Smith-Gilbert Gardens hosted a Great Backyard Bird Count event on Saturday, February 17th and boy was it a success! Our citizen scientists recorded over 34 species throughout the day (see complete list below). Visitors were encouraged to grab a pair of binoculars and identification sheet and see what they could spot in the Garden We were so excited to have … Read More
The Great Backyard Bird Count 2018
Photo courtesy of Audubon Society Written by SGG Volunteer birder Pat Pepper The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) will be held over a four-day period in February, Friday through Monday, Feb. 16, 17, 18, 19. This count is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Smith-Gilbert Gardens will host its GBBC on Saturday, … Read More
Smith-Gilbert Gardens “ROCKS”
Smith-Gilbert Gardens (SGG) has recently opened up a new and exciting area within its’ 16 acres of natural botanical beauty hidden off Pine Mountain Road in Kennesaw. According to the Marietta Daily Journal, this new permanent exhibit is being funded with grants from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust and American Conifer Society and completed by volunteers contributing more than 400 … Read More
Happy National Bird Day
Did you know January 5th is National Bird Day? We love our bird residents here at SGG and especially love any reason to celebrate them! You can help conserve these amazing creatures by participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count February 16-19. In fact, visit SGG on Saturday, Feb 17th and we’ll help do the counting for you! You’ll have … Read More
Christmas Tree Trivia
CHRISTMAS TREE TRIVIA Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United States since about 1850. In 1979, the National Christmas Tree was not lighted except for the top ornament. This was done in honor of the American hostages in Iran. The tallest living Christmas tree is believed to be the 122-foot, 91-year-old Douglas fir in the town of … Read More
The Conifers of Smith-Gilbert Gardens…
Written by SGG Volunteer John Dolan, Ph.D Smith-Gilbert Gardens (SGG) offers the visitor a large variety of conifers with many different wonderful species for all to see and enjoy. The SGG is home to 230 conifers representing 26 genera. One of twelve American Conifer Society member gardens in the southeastern U.S., and designated an ACS Reference Garden, the Conifer Garden … Read More
2017 Fall Migration
Written by SGG Volunteer Birder Pat Pepper I have written many blogs about the wonderful birds you can see in Georgia only during migrations, such as Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles, and beautiful neo-tropical warblers. This blog, however, is not about a few eye-catching migrants, but about the wonderment of seeing even very common birds migrating in large numbers. Several weeks … Read More
Bringing Your Houseplants Indoors for Winter
Written by SGG Garden Manager Lisa Bartlett If you have let your houseplants ‘holiday’ outside under a tree or on your deck for the summer, by early fall, it’s time to get them ready to bring inside. We started doing just that this week at the gardens. Many of our orchids, begonia and other tropicals suffer damage if temperatures … Read More
Not Your Grandmother’s Daylily
Written by SGG Volunteer and Master Gardener Rita Buehner Orange daylilies growing in masses of wild clumps by country roads and gardens are a joy to behold in June. They provide many days of blooms and a cloud of color. My grandma’s generation counted these hardy beauties among their favorite plants. And so do I! But, oh, how these plants … Read More
The Dance of the Hummingbirds
Written by Anna Seden “They’re dancing again!” I hollered from the kitchen to my husband. “What?!” “The hummers! They’re back at it again!” He wandered to the kitchen window where I was standing and looked over my shoulder. There they were. Two little hummingbirds at our feeding station were doing some sort of winged dance that only occasionally allowed them … Read More