The UT Gardens, Knoxville is pleased to announce a two-day autumn garden tour lead by Gardens’ Director,
Dr. Sue Hamilton along with UT Gardens’ horticulturist Holly Jones and Gardens’
Friends, Michelle Reimert and Faye Beck to three beautiful botanical gardens, a
private garden, and two garden centers in the Atlanta and north Georgia area.
Join
us on October 25th & 26th as we visit Gibbs Gardens
to celebrate Mother Nature’s artwork as she paints the Gardens in brilliant
reds, burgundies, yellows, golds, oranges and the Japanese Maples are the
stars. Gibbs has over 3000 Japanese maples and 200
varieties planted throughout their gardens so fall color is everywhere. We
will also visit the Cox Arboretum, a private garden located north of Atlanta.
The arboretum has an extensive collection of conifers, ginkgos, and Japanese
maples which will all be strutting their fall colors as well. You can’t miss
seeing the Atlanta Botanical Gardens to enjoy the exhibition of giant
topiary-like plant sculptures featuring characters from the imaginary world of
Alice in Wonderland. A visit to the often-overlooked Smith Gilbert Botanical Gardens
in Kennesaw will not disappoint. A private garden now open to the public, it has
16 acres featuring a variety of sculptures throughout the special garden areas
which include a bonsai exhibit, camellia garden, tea house and waterfall area, rose
garden, and conifer display. And no garden trip can skip some good plant and
garden shopping. A visit to Scottsdale Farms and The Barn garden centers will provide
ample opportunities to satisfy your urge to add a special plant or garden
accent piece to your garden.
The trip includes hotel, lunch on Friday, Friday evening happy
hour with complimentary cocktails and snacks, Saturday cooked-to-order
breakfast, and all entrance fees. Friday dinner and Saturday lunch are on your
own. We will travel by motor coach and spend the night in the Alpharetta Embassy
Suites. UT Gardens’ members have a special rate of $260; non-members $295. The
tour is limited to 48 people so register soon.
Registration deadline is September 2, 2019
Trip fee is $260 per person for Gardens members; $295 per person for nonmembers (double occupancy). A single room supplement is available for $90. To minimize trip expenses, we will be accepting payment in the form of cash or check only.
Boarding the bus: We will board the bus starting at 6:40 a.m. on Friday, October 25, at Central Baptist Church in Bearden located at 6300 Deane Hill Dr, Knoxville, TN 37919. We have permission to park in their lot located furthest behind the church. Bus will depart at 7:00 a.m. sharp.
Day 1 - Friday, October 25
At the center of Smith-Gilbert Gardens is the historic Hiram
Butler House, dating back over 150 years. A Confederate railroad man, Hiram
Butler worked the lines most of his life and was present during the “Great
Locomotive Chase.” In 1970, Richard Smith and Robert Gilbert bought the Hiram
Butler House and surrounding acreage in Kennesaw, Georgia. Over the following
35 years, they realized their dream of developing the house and grounds, with
an emphasis on unique plantings and thoughtfully positioned sculpture.
Renowned plant
collections, beautiful displays and spectacular exhibitions make the Atlanta
Botanical Garden a plant-lover’s destination. An urban oasis in the heart of
Midtown, the Garden includes 30 acres of outdoor gardens, an award-winning
Children’s Garden, the serene Storza Woods highlighted by a unique Canopy Walk,
and the picturesque Skyline Garden. The current exhibition of giant
topiary-like plant sculptures featuring characters from the imaginary world of
Alice in Wonderland will not disappoint.
Scottsdale Farms Garden Center is stocked full of plants and
accent pieces to enhance your home’s exterior and interior. The 65 acre farm includes
a plant nursery; a 12,000 sq. ft. timber frame barn with an ever-changing
selection of furniture, home decor and gifts from local and international
artisans, along with seasonal clothing and a jewelry boutique. The Café serves breakfast
and lunch dishes, desserts, coffee, and specialty drinks.
Fully appointed two-room suites, complimentary
cooked-to-order breakfast, complimentary Happy Hour 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., and
the hotel Cascades Restaurant. Dinner is on your own.
Day 2 - Saturday, October 26
Cox
Arboretum & Gardens were founded in 1990 by Tom and Evelyn Cox and are part
of their private estate. Numbering over 4,000 living specimens, the plantings
display one of the largest private collections of temperate flora in the United
States. With an elevation of 1200 feet and containing several lakes and
streams, the gardens are able to grow a wide variety of plants in their winter
hardiness zone 7B climate. The property is also bounded by several large
wetland habitats where many migratory and native fowl make their home. It is
situated on 13 acres in the middle of an old-growth southern deciduous hardwood
forest, containing many large Oaks, Hickory, Poplar and Sweetgum – some of
which are over 100 years old.
Stop 2 Lunch and Gibbs Gardens, 1987 Gibbs Dr., Ball Ground, GA 30107
Gibbs Garden, a beautiful public garden just an hour north of Atlanta
founded by Jim Gibbs. After traveling for 15 years covering the nation and the
world viewing gardens of every style, Mr. Gibbs decided that he wanted to
design and build a world class garden. He spent six years looking for a
suitable site with a strong source of water and beautiful mature trees covering
a rolling topography. It was truly “a dream come true” when he found what he
considers the most beautiful site in the nation to construct the garden. The
property is 292 acres and the house and gardens include 220 acres, making it
one of the nation’s largest residential estate gardens. We are purposely
visiting Gibbs in late October to experience the height of the autumn season
but especially the fall foliage show of the over 3000 Japanese maples planted
throughout the gardens. Enjoy all of this among the designed 24 ponds, 32
bridge crossings and 19 waterfalls. The numerous garden rooms are planted with
hundreds of varieties of plants and are carved into pockets surrounded by acres
of deciduous trees that provide spectacular Fall color. If you feel you'd like
to enjoy the gardens without having to be on your feet, they offer a tram
rotating to different stops every 30 minutes (included with your admission).
We will stop
for restrooms and a quick shopping spree at this wonderful garden center. Great
plants and selection along with garden accent pieces for inside and out. What
could be better?!
Stop 4 Knoxville
We will arrive in Knoxville about 7:30 pm.
*Bus
Departure Location & Parking Instructions: Meet at Central Baptist Church
in Bearden located at 6300 Deane Hill Dr, Knoxville, TN 37919. We have
permission to park in their lot located furthest behind the church. This
parking lot is behind Anderson avenue which runs behind the church. You will
easily see the bus coach which will be there ready for loading at 6:30 am. Bus will leave promptly at 7:00 am.