Winter Wednesdays at Bellingrath Gardens
Warm up this winter during Bellingrath Gardens and Home's special programs. Every Wednesday in January and February, Bellingrath hosts workshops dedicated to a specific aspect of the Gardens or Home, gardening tips, birding advice or guest lectures from experts in the horticulture or gardening communities. Reservations are required.
2018 Schedule:
Jan. 3: After Christmas Sale — Take advantage of post-holiday discounts in the Bellingrath Gift Shop. Make a day of it – tour the Gardens, the Museum Home and stay for lunch in the Magnolia Café.
Jan. 10: Winter Garden Walk — Learn about the winter borders and containers throughout the Gardens from Bellingrath’s Horticulture Management Team: Executive Director Dr. Bill Barrick, Nursery Manager Chuck Owens and Display Coordinator Barbara Smith.
Jan. 17: The Underwater Forest with Ben Raines — Environmental reporter and filmmaker Ben Raines will describe the secrets of an ancient underwater cypress forest recently discovered south of Alabama's Gulf Shores in the Gulf of Mexico. The cypress forest dates back to an Ice Age more than 60,000 years ago, when sea levels were 400 feet lower than today. Ben’s acclaimed documentary about the forest was released in June 2017.
Jan. 24: Steamboats on Alabama Rivers, with Tom McGehee — Long before there were highways or railroads in Alabama, the rivers provided the only choice to move passengers and freight. The age of steam travel on those rivers lasted from the 1830s until the early 20th century, when railroads and improved roads made them obsolete. Walter Bellingrath shipped his Coca-Cola cases on many a river steamer in the early 1900s, and his father-in-law was a shipwright – a skilled carpenter who built and repaired the boats. Join Tom McGehee to explore the beginnings of the era of river steamers, their peak in the 1890s and their sad end by World War I.
Jan. 31: John Sledge and Frye Gaillard — Well-known local historians and authors John S. Sledge and Frye Galliard will discuss their books about how the Civil War affected the lives of Alabamians. After the presentation, John and Frye will sign copies of their books, These Rugged Days: Alabama in the Civil War and Journey to the Wilderness: War, Memory and a Southern Family’s Civil War Letters, which will be available to purchase in the Gift Shop.
Feb. 7: Birding on the Gulf Coast — Dr. Mark LaSalle, Director of the Pascagoula River Audubon Center, will help us identify birds along the Gulf Coast and how we can participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Weather permitting, he will lead a bird walk through the Gardens.
Feb. 14: Raising Roses — Linda Guy, longtime Rosarian of Bellingrath’s award-winning Rose Garden, will show us how to care for roses year round. Bring all your questions and join Linda for a demonstration of rose pruning techniques to get yours in top shape. Books and supplies will be available in the Gift Shop.
Feb. 21: Shipshape Urban Farms — Located in downtown Mobile, Shipshape Urban Farms grows hydroponic lettuces, leafy greens and herbs. Learn from owner Dale Speetjens about how hydroponic crops are cultivated without soil in nutrient-rich water in a controlled environment with no pesticides or herbicides. The process uses innovative features and is environmentally friendly, saving water and using less energy than traditional farming practices.
Feb. 28: Caring for Gulf Coast Appalacia — Imagine adding rhododendron, mountain laurel and native hydrangeas to your Gulf Coast garden. These plants, and many more like them, are native to the Gulf Coastal Plain. Bobby Green, owner of Green Nurseries in Fairhope and one of the most knowledgeable horticulturists in our area, will introduce you to these ornamentals. He will also discuss how to best select and care for them in your garden.
Dates:
January 03, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
January 10, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
January 17, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
January 24, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
January 31, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
February 07, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
February 14, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
February 21, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
February 28, 2018 10:30 AM-11:30 AM
Location: Bellingrath Gardens & Home, Magnolia Room | 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Rd, Theodore, AL 36582 | (251) 973-2217
Admission: Free with cost of Gardens admission ($13 for adults, $7.50 for ages 5-12; free for ages 4 and younger and for Bellingrath members)
Event website: bellingrath.org
