Resolve to go Hiking!

It is so very natural to start the new year with resolutions to do better. "I'll spend more time with the family. I'll exercise more. I'll stay in budget. I'll learn something new." 

Well, the many family hikes and walks scheduled in January and February on the State Botanical Garden of Georgia's five miles of nature trails can help you with all of those resolutions. Andie Bisceglia, SBG Children’s Program Manager, has created two family series of hikes, one meeting on a Saturday morning, another exploring the garden trails in the evening.

“I really enjoy hiking and wanted to introduce area residents to the Garden's nature trails, so we created a Blue Moon hike last fall," explains Andie. "Over 60 people came to that hike. We created these series to keep the momentum going. These are more nature walks than hikes, not strenuous. The routes will change and we will stop periodically to discuss something interesting along the path. It will be a great way to be with your family, meet others, and learn about nature." Wear comfortable, warm clothing and sturdy shoes. The cost for each hike is $5/person or $15/ family. 

The Full Moon Hike Series is scheduled on the full moons: Saturday, January 26 and Monday, February 25. Participants will meet at the fountain in front of the Visitor's Center at 7:00 pm.  Each hike will focus on a different topic such as the moon, constellations, or nocturnal creatures. One thing that is surprising at night in the Garden are the many sounds of nature that fill the air. Sign up early, since space is limited to 20 on these evening hikes.

The Family Hiking Club meets on the Second Saturday of the month (January 12 and February 9) from 9:00-11:00 am. Each month will be a new adventure as participants explore the woods, streams, and gardens and learn about hibernation, bird migration, evergreen plants, and more.  In case of rain, the hiking club will meet on the following Sunday. Although you do not have to pre-register for the Saturday morning hikes, please do, because it helps Andie prepare with any handouts and plans.

 

The Tree Trail ramble is a free hike to celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, February 15 from 2:00-3:00 pm, meeting at the Shade Garden Arbor. Linda Chafin, Conservation Botanist, will lead a walk that celebrates and teaches about trees. Pre-registration is not necessary, but appreciated.

Find out more or register for any hike online at botgarden.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-6156.

Your resolutions are not only do-able, they can be fun to do. And once you walk the Garden's trails a few times with a staff member, you will be inspired to exercise and explore on our ever-changing nature trails on your schedule. Happy New Year!

Upcoming Gardening Symposiums

Native Plant Symposium
Wednesday, January 16, 2013             8:30 am - 3:30 pm             
$60 includes lunch

People are realizing that their landscape is so much more than a pretty stage set. Native plants in a landscape can support a complex web of life that includes insects, birds, mammals, reptiles and more by providing food and shelter. This year’s annual Native Plant Symposium emphasizes sustainability and plantings that support pollinating insects

Native Plants for Pollinators - Kathryn Litton, owner of Litton Landscaping, Inc.
Monarchs: Their Migration, Host Plants and Conservation - Sonia Altizer, faculty member of UGA Odum School of Forestry
Pollination and Fertilization in Flowering Plants: As they Say in Facebook – It’s Complicated! - Linda Chafin, conservation botanist, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Sustainable Native Plant Landscaping - Eddie Seagle, lecturer, agronomist, garden columnist and horticulturist
Bees: Important Pollinators - Cyndi Ball, master beekeeper and owner of Lazy B Farm

Sponsored by The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc..

 

Southern Garden Heritage Conference:   Heritage Landscapes: Exploring the Southern Tradition of Landscape Design with Heirloom Fruits and Vegetables

Friday, February 15, 2013                      8:30 am - 4:30 pm             
$105 includes lunch

This day of presentations allows you to learn about fruits and vegetables, landscape design, landscape history, folklore, plants, historic sites, seed saving, where to buy heirloom plants and gardening with heirlooms.  

 

Georgia’s Agrarian History: Dreams, Successes and Failures - Jeff Lewis, director emeritus of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Heirloom, Smeirloom - How Does It Grow and Look Today? - Felder Rushing, tenth-generation Southern gardener, author, syndicated columnist, and radio host
Heirloom Gardens and Landscapes of the South - Bill Welch, professor of horticulture and author of many books, including Heirloom Gardening in the South
Historical Overview of Blueberries in Georgia - Gerard Krewer, former small fruit specialist with the Georgia Extension Service.  
Heirloom Seedsavers: Their Contribution to Southern Landscapes - Virginia D. Nazarea, professor of anthropology at the University of Georgia and director of the Ethnoecology/Biodiversity Laboratory, and Susannah Chapman, a PhD candidate in anthropology, UGA
Great Sources for Heirloom Plants - Bill Welch, professor of Horticulture and author of many books, including Heirloom Gardening in the South
Hyde Farm: Continuing Local Agriculture along the Chattahoochee River - Beth Wheeler Byrd, landscape historian, and Cari Goetcheus, associate professor of historic preservation and landscape architecture at UGA

Sponsored by The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and UGA College of Environment and Design in cooperation with The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc., Friends of The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Cherokee Garden Library of the Atlanta History Center, and the Southern Garden History Society.

 

Adult classes also available in flower arranging, watercolors, cooking, gardening, and more.

State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Avenue, Athens, Georgia  30605

To register or for more information call 706-542-6156 or visit botgarden.uga.edu.

State Botanical Garden 2012 Art Competition Results

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia would like to congratulate John Gholson Jr. and his submission, Reflective Life, for winning first place in the 2012 Art Competition funded by The J.A. and H.G. Woodruff, Jr. Charitable Trust!

We would also like to extend a congratulations to the second and third place winners as well as the submissions awarded Certificates of Merit.

Second Place was awarded to Collin Ankerich for the photographs titled Sunflower in Sun.

Third Place was awarded to Alea Hurst for the submission, Fall Leaves.

Certificates of Merit include:

Amber Hamilton's Hummingbird in a Flower Garden

Anamaria Otalora-Garcia's Georgia Fawn



Dimitria Rose Burkos' Intechs

Haldee Chen's Forget Me Not

Halie Johnson's Purple Haze and Flor de Mama

Lauren Glenn's Hearts of the Garden



Liza Maslak's Mysterious Garden

We had a great turn out this year and appreciate everyone's efforts in submitting your artwork.  Non winning submissions and submissions awarded Certificates of Merit may be picked up in the Callaway Building at The State Botanical Garden between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday, December 13, 2012.  Please call Connie at 706-542-6014 if you need to arrange a different time.