Monarchs have arrived!!

Check out these baby caterpillars on milkweed! At only about one half an inch long these Monarch caterpillars have already made a dent in the milkweed on which they crawl.

Visit the Butterfly Garden to see these intriguing creatures.  Check out the parsley for swallowtail caterpillars and the pipevine at the entrance to the Butterfly Garden for pipevine swallowtail caterpillars.

Salvias

We have wonderful Salvias blooming in the Garden right now.  Here's a duplicate of my post on Natural Gardening.

Flowers of Salvia x 'Anthony Parker'

Pathway to HCC

Salvia elegans & Salvia x 'Anthony Parker'

Salvia elegans (Pineapple Sage)

It's time for wonderful fall-flowering sages, and all the rain over the summer has resulted in dramatic growth.  Pineapple sage (S. elegans) and a wonderful sage that was new to me (Salvia x 'Anthony Parker') - a hybrid between S. elegans and S. leucantha (Mexican Bush Sage) were in full flower yesterday along the path to the Hayden Conference Center.

Check out Salvia "Anthony Parker" -- it's a winner, and hopefully we'll have it in the Spring Plant sale!

A audio tour of the Garden

Join us for an audio tour of the Garden to enjoy the sights and sounds of late summer.

On this recently aired YourDay program, Lisa Wagner, John Bodiford, and Kathy Bridges take Dyana Daniels on a stroll along the recently completed President's Garden pathway, past the Duck Pond and around the Children's Garden.

Click through to the link to the archived show, which aired on Aug. 29.  There's lots to see and experience in the Garden's almost 300 acres;  most of the Garden looks wonderful, thanks to the incredibly wet summer.

And don't miss seeing the new plantings around the Geology Museum, either in person or via images (in this case on Facebook).  Education Program Coordinator Sue Watts took these photos last week during partial installation.

Here are some additional images from the Chihuahuan landscape that's taking shape.

Flood damage photos

As we have done preliminary cleanup and prepare for intensive fall work on restoration of the Natural Heritage Garden areas that were severely damaged by unprecedented mid-July flooding,  we're reposting a link to the Facebook gallery of flood damage photos.

You can access the photo album on the Garden's facebook page by clicking here.

SCBG programs in late March

Saturday, March 23

HANSON NATURE LEARNING CENTER OPEN HOUSE:  Garden Birds

In this open house, we focus on the intriguing world of birds.  Late winter is a wonderful time to observe our feathered friends before the trees leaf out.  Learn the calls of some of our native birds and visiting migrants, take a guided walk through the Garden, and create your own bird nest or bird mask to take home.

Fee:  Free

Time: 12 - 4 p.m.

Location: Hanson Nature Learning Center

Wednesday, Mar. 27

BIRD NESTS & NATURALLY DYED EGGS

Adults and children alike are sure to enjoy this unusual nature-based art project. We’ll show you how to make plant-derived egg dyes and will instruct you on the art of hand-blowing and decorating eggs with leaves and flowers from the garden. To complete the project, we’ll make beautiful ‘bird nests’ to house our egg art, which can be enjoyed for years to come!

Must register at least 5 days in advance.

Fee: $12 per participant ($10 members and volunteers)

Time: 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Location: Hanson Nature Learning Center

SCBG programs for the week of Feb. 24- Mar. 2

Thursday, Feb 28

HOW TO GROW AN HERB GARDEN

Learn how to incorporate culinary herbs into your garden with Director of Education Lisa Wagner.  She’ll talk about the best culinary herbs to grow (annual and perennial) and their needs, along with suggestions about propagation, cultivars, and sources.

Fee: $15 ($12 for SCBG members & volunteers)

Time: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Location: Hanson Nature Learning Center

Saturday, March 2

HUNT CABIN OPEN HOUSE: Cabin Construction

Take a closer look at the Hunt Cabin and learn about how log homes were constructed in the 1800’s in the Upstate.  From the roof to the foundations, a story of human interaction with the environment is told through the wood, clay, stone and brick used to create this historical structure.  Learn about the essential skills needed to create a warm and cozy home.  We’ll cook something tasty over the fire, listen to a story or two and play traditional games from the period.

Fee: Donations to the Hunt Cabin Restoration Fund

Time: 12 – 4 p.m.

Location: Hunt Cabin

Saturday, March 2

CULINARY ADVENTURES:

Treasures Of The Indian Subcontinent


Spices and herbs have always been fundamental to Indian cuisine, adding flavor as well as having health-giving properties. Enjoy heady spices as we make and savor a meal showcasing India’s culinary diversity.

Fee: $35 ($30 members or volunteers)

Time: 4– 7 p.m.

Location: Hanson Nature Learning Center

To register for either of the programs with a fee, click here.

The Hunt Cabin Open House is free, with donations gratefully accepted!

Upcoming programs (Week of Feb. 11)

Monday, Feb. 11

COMPOSTING BASICS

Would you like to compost, but don’t know where to start?  Join Garden Education Director Lisa Wagner to learn easy ways to turn leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, and backyard trimmings into a healthy nutrient-rich soil amendment.  Learn how, why, and what to compost, bin alternatives, and how to use compost.

Fee: $15 ($12 for SCBG members & volunteers)

Time: 1– 2:30 p.m.

Location:  Hanson Nature Learning Center

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Wednesday, Feb. 13, 12 - 1 p.m.  Hayden Conference Center, SCBG

EXPLORING NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE CAROLINA PIEDMONT 

Natural plant communities provide inspiration and guidance to gardeners, from choosing appropriate plants to how to combine plants in aesthetically pleasing designs that mimic plant associations found in nature.  Join Tim Spira for a presentation that celebrates the rich diversity of natural plant communities found in the Piedmont region of the Carolinas. Tim is a plant ecologist, native plant gardener, hiker, and professor of botany at Clemson University. He’s the author of the award-winning book Wildflowers and Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont: A Naturalist’s Guide to the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee, and Georgia (University of North Carolina Press, 2011).

(PRE-REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED)