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
The Thursday Work Group Digs the Gardens
By Jack Driskell, Master Gardener The Thursday Group continues working to maintain the garden as a whole. In spite of the heat and humidity we are having a good group of volunteers show up for the work session. There is always work to do in the perennial bed. Sometimes I feel we are losing the battle against Vernonia, common name … Read More
An exotic dancer in the garden — Zenobia
by Dr. Robert Gilbert For my garden in Kennesaw, Ga., now called Smith-Gilbert Gardens, I was always on the prowl for the new and unusual. That was possible because I had plenty of room for plant experiments. In 1981 I ordered from the Gossler catalog something I had never seen before, because it sounded exotic, Zenobia (ze-noh-bee-ah) pulverulenta (pul-ver-u-len-ta). Its … Read More
Volunteer of the Month- Casey Musselman
Our Volunteer of the month for July is the guy with the big smile, Casey Musselman. Casey is a Volunteer of many talents. He works in the Hiram Butler House, out in the Garden and also is a Tour Docent. Casey is always willing to help out with any task that comes up, be it taking admissions, selling memberships, pulling … Read More
Kid’s Garden Plot Series Continues
Are your kids learning anything this summer? These kids are! They came for our “Putting Seeds to Bed” program and learned all about starting plants from seeds, rootings and cuttings by visiting the Greenhouse. They created planters from recycled paper tubes and egg cartons and got squash, beans and sunflowers seeds to start their own gardens. Then they planted some … Read More
Garden Gallop Wrap-Up
As dawn broke on the morning of June 18th, 55 stalwart volunteers from all over Cobb County gathered in downtown Kennesaw to set up registration tables, water stations, sponsor booths and sound equipment in preparation of the inaugural Garden Gallop 5K Race. Slowly runners trickled in to pick up their numbered race bibs and began their warm-up stretching. The buzz … Read More
Portrait of the gardens founders installed
Family and friends gathered on June 21 in the library at Smith-Gilbert Gardens in Kennesaw to unveila portrait of SGG’s founders Richard L. Smith and Dr. Robert Gilbert. Dr. Gilbert commissioned the portrait created by artist Camille Barton of Franklin, NC, as a permanent remembrance of Richard Smithwho died in 2002. The portrait was revealed in a ceremony attended by … Read More