Cindy is one of our most dependable volunteers. Always agreeable, she is willing to help in any way she can from washing tables and chairs preparing for a special event, working out in the garden, to helping to park cars down in the out of the way back lot. Cindy is always on hand to assist with the Children’s Education … Read More
Autumn Rose
by Bruce Gillett, MD “More exquisite than any other is the autumn rose” Theodore Agrippa d’Aubigne (1552-1630) Autumn is a great time to enjoy the Rose Garden at Smith-Gilbert Gardens as well as your roses at home. You planted, pruned, sprayed, fertilized, watered, and deadheaded. Now you deserve to meander in your rose garden enjoying the cooler mornings. During this … Read More
Converting your yard to a habitat
By Dr. Bob Gilbert We are all becoming more conscious of our environment, becoming “greener.” The property surrounding where we live is no longer a yard but can be called a habitat. We are being urged to use more native plants, fewer chemicals and natural products. You can now even register your property with the National Wildlife Federation and become … Read More
September Volunteer of the Month
Our Volunteer of the Month for the month of September is the ever dependable Susie Langford. Susie and husband Tom have one son and have lived in Chimney Lakes Subdivision in East Cobb for 29 years. Susie has a BA from Indiana University and was employed as Store Accountant for Pike Family Nurseries for 15 years. She is a Cobb … Read More
Sweet Fern
By Dr. Bob Gilbert While at Ammons Nursery in Tuckasegee recently I spotted a fern like plant with woody stems that was new to me, Comptonia peregrina or Sweet Fern. From the Internet I discovered it is not a true fern but belongs to the bayberry family. It is a small shrub or a shrublet. The leaves have glandular hairs … Read More
Artist Profile – John Guernsey
If you have visited the Brick Room Gallery in the past couple of years, you probably took note of artist John Guernsey’s work. He has displayed his oil landscapes of Smith-Gilbert Gardens several times and won multiple awards at our Plein Air painting competitions.
For Midsummer Bloom, Consider the Chastetree (Vitex)
By Dr. Bob Gilbert It is difficult to find a tree or shrub that has showy blooms in the summer. There are not many. Buddleia or Butterfly bush comes to mind first. But, I try to not to consider it anymore because it is so invasive. Our neighbors have it and it requires constant attention pulling up the seedlings. A … Read More
Calling all Docents!
Smith-Gilbert Gardens will be offering Docent Training Classes beginning on August 30th (Tuesday) and each subsequent Tuesday morning through September 27th. Classes will run from 10 a.m. – Noon. This will be a 5 week series covering topics to train you to give guided tours of the Garden, including knowledge of the Hiram Butler House, procedures for working the front … Read More
Volunteer of the Month – Pat Scully
Our Volunteer of the Month for August is the always affable Pat Scully. Pat was born and raised somewhere (she won’t say where) in the northeast. After spending 18 years working in the petroleum industry, Pat retired and operated a Bed & Breakfast in the northern Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. In order to escape the brutal NE winters, … Read More
Garden Art–For your viewing pleasure
This spring Smith-Gilbert Gardens hosted its 3rd plein air, or outdoor, painting competition. Over 40 artists set up their easels around the Garden and painted for 2 days. The results of their effort and talent are on display in the Hiram Butler House at Smith-Gilbert Gardens until Oct. 1. All of the paintings are for sale and a portion of … Read More