LISTSERV 16.5 - TMG Archives

e-Newsletter | April 2021

Knoxville

Crossville

Jackson

We are aware of the current challenges related to coronavirus (COVID-19). UT is closely monitoring the situation and the Gardens will follow UT policies and changes regarding travel, classes and events. We will post updates via social media and websites in the event of any schedule changes or adaptations. For updated information, please visit https://utia.tennessee.edu/state-botanical-garden/ where you can connect to any of our three statewide sites.

April Gardening Tip

You can direct seed easy-to-grow flowering annuals and vegetables. Some easy flowers to grow from seed include marigold, zinnia, sunflower, and cosmos. Beans, peas, corn and okra are some easy direct-sow vegetables, while dill, basil and cilantro are some easy direct-sow herbs. (See related story below.)

Click here to read all gardening tips....

Plant of the Month

April: Virginia Bluebells

Submitted by Jason Reeves, horticulturist, UT Gardens, Jackson

"From the moment the blue green mouse-ear shaped leaves break the soil in the spring until they disappear in the summer, these plants provide immense pleasure," says Allan Armitage in his second edition of Herbaceous Perennial Plants. I could not agree more! I fell in love with Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) the first time I saw them more than 30 years ago. The gardener shared some plants with me, and I haven't been without since. My home garden would not be complete without Virginia bluebells or our native columbine, Aquilegia canadensis. These two wildflowers have become my favorites because they thrive and naturalize with little or no care while putting on a great spring show.

What's in Bloom in Your State Botanical Garden of Tennessee?

Jackson - The First Editions Spring Lace™ Viburnums are in their full glory growing on the south side of the main office building.

Knoxville - The delicate blooms of Illicium anisatum (Japanese star anise) are subtly fragrant. This evergreen shrub is located in the shade garden behind the McIlwaine Friendship Pavilion.

Crossville - Pollinators are already enjoying spring blooms of Phlox subulata. Look closely and you will see two Tiger Swallowtails and a Hummingbird Moth! This display is near the center of the gardens at our water feature.

UT Gardens, Knoxville

Grow Big Orange Virtual Gala

Honorary hosts Bill and Crissy Haslam invite you to attend the 2021 UT Gardens Gala, benefitting the UT Gardens, Knoxville.

Join us on Friday, April 30 at 6pm for the 2021 UT Gardens Gala, which will be held virtually this year! We will celebrate director emerita Sue Hamilton for her decades-long career with UT with our theme, "Grow Big Orange." Help us honor her legacy of cultivating UT students and implementing the vision that created and sustains the State Botanical Garden of Tennessee.

Admission is free, but registration is required. Register now on Handbid. Guests may support the UT Gardens, Knoxville by making a donation in lieu of a ticket, purchasing items at our silent auction (which will open on April 21), or giving during the live program on April 30.

UT Gardens, Crossville

Spring Plant Sale

Spring is here, and everyone is excited about planting! Shop our Spring Plant Sale and support the Gardens.

Orders will be accepted through April 25th.

This is our biggest fundraiser, and we need your help - so spread the word!

Note: plant orders will be picked up at the UT Gardens, Crossville (320 Experiment Station Rd). You'll be contacted to schedule a pickup time once you've placed an order.

Click one of the buttons below to download the pre-order form and place your order. You can download in your choice of format, either PDF or Excel. More details are listed on the forms.

We appreciate your support!

Order Form (PDF format)

Order Form (Excel format)

UT Gardens, Jackson

Spring Plant Sale

UT Gardens, Jackson will be partnering once again with the Madison County Master Gardeners, but this year's sale will be quite different from those they've hosted in the past. The sale has been extended to 3 shopping days in an effort to reduce the number of people shopping at any given time and to allow for social distancing (sale days and times listed in the graphic above).

UT Gardens plant selections will include flowering annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs. This portion of the sale will be located outdoors. Get sneak peeks at some plants that will be available on their Facebook page.

Master Gardener plant selections will include perennials, vines, groundcovers, small shrubs, herbs, vegetables, house plants, handmade garden art, crafts and planters. This portion of the sale will be located indoors.

Sale will be held rain or shine. There will be separate check-outs for the outdoor and indoor shopping areas. Payment by cash or check only, please!

UT Gardens, Crossville

Classes in the Garden

We are kicking off 'Classes in the Garden' this spring with Thursday Morning Timely Topics. Each Thursday morning (at 10am Central) we will address current horticultural and landscape topics to assist homeowners with their landscapes, lawns, gardens and orchards.

Initial classes will be held via zoom, but in-person classes will resume later this spring. Participants must register in advance to attend programs. For topic updates and registration see Upcoming Events on our website. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

UT Gardens, Knoxville

Upcoming Adult Classes

Observation

Date: Saturday, April 17, 2021

Time: 10am - 12pm (Eastern)

Cost: $15 Garden member/ $20 nonmember

Stated simply, this class is about being aware in the present moment. Living can be busy - between school, work, and endless amounts of entertainment we have little time for unrushed observation, which is essential to open creative space. In this course we will explore observation techniques and allow you time to practice observing your surrounding reality.

Give Your Plants a Boot (or Two!)

Date: Saturday, May 8, 2021

Time: 2-4pm (Eastern)

Cost: $45 Garden member/ $55 nonmember

Have you ever seen an unusual planter like succulents in a sink or daisies in a drawer? Our sister garden in Jackson showcases fun planters like these regularly, and they have inspired us to share some of that fun with you! We will use shoes as containers for plants. We will teach you how to make them ready to hold water and how to choose the best materials for the plants as well. Join us for this quirky planting as we give our plants a boot!

UT Gardens, Knoxville

Upcoming Kids Classes

Friday Fun Day: April Showers

April 16, 2021

10am-noon (Eastern)

Cost: $10 Garden members/ $15 nonmembers

Rain or shine, here at the UT Gardens we love being outside, especially in the Spring! During this outside program we will learn all about weather. While we are learning about the weather we will practice counting and identifying numbers and patterns.

This program is designed for 3, 4, and 5-year-olds, but all kids are welcome. Parents or guardians must be present with participants during the program.

Friday Fun Day: Earth Heroes

April 23, 2021

10am-noon (Eastern)

Cost: $10 Garden members/ $15 nonmembers

Do you like being outside? Seeing bees and birds and babbling brooks? So do we! This Friday Fun Day is all about how we can help keep the Earth a beautiful place to live. We will learn about recycling and picking up trash (safely, of course!), and we will plant something together to make our homes a greener place, too.

This program is designed for 3, 4, and 5-year-olds, but all kids are welcome. Parents or guardians must be present with participants during the program.

UT Gardens, Knoxville

Summer Camp

View Camp Descriptions

Who is ready for summertime? The snow is fun, but nothing compares to the freedom of summer. With that, we are thrilled to announce our 2021 summer camp sessions! New this year will be a camp for twelve to fourteen-year-olds in June and a week of half-days for four and five-year-olds. Check out our website to see the camp descriptions and register. Our plan is to have camp in-person while following university policies, especially regarding the Covid-19 situation. Spaces are extremely limited, so register early to reserve your space!

If, after registering, you determine your camper will not be able to attend you can apply the fee to a different week in 2021 or 2022 (or request a refund). Contact Whitney Welch if you have any questions about camp.

UT Gardens, Crossville

It's Bluebird Time in Tennessee!

We are right on time for the Cumberland Plateau! Last month's newsletter noted that nesting would begin the 3rd to 4th week of March, and this photo was taken on March 24th. As you can see, we have a tidy little bluebird nest. There are several nests now with plenty of bluebird activity, and we anticipate egg-filled nests very soon.

Don Hazel, president of the Tennessee Bluebird Society, is planning an on-site Bluebird presentation. Updates will be provided on our website and Facebook page.

For additional information about bluebirds and the Tennessee Bluebird Society visit www.tnbluebirdsociety.org.

More photos and findings will be shared each month throughout the summer. Happy bluebirding!

UT Gardens, Knoxville

Volunteers

We have started having volunteers greet our garden guests this month. These volunteers help answer guests' questions and talk to them about upcoming events, membership, volunteer opportunities and more. It's a great way to interact with guests of all ages!

UT Extension Publication

Seed Grown Flowers for the Garden

Mexican Zinnia

Zinnia angustifolia 'Crystal White'

Wheat Celosia

Celosia argentea 'Kelos Atomic Salmon'

Check out this recently completed UT Extension publication which provides a great list of flowering plants that are easily grown from seed and are well-suited to Tennessee growing conditions. Growing flowers from seed can be a fun and economical way to add color and pizzazz to your home garden!