reports to the Vice President for Public Service & Outreach who in turn reports to the University Provost.

What is the current level of annual University funding for the State Botanical Garden? $875,688

Does the State Botanical Garden receive direct appropriations from the state legislature? No.

How much of the State Botanical Garden’s annual budget is provided by the University/State?
About 60% - 70%.

Where does the balance of the operating budget come from? From gifts, grants, donations, and earned income from building rentals, gift shop sales and café commissions.

Has the State Botanical Garden been successful in attracting private support?
Yes, all major gardens and buildings have been built principally with private funding.

Does the University of Georgia serve as a home for other state museums?
Yes, the Georgia Museum of Art and the Georgia Museum of Natural History.
Was closure of these museums included in the UGA budget reduction plan? No.

How many people does the State Botanical Garden serve annually? Approximately 250,000.

How does the Garden compare to other University affiliated botanical gardens?
While there is no official ranking system, the State Botanical Garden is generally considered to be in the top 10 in the U.S. with facilities virtually unequaled at other University botanical gardens.

How does the State Botanical Garden contribute to the University of Georgia and the State of Georgia?

The Garden serves as an important tourist destination, bringing revenue to the Athens area.
- Voted by Athens Banner-Herald readership as Athens’ Best Attraction for the past five years.
- Annual visitorship of over 250,000, second only to Stanford Stadium in Athens Clarke-County.
- 26,000 attend adult and children educational programs, family festivals and special events
from 133 of Georgia’s 159 counties.
- Over $30 million investment in private gifts.
- Over 1,500 Friends of the Garden members
- Four major buildings, including two with architectural award-winning designs.
- Headquarters of the Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. with over 15,000 members statewide.
- Over 250 weddings and meetings held annually in Garden facilities.
- Over ½ mile of Middle Oconee River frontage, 25 acres of protected wetlands, 5 miles of nature trails, and upland deciduous forest adds to Athens’ green space.
- Art gallery in Visitor Center displays regional art in rotating art exhibits.
- Garden gift shop offers crafts and artwork from local artists and books by local authors.
- Free lectures and concerts provide outreach to Athens community and a venue for local artists and horticulture experts.
- Volunteer programs provide gardening skills, social opportunities and support for the Garden.

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a living museum housing International botanical collections.
- The finest native flora collections in the state, many of which are rare, threatened and endangered, including a safeguarded collection of eastern hemlock and two safeguarded populations of the world’s most critically endangered conifer—Florida torreya.
- Plant collections of socio-economic and historic importance to Georgia, used to educate all students, including UGA undergraduates.
- Research collections monitored by UGA professors, graduate and undergraduate students.
- Garden displays tied to professional organizations, including All-America Selections, Southeastern Conifer Society Reference Garden, American Daffodil Society Display Garden with an emphasis on heritage and heirloom cultivars.
- Both mountain and coastal plain bogs display Sarracenia species (pitcherplants) that are the most critically endangered of our state wildflowers.
- Most recent garden exhibits collections of flowering plants to inspire and educate homeowners and students.

The Garden serves as a center for internationally recognized environmental education.
- University of Georgia students utilize the Garden for numerous field laboratory classes: entomology, plant taxonomy, horticulture, science education, art, broadcast news, service-learning projects, ecology, forestry, etc. UGA interns in horticulture, education, publicity, event planning and more are trained with the Garden staff as mentors.
- Teachers from throughout the state participate in the Endangered Plant Stewardship Network, where Georgia teachers earn required CEUs and qualify to receive a permit through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to keep threatened and endangered species on their school site providing environmental education to elementary school students.
- Provide statewide professional development and on-going support to educators with grant funded environmental education / service learning program, Garden Earth Naturalists.
- Conduct on-going programming for students and families including standards-based school field trips, summer environmental education camps and family festivals.
- Award-winning education program chosen to develop after school programs nationwide.
- Coordinate and provide facilities for Athens Area Master Gardeners training and monthly meetings.
- Partnering with the Maquipacuna Foundation to create Our Shared Forests, a sustaining organization that supports Ecuadorian farmers while teaching children on two continents about the similarities and interdependence of each habitat.

The Garden is a major influence in conservation globally and throughout the state of Georgia.
- Headquarters and creators of the internationally recognized Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance, the most active plant conservation network in the state, now used as a model for similar programs in North Carolina, Texas and Alabama.
- Since its inception 17 years ago, the Plant Conservation and Research Program has received more than $1.4 million in grants and gifts to support its mission.
- Sponsor for graduate student MS and PhD degrees completed by UGA students in the departments of Horticulture and the Odum School of Ecology.
- Native plants are propagated and grown for federal and state restoration and endangered plant safeguarding projects, in cooperation with the Georgia DNR, US Fish and Wildlife, and the US Forest Service.
- An invited member of the Center for Plant Conservation, a national network of 36 of America’s leading botanical institutions dedicated to preventing the extinction of imperiled native flora.
- Headquarters of Botanical Guardians, a statewide volunteer (over 100 participants) network monitoring at-risk plant populations.
- Funded by multiple grants from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust to work with gardens in Argentina and Costa Rica to develop horticultural programs featuring native plants.
- The Botanical Garden (with Whitehall Forest) is an Important Bird Area (IBA) designated by the Audubon Society in 2008.
- Certificate in Native Plant Program has 29 graduates and 120 participants who develop and volunteer for conservation projects in their communities.
- Member of Botanic Garden Conservation International, American Public Garden Association, Georgia Green Industry Association, Georgia Environmental Education Alliance, American Conifer Society, American Daffodil Society, American Camellia Society, American Nursery Association.

Private fundraising has resulted in $30 million in the creation and growth of the Garden in 41 years.
- State revenues through UGA fund positions; revenues from private donations, rentals, educational programs, grants and facility rentals compose 30-40% of the Gardens operating budget and practically all construction of gardens and facilities.
- $3 million Horticulture Complex under construction scheduled for Summer 2010 completion.

Zumba for Great Cause

2010-02-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

You've heard about Zumba! You've been wanting to try it!
Now's the perfect time to have fun, get in shape, enjoy the Garden and help others!

Dancing Dawgs for Haiti - UGA Haitian Relief Effort 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
5:30pm - 8:00pm
State Botanical Garden of Georgia - Conservatory
2450 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, GA

Join several Athens Zumba instructors for an evening of fun, sweat and dance while raising funds for Dawgs for Haiti! Come for an hour, just stop by, or stay the whole time! Just make sure to enjoy yourself! Proceeds will be split between Doctors Without Borders and the American Red Cross, two organizations that are working directly with the Haitian relief effort.

Never done Zumba before? No worries! There will be several instructors scattered throughout the floor to provide different levels of workout intensity from low-impact (for new Zumba-goers or those with an injury) to high-impact (experienced dancers and those who just love to get crazy!). It's all about having fun while getting a great workout.In addition to Zumba there will also be a belly dancing session, door prizes, and refreshments!

The conservatory, for those who have never been to the Gardens, is the big open room in the Visitor Center, next to the gift shop and above the cafe, with trees and plants EVERYWHERE! It's a wonderful place to dance with a great view!

$5 *suggested* donation (but more is welcome and anything is appreciated!)
Dawgs for Haiti will be selling t-shirts for $10.
For more information, please contact Cora Keber at 706-542-6156 or ckeber@uga.edu

The Southern Garden Heritage Conference - February 19

2010-02-03T15:06:00.000-08:00

There is still time to register for the Southern Garden Heritage Conference, a wonderful combination of gardening and history. This informative all-day conference includes lunch and provides seven contact hours for Georgia landscape architects.

2010 Southern Garden Heritage Conference
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, Georgia 30605

Call 706-542-6156 or register online at www.uga.edu/botgarden.

Friday, February 19 Callaway Building Auditorium
9:00 am – 4:00 pm members $95; non-members $110

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is pleased to host the Southern Garden Heritage Conference, which brings an audience from throughout the Southeast. Robin Salmon will open the conference with a lecture about garden sculpture and close the conference with a presentation about Brookgreen Gardens, one of America's finest sculpture gardens. Sue Burgess will provide a brief history of efforts to save the historic Root House in Marietta and create a garden of the period. Keyes Williamson will provide an update on work being done to preserve the Elizabeth Lawrence Garden in Charlotte. John Waters and Jim Cothran will provide a look into the architecture and gardens of Savannah and their interrelationships. And Gerard Krewer will speak about some of Georgia's rare and unusual fruits-some familiar and some unfamiliar. Amateurs and professionals alike are sure to find this conference interesting and informative.

AGENDA

9:00 - 9:15 Opening Remarks - Dr. Jeff Lewis

9:15 - 10:00 A Brief History of American Garden Sculpture - Robin Salmon,
Information about the origins of garden sculpture in America, and examples of important works in that field from the 19th Century to the present will be discussed.

10:00 - 10:30 Break

10:30 -11:15 The Root House, A Mid-Nineteenth Century Middle Class Merchant’s Home: Challenges of Recreating the Historic Southern Landscape in a Hostile 21st Century Urban Environment - Sue Burgess
The Root House Garden is designed to reflect the gardening practices of the mid-19th century. The Root’s garden in the 19th century would have contained plants that were ornamental, medicinal, or edible, or a combination of types. The garden is planted with vegetables, culinary herbs, medicinal herbs, fruit trees, decorative flowers and flowering shrubs. All the plants have been researched for their availability in Georgia at the time the Root House was built.

11:15 - 12:00 The Elizabeth Lawrence Garden - Keyes Williamson
Elizabeth Lawrence had already established herself as a preeminent garden writer when, in 1949, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. Over the next three decades, Lawrence cultivated an overflowing garden within the confines of a typical, modest residential lot measuring 70’ by 225’. Lawrence used her garden as a horticultural laboratory, where she cultivated a wide range of plants with an eye towards their usefulness in the Southern Garden. This presentation will examine Lawrence’s contribution to gardening in the region using the garden as a vehicle to explore her life and writing.

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 1:45 The Architecture and Gardens of Savannah - John Waters & Jim Cothran
Established in 1733, Savannah was America’s first planned city. Noted for its fine architecture, parks, and gardens, Savannah retains its romantic character and attracts thousands of tourists each year to experience its picturesque charm. The presentation will focus on some of Savannah’s finest historic buildings, notable parks, and ornamental gardens.1:45 - 2:30 Rare and Unusual Fruits of Georgia - Gerard KrewerLearn about the fascinating history of the rare and unusual fruits of Georgia from the nearly semi-tropical coastal islands to the Blue Ridge mountains.

2:30 - 3:00 Break

3:00 - 3:45 Brookgreen Gardens Past and Present - Robin Salmon
An overview of the significance of the land known as Brookgreen Gardens including its historic landscape, its role as the first public sculpture garden in America, the history of its founders Archer and Anna Huntington, and highlights of its collections through the years.

3:45 - 4:00 Closing Remarks

Larger-than-life Blooms Come to Life on Silk at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

2010-01-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

Jamie Kirkell, Silk Artist
Art Exhibit: January 16 – February 28, 2010
Exhibit Opening: Sunday, January 17 2:00-4:00 pm with a Gallery Talk at 3:00 pm

The Alice Hand Callaway Visitor Center & Conservatory
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
2450 S. Milledge Avenue, Athens
706-542-1244 www.uga.edu/botgarden

Flowers will fill the lobby of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia’s Visitor’s Center & Conservatory this winter. Traditional silk painting methods and modern design combine to create vivid, larger-than-life blooms that are at the same time delicate and bold.

This vibrant, beautiful exhibit will be on display from January 16 – February 28, 2010. Works by silk artist Jamie Kirkell, who trained in Java under Indonesian Master of Batik Bambang Oetoro, are part of permanent collections on display in many resorts and businesses and exhibited in galleries and botanical gardens throughout the country. Kirkell has lectured or taught at the Museum of Natural History in New York, Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Taos Art Center, the Northeast United States Craft Expo in Reinbeck, NY, Leu Gardens and Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He has 25 years of experience as an artist, including 10 years as a studio art director in New York City. Kirkell will discuss his work, the history of batik and more in a free gallery talk at 3:00 on Sunday, January 17th. Meet the artist and view the many works on display at the art reception from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Visit his website at www.KirkellSilkStudios .com.
You’ll want to own one of the large, bold originals that sell for thousands of dollars, but there will also be gallery wrap pieces that can be purchased for under $100. New in Kirkell’s exhibit are exquisite silk scarves that can decorate a wall or be the focal point of an outfit. Stationery featuring Kirkell’s paintings will be available in the Garden Gift Shop.

Make plans to warm up a winter afternoon with tropical flowers in a tropical conservatory, learning more about an art form of the tropics – at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia.

ZUMBA! in a Tropical Conservatory - Every Wednesday

2010-01-06T05:24:00.000-08:00

ZUMBA!
Who is ready to shake those holiday calories away?

We have decided to offer Zumba as an ongoing class throughout the year.
We will have class every Wednesday, 5:30-6:30. We will be using a punch card system to track the classes. Participants will pay for 9 classes and get one class free (members $54/non-members $72). There will be no expiration for the punch card. There is plenty of room in the Visitor Center & Conservatory, which means spread the word.

If you are new to Zumba then be ready to smile, sweat, and shake! It is a great, fun way to exercise and feel like the only thing you have done is visited the Garden to hang out with friends. Once you are able to get the feet movements the rest of your body will follow suit. No one moves the same, so be sure to bring your own flare.

Zumba on the Today Show--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Hxw_Jf2B4
What to bring/wear: water bottle, towel (if you plan to sweat), tennis shoes, comfy clothes, smiles and hoots. See you there!

Contact Cora for more information at 706-542-6156 or ckeber@uga.edu. Cora is on the Garden's Education staff, a certified Zumba! instructor, and teaching these classes with high energy, a big smaile and lively Latin music. Please join us!

2009-12-17T07:06:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday a group of folks from the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance, which is a diverse group of organizations throughout the state that have come together to meet plant conservation goals, met near Toccoa to plant endangered Echinacea laevigata and other native wildflowers in North Georgia. The hard work had been done – clearing some trees on the hillsides to allow the sunlight in for these perennials to thrive and reestablish in North Georgia forests. In our group today were Heather and Jennifer, botanists from The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, A botanist from the DNR Heritage Program, a few US Forest Service biologists, volunteers from the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance, who donate countless hours to help plant and monitor these populations, and me. I needed this to complete my 16 required hours of volunteer time so I can be in the second graduation class receiving a Certificate in Native Plants from the State Botanical Garden. I also needed this time in the woods and away from my to-do lists. Never mind the temperatures in the 40s and drizzly rain. I agreed with Liese – I’d take that cold, wet day over the heat and insects of July.

The 250+ plants brought with us were grown from seed collected in Georgia and grown at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia - Echinacea laevigata, Hypericum punctatum (St. John’s wort), Symphyotrichum georgianum (Georgia aster – a threatened species in Georgia with purple flowers in fall), and Oligoneuron (white-top solidago, which has clusters of little white flowers that look like asters or daisies, not the solidago that is commonly called goldenrod).

The first site was on a steep slope. We didn’t even need to kneel down to plant the seedlings – just lean forward a little to dig the holes and set in the perennials. Although each site access became easier that morning the weather got wetter and wetter – and colder. By the end we were pretty soaked, but feeling good about what got into the ground and the condition of the plants that were planted there before and are now established. Details were recorded and the sites will be visited to monitor the survival rate. The goal is that these plants not just survive, but reproduce and reestablish colonies throughout this area. In another county in North Georgia, native bog orchids and pitcher plants have started to reproduce on their own, a significant success for the folks of the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance.

Saving the Smooth Coneflower (Echinacea laevigata) is one of the original priority projects of the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance. Read Heather Alley’s 2002 account here.

Wet, tired and cold at the end of the excursion – but smiling!

Exercise Classes at the Garden start in early January

2009-12-16T08:38:00.001-08:00

I don’t know about you, but it’s still 9 days away from Christmas and I’m feeling sluggish already from not enough exercise and too many holiday treats! I sure don’t want to go through 2010 feeling like this! Luckily, there are 2 very different exercise classes happening at the Garden starting in early January.
One sounds serene, yet energizing – yoga in a chapel during Monday lunch hours. I’ve taken an exercise class there before and it is not like any gym. Imagine the beautiful architecture of the Day Chapel reception room with lots of privacy and lots of windows looking out into the woodland.
Zumba! is quite the opposite, yet just as wonderful. Cora, the instructor, who’s also on the Garden’s Education staff, calls Zumba ‘Latin infused aerobics’. I’ve tried it and it is fun and challenging. These classes will be in the large tropical conservatory on Wednesday evenings, with lively Latin music.
Find out more and sign up at http://www.uga.edu/botgarden/educationalevents.html

First Greenhouse at the new Horticulture Complex!

2009-12-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

How exciting! The first greenhouse is appearing at the Horticulture Complex along the entrance drive.

Keep Your Birds Healthy – Keep Your Birdfeeders Clean

2009-12-07T06:22:00.000-08:00

Create a lively scene outside your windows by inviting birds in the garden with bird-attracting plants, birdbaths and bird feeders. Providing food for birds comes with the responsibility to keep the birds healthy. Bird feeders should be cleaned periodically to help prevent the spread of disease. Some sources recommend feeders be cleaned every time they are filled; others suggest cleaning thoroughly at least four times a year.

Never use household cleansers to clean a bird feeder. Solutions made from chlorine bleach or vinegar are safe and effective cleaners. Vinegar is more gentle than chlorine, but both are safe if diluted and rinsed well. Mix a weak chlorine bleach solution (one part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water). Empty the bird feeder; then rinse and immerse it in the bleach solution for a few minutes. Rinse the feeder thoroughly. Allow it to dry before filling it with birdseed. Make sure there are no sharp objects on the feeder that could cut a bird, allowing bacteria and viruses to infect the cut.

Keep seed dry and stored in a secure container to prevent mice and insects from contaminating the birdseed. Never fill a feeder with moldy, sour-smelling or wet seed. Never offer birds moldy bread. If squirrels are a problem, try one of the hot pepper additives that actually add vitamins for the birds.

Mulching the area under the feeder makes it easier to clean and freshen, remove sprouted seeds and view feeders. The lack of plant cover also makes it more difficult for a preying cat to surprise the birds. When purchasing feeders, consider maintenance as well as design. It is important to keep the birds healthy as well as fed.

Lunch at the Gardenside Cafe

2009-12-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

Whether you need a break from Holiday errands, a great place to catch up with friends, or a taste of home cooking, come to the Gardenside Café overlooking the International Garden in The State Botanical Garden of Georgia’s Visitor Center & Conservatory. Sandwiches, salads, desserts and more fill the menu. Or try the delicious made-from-scratch Daily Plate Special – a main dish with sides, bread, dessert and drink for only $8.00.
Daily plate specials through December 23rd:
Tuesday: Beef Lasagna, Chicken Lasagna, Tossed Salad, Whole Kernel Corn, Rolls, Italian Cream Cake.
Wednesday: Ham, Potato Salad, Deviled Eggs, Green Bean Casserole, Roll, Pecan Pie.
Thursday: Turkey and Dressing with Gravy, Sweet Potato Souffle, English Peas, Roll, Red Velvet Cake.
Friday: Meatloaf, Scalloped Potatoes, Pinto Beans, Creamed Corn, Biscuits, Banana Pudding.
Saturday: Baked Chicken Marsala, Wild Rice, Broccoli with Cheese Sauce, Steamed Carrots, Roll,
Strawberry Cake.
Sunday: Roast Beef/ Marinated Chicken, Red Roasted Potatoes, Macaroni & Cheese, Green Beans, Biscuit,
Coconut Cake.

Inviting Birds Into Your Garden

2009-11-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

Nothing can be more satisfying in your landscape than a bird garden outside the living room or breakfast nook window. The birds' motions and colors, their songs, and the background scenery of foliage and blooms combine into an improvisational bird theater performing just for you.

Situate your bird garden under an existing tree, providing shade, a place to hang feeders, and a landing place for birds to investigate before coming closer. If you don't have a tree, plant one that is already eight to twelve feet tall. It's very important to create several layers of plants to attract birds - a tall tree (oak), a smaller understory tree (dogwood), large shrubs (oakleaf hydrangea), at least one evergreen shrub for winter cover (pieris), small shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. Add spring bulbs there too, so you can enjoy the early blooms while watching the cardinals.

These different levels provide "steps" that the birds can take to the feeder, branches for the species who fly away and roost to break open the seeds, and a place for subordinate birds to wait their turn.

Water is an essential ingredient in your bird garden. You can use a birdbath on a pedestal, on the ground, or build a pond. The water should be clean and cool. Replenish the water in a birdbath daily, especially in the summer months. A fat robin can empty half the water with one lively bath.

For supplemental feeding, include the following three types of feeders:

• A hanging feeder: Birds that feed from hanging feeders include finches, titmice and cardinals. You may want to have more than one hanging feeder, to provide different seed mixtures.
• A suet feeder: A coated wire cage with purchased suet cakes is easy to find by woodpeckers. All suet feeders should be hanging. They may be homemade from onion bags, pine cones, or a hollowed-out log.
• A ground feeder: Juncos, towhees, and quail are some of the birds that feed off of the ground. I use the simplest of ground feeders: the ground. By spreading out the food, there is less competition when several birds try to feed at once. Some bird watchers build a slightly elevated table. You may want to use a shallow pan or a flat stone in your garden. White proso millet and cracked corn are favored by ground feeders.

These three feeders will take care of almost all the birds that come to your garden. If you like, you can add other feeders to your garden, like a hummingbird feeder, or a thistle feeder to attract finches.

What do the Birds do for You?

Besides the entertainment value of the actions, songs, and colors of the birds that come to your garden, they will eat vast quantities of insects. Your garden's best defense against insects is a healthy bird population. Over half of a chickadee's winter diet is comprised of aphid eggs. Some birds also eat rodents and baby snakes, helping to keep these populations in check.

Things to keep in mind:

• Over two million birds a day are killed by raccoons and house cats. Cats are one of the few animals that hunt for the thrill of it - it doesn't matter how much you feed Kitty. Hawks are another feared predator. This creates a puzzle. The shrubs in your bird garden that provide cover and protection from hawks also provide great hiding places for a stalking cat.
• Choose feeders that are easy to clean and clean them regularly with a solution of vinegar and water. Do not use household cleaners or bug repellent on bird feeders. Throw away any moldy feed that could give bacterial infections to the birds.
• Keep chemicals away from your bird garden. The birds are your best method of insect control.
• Use an organic mulch with no black plastic underneath. Pine needles, shredded bark or leaves have a natural look and texture that encourage wildlife. Several birds, including quail, like to scratch around to look for insects and seed. This habit has rarely damaged any of my plants.
• A well-illustrated book can help you identify and learn more about the birds that visit your garden.

A Half Dozen Great Bird Plants:

The best plants for birds offer food and protection for the birds, plus beauty and structure for your garden.
• Blueberry (Vaccinium) – This native provide berries that birds love, plus spring blooms and fall color for your landscape.
• Beautyberry (Callicarpa) – Massing this native plant at a woodland edge provides a thicket for birds, plus a ‘step down’ from tall trees into your landscape. The bright magenta berries are loved by birds and contrast beautifully with the golden fall foliage.
• Dogwood (Cornus florida) – We’re the ones that enjoy the beautiful spring blooms and russet fall color, but the birds appreciate the winter berries and the chance to use this small, native tree to step down from treetops to bird feeders.
• Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) – This evergreen native can reach 10’ or more and is available in a weeping form. The dense, twiggy structure is perfect place for nesting or sheltering from winter winds. The red berries provide food for the birds.
• Junipers (Juniperus) – There are many beautiful and fun varieties of junipers now available, including sculptural small trees. Junipers provide evergreen protection and berries for birds. Other conifers also offer protective cover.
• Viburnums – This large genus includes several with twiggy growth, evergreen foliage and/or berries.
Other plants that attract birds include barberries, crabapple, coneflowers, figs, grapes, grasses, hawthorns, hollies, honeysuckle, mahonias, maples, oaks, pines, pyracantha, roses that produce hips (seed pods), serviceberry, spruces, sumac, sunflowers, and yew

A Special Invitation for December 3rd, benefiting the new Horticulture Complex

2009-11-20T06:18:00.000-08:00

Andrew Downs & Company
Invite you
To commence the Season
With a Celebration of Ornamental Trees,
Decorated Wreaths, Holiday Arrangements,
And Flowers of the Season

Benefiting
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Thursday December 3, 2009
10 am to 7 pm
Seasonal Spirits will be served in the afternoon

Admission $15

All proceeds will benefit the new
Horticulture Complex at the Botanical Garden

Let the Holidays Begin!

1737-B South Lumpkin St. 706-549-9325

adownsandcompany@bellsouth.net

Save the dates! - Symposia on Native Plants, Garden History

2009-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

Two all-day Symposia
at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens
2450 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, Georgia 30605
Pre-registration required.
Call 706-542-6156 or register online at www.uga.edu/botgarden.

Native Plant Symposium
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
8:45 am - 3:30 pm
Garden Club of Georgia, Terrace Room
Friends members $45; non-members $50 (lunch included)
Co-sponsored by The Garden Club of Georgia and The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Native plants are uniquely adapted to local conditions, having co-evolved with other plants, animals, pollinators, and soil biota. Therefore they require little maintenance and withstand temperature and moisture extremes. Most importantly, native plants provide diverse sources of food and shelter for a wide variety of insects and birds, butterflies, mammals, reptiles, etc. in the complex web of life. Join us for a day-long program that considers gardening with wildflowers and other native plants along with related conservation issues. Learn how to incorporate your appreciation of these plants into your home landscape plan.

Agenda
8:45 Welcome and Announcements
9:00 Landscape Design for Planet-Friendly Gardens
10:00 Break — Plant Sale
10:30 The Right Plant for the Place: Natives in the Landscape
11:25 Native Perennials
12:00 Lunch
1:15 Promoting Natives: From Ecology to Heartstrings
2:15 Break
2:30 Botanical Illustrations of Southeastern Native Plants--A Walk Through the Calendar Year

2010 Southern Garden Heritage Conference
Friday, February 19, 2010
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Callaway Building Auditorium
Friends members$95; non-members $110
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is pleased to host the Southern Garden Heritage Conference, which brings an audience from throughout the Southeast. Robin Salmon will open the conference with a lecture about garden sculpture and close the conference with a presentation about Brookgreen Gardens, one of America's finest sculpture gardens. Sue Burgess will provide a brief history of efforts to save the historic Root House in Marietta and create a garden of the period. Keyes Williamson will provide an update on work being done to preserve the Elizabeth Lawrence Garden in Charlotte. John Waters and Jim Cothran will provide a look into the architecture and gardens of Savannah and their interrelationships. And Gerard Krewer will speak about some of Georgia's rare and unusual fruits-some familiar and some unfamiliar. Amateurs and professionals alike are sure to find this conference interesting and informative.

AGENDA
9:00 - 9:15 Opening Remarks
9:15 - 10:00 A Brief History of American Garden Sculpture
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 -11:15 The Root House, A Mid-Nineteenth Century Middle Class Merchant’s Home: Challenges of Recreating the Historic Southern Landscape in a Hostile 21st Century Urban Environment
11:15 - 12:00 The Elizabeth Lawrence Garden
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 1:45 The Architecture and Gardens of Savannah
1:45 - 2:30 Rare and Unusual Fruits of Georgia
2:30 - 3:00 Break
3:00 - 3:45 Brookgreen Gardens Past and Present
3:45 - 4:00 Closing Remarks

Gardenside Café Opens!

2009-10-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

The State Botanical Garden is pleased to announce the opening of Gardenside Café in the Visitor Center & Conservatory, overlooking the International Garden. The café will be open Tuesday through Sunday whenever the building is open, with lunch served from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Lunch includes sandwiches and salads, as well as a daily lunch special. “I call our daily special ‘Grandmother’s food’, because it is a taste of home cooking. All the recipes are old-fashioned recipes that I modify to my tastes,” explains café manager Jerry Warren, who also owns and operates Countryside Catering in Winterville, Georgia.

The Gardenside Café reflects the botanical garden surrounding, offering shade-grown coffee and serving with plates and spoons made from eco-friendly bamboo and sugar cane. The entrance to the café wanders through a tropical conservatory. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available and the café has wireless Internet connection. The Garden is located one mile south of the Loop on South Milledge Avenue; parking and admission is free. The menu is designed to quickly serve both lunch-hour patrons who want to escape the office for a few minutes in a garden and Garden visitors who would enjoy a break while visiting the Garden.

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 9:00 am – 4:30 pm Lunch served 11:00 – 2:00
Sunday 11:30 am – 4:30 pm Lunch served 11:30 – 2:00
Closed Mondays and all UGA Holidays
Café Phone: 706-542-6359

Music Sunday in the Garden

2009-10-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

I think the best weather all weekend was during the 2 hours that 5 UGA music students were playing throughout the Garden. Music and nature blend beautifully! There were plenty of blooms in the Garden, especially in the International Garden just below the cafe terrace. Here are a couple photos from last weekend. Ernest "Bubba" Beasley and Jason Royer will be performing as a jazz duo again at the January 28, 2010 Twilight Toasts and Luther Enloe will perform classical guitar for an Evergreen Concert in early March.

Live Music in the Garden today!

2009-10-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

Music Sunday in the Garden
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens
Sunday, October 18, 2009 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

We are pleased to offer these talented musicians, all UGA students, to add to your pleasure while exploring The State Botanical Garden of Georgia on this beautiful fall afternoon.
This afternoon of music is made possible by a grant from the UGA Parents & Families Association.

Ernest "Bubba" Beasley graduated from James Madison University in 2005 with a major in geology and a minor in jazz studies. He is currently a geology masters student at UGA and is taking classes in the UGA jazz department.

Luther Enloe moved to Georgia at the age of twenty, to study the guitar at the University of Georgia with John Sutherland. He has subsequently received a BM and an MM, graduating with distinction, under Mr. Sutherland’s tutelage. Continuing his studies at UGA, he is presently pursuing a DMA in music performance with a minor in musicology. As a soloist, Luther Enloe has distinguished himself by winning awards in the Georgia Music Educators Association Competitions including the Award of Excellence in 1996 and 1998. Mr. Enloe was a chosen recitalist at the 1998 Christopher Parkening master class at Montana State University. Concurrent with his academic studies, Mr. Enloe maintains an active performance schedule and has appeared as a guitar soloist with many ensembles including The Montana State University Chorale, The Dekalb Choral Guild, and Peachtree Symphonic Winds. Luther Enloe has served on the faculty of Berry College in Rome, Georgia since 2007. At Berry College Mr. Enloe maintains a thriving guitar studio in addition to teaching courses in music. He and his wife, Victoria, live in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Rachael Eubanks is a fourth year Music Education major at the University of Georgia. She began playing the violin at the age of twelve and has been immersed in music ever since. Her post-undergraduate goal is to find a teaching position where she can expose countless children to the wonders of music.

Originally from Ringgold, Georgia, Rachael Fischer began her violin studies at the age of four. She was named the winner of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera Association’s Concerto Competition in 2000, and the winner of the University of Georgia Concerto Competition in 2004. Rachael has also been an active performer in many ensembles including the University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Athena Grand Opera Company Orchestra, and Macon Symphony Orchestra. She is also an active chamber musician, and has had extensive coaching sessions with the St. Lawrence String Quartet and the Juilliard String Quartet. Rachael completed her Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance at UGA in 2005, studying with Dr. Michael Heald, and the Master of Music degree at Arizona State University in 2007 under the tutelage of Dr. Katherine McLin. She is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in violin performance at UGA.

Jason Royer is a music major at UGA with a concentration in bass performance. In addition to being the upright bassist for the UGA jazz band, he plays with the UGA Philharmonic and a number of small jazz combos.

Music Sunday in the Garden October 18th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm

2009-10-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

Discover a variety of live music as you enjoy a stroll through The State Botanical Garden of Georgia on a perfect fall Sunday afternoon. UGA music students will be playing in the Garden from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, 2009. Funded by a grant from the UGA Parents and Family Association, these talented students will be stationed throughout the Garden. Information on these UGA students and their music will be available at the front desk of the Alice Hand Callaway Visitor Center & Conservatory.
This is an ideal weekend to stroll the gardens or nature trails, wander with a camera, or share a bench with your friends, laptop, book or just with nature and your thoughts. Admission and parking at the Garden, located a mile south of the Loop at 2450 South Milledge Avenue, is free.

So Much Happening at the Garden Today.

2009-10-10T04:20:00.000-07:00

Wow! The Garden is filled with beautiful plants and, we hope, lots of gardeners at the Fall Plant Sale from 8 am-2pm. I was really impressed with the large edgeworthias with fat flower buds and the tables filled with pitcher plants, euphorbias, heucheras and more. What a great way to shop for plants - in a garden, surrounded by folks to help you choose from a great selection. These staff members and volunteers get so excited about plants that they are growing in their gardens.
Also there is a class that is part of the Native Plant Certificate Program. This program filled up immediately when it first started, but now there is space to take new people into the program. Find out more at www.uga.edu/botgarden.
Then in the new classrooms, about 3 dozen graduate students are part of a charette to come up with fresh, innovative ideas for SBG's Children's Garden. This sounds like a first step, but actually the Garden's Education staff have been considering the educational programming of the Children's Garden for many years and are excited this project is moving forward.
You will pass a construction site as you drive into the Garden. This will be our new Horticulture Complex - the engine that drives the Garden. This is where the greenhouses, growing areas, equipment, Horticulture staff offices and more will be located. This location near the entrance will reduce the amount of traffic in the Garden.
Keep posted - very soon we will tell you about the new cafe opening in the Garden.

Fall Plant Sale at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

2009-10-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! This weekend will be a great time to work in the garden - the weather will be cool and soil softened by the recent rains is easier to weed. While you are in your garden, look around and see where you could use new plants, because the following weekend is the Garden's Fall Plant Sale.

Saturday, October 10 - 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Visitor Center & Conservatory
2450 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, Georgia 30605
Free admission

Celebrate Fall planting season with new plants to enhance your landscape. Fall truly is the best time for fall planting of trees and shrubs. Since roots develop best in cooler weather, planting now allows several months for root establishment before next year’s new spring growth and summer heat. Shop the Fall plant sale for a broad selection of trees, shrubs, perennials, native plants and more. The SBG Horticulture staff will be on hand to assist in your selection and answer questions, as well as Garden volunteers and Master Gardeners.

Also at the Garden on October 10th:

Photography Exhibit: Intimacy
Don Byram, Photographer Visitor Center Lobby
September 27 to October 18 free

Native Ferns and Mosses
Certificate in Native Plants Elective Course
George Sanko, Georgia Perimeter College, Ferns
Jim Allison, Interpretative Ranger, Davidson Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve
Saturday, October 10 Visitor Center, Classroom 2
8:30 am -12:30 pm Members $40; non-members$45
This course will be broken into two segments. George Sanko will cover the first two hours with woodland and xeric ferns of Georgia. This portion will be an introduction to the reproductive life cycle of ferns as well as apogamy—asexual reproduction found in most xeric ferns. Students will learn to identify ferns by learning the physical characteristics of some native ferns in Georgia and becoming familiar with common terminology. Jim Allison will cover the second two hours with mosses and their relatives. There will be a brief presentation covering bryophytes, their diversity
and distinction from other plants. The remainder of the class will be spent at Rock and Shoals Natural Area, focusing on the ecology and field recognition of mosses and their relatives. It is recommended that participants bring their hand lens or a strong magnifying glass to the program.

You’re invited to Insect-ival!

2009-09-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

at
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
2450 South Milledge Avenue
Athens, GA

Saturday, September 19
9:30am – 12:30pm
Visitor Center & Conservatory
$3 per person; $10 maximum per family
Children under 2 years of age admitted free

Join us for this creepy, crawly, and definitely fun Family Festival. Discovery stations, roach and beetle races, puppet shows and lots of live insects highlight this year’s event. Children can complete a series of discovery station activities to receive a special insect prize. At 11:00am we will host a butterfly release on the lawn of the International Garden. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to view dozens of native butterflies flap their wings above your head. These native butterflies are reared locally and sustainably. Insect-ival is sponsored by the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, UGA Lund Club, UGA Department of Entomology, and the Georgia Museum of Natural History.

For more information, please contact the Garden’s Education Department at 706-542-6156 or sbgeduc@uga.edu.

Symposium and Plant Sale Thursday

2009-09-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

Join us Thursday, September 17 from 8:30 am - 2:00 pm for a one-day symposium focusing on Georgia Gold Medal plants. There will be plenty of information and inspiration, plus a Gold Medal plant sale, silent auction and a few door prizes. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. The $40 cost includes lunch.

The plant sale runs from 10:30 am until 3:00 pm. You do not have to be registered for the symposium to visit the plant sale, so make plans to stop by during your lunch break. We look forward to seeing you there!

Get Inspired for Fall Planting

2009-08-31T12:57:00.000-07:00

...with award-winning plants and inspiring speakers.

Spend a day in the Garden – The State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens, that is! – and learn about designing and gardening with Georgia Gold Medal plants. The low $40 fee (discounts for Master Gardeners) includes lunch, speakers, plant sale, door prizes, and more! Find out more at www.georgiagoldmedalplants.org or www.uga.edu/botgarden.

Gold in your GardenA one-day symposium focusing on Georgia Gold Medal Plants,
Thursday, September 17, 2009, 8:30 am - 2:00 pm in the Callaway Building.

Gold Medal Plant Sale (open to the public) 10:30 am - 3:00 pm on Callaway Building front plaza.
Register Online Here >>

Grogus - Outdoor Concert in the Garden!

2009-08-21T13:46:00.001-07:00

Sunflower Concert Tuesday Night
Tuesday, August 25

7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Grogus
Caribbean and Latin Jazz

We’ve enjoyed two concerts in the Flower Garden this summer. Join us for our final Sunflower Concert of the season and hear Grogus! Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for non-members and $5 for children ages 6 – 12. Ticket prices include beverages and light snacks.
Please feel free to bring a blanket and picnic, lawn chairs, however, are not allowed.
Call 706-542-1244 or go to www.uga.edu/botgarden for more information or tickets.

Tickets also at AthensMusic.net and Schoolkids Records.

Flea Market Saturday, August 22

2009-08-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

Friends’ Gigantic Flea Market
Friends of The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is hosting their annual flea market on Saturday, August 22 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Visitors Center and Conservatory. Admission is free. Not only is this a great opportunity to find treasures, but a good place to donate books, jewelry, decorations, purses, accessories, tools, toys, baby items, household items and gardening items (no clothing, shoes, or magazines please). So clean out that closet! Organize that jewelry box! Go through the kids toys! We will be accepting donations through Friday at the Visitor Center & Conservatory at the Garden (2450 S. Milledge, one mile south of the Loop in Athens). Then come back and shop Saturday morning.
Donation forms are available. All proceeds benefit The State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Unsold items will be donated to a charitable organization.

New Sod in the International Garden

2009-08-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

The International Garden, just downhill from the Visitor Center, has a fresh new look thanks to sod laid last week. We think the green sod around newly mulched beds, blooming plants, and a bubbling stream (of recirculated water) is a beautiful sight. The bog garden within the International Garden is undergoing restoration, laying fallow for a few weeks to ensure as many weeds as possible are out before it is replanted with pitcher plants and other bog plants.

Sunflower Concert on YouTube

2009-08-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

Dodd Ferrelle, warm up act before Modern Skirts in June, posted a couple videos of their performance on stage in our Flower Garden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQND04KiSs0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcrGoMny5Y&feature=related

Our last Sunflower Concert on August 25th will feature 2 hours of lively music by Grogus. During our first two concerts many folks, young and old, kicked off their shoes to enjoy the lush grass while dancing to the music; others enjoyed the concert by spreading out a picnic on a quilt. Come discover the beautiful new concert venue in the Garden!

Sunflower Music Series:
For the 9th annual Sunflower Music Series three well-known Athens bands will play outdoors in the new Flower Garden from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (inside in wet weather). Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for non-members and $5 for children ages 6 – 12. Season tickets for all three shows are also available. Ticket prices include beverages and light snacks. Please feel free to bring a blanket and picnic, lawn chairs, however, are not allowed. Call 706-542-1244 for more information or tickets.
June 23: Modern Skirts (power-pop quartet)
July 14: FiveEight (three-piece rock band)
August 25: Grogus (Latin jazz, salsa, Afro-Caribbean jazz and reggae)

Moon and Stars Watermelon

2009-08-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

This is an heirloom variety of watermelon named 'Moon & Stars' growing in the Heritage Garden. Notice the yellow moon and many stars on the rind. The netting protects it from browsing deer.

Free Concert Sunday

2009-07-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

All American Brass Concert
The Athens Brass Choir
Sunday, August 2 3:00 pm
Visitor Center & Conservatory Free
The Athens Brass Choir returns to the State Botanical Garden Conservatory with "All-American Brass", a concert of American music including Copland fanfares, Sousa marches, music from the movies, and more. Come join the Athens Brass Choir’s celebration of the diversity of our nation's musical heritage.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=112474849338&ref=nf

Construction Begins on the State Botanical Garden’s Horticulture Complex

2009-07-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

Construction begins this week on The State Botanical Garden of Georgia’s new $2.5 million horticulture complex, a facility that will support the 313-acre public garden. This facility will include outdoor growing areas, greenhouses, spaces for repair and storage of equipment and offices for the Horticulture staff. “This behind-the-scenes facility is essential to the collections and displays throughout the Garden,” explains Interim Director Shirley Berry. “Moving these facilities to this new location is another step in enriching the visitor’s experience and safety in the Garden. Although the initial impact will be visible, soon this area will be screened with plantings and maintenance equipment and delivery trucks will no longer need to intrude into public areas to reach the horticulture complex.” Construction of the horticulture complex is scheduled to be completed in 2010.

In the International Garden, bog garden restoration and lawn resodding are taking place this week. The outdoor Sunflower Concert Series moved from the International Garden to the new 5-acre, terraced Flower Garden this summer. The Alice Hand Callaway Visitor Center & Conservatory renovation is nearing completion. Updates include new classrooms and a redesigned café.

For more information, call Connie Cottingham, Publicity and Special Events, at 706-542-6014.

Twilight Toasts in the Athens Banner-Herald

2009-07-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

Click here to read the article on Geoffrey Garland, who will be playing at Twilight Toasts this Thursday.
Click here to read the article on Plant a Row, featured at Twilight Toasts.
Call 706-542-1244 to purchase your tickets for this great event!

Twilight Toasts in the Garden
Thursday, July 23, 2009 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Visitor Center & Conservatory $10 Friends members/ $15 non-members
What a combination: a warm summer evening in the Garden, live music that suits the weather, light hors d’oeuvres, and new wines to sample. Our horticultural segment will be information about Plant a Row for the Hungry, a small idea that has grown into a nationwide movement where community groups and backyard gardeners help their neighbors. Wine tasting by The Healthy Gourmet in Athens. Light hors d’oeuvres by Trumps Catering. Live music by Geoffrey Garland, a very talented classical guitarist. Come join the many that have found out that this eclectic after-work event is the place to gather, relax and enjoy the Garden.
Presented by Athens First Bank & Trust and Athens Area Health Plan Select in cooperation with FRIENDS of the Garden, The Healthy Gourmet and Trumps Catering.

FiveEight Performing July 14th

2009-07-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

Well-known Athens band FiveEight will be performing at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia for the Sunflower Concert on Tuesday, July 14, 2009. They have toured with REM (fall 2004) and were featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered (link to broadcast here). Read their Wikipedia article here.

Sunflower Music Series:
For the 9th annual Sunflower Music Series three well-known Athens bands will play outdoors in the new Flower Garden from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (inside in wet weather). Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for non-members and $5 for children ages 6 – 12. Season tickets for all three shows are also available. Ticket prices include beverages and light snacks. Please feel free to bring a blanket and picnic, lawn chairs, however, are not allowed. Call 706-542-1244 for more information or tickets.
June 23: Modern Skirts (power-pop quartet)
July 14: FiveEight (three-piece rock band)
August 25: Grogus (Latin jazz, salsa, Afro-Caribbean jazz and reggae)

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2009-07-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Maybe for the first time in a few years you are enjoying a bumper crop in your garden – beans, melons, tomatoes, zucchini, berries and more. We certainly hope so! If your garden harvest is good this year, you’ll want to know about two events happening at the State Botanical Garden this month that will give you ideas on what to do with all that healthy, fresh produce.
Brenda and BJ will teach a class on canning beans and tomatoes on July 16 - they have a lot of experience growing and canning both. The relaxed class setting allows for lots of comments and questions.
Twilight Toasts in the Garden is a popular quarterly wine tasting that includes live music and light hors d’oeuvres, plus Master Gardeners on hand to explain Plant a Row for the Hungry, a people-helping-people program that encourages gardeners to grow a little extra to donate to food pantries. Take home a row marker for your garden and information on where to take that extra zucchini.

Canning the Summer Garden
Brenda Beckham & BJ Garrett, Athens Area Master Gardeners
Thursday, July 16 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Callaway Building Auditorium members $12; nonmembers $14
Beans and tomatoes coming out your ears? Freezer full and neighbors no longer answering the door? Join Brenda and BJ for an introduction to the pressure cooker method of home canning. Learn the basic tools and techniques used for canning fruits and vegetables from your garden. Sterilizing jars, peeling tomatoes, and assuring jars are sealed correctly will be covered. This marvelous teaching team will also cover how to make jams and jellies. Pre-registration required.

Twilight Toasts in the Garden
Thursday, July 23, 2009 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Visitor Center & Conservatory $10 Friends members/ $15 non-members
What a combination: a warm summer evening in the Garden, live music that suits the weather, light hors d’oeuvres, and new wines to sample. Our horticultural segment will be information about Plant a Row for the Hungry, a small idea that has grown into a nationwide movement where community groups and backyard gardeners help their neighbors. Wine tasting by The Healthy Gourmet in Athens. Light hors d’oeuvres by Trumps Catering. Live music by Geoffrey Garland, a talented classical guitarist. Come join the many that have found out that this eclectic after-work event is the place to gather, relax and enjoy the Garden.
Presented by Athens First Bank & Trust and Athens Area Health Plan Select in cooperation with FRIENDS of the Garden, The Healthy Gourmet and Trumps Catering.

Lotus photo

2009-07-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

The lotus by the International Garden are blooming beautifully today - truly a treat to see. The Garden is a great place to spend time with your camera.

July 4th Weekend at the Garden

2009-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Following the UGA holiday schedule, the State Botanical Garden will be closed on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 - but the Garden will be open Sunday, July 5th and we will have a great, free, indoor concert!

Classic City Band Concert
Sunday, July 5
3:00 pm
Visitor Center & Conservatory
Free admission

What better way to celebrate this summer holiday weekend than with a concert in a garden? With lively music, free parking, and chairs inside our air-conditioned Conservatory, this is the concert you will want to attend this weekend.

Our first Sunflower Concert in the new Flower Garden

2009-06-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

Over 300 people gathered for an enjoyable summer evening in the new Flower Garden for our first Sunflower Concert of the summer. Picnics, blankets, friends, families and dancing children filled three terraced lawns overlooking the Flower Garden stage to listen to Modern Skirts. If you'd like to see more photos, several were posted on Were You Spotted? at onlineathens.com.

Don't miss our next two Sunflower Concerts!

- FiveEight on Tuesday, July 14

- Grogus on Tuesday, August 25

Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for non-members and $5 for children ages 6 – 12. Ticket prices include beverages and light snacks. Please feel free to bring a blanket and picnic, lawn chairs, however, are not allowed. Concerts will be inside the Visitor Center & Conservatory in wet weather. Call 706-542-1244 for more information or tickets.