Atlanta | Gainesville | September – December 2015

October Festivities

Connect with LEGO® in Gainesville

Garden Lights Season Five

Fall for the Garden!

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President’s Message

I’m feeling nostalgic about our beloved

Children’s Garden as we prepare to start construction that will transform it.

Our Children’s Garden was one of the first in the nation when it opened in 1999 and has endured the love and frolicking footsteps of hundreds of thousands of children. Sixteen years is a long time in the life of a Children’s Garden as it takes a loving beating with every romping child. So, I’m planning to stroll through the garden and say goodbye to the faded butterfly maze, the aging treehouse, Peter Rabbit’s watering can, the cow, bluebird, and the Sunflower Fountain.

It’s truly bittersweet to take out the things we’ve all grown to love, but sweetness is around the corner when we open the refreshed Children’s Garden next spring. This garden will be infused with the wisdom of our education and design teams as well as the opinions of children we interviewed. The interactive water feature is enlarged, graced with Green Man, a symbol of renewal and growth. Touches of the old garden will remain, the quirky spitting gnomes, the frogs dunking in the waterfall and the shiny butterfly.

In the time between when the original Children’s Garden opened and when it will reopen the monarch butterfly will have gone from a flourish-ing pollinator to an endangered species. That’s a reminder of why we should all hug our old Children’s Garden goodbye and be grateful for the experiences that a generation of children had there. They are the ones to inherit the environmental challenges ahead, and because they have been kissed by nature in the Children’s Garden, may have a heightened awareness of the importance of protecting it.

Mary Pat Matheson,

The Anna and Hays Mershon President & CEO

| Official News Publication for Members of the Atlanta Botanical Garden | Atlanta | Gainesville

Vice President, Marketing: Sabina Carr | Editor: Danny Flanders | Designer: Chris Kozarich | Membership Manager: Claudia McDavid

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Garden Lights, Holiday Nights is ready to dazzle. This year marks the fifth annual holiday light exhibition, and the Garden is ready to celebrate Nov. 14 – Jan. 9.

The newest feature to debut in 2015 is Tunnel of Light, a 96-foot-long immersive corridor of scintillating

illumination, leading visitors from the Liquid Lights in the Cascades Garden up to the Glittering Galaxy in South-

ern Seasons Garden. More than eight feet high and wide, the tunnel embraces visitors within an enchanting corridor aglow

with warm white, yellow and red lights. Intricate patterns make the tunnel as beautiful when viewed from above on the Canopy Walk as it is from within its arched enclosure.

In addition, the popular Glow Bar in the Outdoor Kitchen is getting new décor to freshen the dance-floor ambiance as the deejay spins pop tunes and bartenders pour festive libations. The s’mores fire pits will be roasting in a new location with wonderful views of the Twinkling Terrace and Midtown skyline.

Curtains of string lights, a living poinsettia wall and exotic orchids welcome guests into the Fuqua Conservatory. Exuberant displays of flower and foliage in red, white and silver will be the elegant color scheme for one of the show’s most photographed destinations – the live poinsettia tree towering in Fuqua Orchid Center. Nearby, the Bear Family will be resplendent in finery reminiscent of the Great Gatsby era.

Visitors will also be happy to find their annual favorites. The Orchestral Orbs will dance their colorful choreography on the Great Lawn to the sound of seasonal music while Santa Mantis and the Brilliant Bugs flutter through rows of glowing corn in the Edible Garden. Shimmering locks will cascade over the majestic Ice Goddess with the Ice Storm Trees glistening in her wake. Following the sound of youngsters’ laughter, visitors will find the engines and cars of the Holiday Model Trains running their cir-cuits. Children of all ages will enjoy taking their portraits as snowmen and gingerbread men at the Decoration Station, and adults can be photographed under the mistletoe at the Kiss Me Arch. Stop to relax and dine at the Café at Linton’s or look for plenty of warm food and drink options at new Petit Café.

Tres Fromme, Landscape Design & Planning Manager

Tickets on Sale October 1Purchase at atlantabg.org, at Garden Admissions, or at 404-585-2060.

Peak Night Ticket(Thursday – Sunday)*$26 Adult (Member $21)$20 Child age 3 – 12 (Member $15)

Non-Peak Night Ticket(Monday – Wednesday)*$23 Adult (Member $18)$17 Child age 3 – 12 (Member $12)

Night Light Ticket(Entry after 9 p.m. on Peak Nights only,advance online purchase required)*$15 Adult

*Sales tax not included. Children under 3 are free. Guest passes not valid for this ticketed event. Thanksgiving and all nights Dec. 17 – Jan. 9 are Peak Nights.

Lead Sponsor: The Home Depot Supporting Sponsor: Isdell Family Foundation

Year fiveglows brighterwith an all newTunnel of Light!

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Think Outside the Pansy Box!

As summer draws to a close and days get shorter and cooler it doesn’t have to mean the end of colorful annuals. Instead, thoughts turn to fresh new fall plantings of beds and container gardens. But remember: There is more out there than pansies and violas.

If looking to add a little spice to your landscape, how about mixing ‘Caramel’ heuchera and ‘Toffee Twist’ carex around a Sango Kaku Japanese maple with a perimeter of dwarf black mondo?

For the adventurous gardener, try sprinkling ‘Liberty Lavender’ snap-dragons and purple euphorbia amongst winter heath (Erica carnea) and autumn ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora) to create great pops of color along with great billowing textures.

For containers, consider surrounding a ‘Lone Star’ yucca with candytuft (Iberis umbellata) and blue periwinkle (Vinca major) to soften the sharp edges of the pot.

Jillian Humphreys, Assistant Horticulturist

Hardy and offering many options, asters add a great splash of autumn color to any planting. Asters bloom throughout the season with flowers in a variety of hues, shapes and sizes.

In late summer, the heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’) presents a heavy dusting of small white flowers and stiff, rich green foliage. It makes an excellent border plant for a perennial bed as one of the shortest asters, rarely topping 12 inches. A tough little groundcover, the heath aster is an easy way to add interest to your pots or beds.

The aromatic aster (Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’) blooms next with lavender flowers with yellow heads and medium height (2 feet). Be sure to consider ‘October Skies’ when faced with tough soils or full sun as this is one sturdy plant.

Alternatively, the white wood aster (Eurybia divaricata) blooms a little later with large, delicate white flowers in full shade or brighter. This versatile stunner works well under tall trees to provide a beautiful contrast to the season’s changing colors.

Last to flower, the Tatarian aster (Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’) is not in the least one to forget. ‘Jindai’ is covered with small pink blooms until the first frost, topping out at 5 feet tall. The long, broad leaves of the Tatarian aster are a splash of rich green that’ll give great texture to any planting.

Jonathan Ray, Assistant Horticulturist

Hot Tulip Colors for Spring

Atlanta Blooms doesn’t take place until March, but planning for the spring bulb festival is a yearlong project that begins during the previous year’s exhibition. Orders are placed the first week in June, and most of the bulbs are planted in November.

Next spring’s colors are trending HOT! Some favorite combina-tions to look for are Beauty of Spring with Orange Queen, Blushing Apeldoorn and Red Impression, Tequila Sunrise Mix. Some trials that staff are eager to see bloom: Orange Balloon, Olympic Flame and Toyota.

Amanda Campbell Bennett, Manager of Display Gardens

fall for asters

‘Caramel’ heuchera

Tatarian aster

heath aster

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In response to recent declines in monarch butterfly populations, the Garden is propa-gating and sharing native milkweed species with its partners.

The brightly colored, orange and black monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a beloved visitor to gardens, fields, and schoolyards, as millions of them make the 3,000-mile migration to escape cold winter weather. In the 1990s, it was estimated that 1 billion monarchs made the journey south to overwinter in the oyamel fir forests of Mexico, and more than 1 million migrated to western overwintering grounds on the California coast. Yet last year, the overwintering population in Mexico was only 10 percent of its average size, and the winter population in California was down by half. Citing evidence that the butterflies are threatened with extinction, several groups have called for conservation efforts, including listing the monarch on the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Monarch caterpillars are specialists, meaning that they can only survive on one group of plants – milkweeds (Asclepias). Milkweed species, although toxic to most other animals, provide protection to monarch caterpillars and butterflies by making them toxic to potential predators. A monarch mother can lay 300 eggs on a milkweed plant. As the caterpillars develop they munch on milkweed leaves until they are ready to metamorphose into butterflies.

There are three general factors leading to the decline in monarch populations: loss of native milkweed habitat, loss of overwintering sites, and extreme weather caused by climate change.

Monarch declines have led to recent action, including: The National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honeybees and Other Pollinators; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allocation of $3.2 million for pollinator conservation; and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Million Pollinator Garden Challenge – emphasizing that pollinators, “sprin-kle life around so that food grows.”

Together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Audubon and ToyotaTogetherGreen, U.S. Forest Service, Greening Youth Foundation, National Wildlife Federation and others, the Garden is working to increase native milkweed sources. Over the next few years milkweed seed will be col-lected from local sources, material will be propagated and shared among partners, and horticultural knowledge will be shared for conservation and workforce development.

Jenny Cruse-Sanders, Vice President, Science and Conservation

Fall Perennial Bed Cleanup

Fall signals the end of the growing season for perennials – plants that die back to the ground each season – and while it doesn’t hurt the plants to leave the foliage all winter and remove it in spring, removing all spent foliage in fall is a much better practice. Besides leaving a garden looking much neater, removing the year’s growth eliminates a great deal of the potential habitat for fungal diseases and problematic insects.

Generally, the process is as simple as cutting back the foliage to one to two inches above the crown of the plant. Use bypass pruners for plants such as daylilies and asters, and loppers for plants with large stems such as swamp hibiscus. Watch the weather toward the end of fall to plan perennial cutbacks. Many fleshy species, such as perennial elephant’s ears, crinums and dahlias, turn to slime with the lightest frost. These are less than pleasurable to remove once this happens, so cut back these types of plants first.

Fall cutbacks can generate a large volume of plant material at the season’s end, even in small perennial gardens. For composting, all cut-back fleshy material can be mixed with an equal amount of leaves to generate great soil. All metro Atlanta counties and cities participate in composting programs, so disposing of plant material through them is also an option.

It’s also wise to map or mark plants each year. Having some sort of visual reminder makes transplanting and design tweaks much easier in late winter or early spring before foliage emerges. Otherwise, memory may not be accurate, leaving the chance for the wrong plants to be moved to the wrong location.

Dave Rife, Senior Horticulturist

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ORCHID CIRCLE $10,000 annuallyMr. and Mrs. Douglas R. aldridgeMr. Dameron Black iii and Mrs. Jane Black Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Cary, Jr. Mr. John h. Crawford, iV and Mrs. lizzie Crawford Mr. Marty Flanagan and Mrs. Jennifer Flanagan Mr. and Mrs. J. Rex Fuqua Mr. Peter R. Furniss and Mrs. Gail Furniss Mr. and Mrs. s. taylor Glover Mr. and Mrs. Charles harrison Mrs. sara hoyt Mr. Michael z. Kay and Mrs. ann Kay Mr. and Mrs. James C. Kennedy Mr. and Mrs. Ray D. Moses Margaret and Robert Reiser Mr. Charlie Rigby and Mrs. nancy Rigby Mr. h. Bronson smith and Mrs. Dean DuBose smith Mr. and Mrs. Charles sward Ms. Margaretta J. taylor Mr. alex Cox taylor and Mrs. Greer taylor Ms. Carol B. tomé and Mr. Ramon e. tomé Ms. Joni R. Winston MAGNOLIA CIRCLE $5,000 annuallyMr. and Mrs. Carleton F. allen Ms. elkin Goddard alston Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Carrig Mr. and Mrs. William W. Dixon Mr. and Mrs. John Dyer Mr. and Mrs. Donald P. Gatley Dr. thomas K. Glenn, ii and Mrs. louise R. Glenn Mr. and Mrs. holcombe t. Green, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. William F. henagan Mr. and Mrs. howell hollis iii Mr. John J. huntz Jr. and Mrs. Mary huntz Mr. and Mrs. neville isdell Mr. and Mrs. R. Jackson Kelly Mr. and Mrs. Bertram levy Mr. and Mrs. edward McGinn

Mr. and Mrs. John hays Mershon Jim and sally Morgens Ms. ann nixon Ms. Janet aldridge PiercyMr. Bert Russo and Dr. Deborah levy Mr. and Mrs. shane smith Mrs. laura s. spearman Mr. and Mrs. James D. spratt, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. edus h. Warren, Jr. ARBOR CIRCLE $2,500 annuallyMr. and Mrs. David abney Robin aiken and Bill Bolen Mr. and Mrs. h. inman allen Mr. and Mrs. shepard B. ansley Mr. and Mrs. thomas J. asher Mr. Ramsay Battin and Mrs. Molly Battin Mrs. hye Jeong Beckett and Mr. Matthew Beckett Mr. Matthew C. Berberich and Mrs. Marilyn e. Berberich Mr. Frank M. Bishop and Mrs. susan BishopMr. and Mrs. Frank Blake Ms. Diana Blank Mr. arthur M. Blank Mr. and Mrs. W. Moses Bond Mr. Merritt s. Bond Mr. sam Boyte and Mrs. linda Boyte Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Brewer Mr. and Mrs. William R. Bridges, Jr. Mr. Ron Brill and Mrs. lisa Brill Mr. and Mrs. norris a. Broyles, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Fred BurkeMs. Candace Carson Mr. and Mrs. James M. Caswell, Jr. Mr. Daniel J. Chen Mr. thomas G. Cousins and Mrs. ann Cousins Mrs. Carrie Crozer and Mr. Page Crozer Mr. and Mrs. Paul M. Cushing Ms. Robin Cutshaw and Ms. Donna Godsey Mr. Michael D’antignac and Mrs. louisa G. D’antignac Mr. Washington Dender Dr. and Mrs. Richard Detlefs

Ms. audra Dial and Mr. Matthew Ford Mr. David Dorton and Mrs. Karen Dorton Mr. and Mrs. Walter Dukes Mr. Christopher s. edmonds and Mrs. sonnet C. edmonds Mr. and Mrs. h. alan elsas Mr. Martin sprinzen and Ms. Melanie endsley-sprinzen Mr. and Mrs. R. s. Fraundorf Dr. henry Frysh Mrs. lauren Fuqua Maronnier and Mr. arnaud Maronnier Ben and Michele Garren Mr. and Mrs. sabin J. Gianelloni Mr. David Glover and Mrs. Janice Glover Mr. and Mrs. Christopher B. Glover Mr. and Mrs. thomas l. Gossage Mrs. louise M. Grant Mr. laurence Gray and Ms. september R. GrayDr. Dick Greene and Dr. Mim Kelly Mr. Bernard l. Greer, Jr. and Mrs. lynda Greer Mrs. Robert Griffith Mr. and Mrs. luther t. Griffith Mrs. Rand hagen and Mr. seth hagen Mr. thomas h. hall, iii and Mrs. Margaret hallMr. James M. hannon and Mrs. Marie B. hannon Mr. John hatfield and Mrs. Jean hatfield Mr. Douglas hertz and Mrs. lila hertz Dr. Michael huey and Ms. Fontaine huey Mr. and Mrs. William C. humphreys, Jr. Mrs. Betty ann inman Mrs. Cara anne isdell lee and Mr. zak lee Mr. and Mrs. M. Douglas ivesterMs. Cynthia Jeness Mr. Bobbo Jetmundsen Mary Kay and Bob Kelly Ms. Deborah K. levey Ms. linda l. lively and Mr. James e. hugh iii lynn and David lowance Mr. and Mrs. James MacGinnitie Clarke and Meghan Magruder Mrs. thomas e. Martin, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. David s. Martin Mr. and Mrs. albert s. McGhee Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mclain Mr. John F. McMullan and Mrs. Marilyn McMullan Mr. t. Randolph Merrill and Mrs. Jane Merrill Mr. James B. Miller, Jr. Mr. Walter MitchellMr. and Mrs. W. thomas Mobley, Jr. Ms. Ginger Dixon Molloy Mrs. nancy Montgomery Mr. timothy t. Moore and Mrs. Mary Moore Mr. and Mrs. George nemhauser Ms. Christy o’neill Mr. and Mrs. William a. Parker, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Craig D. Perry Mr. and Mrs. ernie Prickett Ms. Denita Pryor Mrs. Mary anne Quin Mr. and Mrs. Marbury Rainer Mr. and Mrs. Jim Richards Mr. and Mrs. Roby Robinson, Jr. Mr. Jose a. Rodriguez and Ms. Barbara Petz Mrs. laura Rogers and Mr. Jeff Rogers Jeff Rutel and Kim adams Mr. and Mrs. David schachter Mr. and Mrs. Michael schwarz Mr. and Mrs. Matthew sena Mr. and Mrs. thomas l. shields, Jr. Mr. Roger J. smith and Mr. Christopher Jones Dr. Kirsten spraggins Mr. and Mrs. henry n. staats, iV Mr. and Mrs. C. austin stephens Mr. and Mrs. Mason W. stephenson Mr. and Mrs. Jason taylor Ms. Kimberly s. tribble and Mr. Mark s. lange Ms. avery M. tucker Mr. Daniel Walsh and Ms. simone Walsh Mrs. nancy a. Waterfill Mr. and Mrs. leonard Wood

garden of edenAn elegant evening of dinner and dancing to support the Garden The 2015 Garden of Eden Ball, Eden in Bloom, celebrates the stunning art exhibition Bruce Munro: Light in the Garden. Set for Saturday, Sept. 26, the gala is chaired by Audra Dial and Matthew Ford.

The Garden’s largest annual fundraiser, this year’s ball honors the Tom Glenn family – Lou and Tom Glenn, Louisa D’Antignac, and Rand Hagen – for their long-term philanthropic support of the Garden and its mission to develop and maintain plant collections for display, education, research, conservation and enjoyment.

Presented by Cox Enterprises with legacy support from the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation, the night begins with cocktails at dusk in Levy Parterre. Dinner and dancing follow in a tented ballroom transformed into a floral paradise by Kathy Rainer and Tricky Wolfes of Parties to Die For.

An exclusive Patron Party will be held at the home of Dean and Bronson Smith on Thursday, Sept. 10. For information, visit gardenofedenball.org.

Circle Members The following gifts were made as of June 30, 2015:

Dean Smith, Audra Dial, Matthew Ford

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Construction projects are under way that underscore the Garden’s commitment to enhancing the visitor experience. Plans for a new restaurant, expanded Gardenhouse, and renovated Children’s Garden will become reality thanks to the ongoing $50 million Nourish & Flourish capital campaign.

LINTON’S IN THE GARDENAdjacent to Day Hall, construction has begun on a spacious new full-service restaurant that will add an elegant architectural statement to the heart of the Garden. The contemporary style building will feature the components of a world-class eatery: breathtaking garden views, an airy dining room/event hall, indoor/outdoor seating, and double-level fireplaces. The roof terrace, with its panoramic skyline views, will become one of the Garden’s choicest spaces for gatherings.

Focusing on fresh, seasonal farm-to-table cuisine, Linton’s in the Garden

will be a destination in its own right. Opening next spring, this flexible-use space will be able to host demonstra-tions, special events and other activities supporting the Garden’s programs.

GARDENHOuSEBecause of the progressive growth in gardens, facilities and programs over the past decade, the Garden’s administrative building has reached capacity.

Gardenhouse, which once included the original visitor center, houses not only the majority of staff but also the Sheffield Botanical Library, meeting rooms, and the Café at Linton’s. Current and future operations require additional space for diverse functions related to both public and back-of-house activities.

Existing interiors will be reworked to optimize function, generate rental revenue and be able to evolve over the coming years. Construction has begun and will be completed in 2016.

CHILDREN’S GARDENThe Children’s Garden is a much loved and cherished part of the Garden; how-ever, at more than 16 years old, ongoing heavy use has tarnished many of the original components and plantings.

A redesign makes certain the Children’s Garden will continue to be one of the region’s most popular family destinations. Renovated spaces will include hands-on exploration, oppor-tunities for adventure, expanded water effects, and new guided and free-play elements set among mature vegetation and refreshed plantings.

Many of the most popular features, including the Flower Bridge, the Green Man sculpture and Beehive, will remain. But dozens of vibrantly engaging new exhibits and amenities will delight and inspire, including a generous new entry plaza and restroom building; an expanded play fountain with more water effects; forts, bridges and climbing features; and the edible garden. The renovation will emphasize a recommitment to the themes of health, fitness and nutrition.

Construction begins in September, with the garden closed in winter. The first half of the project will open next spring and the second half in summer.

Tres Fromme,

Landscape Design & Planning Manager

construction

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Three new projectsgetting off the ground

During construction on the Linton’s in the Garden restaurant, refreshments will be available at a new facility called Petit Café. Located in the Perennial Garden near the Great Lawn, the bistro-like setting will serve a variety of sandwiches, snacks and beverages.

petit café

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Scarecrows in the GardenOct. 8 – 31The Garden is stuffed with more than 100 creations by schools, artists, design-ers and families during this popular fall tradition. Enjoy family games and crafts on weekends, 10 a.m. – 4p.m.

Fest-of-AleThursdays, Oct. 8, 15, 22, 295 – 10 p.m.Celebrate autumn with specialty brews and live bluegrass music. Bring a flashlight to explore Scarecrows in the Garden at night!

Arts & AlesThursday, Oct. 15 5 – 10 p.m.Meet local artisans offering unique crafts and gifts during Fest-of-Ale.

Goblins in the GardenSunday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.A favorite holiday tradition returns with kids’ costume runway, storytelling, crafts, pony rides and more!

Great Pumpkin-Carving ContestThursday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m.Cheer on the slicing and dicing as contestants carve the most impressive gourd!

Amphitheater PerformancesSaturdays,10:30 or 11:30 a.m.Children’s GardenSEPT 5 Dance Drama with Manga African DanceSEPT 12 Music InterACTION with Michael LevineSEPT 19 Seven Continents, Seven Stories with Mama Koku SEPT 26 Nosey Rosey Comes to Visit with Holly Stevenson

Fresh Plates SeriesSelect Weeknights, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.Relax with a glass of wine during a lovely evening of tasting four courses prepared by chefs from area restaurants in the Edible Garden Outdoor Kitchen. Register at atlantabg.org.SEPT 2 Tye Carpenter, Publik Draft HouseSEPT 9 Cameron Thompson, Farm BurgerSEPT 16 David Gross, Cook HallSEPT 22 Stuart Tracy, ParishOCT 7 Luca Varuni, Varuni Napoli OCT 14 Jason Shelley, Ocean Prime OCT 27 Calavino Donati, Urban Cannibals, Madre & MasonOCT 28 Robert Phalen, One Eared Stag

Garden Chef DemosWeekends, May – October noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m.The Edible Garden provides wonderful, seasonal ingredients for chefs to use in creative, tasty recipes. Stop by for quick tips on cooking fresh from the garden.

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The cooler days of October bring cool events to the Garden!

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Chocolate-Covered WeekendSaturday – Sunday, Sept. 12 – 1310 a.m. – 3 p.m.Celebrate all things chocolate! See cacao trees, learn about the harvest process, sample cacao nibs and catch a Garden Chef demo featuring mouth-watering chocolate recipes.

Science CaféSecond Sundays, 2 p.m.This season the topic Science of Light celebrates the International Year of Light and Light Technologies. Come early for brunch at The Café at Linton’s, and enjoy a complementary coffee, tea and juice bar during the discussion.SEPT 13 Using Polymers in Solar Cells with Dr. Christine LuscombeOCT 11 Project Light-Bright with Ryan Randall

Alston LecturesFree admission; 7 p.m.SEPT 15 The Edible, Drinkable Landscape with Nan ChaseOCT 28 Wild, Greek and Green! with Aglaia Kremezi and Patricia Kyritsi HowellNOv 5 Planting in a Post-Wild World with Thomas Rainer

Fuqua LectureFree admission; 7 p.m.OCT 6 Saving Plants, Saving Ourselves with Dr. Peter Raven

Garden Lights, Holiday NightsNov. 14 – Jan. 9The fifth annual holiday light extrav-aganza sets the Garden ablaze with millions of low-voltage LED displays.

Holiday Model Train ShowNov. 14 – Jan. 9Join kids and the kids at heart for this holiday tradition.

Ride-on-TrainSaturday – Sunday, Nov. 21 – Dec. 20 Daily, Dec. 21 – 24, 26 – 2710 a.m. – 4 p.m., $3 per passengerAll aboard the Botanical Express for journey around the Garden!

Saint NickSaturdays, Nov. 28, Dec. 5, 12, 1910 a.m. – 2 p.m.Bring your camera and come tell Saint Nick all of your holiday wishes!

Holiday Family PerformancesSaturdays, 10:30 a.m.NOv 28 Arctic Express with Tommy Johns PresentsDEC 5 Christmas Fairy Godmother with Betty Ann WylieDEC 12 Holiday Tales with Cathy KaemmerlynDEC 19 Winter Wonderland with Queen Snowflake Kay Rosenblum

Reindog ParadeSaturday, Dec. 5, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.Watch or participate as festive pups don holiday finery and parade before judges for prizes in a variety of categories. Dogs can also get a photo with Saint Nick!

The cost, in addition to regular admission (Members free) is $15 per dog in advance or $18 at the door.

Registration opens Nov. 2 – space is limited. Visit atlantabg.org for details.

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A Note from the Director

It’s been so gratifying to see the response from visitors to the new Gainesville gar-den. Everyone has seemed surprised and pleased with the depth and breadth of the garden – from the diverse plantings to the dynamic seasonal color displays and container gardens. The outstanding horticultural quality combined with educational programs and fun special events have created a membership boom in Gainesville – in just four months we have more than 2,800 new members!

Summer brought our first concert, with nearly 1,800 concertgoers enjoying Emmylou Harris in the Ivester Amphi-theater, and first Wine in the Wood-lands evening social to Gainesville.

I hope you will join us this fall for our new exhibition, Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks. Almost everyone has a childhood memory of LEGO, so come and relive those fanciful creations!

Mildred Pinnell Fockele,

Vice President, Horticulture, Gainesville Director

What has more than 375,000 LEGO® bricks and features fanciful creatures such as a 6-foot-tall praying mantis and a swallowtail butterfly with a 5-foot wing-span? It’s Nature Connects: Art with LEGO® Bricks, the fall sculpture exhibition in the Gainesville Garden

Opening Saturday, Sept. 19, the traveling exhibition, originally created by Reiman Gardens in Ames, Iowa, features larger-than-life sculptures – constructed entirely of LEGO® bricks – that were designed and built by Sean Kenney. The New York artist has created LEGO® artwork for major corporations such as Google and Mazda, and has been featured in The New York Times and on ABC’s Good Morning America.

With the woodland ablaze in fall color, the new garden promises to be the perfect setting for this fun and fanciful exhibit. The exhibition, which continues through Jan. 3, will feature 14 installations with 27 individual sculptures – all with a nature theme involving plants, animals, or people. The largest sculptures are designed with an internal structure of steel rods and plates to provide support for the piece. Visitors will delight in seeing a duck with its ducklings next to the Forest Pond, the praying mantis (built with more than 42,000 bricks) peeking out from a drift of grasses in the Overlook Garden, and the larger- than-life hummingbird with a trumpet flower (more than 31,500 bricks) off the Woodland Promenade.

Garden members will be treated to an exclusive preview of the exhibition on Friday, Sept. 18, and a family festival is planned for the next day’s opening, featuring music and games in the Ivester Amphitheater, discovery stations and LEGO®-related activities. Throughout the fall, special LEGO® crafts and activities will be offered, and a LEGO® construction contest is planned for early November.

Mildred Fockele, Vice President, Horticulture, Gainesville Director

nature connects

Art with LEGO® bricks!

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Garden President & CEO Mary Pat Matheson, left, celebrates the grand opening with Gainesville Director Mildred Fockele.

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Family ProgramsA variety of fun and engaging activities from Terrific Trains to Budding Artists are scheduled throughout the week. See the Education insert or visit atlantabg.org for details.

Children’s PerformancesSaturdays, 10 and 11 a.m.Fun for all with musical performances, shows, plays and storytellers.SEPT 26 Tattlingtale Productions OCT 31 Fifth Row Center

Nature ConnectsSept. 19 – Jan. 3 Explore amazing sculptures made out of LEGO® bricks.

Wine in the WoodlandsLast Thursdays, May – October, 6 – 9 p.m.Sip a glass of wine from cash bars while enjoying the tranquility of the wood-land gardens and live entertainment.

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gainesville happenings

The Gainesville Garden’s maple collec-tion contains more than 60 different species, and along with the Atlanta Gar-den is part of a nationally-recognized, multi-institutional collection. Though

some of the plants were purchased, many were nurtured from tiny seedlings or taken as cuttings from other botanical gardens and grown in the nursery.

Maples (Acer) are trees for all seasons. In the winter they can be appreciated for their interesting branch structure or even the texture of the bark such as three-flowered ma-ple, Acer triflorum. In spring the emerging new growth of many maples can be brilliant shades of red and purple. Even newly forming maple seeds can be very showy such as Hawthorn maple (Acer crataegifolium.) Through summer, maples offer many different sizes, shapes and colors of foliage. Many also have a layered appearance that adds to their appeal, such as the Korean maple (Acer pseudosieboldianum.) And then there is the maple in fall. With everything from bright yellows to dark reds and everywhere in between, maples definitely earn their place in the garden. Though most offer good fall color, a few to keep an eye out for at the Gainesville Garden are Acer ‘Molly Fordham’, Acer capillipes, and Acer elegantulum.

Within such a large and diverse group of plants there are bound to be some that don’t fit the mold, such as the hornbeam maple (Acer carpinifolium.) It gets its name from leaves that look just like those of a hornbeam tree. What makes it a maple are its seeds, or samaras, which include the winged part. Another one that doesn’t quite fit the mold is Acer fabri. This maple has green bark on its older branches and bright red stems on the new growth. Its foliage is more narrow and oblong and not lobed at all. In the Southeast, it is also generally evergreen.

Ethan Guthrie, Horticulture Manager

Collection offers trees for all seasons

myriad of maples

Photo: laRRY GRiFFeth

Acer fabri Acer crataegifolium

Acer carpinifolium Acer elegantulum

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| Atlanta

404-888-GROWplanthotline@atlantabg.org

HOW DO YOu OvERWINTER GERANIuMS?Before the first frost, cut geraniums back by one-third and pot in 6- to 8-inch plastic containers full of lightweight potting soil. Water them well and place in a bright cool spot for the winter.

Another way is to dig the plants up in the fall, remove the soil from the roots and hang them upside down in a basement where temperatures stay around 50° F. Once a month, soak the roots in water for an hour and rehang. The leaves fall off but the stems survive. Replant in the ground in the spring.

Member Appreciation MonthSeptemberAll month Garden members receive special offers and the chance to win great prizes. During Swaptember, the Garden collaborates with area attrac-tions for discounts on admission or membership to those attractions. Visit the Garden Gift Shop Sept. 18 – 20 for a 20 percent double discount. Check out local garden center and restaurant deals, and all members are automatically entered in exciting prize drawings. Visit atlantabg.org for details.

Nature Connects PreviewFriday, Sept. 18, 5 – 8 p.m.Gainesville LocationMembers are invited to an exclusive

preview of Nature Connects: Art with LEGO® Bricks. Enjoy imaginative entertainment, interactive activities and discovery stations.

Dinner in the GardenMonday, Oct. 19, 6 – 8:30 p.m.Atlanta LocationContributing or Above-level members are invited to the presentation “Dinner Conversations” by Public Programs Manager Abby Gale, highlighting Edible Garden happenings. During the talk, enjoy a delicious complimentary dinner from Murphy’s at this exclusive quarterly behind-the-scenes event. For more information or to upgrade membership levels, call 404-591-1538 or email cmcdavid@atlantabg.org.

Garden Lights Preview Thursday, Nov. 12, 6 – 9 p.m.Atlanta Location Be among the first to experience this spectacular holiday tradition. Enjoy ice-carving demos, seasonal music and family activities. Food and drink available for purchase. Guest passes not be accepted for this ticketed event.

Garden Gift Shop Holiday SalesMembers receive 15 percent off store-wide Nov. 15 – Dec. 24 and 20 percent off during the Super Sale Nov. 12 – 14, Nov. 27 – 29; and Dec. 12– 13.

commongroundvolunteer at Garden LightsSupport the annual holiday light exhibition and help spread some cheer! Volunteers must attend the orientation Tuesday, Nov. 3, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and commit to five shifts over seven weeks starting Nov. 14. Contact volunteer manager Josh Todd at 404-591-1548 or jtodd@atlantabg.org for details.

volunteer at GainesvilleVolunteers are needed during Nature Connects: Art with LEGO® Bricks Sept. 19 – Jan. 3 to assist with greeting and programing. To get started in

Gainesville, contact volunteer coordi-nator Wanda Cannon at wcannon@atlantabg.org or 404-888-4763.

Clippings is now available online at issuu.com/atlantabotanicalgarden

planthotline

Atlanta Botanical Garden1345 Piedmont Avenue, NEAtlanta, GA 30309

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membersonlyQuESTIONS? Email membership@atlantabg.org or call 404-591-1539 for assistance.

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