All programs are free and
open to the public unless otherwise noted. Meetings are
held at the Mint Museum Randolph. Refreshments are
served at 6:30 p.m., programs begin at 7:15 p.m.
The Charlotte Garden Club 2016 - 2017 Speaker Schedule
September 19, 2016 Celebrating the
Natural Gardens of the Carolinas
The Natural Gardens of North Carolina, the seminal work
by B. W. Wells published in 1932, encouraged us all to
view our state as more than mountains, piedmont, and
coastal plain. While ostensibly discussing 10 "natural
gardens," Wells' lyrical writing guided us through
scores of native plant communities, nudging us to
appreciate the interactions of terrain, climate, and
soil and to observe the resulting trees, shrubs, and
forbs.
We now know that the Carolinas are
home to hundreds of special and unique plant
associations, from granite outcrops to grassy balds to
rich cove forests to the coastal pine savannas that so
charmed Dr. Wells. In recent years, handsome new species
including the Oak Barrens Barbara's Buttons and the
Sandhills Lily have been added to our flora. The works
of Doug Tallamy and others have encouraged us to deepen
our appreciation of the insect and native birds that
depend upon our plant communities.
Over the past decade,
Will Stuart has visited scores of
unique southeast plant communities, looking for and
photographing the unique plant species that thrive in
these small and often fragmented habitats. Will's
presentation visits dozens of these special destinations
and celebrates the floral diversity of the Carolinas.
Will Stuartis an outdoor enthusiast and an avid native plant and
bird photographer. Most recently Will worked with Dr.
Larry Mellichamp as photographer for Native Plants of
the Southeast, published by Timber Press in 2014. Will
spends much of his time in the Carolinas, documenting
the flora and fauna that depend upon the region's many
and diverse natural areas. Many of his images feature an
"up close and personal" view of a blossom, a bud, a
bird, or a butterfly.
Will is an active
member of the North Carolina Native Plant Society, the
National Aububon Society, and the Carolina Nature
Photographers Association.
October 17, 2016
The Beauty of Moore Farms Botanical Garden
Join Rebecca Turk on a virtual tour of
Moore Farms. Nestled among fields of corn and soybeans,
this 50-acre garden is located in the rural Pee Dee
region near Lake City, South Carolina. By combining
cutting edge horticultural practices and rural gardening
traditions, the Garden is reinterpreting what it means
to be a Southern garden: a careful blend of exuberant
plant displays, bounding meadows and enduring vistas of
grey green pines. Woven throughout this aesthetic
tapestry are innovative research, educational programs
and community outreach. The resulting union of art and
scholarship is a dazzling example of the modern
botanical garden.
Embracing its southern
pastoral setting through an informal, expressive design
scheme. Moore Farms Botanical Garden is wildly
beautiful, creative and soulful; a place of both
inspiration and comfort, where plants rule and there is
a feeling of discovery, a sense of hitting upon
something that others haven't. Rebecca
Turk is the Education and Events Manager at
Moore Farms. She graduated with a MS degree in
Horticulture from North Carolina State University in
2012 and BS in Agriculture, focusing in horticulture,
from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2010. She
discovered her passion for public horticulture and
teaching through her mom and her work at the SFA Mast
Arboretum, Nacogdoches Naturally, Missouri Botanical
Garden and the JC Raulston Arboretum. She has a strong
passion for educating the community and sharing her love
for the outdoors.
November
21, 2016
A Garden for All Seasons - Highlights of a South
Carolina Garden
The
prevailing climate of our region enables gardeners to
grow a remarkable and extensive range of ornamental
plants - a range that encompasses plants associated with
both more more northern and southern climate regimes. We
are able to enjoy distinct, but usually not extreme,
seasonal climatic variations which enable gardeners to
create innovative landscapes exhibiting year-round
ornamental appeal.
In his presentation,
John introduces us to his 36 year-old, one acre urban
shade garden located in Greenwood, South Carolina. He
describes a selection of his favorite plants and how
each seasonally contributes to the ultimate objective of
creating a garden of year-round ornamental interest.
John E. Elsley's extensive
formal education in the United Kingdom (at the
University of Leicester, the Essex Institute of
Agriculture and the royal Botanic Gardens, Kew)
encompassed the practical and theoretical aspects of
Botany together with the commercial and ornamental
spheres of Horticulture. For nearly 50 years he has
built on this education in profit and non - profit
entities within the Botanical and Horticultural worlds.
His professional career encompasses being Botanist
for the Royal Horticultural Society at their Wisley
Garden, Curator of Hardy Plants at the Missouri
Botanical Garden in St. Louis, senior positions with the
George W. Park Seed Company and their Wayside Gardens
division, Horticultural Director for the Klehm Song
Sparrow Farm and Nursery and most recently as a
Consultant to the Gardens Alive group of companies.
Through his career in retail and direct marketing
environments, his experiences included strategic
planning, policy and procedure development, budgeting,
vendor selection, product specification and selection,
purchasing and inventory control, sales, marketing and
quality control. In 1999, he was the recipient of the
inaugural Retail Sales Award from the Perennial Plant
Association.
John and his wife Billie are avid
gardeners. He has always enjoyed photographing plants
and gardens and maintains an extensive botanical and
horticultural library. An interest in English garden
history stimulated John's enthusiasm for collecting
antique English garden watercolors from the late 19th
and early 20th century. In 2012, his collection was
exhibited at the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta,
Georgia. John is a longtime Judge at the Cincinnati
Flower Show and an active volunteer for various
horticultural endeavors in his hometown of Greenwood,
South Carolina.
December
5, 2016
Holiday Program
Pat
McCall of the Blossom Shop brings years of floral design
and teaching experience to our annual Holiday Program.
Pat excels in bringing the beauty of our southern
gardens and woodlands indoors. Think boxwood, pinecones,
mosses, apples, cranberries...the real thing! Best of
all: she can show you how to do it! But if you're short
on time, her creations will be available to purchase at
the conclusion of the program. Don't forget to bring
your checkbook!
January 23, 2017 A Move to "Default
Native" Selecting Native Flora Whenever Possible
in Private Developments and on Public Lands Tom Earnhardt is an avid naturalist. A
keen observer and photographer of the natural world, his
outdoor and conservation-related travel and speaking
engagements have taken him across North America, the
British Isles, Europe, and Asia--including Russia (six
trips), Indonesia, and China. He is also a fly
fisherman, who has fished around the globe. A lifelong
resident of North Carolina, Tom has criss-crossed North
Carolina researching, writing and co-producing over 70
episodes of the natural science series, "Exploring North
Carolina." The UNC-TV television series highlights
natural resources of North Carolina and the Southeast
and has been nominated for Emmy Awards five times.
A graduate of Davidson College and UNC School of
Law, Tom is an attorney with experience in government,
corporate, and private practice. Earnhardt also had over
20 years in the classroom, and retired as a full
professor. At North Carolina Central University School
of Law he taught Property, Business Associations, and
Environmental Law.
February 20, 2017 Blurring the Lines
between Nature & Man at the SC Botanical Garden
The SCBG has been known as the place "where nature and
culture meet" for many years but in the past six years
we have taken our motto to a new level. The philosophy
of the Garden is to be an inviting place where the
visitor may contemplate the importance that our choices
as an individual have and how those choices shape the
world around us. This is a place where you will learn
that if you throw down a shell you will change the world
and we can see the choices of our forefathers in every
facet of the world around us. Join Patrick as he takes
us on a journey along the trails and through history to
examine the nature of the Carolinas and how the SCBG is
bringing this light. Patrick McMillan is the host,
co-creator and writer of the popular, Emmy-award winning
ETV nature program Expeditions with Patrick McMillan.
For over 25 years, Patrick has worked as a professional
naturalist, biologist and educator. His range of
experience has concentrated on botany, though he is also
well-respected through his work in ichthyology,
herpetology and mammalogy. Patrick is a professional
naturalist, the Glenn and Heather Hilliard Professor of
Environmental Sustainability at Clemson University,
where his is also a faculty member in the Department of
Forestry and Environmental Conservation, and the
director of the South Carolina Botanical Garden, the Bob
Campbell Geology Museum and the Clemson Experimental
Forest.
Patrick received his B.S. in
Biology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel
Hill, and his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Clemson
University. He has twice been honored with the
distinction of faculty excellence at Clemson and was the
inaugural recipient of the Rowland P. Alston Sr. Award
for Communication. In 2005, he was awarded the
distinctions of Conservation Partner of the Year by the
Partnership for the Blue Ridge, as well as Outstanding
Classified Employee by Clemson University. He is a
contributor to the book Life at the Water's Edge,
which won the 2005 Renewable Natural Resources
Foundations Outstanding Achievement Award and has been
selected to receive one of ten South Carolina Notable
State Document Awards for 2005.
March 20, 2017 Sizzling Succulents Brie Arthur, originally from
southeastern Michigan, studied Landscape Design at
Purdue University. With more than a decade of experience
in plant production, she has worked in many aspects of
horticulture including estate gardening at Montrose
Gardens and nursery production at Plant Delights and
Camellia Forest Nursery.
As a
professional garden industry communicator, Brie is
committed to getting the message out that all things
horticultural are the way of the future. 2017 brings
many new ventures, including her forthcoming book,
The Foodscape Revolution, published by St Lynn's
Press.
April 17, 2017
Wit and Wisdom from the Garden
Kay
Minor and Jeffrey Drum have
agreed to join forces to bring you an entertaining mix
of gardening stories and information. Kay and Jeff have
created and worked in many of Charlotte's finest
gardens--including their own gardens which will be
featured on our tour this spring. Their gardening
expertise includes design, maintenance and plant
selection. Most importantly both Kay and Jeff have the
unique ability to introduce just the right amount of
whimsy and delight to the garden. Don't miss this
opportunity to learn from 2 of Charlotte's finest
gardeners. Both Kay and Jeff are happy to answer your
questions.
Both Kay Minor and Jeffrey Drum have
brought their expertise in garden design and maintenance
to many of Charlotte's finest gardens including their
own - featured on our ART IN THE GARDEN TOUR this April.
They bring energy, an eye for design, and a passion for
plants to the garden and are quick to share their
enthusiasm with other gardeners. Kay's Elizabeth garden
is Zen-like with ample whimsy. Jeff's Madison Park
garden exemplifies his belief that a garden is
ever-changing and always a work in progress. Tonight's
program is a great way to obtain wisdom - and wit - from
two of Charlotte's finest gardeners.
DALE AND SAGE BROOK
2116 LYNBRIDGE DRIVE 28270 (HAMPTON LEAS)
This wondrous garden is a place where the owners play with the natural world. It has evolved over 10 years. Walk the meandering paths to see the Koi pond, fountains, arches, and decks. Enjoy the chimes, original sculptures and rocks. So many rocks! There is much to discover. Visitors experiencing this special garden have called it eclectic, magical, lovely, whimsical, and calming. You may even hear the gentle sounds of an Irish harp. Owner designed.
MARY AND BILL STATON
2431 HARTMILL COURT 28226 (HUNTCLIFFE)
The owners' corner of heaven is nearly an acre divided into three distinct gardens. In 23 years, they've crammed it with verdant plantings, flowers, and two dry creeks. Near a new deck and pergola, they removed a pool and a section of driveway, replacing them with a travertine terrace and patio, raised vegetable beds, a whimsical potting shed, lawn, and playful children's corner. A path through contemplative moss and ravine gardens leads to a boulder-strewn stream and viewing area. Designers: Blair Farris Designs and Sifford Garden Design.
JEFF DRUM
5833 MURRAYHILL ROAD 28210 (MADISON PARK)
The owner's goal was creating a garden as low maintenance as possible. So the yard has gone from all grass to very little and from no privacy to very private with the addition of trees and shrubs. The front is formal with annual color. The back garden has evolved on its own. Says the owner, "I have weeds and use no herbicides because my dog hangs out with me." A secret garden holds a boxwood collection and a hidden patio is a favorite place for sitting and relaxing. Owner designed.
THERESA NARDI
2330 CLUB ROAD 28205 (PLAZA MIDWOOD)
This inner-city hideaway began as a slope of baked red clay. Stepped open decks were added and gravel areas, evocative of water, were created in the rear. Japanese maples are the focus with ferns, yews, hydrangeas, pieris, and an azalea garden in shady areas. The massive double-gated fence with shingled eaves and bamboo insets completes the Asian-inspired landscape. The front yard includes drought-tolerant grasses, sedges, pines, mahonia, dwarf cryptomeria, black mondo grass, and junipers. Azaleas, Siberian iris, spirea, and butterfly bushes add seasonal color. Owner designed.
KAY AND PETER MINOR
1929 EAST 8th STREET 28204 (ELIZABETH)
This bungalow has been the owners' home for 26 years. Renting a truck to move from down the street, they backed up over a front yard of monkey grass and unloaded. A canopy of change commenced. Full shade to full sun. High maintenance to low maintenance. Cottage-like to Zen. Whimsy, however, has remained a constant. Spontaneous convergence of gardeners at Minor Manor is the norm. Their mission: to make Elizabeth beautiful again. Owner designed.
SANDY WELTON
1512 EAST 8th STREET 28204 (ELIZABETH)
A mix of sun and shade, this four-season garden has majestic willow oaks and lacebark elms with understory Japanese maples, dogwoods, redbuds and snowball viburnums. Camellias, azaleas, plum yews, cherry laurels, distyliums, mahonias and daphnes provide an evergreen backdrop for ornamental hypericums, beautyberries, hydrangeas, roses, abelias, chokeberries, and grasses. Follow the path from the front garden to the side yard's natural stone water feature and perennial beds and to the rear yard, the perfect setting for solitude and outdoor entertaining. Designer: Cindy Chaney.
Bartlett Trees |
Blackhawk |
Blossom Shop |
Ingleside Builders |
Living Color |
Myron Greer |
Ponders |
Royal Gardens |
Styers & Styers |
Beth Peterson |
Dottie Hedberg |
Elizabeth Jackson |
Ellen Wade |
Haskell Eargle |
Jane Conlan |
Janet Nelson |
Jim Renger |
Kathleen & Harold Howe |
Kathryn Preyer |
Leslie & Barry Teague |
Leslie & Paul Perlik |
Marcia Koehler |
Mary Campbell |
Nancy Welchel |
Robin Cochran |
Susan Grove |
The Natural Gardens of North Carolina, the seminal work
by B. W. Wells published in 1932, encouraged us all to
view our state as more than mountains, piedmont, and
coastal plain. While ostensibly discussing 10 "natural
gardens," Wells' lyrical writing guided us through
scores of native plant communities, nudging us to
appreciate the interactions of terrain, climate, and
soil and to observe the resulting trees, shrubs, and
forbs.
Join Rebecca Turk on a virtual tour of
Moore Farms. Nestled among fields of corn and soybeans,
this 50-acre garden is located in the rural Pee Dee
region near Lake City, South Carolina. By combining
cutting edge horticultural practices and rural gardening
traditions, the Garden is reinterpreting what it means
to be a Southern garden: a careful blend of exuberant
plant displays, bounding meadows and enduring vistas of
grey green pines. Woven throughout this aesthetic
tapestry are innovative research, educational programs
and community outreach. The resulting union of art and
scholarship is a dazzling example of the modern
botanical garden.
The
prevailing climate of our region enables gardeners to
grow a remarkable and extensive range of ornamental
plants - a range that encompasses plants associated with
both more more northern and southern climate regimes. We
are able to enjoy distinct, but usually not extreme,
seasonal climatic variations which enable gardeners to
create innovative landscapes exhibiting year-round
ornamental appeal.
Pat
McCall of the Blossom Shop brings years of floral design
and teaching experience to our annual Holiday Program.
Pat excels in bringing the beauty of our southern
gardens and woodlands indoors. Think boxwood, pinecones,
mosses, apples, cranberries...the real thing! Best of
all: she can show you how to do it! But if you're short
on time, her creations will be available to purchase at
the conclusion of the program. Don't forget to bring
your checkbook!
Tom Earnhardt is an avid naturalist. A
keen observer and photographer of the natural world, his
outdoor and conservation-related travel and speaking
engagements have taken him across North America, the
British Isles, Europe, and Asia--including Russia (six
trips), Indonesia, and China. He is also a fly
fisherman, who has fished around the globe. A lifelong
resident of North Carolina, Tom has criss-crossed North
Carolina researching, writing and co-producing over 70
episodes of the natural science series, "Exploring North
Carolina." The UNC-TV television series highlights
natural resources of North Carolina and the Southeast
and has been nominated for Emmy Awards five times.
Patrick McMillan is the host,
co-creator and writer of the popular, Emmy-award winning
ETV nature program Expeditions with Patrick McMillan.
For over 25 years, Patrick has worked as a professional
naturalist, biologist and educator. His range of
experience has concentrated on botany, though he is also
well-respected through his work in ichthyology,
herpetology and mammalogy. Patrick is a professional
naturalist, the Glenn and Heather Hilliard Professor of
Environmental Sustainability at Clemson University,
where his is also a faculty member in the Department of
Forestry and Environmental Conservation, and the
director of the South Carolina Botanical Garden, the Bob
Campbell Geology Museum and the Clemson Experimental
Forest.
Brie Arthur, originally from
southeastern Michigan, studied Landscape Design at
Purdue University. With more than a decade of experience
in plant production, she has worked in many aspects of
horticulture including estate gardening at Montrose
Gardens and nursery production at Plant Delights and
Camellia Forest Nursery. 
Kay
Minor and Jeffrey Drum have
agreed to join forces to bring you an entertaining mix
of gardening stories and information. Kay and Jeff have
created and worked in many of Charlotte's finest
gardens--including their own gardens which will be
featured on our tour this spring. Their gardening
expertise includes design, maintenance and plant
selection. Most importantly both Kay and Jeff have the
unique ability to introduce just the right amount of
whimsy and delight to the garden. Don't miss this
opportunity to learn from 2 of Charlotte's finest
gardeners. Both Kay and Jeff are happy to answer your
questions.