On Friday, November 5, with board members, elected officials, staff and the community present, Smith-Gilbert Gardens unveiled a new logo. “Our new logo helps us tell the SGG story through symbols and represents our focus on conservation,” says Ann Parsons, Executive Director. The new logo is comprised of four symbols, representing Smith-Gilbert Gardens’ core values. The hummingbird represents hummingbird and … Read More
Petal Blight and Camellias
In the South, we are blessed with so many broad-leafed evergreens but Camellias are probably the most popular. These evergreen shrubs are highly prized for their dark green waxy leaves and large colorful flowers. Camellia species originated in Asia, where they have been used in numerous cultures for centuries. Camellias are popular ornamentals and some species can be used commercially to make … Read More
Bedtime for Bonsai
Our Bonsai collection is the nicest in the Southeast and for that reason; we take great pains in maintaining them. Bonsai are the divas of Smith-Gilbert’s collection. How we overwinter our trees is specific to the tree species. One of the ways we keep them healthy is by making sure they get their beauty rest. That means we literally put … Read More
Two Schools of Thought: Why or Why Not Leave a Hummingbird Feeder Out?
Written by Julia Elliott, owner Bird Watcher Supply Store and hummingbird bander As we enter into fall and temperatures drop, we always get the question, “When should I take my hummingbird feeders down?” Our response is an empathic – don’t! Although rare, we do have wintering hummingbirds in Georgia. Rufous is the most common species, followed by Calliope and Black-chinned, … Read More
Hummingbirds in the Year of COVID-19
Written by Pat Pepper, Birder and SGG Volunteer Today, October 13, 2020, I took my hummingbird feeder down, washed it, and put it away until next year. It had been five days since I last saw my two little visitors. I have been putting out nectar for hummingbirds for many years, but this year was different. My feeder hung just … Read More
Erosion Control
By KMHS Intern Jeremy Over the course of my internship, I’ve narrowed down my research topic to erosion, particularly the prevention of further erosion at the gardens. I planned doing this originally by testing different design parameters like materials and dimension of the erosion control device, but I ultimately decided to test how angle variations in the device could have an … Read More
Lady Slipper Rescue
By KMHS Intern Sofia This past week was a pretty exciting one for the gardens, Ms. Lisa, and me. I had never heard of a plant rescue; I simply knew we were going on a field trip. We arrived at the property of a garden volunteer who was moving. She found a very special plant in her backyard. She thought … Read More
Meet Our Intern Sophia!
Hello there! My name is Sofia and I am interning at the Smith-Gilbert Gardens this semester. I am a senior at Kennesaw Mountain High School, and I am part of their STEM Magnet Program. The program requires that all seniors intern in a field or place of their choosing and conduct a research question there. I chose to intern here … Read More
This Drought and Your Landscape
Hard to believe fall is right around the corner when summer refuses to go away. As of this writing, it has been 3 weeks without a drop of rain and with 71 days of temperatures in the upper nineties, the gardens are showing it. You know it’s dry when the weeds are wilted. Dry summers are not that unusual in … Read More
Meet our intern Jeremy!
Hello, my name is Jeremy and I am a new intern at the Smith-Gilbert Gardens. I am currently a senior enrolled in the Kennesaw Mountain High School’s magnet program, which requires students to conduct a scientific research or engineering design through an internship opportunity, and I decided to construct my research project here at the garden. Throughout my high school … Read More