September Garden Highlights

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Jodie Blankenship
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September 2015 Garden Highlights Fraser s Loosestrife Multiplies in Prairie Habitat Restoration Area on Forest Service Land in Stephens County State Botanical Garden conservation staff and

Not only did the plants survive, they multiplied and were in full bloom this month.

Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service through the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance.

1 September 2015 Garden Highlights Fraser s Loosestrife Multiplies in Prairie Habitat Restoration Area on Forest Service Land in Stephens County State Botanical Garden conservation staff and volunteers were thrilled to discover hundreds of stems of Fraser s Loosestrife where they originally planted approximately 75 plants out in the wild last winter for the first time. Not only did the plants survive, they multiplied and were in full bloom this month. This plant introduction is part of a large effort to restore the prairie-like plant communities natural to the Chattooga National Forest in partnership with Georgia Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service through the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance. Friends Flea Market Raises over $9,000 for Friends of the Garden Friends of the Garden have held a flea market at the Garden each August for a decade, using donated items and volunteer hours to raise funds for the 501C3 organization. Friends of the Garden used their funds to help buy a deer fence, purchase two new scooters to help visitors enjoy the Garden, support staff positions, and more last year.

Rhus michauxii Survey Finds Record Stem Count in Elbert County for Species on Verge of Extinction The Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance has saved a species on the brink of extinction in Georgia.

This species has plants of separate sexes, and, in Georgia, the males were separated from the females by more than 50 miles.

2 Rhus michauxii Survey Finds Record Stem Count in Elbert County for Species on Verge of Extinction The Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance has saved a species on the brink of extinction in Georgia. Dwarf Sumac (Rhus michauxii) is a federally listed plant species reduced to a handful of stems in Georgia. This species has plants of separate sexes, and, in Georgia, the males were separated from the females by more than 50 miles. In an aggressive recovery action six years ago, GPCA partners brought together males and females on protected land in northeast Georgia. At the annual survey this June, the plants were found to have increased to 835 stems! Both sexes have flowered, and the female plants produced fruit that have since been germinated in a lab at Georgia Tech by a GPCA partner. The GPCA is enormously proud of this work that combines the experience and resources of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Georgia DNR Nongame Conservation Section, Zoo Atlanta, Chattachoochee Nature Center, and specially trained Botanical Guardian volunteers. Photo by Botanical Guardian volunteer, Mike Wasko, Rhus michauxii fruit bagged in wild so it can be collected when ripe. Summer Concerts Traditionally, summer concerts at the Garden include brass community bands inside the airconditioned Visitor Center & Conservatory, and eclectic music on the Flower Garden stage. Grogus performed at the August Sunflower Concert as a tribute to Carl Lindberg. Freddy's Frozen Custard provided free treats for guests at this concert, as well as long-term sponsors Athens Coca-Cola and Northeast Sales and Distributing. Flower Arranging Series Due to popular demand, Celia McQuaid Brown, a Garden Club of Georgia Accredited Judge, is once again teaching the entire five-unit flower arranging series at the State Botanical Garden. Upon completion of all five units, students will be awarded the Basic Design Certificate from The Garden Club of Georgia. Designing with Salvage A class taught by Chris McDowell, Program Coordinator, UGA Material Reuse Program, was so popular that he agreed to teach a second class to accommodate those on a waiting list. Each participant made their own Adirondack chair and herb box to take home. The materials were provided by UGA Material Reuse Program (

3 Art Exhibit: Nature, Illustrated by Chuck Murphy Chuck Murphy is an award-winning nature photographer based in Athens. His photo expeditions have taken him around the world, to over 35 countries, and to all seven continents. He specializes in images of birds, bugs, and blooms. For his show at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, he has created a new series of photographs entitled Nature, Illustrated, which will be exhibited in the Visitor Center through October 4. Support the Garden Information about volunteering, donating or joining Friends of the Garden here. September Events For information or to register for classes: or botgarden.uga.edu. Remember Friends receive a discount on most events and classes. Wednesdays Zumba at the Garden Visitor Center, Great Room 5:30 6:30 pm, $70 for 10 visit punch card Zumba fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a dynamic fitness program. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. First Wednesday of the month Photo Sharegroup Visitor Center, Classroom 1 6:30 8:30 pm, Free The Photo Sharegroup meets at the Garden the first Wednesday of each month. Our meetings are devoted to sharing digital images from mostly outdoor photography: nature (flora and fauna), gardens, travel, landscapes, and abstracts. If you would be interested in coming to a meeting, please Larry Petroff (lpetroff@charter.net), Becky Akin (bc.akin@charter.net), or Hugh Nourse (hughandcarol@att.net) for more information. Thursdays Nature Ramblers Meet at Shade Garden Arbor 8:30 am, Free Please join our Nature Ramblers and learn more about the natural areas, flora and fauna of the Garden while making new friends and enjoying the cool, fresh air. Sessions will start with an inspirational reading by a nature writer such as Annie Dillard, John Muir, or Janisse Ray. This is a ramble not a hike; we will stop to view interesting plants, insects, butterflies, mushrooms, etc., along the way. Ramblers are encouraged to bring their own nature writings or favorite poems

4 and essays to share with the group. Join us for one or all sessions; these informal rambles are free but donations are accepted in the Garden's donation box in the lobby of the Visitor Center. Friday, September 4 Friends First Friday: Native Plant Sale Preview Visitor Center Downstairs 9:00 am 10:30 am, $12 Heather Alley has been developing the Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies and it's collections of rare and common Georgia native plants for several years now. Plants grown at the Center get planted in Connect-to-Protect gardens throughout the state, habitat restorations, and safeguarding sites on public land. Specially selected plants grown at the Center are sold at our gift shop and annual fall Bluestems & Bluejeans Native Plant Sale. Come hear about what drives our passion for native plants, and get a sneak peek at a few of our most favorite offerings for pollinators and people alike at this fall's plant sale. This monthly event includes a full breakfast and an opportunity to meet new people while learning about the Garden, gardening or garden history. Please make your reservation by the Wednesday before by calling Tuesday, September 8 Concrete Leaf-casting SBG Greenhouse, Maintenance Center 6:00 8:00 pm, $35, pre-registration required Garden décor with a large effect! Lauren Zeichner, Registered Landscape Architect and Local Athens Artist, will teach us how to use large leaves to cast concrete forms. These forms can be used for bird baths or creative garden accents. Please wear something you do not mind getting wet or dirty. Saturday, September 12 Life without Flowers: Mosses, Liverworts, Ferns, and Horsetails Visitor Center, Classroom 2 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, $50 These ancient plants have been around millions of years longer than flowering plants they must be doing something right! Even though they don t have big, showy blooms or grow 300 feet tall, they are fascinating all the same. They ve seen dinosaurs come and go, and a lot of climate change along their evolutionary way. In this course step back 300 million years with Dr. Wilf Nicholls, Director of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, getting to know these plants, their structures, and their reproduction. Saturday, September 12 5th Annual Half-Moon Outfitters Trail Run Nature Trails 9:00 am start This is the only trail race held at the Garden. Half-Moon Outfitters created and manages this run to raise money for and raise awareness of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Half-Moon Outfitters has nine stores in South Carolina and Georgia, including a store in Five Points. For more information and to register, visit Wednesday, September 16 Fall Wildflowers of Stone Mountain at Stone Mountain More information: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, $50 In this class, Linda Chafin, Conservation Botanist at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, will teach students how to recognize this and other fall-blooming wildflowers of granite outcrops. Wednesday, September 17 Plants & Pollinators: Co-dependence & Conservation Visitor Center, Classroom 2 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, $50 Learn more about our dependence on pollinators and discover how to safeguard them in backyards and local ecosystems through gardening, bee-house building, and eco-friendly

5 lifestyles. This class taught by Anne Shenk, Director of Education, and Shelly Prescott, Flower Garden Curator, includes a field search for pollinators along with their host and nectar plants. Also included is an indoor lab on life cycles of these interesting organisms. Students will also learn techniques for propagating pollinator-friendly plants. As part of the Monarch Watch Citizen Science project, participants will learn to tag and release monarchs on their migration to Mexico. Approximately five volunteer hours toward the Certificate in Native Plants can be earned by applying knowledge from this class. Sunday, September Sun Salutation Festival Flower Garden Lawn 5:30pm (Please arrive at 5:15 for set up) Free with a suggested donation of $10; Registration recommended but walk-ins are welcome Celebrate nature, the change of season, the Autumn Equinox, and National Yoga Month with this ancient and powerful practice. A Sun Salutation is a series of 12 linked yoga poses. It is said to detoxify, massage and stimulate every organ in the body. For the mind and spirit, the benefits are many - calms the mind and connects you with your own breath and soul. The number 108 has a variety of historical, spiritual, scientific and mathematical meanings. Whether you practice the 108 sun salutations or just want to experience the amazing energy of this practice, come join in! Everyone is welcome! Please bring a yoga mat, water, towel and friends. Tuesday, September 22 Swing Dance Night in the Garden Visitor Center 8:00-11:00 pm, Free Every Tuesday, the UGA Swing Club hosts Athens Swing Night, an event open to the community. It starts with beginner and intermediate lessons from 8-9 p.m., followed by social dancing from 9-11 p.m. Many people purchase a card to attend all four Tuesdays in a month, but if there is a fifth Tuesday, the venue changes and admission is free! So enjoy September's free Swing Night inside the Visitor Center & Conservatory on Tuesday, September 22. Let's learn some new steps, and dance away the last summer evening of 2015 in the Garden. We'd love to see you there! Athens Swing Night would like you to know that you don't need to have any previous dance experience or a partner to attend. There's more information about Athens Swing Night and social dance in Athens on their website: Thursday, September 24 Entomology: Insects, Sustainable Foods, and You! Visitor Center Great Room 6:00 8:00 pm, Free; $5 to partake in food tasting Join us for Entomology: Insects, Sustainable Foods, and You!, brought to you by the UGA Bug Dawgs, the Athens Science Café and the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia as we embrace entomophagy by promoting the eating of insects. Come celebrate with us as we partner with local chefs, bakers, musicians, and artists to bring you a night of edible insects and entomophagy insight. It will be an unforgettable, sweet and savory event! Edible insects provide an answer to many of the world's most pressing problems. With your help, this bug banquet is bringing bugs to eat to the people! Saturday, September 26 Fall Wildflowers of the Georgia Piedmont Visitor Center, Classroom 2 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, $50 Our gardens, roadsides, and meadows are aglow with color in the fall. In this class, Linda Chafin, Conservation Botanist, will teach students how to recognize the most common fallblooming wildflowers in the Georgia Piedmont and introduce them to the basic botanical terminology used in identifying and describing fall-flowering plants, with an emphasis on plants in the Aster (composite) Family. We will then apply that knowledge to plants in the field,

learning to recognize families, genera, and species based on characteristics readily observable in the field. Saturday, September 26 23rd Annual Insect-ival!

6 learning to recognize families, genera, and species based on characteristics readily observable in the field. Saturday, September 26 23rd Annual Insect-ival! Visitor Center 9:30 am 12:30 pm; $5 per person; $20 max/family; children under 2 years old free Join Garden staff and volunteers for this creepy, crawly, and definitely fun Family Festival. Discovery stations, roach and beetle races, an insect café, puppet shows and, of course, lots of live insects will also highlight this year s event! At 11am we will host our annual 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! Insect-ival is sponsored by the Garden, the UGA Lund Club, the UGA Department of Entomology, and the Georgia Museum of Natural History. Pre-registration is not required. Monday, September 28 Full Moon Hike Meet at the Fountain in front of the Visitor s Center Starting at 7:00 pm; $5/person or $15/family Come see the garden come alive at night! Each walk will focus on a different topic such as the moon, constellations, or nocturnal creatures. Bring family and friends of all ages along to enjoy the mysterious world of nature at night! Be prepared to hike up to two miles on our wooded trails and in the garden. If you have young children or infants, a backpack carrier is suggested. Tuesday, September 29 Sunflower Music Series: Arvin Scott Flower Garden Lawn (Conservatory in inclement weather) 7:00-9:00 pm; $15; $5 children ages 6-12 We ve got a great line-up of musicians to perform for our popular annual Sunflower Music Series in one of the most beautiful and relaxing settings possible. Our September concert features Arvin Scott will bring jazz to the Garden. Dr. Scott teaches at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at UGA, and will feature a full combo for the concert. Jazz singer Marti Winkler will open the show. Bring a picnic basket, spread a blanket, kick off your shoes and enjoy a summer evening outdoors with family and friends. Concert moves indoors in wet weather. IN LAWRENCEVILLE: Wednesday, September Gold in Your Garden Symposium Learn design and growing tips for beautiful, reliable, easy-to-grow plants for Georgia gardens. Speakers: Wilf Nichols, Dottie Myers, Cliff Brock, and Dr. Allan Armitage. $75 in advance ($85 at door) includes lunch, morning break plus free parking. Gwinnett Tech, 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30043,

Building 700, Siemens Banquet Hall. Register in advance at http://botgarden.uga.edu or call 706-542-9353. Friends of The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and Master Gardeners receive a $10 discount.

7 Building 700, Siemens Banquet Hall. Register in advance at or call Friends of The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and Master Gardeners receive a $10 discount. Use promo code SBGGold at Mark your Calendars! September rd Annual Insectival October 6 Twilight Toasts in the Garden/Grow Your Own Cocktail October 1-10 Bluestems & Bluejeans Native Plant Sale October 10 Bartram celebration closing events see below October 25 First Annual I Love Ukulele Festival November 7 Fall Festival November 10 Johnstone Lecture: The Garden at Night: Moths, Pollination Services, and Climate Change February, 2016 Orchid Madness April 9, 2016 Plantapalooza Spring Plant Sale at the State Botanical Garden Student artists may win up to $1,000!! Make sure all the talented artists in your life know about our 2015 Student Art Competition. This competition is sponsored for the purpose of selecting original artwork that may be used to create signature items for sale at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia Gift Shop, such as note cards, T-shirts, scarves, mugs and mouse pads. All entrants submitting artwork must be students 9 th grade and above (including college students) who attend school full or part-time in Georgia. For more information, visit botgarden.uga.edu or call Connie at All artwork must be turned in to The State Botanical Garden by December 3, This competition is funded by the J.A. and H.G. Woodruff, Jr. Charitable Trust.

In the Garden Gift Shop To help celebrate the 250 th Anniversary of John and William Bartram s expedition, the State Botanical Garden Gift Shop has brought in many books by the authors who will be

.." Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of John and William Bartram's Natural History Expedition in Colonial Georgia August 22-October 10, 2015 John Bartram (1699-1777) was a third-generation

8 In the Garden Gift Shop To help celebrate the 250 th Anniversary of John and William Bartram s expedition, the State Botanical Garden Gift Shop has brought in many books by the authors who will be speaking at UGA this fall, books on the natural history of Georgia, plus botanical journals to inspire your own writings. Come see our new display! Set Off for Georgia..." Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of John and William Bartram's Natural History Expedition in Colonial Georgia August 22-October 10, 2015 John Bartram ( ) was a third-generation Pennsylvania Quaker imbued with a curiosity and reverence for nature as well as a passion for scientific inquiry. His travels by boat, on horseback, and on foot took him to New England, as far south as Florida, and west to Lake Ontario. He collected seeds and plant specimens, and established a trans-atlantic hub of plant exploration through his exchanges with prominent patrons and scholars in Europe who sought out plants from Bartram s Garden. In 1765, Bartram was appointed the Royal Botanist by King George III and, with his son William, set out for South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida on a collecting trip that would last two years. Based on John Bartram's journal account of their travels, this celebration marks their sojourn in Georgia between September 3 and October 8, The gallery exhibit at the UGA Special Collections Library features original manuscripts, engravings, and maps from the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library as well as specimens from the Georgia Natural History Museum. A series of six lectures will further explore the natural and cultural history the Bartrams saw in colonial Georgia. Two closing events on October 10 will be held at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. All other events will be held at the Special Collections Library, Richard B. Russell Building, 300 South Hull Street, on the University of Georgia Campus. Parking is available at the Hull Street parking deck immediately adjacent to the Library. All

9 events are free and open to the public. Visit for more information. Saturday, August 22, 7:00 p.m., Special Collections Library Auditorium (Second Floor) "William Bartram -- Puc Puggy's Travels through the South" presented by J.D. Sutton Thursday, September 3, 5:30 p.m., Special Collections Library Auditorium (2nd Floor) "An Itinerary of Discovery -- Tracing the Bartrams Across the South" presented by Brad Sanders Thursday, September 17, 5:30 p.m., Special Collections Library Auditorium (2nd Floor) "Rediscovering the Southern Landscape of the Late 18th Century" presented by Philip Juras and "The Art of William Bartram" presented by Janice Simon Thursday, October 1, 5:30 p.m., Special Collections Library Auditorium (Second Floor) "Natural Curiosity and Natural History: John Bartram's Observations on the Land and Life in Georgia", presented by Dorinda G. Dallmeyer Closing Events: Saturday, October 10, :00 PM, STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA ADMINISTRATION BUILDING "The usefull, the beautifull, the singular or the fragrant, are to us the most material -- John and William Bartram and Southern Plants in the Garden", presented by Joel T. Fry, Curator, Bartram's Garden, Philadelphia, PA Early American gardeners like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington traveled to see this extensive collection of North American plants collected at Bartram s Garden in Philadelphia. The Garden and its international plant trade and nursery business thrived under the care of three generations of Bartrams. Today Bartram s Garden is a National Historic Landmark operated by the John Bartram Association and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. This lecture by the current curator of this garden explores how John and William's discoveries in the Southeast were incorporated into this renowned Philadelphia garden. Joel T. Fry has been Curator at Bartram s Garden, the home of John and William Bartram, since A specialist in garden archaeology and garden history, Frye has written numerous articles on the history of Bartram s Garden and the Bartram family plant collections. Following the lecture, the Garden will host a reception for Joel Fry at 2:00 pm. 3:00 PM, MEET IN THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FRONT PLAZA Bartram Plant walk, led by Conservation Botanist, Linda Chafin. This garden tour will highlight plants discovered by the Bartrams now featured in the Garden's collection. Bartram plants also will be available for purchase during the annual Fall Plant Sale.

10 October 10, 7:00 p.m. "The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire, and the Birth of an Obsession" presented by Andrea Wulf, New York Times best-selling author, UGA Special Collections Library Auditorium (Second Floor) Links State Botanical Garden website Become a Friend of the Garden Benefits include discounts to classes and at the Garden Shop, Donderos Kitchen, and plant sales, plus an informative quarterly newsletter, and discounts at affiliated gardens. Garden Blog State Botanical Garden Facebook Page Center for Native Plant Studies Facebook Page Georgia Gold Medal Plants Facebook Page Plantapalooza Facebook Page The State Botanical Garden of Georgia 2450 South Milledge Avenue Athens, Georgia A unit of the University of Georgia Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia provides the general public as well as UGA faculty, staff and students opportunities for recreation, events, research and learning through its natural areas, display gardens and building spaces. The State Botanical Garden is located at 2450 South Milledge Ave., Athens, one mile south of the Athens Perimeter. For more information, visit botgarden.uga.edu.

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Connie Cottingham Public Relations and Special Events Coordinator The State Botanical Garden of Georgia (706) 542-6014 Summer 2015 June, July, August Calendar of Classes, Symposia,