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.



Crafting for the Holidays

As we head into the holiday season the Botanical Gardens is gearing up for some fun crafting events in December!

First, on Thursday, December 6, we have two sessions for you to prepare and take home several small containers of lotions, salves and lip balms, all perfect ideas for the holidays!  You will leave with a great deal of knowledge to create your own goodies at home.
Session 1 will be held from 9-11 am and session 2 from 5:30-7:30 pm.  This event is $27.

Get ready on Friday, December 7, to learn how to make a live wreath at the Greenery Wreaths Workshop!  Participants will use greenery collected from the Garden and wire frames to build wreaths that will last through the holiday season.  Please bring your pruning shears.
The workshop will be held 5:30-7:30 pm and is $27.

On Thursday, December 20, come out and make your own holiday centerpiece!  Make sure to bring your favorite container and pruning shears and the Garden will provide a range of materials for you to use for your design.  The event will be held from 9 am- 12 pm and is $27.

So grab your friends and family and join us as we celebrate this wonderful time of year.

Please visit botgarden.uga.edu for more information.

Holiday Open House Sunday, December 2, 2012

The community is invited to celebrate the holidays at the State Botanical Garden of Georiga’s annual Holiday Open House and enjoy free, family-friendly entertainment in the decorated tropical conservatory. Holiday music by the Georgia Children’s Chorus, the Solstice Sisters, and the Classic City Band will fill the room. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for photographs and wishes from 2-5, with photography available from Mark Parsons Photography.



Children can enjoy puppet shows that will teach them about nature. Parents can browse through the Garden shop for ornaments and gifts and visit Donderos’ Kitchen to indulge in house-made hot chocolate and treats.


Musical performances will begin with the Georgia Children’s Chorus from 2:15-3, followed by the Solstice Sisters 3:15-3:50, and concluding with the Classic City Band from 4-5. Puppet shows will be offered at 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30 in the Children’s Classroom.  Come out with the family and enjoy an afternoon of fun with us!


For more information please call 706-542-1244 or visit botgarden.uga.edu. The event is free to the public.

An Unforgettable Run

 

This is a guest blog post by UGA student Maggie Harrelson.

I can feel the slight breeze moving along with me as I watch the leaves fall around me with each step. I keep thinking I have found my own private path to run on until I see an occasional passerby. Before I know it, I have completed my routine run at the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia.

 

I had one of Georgia’s most captivating sites at my back door, and it took me until my sophomore year at the University of Georgia to finally explore the gardens.

 

After deciding to start my millionth diet for the year, my roommate convinced me to go on a run with her on one of the trails at the Botanical Garden. I honestly was not too thrilled about our planned run, but I was on my “diet” so I agreed to go with her.

 

Once we arrived at the Garden, we made our way to the White Trail and started our run. We kept a slow pace to take in the early spring weather and to figure out the path. I quickly began to forget that I was exercising, and I focused my attention on my surroundings.

The path was challenging, but I was so distracted by the scenery that I did not even care how much longer we had till we were done. We would come across the river or a rugged area of the trail, and we would take a quick break and walk the path.

 

When we made it to the end of the trail, we were surprised to find that we had covered three miles during our run. We were so excited about our discovery of an enjoyable workout that we made a point to keep the Garden as a habitual part of our college life.

 

In the weeks that followed I became more familiar with the Botanical Garden and realized it had several different attractions.

 

The Botanical Garden features several different types of gardens for its visitors including an amazing indoor garden that features water fountains and tropical plants.

 

A café can also be found at the visitor’s center, and it has free WiFi which makes for an ideal place to study.

Believe it or not, you can avoid having to fight for a study room just to find a quiet area to concentrate.

 

One of the best stories I have heard about the Garden was from a friend recently that told me about the “perfect date” her boyfriend surprised her with. He drove her to the Garden and took her on one of the trails to find a picnic set up by the river.

 

After hearing her story, the Garden did seem like the perfect place to have the perfect date with the perfect guy. Let’s all hope her boyfriend has brothers.

 

While I can’t promise a perfect date for everybody’s first experience at the Garden, I can say that it will be a memorable one. It is a landmark of Athens that we have the privilege of experiencing, so take a little time out of this picturesque fall season to visit!

Family Day: Celebrating Africa!

Come to the Visitor Center at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia Saturday morning – November 3^rd - from 10 a.m. to noon. As part of the UGA African Studies Institute 25^th anniversary celebration, the Garden, the African Studies Institute and the Georgia Museum of Art are coming together to Celebrate Africa!  

 

At this family friendly event, visitors will have the opportunity to explore African culture, plants, cuisine and art through an African dance class, storytelling and much more. Children can make their own African drum or a bracelet, learning as they have fun. Listen to a storyteller or drummer (none other than the very talented Arvin Scott!) Dancers will spend time with curious children, teaching them a few moves after the dance performance. The whole event is only two hours long, so don’t miss a minute! Here is the schedule for Saturday:

Performance Schedule (upstairs)

10:00   Drumming - Arvin Scott, Hugh Hodgson School of Music, UGA

10:30   African Singing - Savior Anyidoho, African Fellowship Music Ensemble
11:00   Storytelling - Karim Traore, African Studies Institute, UGA  
11:30   Dancing, African Student Union, UGA

 

African Activities in the Gardenside Room (downstairs)
 
·         Origins of Humans:  Skulls Collection - Dr. Norm Thompson
·         Make Your Own African Drum - Georgia Museum of Art
·         Maasai Beaded Bracelets - Georgia Museum of Art
·         What are Some Popular Snacks in Africa?
·         Mapping African Countries through Natural History & Culture - State Botanical Garden
·         Images from Africa--Culture and People

 

For more information, please call 706-542-6156 or visit botgarden.uga.edu.