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BOOtanical Family Festival

Friday, October 25, 5-8 p.m.
carved pumpkin in the gardenFor all ages. Celebrate the fall season with a fun-filled evening of hands-on nature activities at the Garden! Meet green monsters, tackle the spider obstacle course, craft a magic wand and leaf critter, hear creepy crawly tales, and much more. Be sure to view the nature-themed carved pumpkin display, and come dressed in your favorite plant or animal costume! $5 per person; children 2 & under freeFood trucks. Register now >

IN THIS ISSUE

- BOOtanical
- Forest Theatre 100
- Best in Show
- New Staff
- Fall Retreat
- Mark Your Calendar
- Thanks!
- Group Workdays
- DeBerry Gallery
- Garden Shop
- In the News
- Piedmont Patch
- Free Garden Tours
- Let's Have Lunch
- Upcoming Classes

Forest Theatre 100th Anniversary Celebration

Sunday, October 6, 2-4 p.m.
Koch with student at Forest TheatreEnjoy performances paying tribute to the legacy of the theatre and participate in the conversation about the theatre’s future. Performers include Playmakers Repertory Company, Paperhand Puppet Intervention, and more! Registration strongly recommended. Register now >

The Frederick Henry Koch Memorial Forest Theatre was spearheaded a century ago by its namesake in collaboration with William C. Coker, botany professor and chair of the grounds and buildings committee. Koch was at the forefront of the community and outdoor theater movements. In 1943, the theater was named in his honor. The Garden began managing the Forest Theatre in 2004, and made some enhancements in 2012, but there are many more improvements necessary to allow Koch’s vision to flourish, including addressing drainage issues, repairing the lighting towers and other structures, and improving lighting and sound infrastructure.

As we look to the next 100 years of Forest Theatre, the Garden is working with campus and community partners, including PlayMakers Repertory Company, University of North Carolina’s Department of Dramatic Art, Arts Everywhere, Carolina Performing Arts, and the Town of Chapel Hill, to sustain Koch’s dream of outdoor performances.

You can help! For information about supporting this project, contact Stephen Keith, director of development, at Stephen.Keith@unc.edu or 919-962-9458.

Sculpture Awards

At the Sculpture in the Garden Preview Party on September 14, we announced the juried awards selected by Mario Marzán, assistant professor of art at UNC-Chapel Hill:

Best in Show:
#16 - Sky Lilies, William Moore (pictured)
 
Honorable Mentions:
#1 – Hermit, Claire Pope with Joshua Seabolt
#3 – Summer Fall, Nana Abreu
#23 – What King Destroys His Own Kingdom?, Stacey Wright
#30 – Self-Reference, Jonathan Michael Davis

Want a chance to weigh in? Voting for the People's Choice Award is open until Friday, November 15! Once you've seen the show, return to the exhibit hall to vote for your favorite. The winning artist receives a $1,000 award!

Sculpture in the Garden is free and open to the public during normal Garden hours through Sunday, December 8. Come see this year's 44 installations by 32 North Carolina artists!

Welcome, Matt and Rebecca, and Congratulations, Stephen!

We are pleased to welcome Matt Daley back to the Garden as a full-time horticultural technician. Matt's long history with the Garden includes several years working as a nursery assistant and pinch hitting as the interim school programs coordinator for the better part of 2016. For the last year, Matt has been doing landscaping work with Alan Johnson, one of the Garden's first horticultural professionals. In his new role, Matt will be providing horticultural support to the curators and nursery manager as well as tending to the horticulture department's operational needs and facilities. 

Rebecca Wait is the new curator of the Allen Education Center landscape and entryway gardens. Rebecca is a Chapel Hill native familiar with the Garden. She previously served as the assistant manager at the Campus Community Garden and as a summer intern at the Coker Arboretum. Since then, she has worked as a horticulturist at both the JC Raulston Arboretum and the Keith Arboretum and completed a master's degree in landscape architecture at NC State.


Stephen KeithStephen Keith has been named our new director of development. Stephen has a long history with UNC-Chapel Hill and the Garden. After studying biology and chemistry at UNC, Stephen joined our staff in 1995 as a horticulture intern. He went on to hold a number of positions at the Garden, from curator of Battle Park and Forest Theatre to acting assistant director and assistant director of development. He left the Garden to work as an associate director of development for the UNC Arts and Sciences Foundation before returning to the Garden in June 2017 as our associate director of development. He has been our interim director of development since Charlotte Jones-Roe retired in December. Stephen has earned a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke and completed his master of public administration from NC State. 

Fall Retreat: Yoga & Art Journaling in the Garden

fall scene in the Coastal Plain habitat gardenSaturday, November 9; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. •  $60
Join us for a relaxing, restorative retreat focused on yoga and art journaling. Enjoy the beautiful fall landscape of the Garden while experiencing gentle yoga, art journaling, and mindfulness sessions with skilled instructors. For participants 18 years of age or older; registration is required. Tickets include class instruction, art supplies, yoga mat rental, and healthy snacks. Register now >

Mark Your Calendar:

Annual Membership Meeting
Friday, November 15, 1 p.m., Reeves Auditorium

All members are invited to participate in this annual meeting and vote for new North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation board members. Nominees include Susan Moeser, Max Leach, Terry Ball, and Janis McFarland. The proposed officer slate includes: Anne Harris, President; Sims Preston, Vice President; Nate Byrd, Treasurer; and Jenny Routh, Secretary.

Members' Holiday Party
Friday, December 6, 5-8 p.m.

Join us as we celebrate the season at our annual holiday party. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, festive entertainment, and a preview of Winter in the Garden. 

Winter in the Garden
Saturday, December 7, 5-9 p.m.

Enjoy the peaceful holiday splendor of the Garden as we celebrate the end of the year with lights, kids' crafts, holiday music, food trucks, and a craft market. 

Thank you for a Great Fall Plant Sale!

Last weekend's Fall Plant Sale was a HUGE success! We are so pleased to report that we sold our most plants ever during this sale -- over 5,000! This means there are 5,000+ native plants becoming part of landscapes throughout our area, supporting our native wildlife. We couldn't have done this without you, so we are sending a big thank you to those of you who bought plants and those of you who volunteered. This sale would not have been successful without your support. Thanks!!!

people enjoying a Garden workdayJoin us for a Group Workday

Did you know the Garden offers group work days for businesses, service groups, and UNC departments? If you are interested, please contact Elaine at emcmanus@unc.edu for more information.

In the DeBerry Gallery

September-October

CELEBRATING NATURE

Works by the 2019 graduates of our Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration Program

November-December

GIFTS OF NATURE

Works by members of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators-Carolinas (pictured)

Exhibit Reception: Sunday, November 10; 2-4 p.m.




 

In the Garden Shop

calendarThe Garden Shop is now taking pre-orders for the 2020 Botanical Art and Illustration calendar. The calendar builds on the quality and artistry of previous years and we are pleased to offer it once again. Through their contributions to this year’s calendar, alumni and current students of the BAI certificate program continue to honor the goals of the Garden to promote the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of plants. Sale of the calendars directly supports our programs and staff.
 
This year 's wall calendar is available in two sizes. The large is 11 x 14" and sells for $25, and the small is 5 x 8" and sells for $15.
 
The calendars will be available in the shop beginning November 1, 2019. If you would like to pre-order yours, please call 919-962-0547. You will need to provide your name, a phone number or email address, the quantity you would like, and the size. We will hold the calendars for you and you can pick them up any time after November 1. 

In the News


venus flytrapsCARNIVOROUS CONSERVATION

As wild Venus flytrap populations suffer due to poaching and habitat loss, UNC researchers, including Garden staff, work to preserve these carnivorous wonders through genetic testing and seed banking. Find our more in this article in Endeavors magazine. Read more >
Photo by Matthew Westmoreland
 

VENUS FLYTRAPS IN PERIL

This article on Mental Floss discusses the threats to Venus flytraps in the wild and what is being done to save them, including a push to be added to the Endangered Species List. Read more >

 

FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE

The Garden conducts controlled burns to manage wildfires and maintain rare plant and animal habitats. Endeavors magazine takes you to a prescribed fire at Mason Farm Biological Reserve to explain the importance of fire to conservation efforts. Read more >

Piedmont Patch Garden Talk
Becoming Friends: Native and Non-native Plants in the Garden

Saturday, October 19, 10 a.m.
@ Episcopal Church of the Advocate,
8410 Merin Road, Chapel Hill
NC Extension Orange County Master Gardener Frances Harris will illustrate how, in just five years, she turned a half-acre square of lawn dotted with three canopy trees into a neat woodland garden oasis in the heart of Hillsborough. There were a lot of decisions to make along the way and lessons learned. Ultimately, the garden came together with a balanced mix of native and non-native understory trees, shrubs and ground covers, including bits of lawn. Today, it is a peaceful, restorative place for her family and friends to gather or find solitude. 

Piedmont Patch aims to restore native flora and fauna displaced by rapid urbanization, grounded in a belief that the environment and our natural resources will be better sustained, and even thrive, as organizations and individuals work to cultivate one patch at a time. The Project is a collaborative effort of the Episcopal Church of the Advocate, the Town of Chapel Hill, the North Carolina Botanical Garden, and individuals with knowledge and skills to share. Find out more at www.piedmontpatch.org.

Free Garden Tours


THE COLORS OF AUTUMN

Saturday, November 2, 10-11 a.m. 
How beautiful the leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days. ~ John Burroughs

Early November provides a palette of beautiful colors in autumn leaves and fall wildflowers. Walk with us and enjoy nature’s artwork. Free, but please preregister. Space is limited! Register now >


COKER ARBORETUM TOURS

Saturday, October 19, 11 a.m. 
Did you know we offer a free tour of Coker Arboretum on the third Saturday of every month from March to November? Tours begin at 11 a.m. and last 1-2 hours. Meet in the gathering circle on the south side of the Arboretum, next to the arbor along Cameron Avenue. Come learn about the unique history and composition of this wonderful garden in the heart of the UNC campus. Registration is encouraged but not required. Register now >
 

UNC HERBARIUM TOUR

Saturday, October 19, 1-3 p.m.
Join Herbarium staff for a behind-the-scenes tour of the UNC Herbarium, a research collection of plants and fungi from around the world. The Herbarium curates nearly 1 million specimens of fungi, lichens, algae, mosses, vascular plants, and plant fossils. We will tour the various collections and discuss how the specimens are collected and how they are used to document biodiversity, to target conservation efforts, and to understand the evolution of plant life. Register now >

Let's Have Lunch Together!


Pack a PB&J and join us for a free LUNCHBOX Talk!

 

FOOD FORESTS: VERTICALLY LAYERED EDIBLE GARDENS

Thursday, October 10; 12-1 p.m. •  Free; registration required

Food forests are a permaculture concept gaining popularity for edible public gardens in the United States. One of the first developed in our state is a gorilla gardening effort started on a piece of abandoned land in the late 1990s in Asheville, NC. These designs are intended to mimic a forest ecosystem with layers of plantings from ground covers to canopy trees, with edible fruits and medicinals making up many of the species. Register now >
 

BOTANICAL GARDENS 2045: ADAPTING TO THE MOST DIVERSE NATION IN HISTORY

Thursday, October 24; 12-1 p.m. •  Free; registration required

In 2045, the majority of United States citizens will be black and brown rather than white. Many institutions are asking how best to engage with what will be the most diverse population in the nation’s history. How can botanical gardens extend their relevance and influence in this new era? This talk will share broad trends impacting institutions across the country, highlighting case studies where shifts in leadership, programming, and facilities are helping institutions adapt to a new normal. Register now >
 

PLANTS WE EAT AND WEAR

Thursday, October 31; 12-1 p.m. •  Free; registration required

Explore some of our most fundamental relationships with plants—the primary foods we eat and the clothes we wear. Our diet and clothing reflect a fascinating history of the domestication and international sharing of plants across cultures over the past 15,000 years. What are the implications of our increasingly global and industrialized diet, and the “locavore” agitation against it? The lecture will be followed by a sampling of plant foods from around the world. Register now >

Upcoming Classes
 

GROWING A BACKYARD MEDICINE GARDEN

Sunday, October 6; 1:30-4:30 p.m. •  $32 ($29 Members)

Let's explore beautiful native medicinal plants you can grow in your own backyard! Using the NCBG display gardens as our classroom, we will meet both shade-loving and sun-loving plants. We'll learn about each plant's growth patterns, nutrient needs, and growing tips. Spatial and design considerations will be included. We'll discuss each plant's medicinal qualities and simple preparations you can make at home, and we'll explore differences between cultivating plants at home and wildcrafting. This program confers 3.00 Continuing Education hours for NC Landscape Architects. Register now >
 

CALLIGRAPHY

Sundays, October 13 and 20; 1:30-4:30 p.m. •  $72 ($65 Members)

Calligraphy means beautiful writing. Calligraphers use a number of different families of letter forms, or “hands.” One of these hands – copperplate – is traditionally used in botanical illustration to identify the subject of the illustration. This two-session course introduces the basics of copperplate. Students learn how to make letterforms using the correct stroke sequence for lower and upper case letters with dip-pen in ink and watercolor paint. Proficiency will require practice beyond the scope of this course. Register now >
 

PEAK OF AUTUMN AT PENNY'S BEND

Sunday, October 26; 1-4 p.m. •  $15 ($13 Members)

A two-mile hike through the fall landscape of this 84-acre natural area in northeast Durham. Surrounded on three sides by the Eno River, Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve encompasses mature forests and prairies with regionally rare plants. Explore the fall scenery as you learn how the Garden manages this unique property.  Register now >


LOCAL TREES

Thursdays, November 7 and 14; 1:30-4:30 p.m. •  $65 ($58 Members)

This six-hour course is perfect for those just beginning their study of trees or for recent transplants to the North Carolina Piedmont who want to identify common deciduous trees in their backyard gardens and neighborhoods. Students spend time outdoors, walking in the Garden or on the Piedmont Nature Trails, learning about common trees, how to identify them, and understanding why they grow where they do. Register now >

 

See all upcoming classes here >

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