The last couple of months have been amazing here at the Gardens. Our membership program is taking off, we just finished our fall plant sale, had a fantastic 50th anniversary celebration, finalized dates for music in the garden, and made public our intention to begin seeking funds for a new visitor center and conservatory.
Yes, we are all just a little bit tired.
Our efforts are focused on our goal of bringing the world of plants to people, and we’ll try almost anything to accomplish it. Of all of the things that we do, the one that is giving us the most bang for our botanical buck is our new membership program. It has only been running for a few months now, but already we have a whole host of new members. Benefits include discounts on classes, discounts at our plant sales and at local garden centers and service from Bartlett Tree Experts, early access to our plant sales, and you even get a free native plant when you sign up!
If you’re interested in membership at the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens just click here
One of our recent successes was Music in the Gardens which began last May. This event was so wonderful that a group of donors including William Branch, Cissy Shull, Chris Teat, and Catherine Connor have provided further funding to insure its continuation. Music will return to the gardens on December 8 when the UNC Charlotte Music Department will provide a holiday choral concert.
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Looking at Expansion
Those of you who have visited our greenhouses know that we have an outstanding collection of tropical plants and orchids, but also that the facilities which house these plants are starting to show their age. The University understands our needs and has provided us with plans for a new visitor center and conservatory, now all we need is the funding to make it happen. When complete this will be the biggest public conservatory between Atlanta and Washington DC and provide an incredibly important cultural resource to the Charlotte community that is free of charge to any and all visitors (as it has always been). It is going to take time for us to gather funds to make this dream a reality, but this is an exciting first step in our growth as we become a more prominent part of Charlotte’s culture. If you are interested in helping out please e-mail Botanical Gardens Director Jeff Gillman directly at jgillman@uncc.edu
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Best Fall Foliage
There are dozens of plants that flash the amazing reds, oranges and yellows of fall. A short list of the best might include sourwood, red maple, oakleaf hydrangea, bottlebrush buckeye, Chinese pistache and sugar maple, but there is one group of plants that defines the fall for me, and that’s Fothergilla. There are numerous Fothergilla cultivars that you might encounter, all of which are either Fothergilla major, Fothergilla gardenii or a hybrid of these two species. These plants are natives of the Southeast and all are stunning beauties over the fall months. The reds, oranges and yellows that this plant displays are nothing short of amazing, but really the best part of this plant is that it provides a wonderful show the entire growing season. From its fragrant, showy white flower tufts that appear in the spring to its lovely slightly blueish foliage in the summer, and of course its amazing fall foliage, this is truly a three season beauty worthy of being placed in any garden.
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