October - UT Gardens - The University of Tennessee

Volume 14 No 7 October 2007
16 th Annual Membership Meeting
of the Friends of the University of Tennessee Gardens
Monday, Nov. 5, 6 p.m., University Visitors’ Center
Silver Anniversary
Friends Committee
Posey Congleton, Chair
Dr. Joe Johnson &
Mrs. Deborah DiPietro,
Honorary Co-Chairs
Anonymous
Faye Beck
Sandi Burdick & Tom Boyd
Joe & Posey Congleton
Sandra & Henry McIlwaine, Jr.
Dr. Jesse Poore
Kenneth Shepard &
Mary Collins-Shepard
Dr. Alan Solomon &
Andrea Cartwright
Mary & Joe Spengler
Coming Dec. 1:
Gifts & Talents
Issue
Guest Speaker: Robert E. Grese
Associate Professor of Landscape
Architecture and Director of the
Matthaei Botanical Gardens and
Nichols Arboretum at the University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Robert Grese will talk about distinguished
landscape architect Jens
Jensen and the design of three gardens
in Knoxville, which is one of only two
locations outside of the middle region
of the country where Jensen designed
many famous and enduring gardens
and landscapes in the late 19 th
and early 20 th century. Of the three
gardens in Knoxville, the former Van
Deventer Garden is the best preserved
and has now been documented by
graduate student Terumi Watson in
connection with her master’s thesis.
The acknowledged authority on Jens
Jensen, Grese is the author of Jens
Jensen: Maker of Natural Parks and
Gardens (Johns Hopkins University
Press, 1992) and numerous other
publications on landscape design,
restoration and management that
respects the cultural and natural heritage
of a region.
Social hour begins at 6 p.m. at the
University Visitors’ Center (formerly
the Faculty Club) on Neyland Drive,
with hors d’oeuvres and cash bar
followed by the program at 7 p.m.
Mr. Grese’s appearance is sponsored
by Mrs. (Herbert) Carter Van
Deventer Slatery Jr., Professor of
Architecture (Emeritus) J. William
and Eileen Rudd, and Dorothy and
Caesar Stair, with additional funding
for research costs from Melissa and
Tom McAdams and Helen and Sandy
McNabb. Thank you!

The Friends are a
800-member 501(c)(3) non
profit founded in 1992.
Our mission is to advocate,
promote, and raise funds for
the Gardens from citizens on the
university campus, in our community
and across the state.
The Gardens will celebrate their
25th anniversary in 2008.
Editorial Board
Bettie Corey
Carolyn Dean
Steve Row
The Garden Post publishes eight
issues in February, March, April,
May, June, September, October
and December, plus occasional
special issues. The deadline for
submissions is the first day of
the previous month. Questions
for “Q&A” are also welcome.
P. O. Box 51394
Knoxville, TN 37950-1394
Infoline: 865-525-4555
friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu
www.friendsoftheutgardens.org
Leadership transitions
With growing work and added family
responsibilities, past president
Theresa Pepin has been looking for
someone to succeed her as executive
director for some time. After
many discussions with several potential
candidates over the last two years,
she and the co-presidents have found
a true gem for the Friends, to begin
Oct. 1: Elizabeth Burman. Elizabeth
is the first program coordinator for
the University of Tennessee’s Marco
Institute for Medieval and Renaissance
Studies. Theresa will continue to work
with the co-presidents to build relationships
and develop long term funding in
her position as past president and will
complete the Plaza project in cooperation
with the East Tennessee Research
and Education Center director and
crew. She has also worked with
Elizabeth during much of the month of
September and will continue to help to
ensure a smooth transition.
New executive director Elizabeth
Burman is jumping right into the
Friends’ activities and will head the
Blooms Days Committee for 2008.
Mary Collins Shepard will continue to
serve as advisor and work on sponsorship
for Blooms Days and in collaboration
with the Silver Anniversary Friends
Committee. An insert celebrating the
25 th Anniversary of the Gardens is
planned for 2008 in the Knoxville
News Sentinel. This project will allow
for a number of special opportunities
for individuals and Business Patrons,
Sponsors and Friends to express
support and advertise at the same
time.
Melissa Ferguson, secretary of the
Friends, must leave her post at the
end of this year because her schedule
will change to require her to work at
her Knox County Library Branch on
Monday evenings. Before she leaves the
Friends’ board, Melissa will work with
Theresa Pepin to assemble archives for
the Friends that can then be accessed
in Pendergrass Library. They will also
clean out the Ellington “cell” of old and
extraneous material so that the seven
foot stack of materials in Theresa’s
home office can be transferred. An
archival copy of all sample publications
will be retained and organized in
a notebook.
Melissa deserves deep thanks for her
assiduous work on the minutes for all
of our meetings. They have been a
tremendous help.
Sandra Leach will also be leaving
the board after nearly seven years
of continuous service in a variety of
capacities—membership chair, treasurer,
vice president. She will focus
her energies on the critical task of
participating in the search committee
for the Director of the Gardens.
Other leadership news
We are delighted to have Posey
Congleton chair the new Silver
Anniversary Friends Committee. We
are also very appreciative that Dr. Joe
Johnson and Mrs. Deborah DiPietro
have agreed to serve as honorary
co-chairs.
Co-President Mary Spengler has
already been hard at work with
Theresa Pepin and Posey Congleton
in meeting with longtime supporters
of the Friends and Gardens to
encourage their participation as
Silver Anniversary Friends to mark
the 25 th anniversary of the Gardens.
Discussions to date have been
very rewarding. If we have not yet
contacted you and you would like to
speak with us, please call the Infoline
at 865-525-4555 or email
friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu.
Co-President Faye Beck also chairs
the Friends’ Educational Programs and
Plant Sales Committee. She is already
hard at work on plans for those in
2008. If you have ideas for workshops
we should consider offering, or wish
to volunteer for this committee, please
call the Infoline at 865-525-4555 or
email friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu.
Lucy Gibson, chair of the Secret
Gardens Committee, is working with her
committee to finalize plans for those
community fundraisers in 2008. If you
would like to host a party, have a good
suggestion for a candidate garden, or
wish to serve on this committee, please
call the Infoline at 865-525-4555 or
email friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu.
Carolyn Crowder, vice president and
administrative services coordinator,
has been responsible for arrangements
for the Annual Membership Meeting
Nov. 5. If you would like to help
Carolyn at the meeting, please call
the Infoline at 865-525-4555 or email
friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu.
From the Outgoing Friends Executive Director
Theresa Pepin
My copy for The Garden Post deadline was due the same
day that I was committed to play the newly refurbished and
enlarged pipe organ in a beautiful historic church in downtown
Knoxville, the Church Street United Methodist Church.
Usually I write quickly, but I had been struggling for weeks
with how to leave a few words—scrapping reams of paper—
that would adequately express my gratitude for the many
people I have had a chance to work with and learn from in
the last few years of association with the Friends.
As I listened to the two sermons at the two services that
day, it occurred to me to think about: A group of Friends in
heaven. With many recent developments in my life, it has
finally occurred to me that I cannot do all I want to do on
earth and that my family and I won’t live forever, waiting for
me to stop trying to do it all. So, I have recently started to
assemble in my mind’s eye the Friends I want to serve with
in heaven. Please bear with me, but they are, first names
only: Ginna, Lisa, Maggie, Mary, Mary, Mary, Faye, Carolyn,
Carolyn, Sandy, Sandi, Lucy, Dennis, Steve, Kathleen, Jacki,
Jenny, Gary, Donald, Donald, Tom, Eileen, Bill, Kenneth,
Will, John, Jim, David, Janice, Deborah, Barbara, Terumi,
Katie, Robin, Bessie, Martha, Angie, Bill, Tom, Mike, Joe,
Joe, Joe, Joe, Jack, Jack, Jeff, Carrie, Sarah, Amy, Amy,
Nancy, Caesar, Dorothy, Tom, Sherri, Karen, Dee, Bee,
Jean, Harriette, Alice, Alice, Martha, Margaret, Warner, Rita,
Kenneth, Posey, Bettie, Bruce, John, Jesse, Maggie, Paddy,
Nicole, Lise, Andre, Janie, Henry, Ellen, Kim, Cynthia,
Frances, Amy, Helen, Sandy, Karen, Debbie, Jim, Natalie,
Miriam, Allison, Sarah, Alan, Teenie.
Some of these people barely know me, but they have been
an inspiration nonetheless. Most of them don’t even know
each other, but they would be my ideal assembly of Friends
nevertheless. They’d be capable of recreating heaven on
earth or earth in heaven. In any event, they’d make a difference
for the good. Over and over again, they have changed
my attitude or thinking, made me do better, brightened my
day, “given me refreshment” as the old psalm says, or just
kept me going in my life and work in the Knoxville community.
I am very, very grateful.
2 3

New Executive Director
The officers of the Friends of
the UT Gardens are pleased
to introduce Elizabeth
Burman as new executive
director, succeeding
Theresa Pepin. Elizabeth is
the first program coordinator
for the University’s Marco
Institute for Medieval and
Renaissance Studies. She furnished their offices
and classrooms, built their Web site and organized
and managed all publications, facilities,
scheduling, special events and conferences.
Before coming to UT, she worked at the international
headquarters (in Canada) of a non-profit
organization, where she edited their newsletters
and trained volunteers. Her professional writing
and editing experience includes the researching,
writing, editing and production of directories,
manuals, articles, newsletters, book-length manuscripts,
grant proposals, market surveys, budget
reports, and educational materials.
Elizabeth has led financial management seminars,
was a founding member of the Knoxville’s
Mother’s Center, and is a trained group facilitator.
She has also written and produced four plays.
She attended Smith College in Massachusetts and
Whitman College in Washington, where she graduated
with a B.A. with honors in English, with an
art minor. She is married to Thomas Burman,
Lindsay Young professor of history and interim
head of UT’s Department of History, where he
specializes in the history of Muslim/Jewish/
Christian relations in the Middle Ages. Her son,
David, is a high school senior with a passion for
history, German, and Tintin books; her 11-year
old daughter, Erin, reads books in trees and
recently took up the tuba.
The Friends enthusiastically welcome Elizabeth to
our organization.
From the UT Gardens Director
Dr. Susan Hamilton
Because of the new Friendship Plaza, we will
be able to add to our various collections in the
Gardens. I have designed a planting plan for the
new entrance with lots of input from Friends
members and professional horticulturists. I recently
was able to travel to the Pacific Northwest and visit
many of the notable nurseries, and as a result, I
was able to order numerous select plants that will
really bolster our collections—everything from ornamental
grasses and perennials to trees and shrubs.
The plan is to plant this new area of the Gardens
starting this month through November. Be sure to
check out the many new and exciting selections we
will be adding.
The UT semester and classes are in full swing and
because the UT Gardens serves as an outdoor classroom
and laboratory, the Gardens are abuzz with
students. You’ll see students in the woody tree
and shrub course and our herbaceous plant identification
course studying plants in our different
collections. You might see plants with flagging
tape indicating this is a class test plant. We also
Student from Greenway School in Knoxville drawing plants for their class lesson.
Student from Greenway School in Knoxville drawing plants for their class lesson.
have many school field trips visiting the Gardens.
A notable recent visit was one by the Knoxville
Greenway School, which teaches only sixth through
eighth grade. I found the adolescent students and
teachers from this school spread out all over the
Gardens as they each sketched drawings of different
plants and labeled the different plant parts. Then
the class was to get together and integrate various
academic disciplines into their garden lesson. Their
teacher indicated they would be discussing Latin
plant names, history, science, and math as part of
their garden visit and plant study. This plant-based
education is what school gardens are all about
and it thrilled me to see this unique middle-school
taking advantage of this valuable resource in our
community.
Speaking of education, I had a great learning experience
on a recent trip I took to visit one of our
alumni who is now the director of the Columbus
Botanical Garden in Columbus, Ga. Nicole Sanchez,
who graduated from UT in 2001, went to work at
Callaway Gardens as director of the butterfly conservatory
and then as interim director of the gardens.
Just this past spring, Nicole became the first
director of the new botanical garden in Columbus.
I met with several of Nicole’s board members and
learned about how they are preparing a master
plan for their 200-acre garden. Only two acres are
developed right now, but a wonderfully restored
turn-of-the-century farmhouse has been developed
as the visitor and education center. Nicole has
already grown membership to about 200 and has
developed a monthly newsletter and educational
programs for the year. It was rewarding to see how
well Nicole is doing and learn of the exciting plans
she has to grow their garden.
Nicole Sanchez , director of the Columbus GA Botanical Garden
We wrap up our summer annual plant evaluations
this month and look forward to sharing the results
of our 2007 trials with you in the March 2008 newsletter.
It was not an easy summer to be a plant
or a gardener. Despite the challenging heat and
drought, we still had numerous standout selections.
I commend all of our student interns, graduate
student Beth Willis and Betty Tipton for keeping
all of our plants growing and for collection of our
performance data.
4 5

From the UT Gardens Curator
Good News
James Newburn
Now that the temperatures are cooling and there’s a
fall nip in the air, the UT Gardens again come alive
with color. Against the brilliant blue autumn sky,
nature’s rainbow of color gives us one last show.
In the perennial border the asters are the royal
ladies donning the purple. Whether it is the delicately
flowered light purple of the sturdy stemmed
Tatarian Aster, Aster tataricus, that reaches up to
five to six feet tall, or the deeper hued and more
low-growing New England Asters, A. novae-angliae,
these richly colored late bloomers are a must
have for any fall landscape. Also in the perennial
border White Doll’s Daisy or False Aster, Boltonia
asteroides ‘Snowbank,’ is a mass of snowy white
blooms about four feet tall while Solidago rugosa
‘Fireworks’ is an explosion of golden-yellow goldenrod
about the same manageable size.
Throughout the Gardens you will notice our collection
of Japanese maples brightly displaying their
fall colors of gold, yellow and red. My particular
favorite is Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku,’ or Coral
Bark Japanese Maple, which is aptly named for its
rich coral to red stem color. In many areas we have
paired these with choice conifers—for instance, a
blue spruce, Picea pungens, and Deodar cedar,
Cedrus deodara, in the lowest garden room next
to Neyland Drive, where the blue and grey-green
needles of the conifers showcase even more the
beauty of the maple’s bark and foliage. You might
try this combination in your garden.
Finally, in the herb garden you cannot miss the brilliant
yellow of the asparagus with its mass of finely
textured delicate foliage that is about four to five
feet high. Swamp sunflower, Helianthus angustifolius,
is probably one of the plants we get the most
questions about in the fall because of its prolific
blooming. Keep an eye out as well for the Tree
Dahlia, also with a very appropriate botanical name:
Dahlia imperialis. This majestic plant can reach
10-12’ tall here and only blooms if we don’t get
an early frost. If it is not nipped, its beautiful light
purple blooms droop high overhead and provide
one last spectacular flower display before winter
sets in.
I think fall is the best time of year, though, to focus
on the garden as a whole. Take the time either
here or in your own garden to step back and look
at the panoramic landscape. Enjoy the view that a
well blended garden of a variety of colors, textures,
heights, and forms provide when an effective
combination of deciduous trees, conifers, shrubs,
annuals, grasses, and herbs are utilized.
Well blended fall garden. clockwise from top center: Nuttall Oak, Eucalyptus,
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’, Asparagus, European Hornbeam.
Membership in the Friends stands at nearly 800 in
late 2007, an increase of nearly 500 members from
late 2004.
The numbers of members supporting at much
higher levels has also increased substantially. In
late 2004, the Friends had no Benefactors and
no Patrons, four Sponsoring Friends, 17 Business
Friends, 10 Garden Clubs/Societies, and 26
Contributing Friends beyond the entry levels of
Family and Individual memberships.
News Briefs
Officers and new board members will be elected at
a brief business meeting before the lecture at the
Annual Membership Meeting Nov. 5. A postcard
will be mailed to all Friends two weeks before the
meeting with slate and reminder re the meeting.
Gardens director Dr. Susan Hamilton reports that
500 more of the trees and shrubs in the Gardens’
collection now are marked with new rodent-resistant
anodized aluminum labels, bringing to more than
1,000 the number of trees and shrubs with permanent
botanical labels. The UT Experiment Station
has financed these new labels to enhance the
appearance and interpretation of the tree and shrub
plant collection. Friends co-president Faye Beck,
graduate teaching assistant Andy Pulte, and undergraduate
Tony Clark worked with Dr. Hamilton on
correct plant nomenclature for the labels.
In August, the Friends board made a donation
to Camp Hart Scholarship in memory of Willie
Hart, whose company Ritchie Tractors has been a
supporter of Blooms Days for many years. Mr. Hart’s
son, Dr. Willie Hart, is on the faculty at UT and has
also been of great assistance at Blooms Days every
year. Friends who would like to add their individual
contributions can do so by sending memorials to
By 2007, we have 10 Silver Anniversary Friends,
seven Benefactors, six Patrons, six Business Patrons,
one Business Sponsor, 27 Business Friends, 24
Sponsoring Friends, 15 Garden Clubs/Societies,
seven Student Friends and 124 Contributing Friends.
Thanks to all of you! You have made it possible
for the Friends to do much more in a much more
professional manner to grow the Friends and
convert our support for the Gardens to a more
sustainable enterprise.
Galeux d’Eysines Squash
the Washington County Extension Office, 206 W.
Main Street, Jonesborough, Tenn. 37659-1320.
Recently seen at a farmer’s stand at the Knoxville
Market Square: Galeux d’Eysines Squash just in
time for Fall celebrations. This “creepy crawler”
giant squash (C. maxima) was first seen at the
Pumpkin Fair in Tranzault, France, in 1996 from
seed collected by Amy Goldman from La Ferme de
Ste. Marthe, Cour-Cheverny, France. Sweet, moist,
orange flesh, great for baking and in soups. Fruits
weigh 10-20 pounds and should be harvested
before overly mature (90 days) because the peanutlike
warts continue to grow and will cover the entire
fruit. Beautiful enough for table centerpieces.
Creepy enough for Halloween. Rightfully called
“bumpkins” by clever children. A sure seller for farm
and market stands.
Photo by Allison Roberts
6 7

Longtime Friend Dr. Alan Solomon, a researcher
at the UT Graduate School of Medicine, has been
awarded a five-year renewal of a grant from the
National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer
Institute. Dr. Solomon is professor of medicine and
director of the Human Immunology and Cancer/
Alzheimer’s Disease and Amyloid-Related Disorders
Research Program. He has devoted 42 years to
the study, diagnosis and treatment of cancer and
amyloidosis. The grant is one of the longest active
NIH grants in NIH history and is the longest running
NIH grant in UT history. Originally awarded to Dr.
Solomon in 1965, the grant has been renewed
continually for the past 42 years and has provided
more than $12 million to fund Dr. Solomon’s work
at UT. Congratulations Dr. Solomon!
A new book collects 132 gardening columns of
Elizabeth Lawrence. Beautiful at All Seasons:
Southern Gardening and Beyond is edited by Ann
L. Armstrong and Lindie Wilson. Ms. Wilson has been
the owner and steward of Lawrence’s former home
and garden in Charlotte, N.C., for 20 years. The new
book showcases Lawrence’s vast knowledge, her
intimate, conversational writing style and her lifelong
celebration of gardens and gardening. For more
information visit www.elizabethlawrence.org.
In September, 68-year-old self-taught topiary
artist Pearl Fryar visited Knoxville as guest of
the Knoxville Museum of Art and the Knoxville
Botanical Garden. Fryar was discovered in
Bishopville, S.C., by Polly Laffitte, then curator
of art for the South Carolina State Museum. Ms.
Laffitte is now associate director of development
for the College of Arts and Sciences at UT. She
also directed photography for the documentary
“A Man Named Pearl,” which showed at Downtown
West in early September for a limited but well
received run.
Virginia Tech will establish a terrace garden at the
Hahn Horticulture Garden in memory of Jocelyne
Couture-Nowak, a victim of the April 16 shootings
and the wife of Jerzy Nowak, head of the
Horticulture Department at Virginia Tech. She was
an avid gardener and a French instructor at the
college.
We are always happy to include news about
members and gardening-related events. Please send
contributions to friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu.
Letters
From Kerrie Wetzel Bradford, a UT 1999
alumna from Ornamental Horticulture and
Landscape Design who is now a teacher of agriculture
in Kingsport. She recently wrote eTorch,
the online alumni newsletter, along with many
other UT alumni to praise their best teachers.
Her choice was Dr. Don Williams:
“It was a real privilege to be a part of Dr.
Williams’s class. He was true to his profession
and fair in the classroom. He expected us all
to work as equals, even us girls in his landscape
construction class. He not only inspired
me professionally, but personally as well,
when he would open his home and family
life to us each semester for a department
social at his home. Because of him, I chose to
pursue teaching agriculture as a career, and
I strive to touch at least one person’s life like
he did mine. His passing was a true loss for
UT.” It was, indeed.
From new Sponsoring Friend Connie Gonzalez:
“The Gardens have been transformed since
I visited them a year ago. I did not realize
I could become a Friend of the Garden but
from now on my husband and I will be
contributors.”
From UT President Emeritus Dr. Joe Johnson
to executive director Theresa Pepin:
“Pat and I had a wonderful time on Sunday
afternoon, June 24, at the current year’s
Blooms Days Event. You, Mary Spengler,
Mary Collins-Shepard, John Hodges, Susan
Hamilton, and other fine volunteers of the
Friends of the Gardens did a grand job, even
though you had to work around the much
sought after new and impressive entrance.
Pat and I wandered, looked, appreciated
and enjoyed the beauty of the Gardens. We
shopped and bought two items and had cones
of ice cream. Thank you and your associates
for great and important work and leadership.”
Friends’ Gardens Reports
The Friends email inbox and listserv received
several comments from members about their
experiences in this year of the “frozen fries”—the
Easter Sunday freeze and the interminable
drought and heat that followed:
From Peggy Tippens, master gardener and owner
of Garden Bouquets & More:
In the last five months, we have had really weird
weather—a zapping freeze in April followed by
extreme summer heat and drought. Leaves now fall
on parched ground weeks before autumn is due to
arrive. Rain is scarce and seems to miss our street
when it does come. We experience patience and
perseverance when dealing with Mother Nature. But
there is good news. Nothing in our yard died. Yes,
the freeze nipped foliage on some roses, hydrangeas
and Japanese maples, but others came through
with no damage at all. Most trees, shrubs and perennials
were fine. We live on a hill with open exposure.
Most of our two acres is in full sun. It is hard
to understand why two blue ‘Nikko’ hydrangeas
had to be pruned back but two others produced
beautiful blossoms on schedule. The ‘Limelights,’
‘Annabelle’ and ‘Snowflakes’ are a bit late blooming
but snubbed their noses at the freeze. ‘Pee Gee’ and
‘Snow Queen’ appear healthy but blooms scarce.
Our collections of hollies, viburnums, nandinas
and magnolias were unaffected by the cold. Only
one ‘Sieboldi’ magnolia and one Viburnum ‘shasta
tomentosa’ were stressed. Both are still fighting to
recover due to brutal temperatures.
I believe two factors were involved in successful
recovery from the stress on plants of extreme cold
followed by extreme heat: First, WATER. If healthy
plants were well hydrated before the freeze, they
were quicker to recover. Professional experts
immediately advised not to prune back damaged
plants, to wait until the plant was no longer in
shock. Also, water well and continue watering as
needed while plants recovered. That factor worked
for us. With a small garden business, Richard and
I were already doing our scheduled irrigating and
maintenance chores.
The second factor is placement or exposure in
the landscape. It is interesting that neither protective
fences, trees nor the house served as barriers
from the freeze. Some unprotected plants were
not affected while some with less exposure got
zapped. Richard thinks the success or failure of a
plant is in its genes. Who knows? We are fortunate
that, although blooms were a bit late, everything is
alive and coping. The gardens are a joy so we are
counting our blessings.
From Laura Kreuzer, community calendar volunteer
for the Friends:
I live in a condo and garden in large tubs and lots
of big pots. I also have several water gardens that
have become very popular with the local bird population.
My regular customers are wrens and a dove
or two. But this summer I had everything from huge
crows to cardinals, robins and lots of hummers
taking advantage of the water supply. Quite a few
butterflies, too, along with ground squirrels and
regular squirrels.
I keep several big clay saucers filled with water and
those seem to be the most popular for bathing. A
small fountain that drips streams of water down
several levels is popular with the hummers. They
hover and drink from the streams. Thanks to
the birds, I have no bugs this year and no slugs,
because the birds usually stick around for a
free meal after getting a drink. I run a full service
bird spa!
From Sandi Burdick, owner of a large garden in
South Knoxville and chair of the Secret Gardens
2007:
Every crape myrtle in our yard, whether it is a
giant or one of the dwarfs, has bloomed more
profusely this year than ever. Although they all
suffered some dieback from the Easter Sunday
freeze, the blooms below the dead limbs are
smothered in gorgeous, colorful flowers. I only
recently cut the dead limbs off.
8 9

From Elizabeth Burman, new executive
director for the Friends:
We built a new raised-bed vegetable garden
this year (good) but had yet to install any
kind of irrigation system (bad). I now
believe that bean plants could survive a
nuclear war, but alas they chose self-preservation
over providing us with many beans.
We did make good use of our rain barrel
(there’s also no water spigot near the new
garden--double bad) but even rain barrels
need, well, RAIN.
Friendship Plaza update
Basic work on the Friendship Plaza was completed
in September, with special features to be added
as funding is designated by patrons and the Silver
Anniversary Friends Committee. The marble donor
wall allows us for the first time to permanently recognize
major gifts to the Gardens. Special features will
also allow for enduring naming opportunities.
We are grateful to the many suppliers and contractors
who have made partial or complete in-kind
donations for this project during the course of its
three phases. They will be recognized on a separate
bronze plaque in the new Plaza: Belgard
Hardscapes, Big Rock Building Products (An
Oldcastle Company), Tom Boyd and Sandi Burdick,
Custom Marble & Design, WASCO Inc., General
Shale Brick, Kenneth Pace Builders, Cortese Tree
Specialists, Blue Ridge Architecture, Claiborne
Hauling, Sequatchie Concrete Systems, Sand
Products and the Knoxville Metropolitan Planning
Commission. We hope to have furnishings for the
new Plaza funded through a Campus Beautification
Grant Program and are awaiting final approval for
that proposal from the University of Tennessee.
Donors who may be interested in naming opportunities
for special features should contact the Infoline at
865-525-4555 or friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu and
we will be happy to tell you about remaining work
to complete design proposals for the shade sails, a
performance space, artisan ironwork and a possible
fountain or other water/cooling/shading features.
From Theresa Pepin, outgoing executive
director for the Friends:
Somebody asked me the other day how
my garden fared, and I said that its best
“blossom” this year was the orange tape
I had strung on every plant that we were
trying to save with hand watering among the
many others I was leaving to fend for themselves.
With no irrigation on our rocky one
acre, I am compelled to drag hoses to individually
marked plants as I see them start
to go over the line from wilting to expiring.
(Evergreens are particularly tricky in this
regard.) I recruit help by stopping people
on the street to hold a hose. (After all, who
needs to walk or run in this heat when they
can water below the shade of stressed, giant
trees instead?) Seriously, the best blossom
has been the native passion flower. The best
surprise has been the astoundingly architectural
and beautiful spider webs seen in early
morning and late afternoon slanted light. The
best benefit of hand watering individual specimens
turns out to be that I can blast the
spider mites off the foliage they’re trying to
gobble. I had to let go a field of ostrich ferns
a couple months ago. Sadder has been to
see a mature yellowwood girdled by chewing
wildlife hungry for something succulent.
Nature gives and Nature takes away.
Adam Sneed and Ben Rossen
Bruce Bennett of Custom Marble & Design looking on as San Diego and Charlie
Solomon put final touches on the marble donor wall
Photo by Allison Roberts
Charlie Solomon doing finish work on the marble donor wall
Theresa Pepin laying brick
Photo by Allison Roberts
Photo by Allison Roberts
Detail from one of the ironwork concept sketches
Water feature could be a fountain or other proposal.
10 11

Secret Garden Parties 2007
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at Osmandia
The last Secret Garden Party of 2007 coming up
in October is a tribute to the imagination of Lewis
Carroll and particularly invites children to join in our
series of garden parties. A limited number of tickets
may still be available for this party by the time of this
newsletter’s mailing. Purchase your tickets as soon
as possible, so you will not be disappointed.
DATE: Sunday, Oct. 14, 2-4 p.m.
COST: $30 per parent/adult; $15 per child
(suggested ages 6-12)
Alice, the March Hare and Dormouse invite parents,
friends and children to join them in exploring the
charmingly eccentric gardens of Osmandia. Guests
will delight in the fantasy conjured by a remarkable
world of whimsy, rumpled exuberance and
child-sized rambles amid the bounty and beauty of
nature on a brilliant autumn afternoon.
Just as the settings do in Lewis Carroll’s writing,
this garden stirs the imagination of all who visit.
If you are a devotee of the garden writing of
Mirabel Osler—and particularly her “Gentle Plea for
Chaos”—you will be immediately enchanted by this
unique setting in West Knoxville.
Children can make a hat at the Mad Hatter’s Hat
Factory or bring a favorite of their own. Riddles, readings,
music and costume contests add to the fun of
a very special tea party on the sheltered lawn of this
antebellum farmhouse that is on the National Historic
Register. All are encouraged to come costumed as a
character from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,”
but not in best finery, as children will very much want
to explore the nooks and crannies of the Mad Hatter’s
wild kingdom and get to know the resident creatures.
All children must be accompanied by adults. If you’re
still young at heart, you’ll want to come, too.
Hosts:
*Pam and Alex Osmand, Terumi and Ian
Watso, Theresa Pepin and Kenneth Pace,
Nicholas and Elizabeth Anderson, Jonathan
and Debra Dean
Special thanks to our 2007 Secret Garden Parties
sponsors: Mrs. Charles (Lane) Hays, Home
Federal Bank, Cortese Tree Specialists Inc.,
Ellenburg Landscaping and Nursery and Mary
and Joe Spengler.
Tickets may be ordered online at
www.friendsoftheutgardens.org, or you can
send your check to Friends of the UT Gardens,
P. O. Box 51394, Knoxville, TN 37950-1394. Call
865-525-4555 if you have questions about specific
availability.
Secret Garden Parties Reports:
Plant Collector & Sculpture Garden
By Pam Reddoch
The Plant Collector and Sculpture Garden Party
was held on two perfect days in early June. Gentle
breezes and lots of shade provided garden guests
with ample opportunity to sit in the garden of
Angela and Greg Ellenburg and study the variety
of trees, shrubs and perennials. Many guests were
busy taking notes and asking questions of this
husband and wife team. Guests were treated to
bowls of fresh fruit, wonderful muffins and other
pastry treats as they explored the many paths to
secluded spots. Among the many sculptured pieces
in the garden was a newly acquired “life size” black
bear, carved from a single piece of wood and
weighing in at 700 pounds.
Special thanks to Angela and Greg Ellenburg for
their generous support of the UT Gardens. We
would also like to thank our garden party volunteers:
Sandi Burdick, Carolyn Crowder, Joy Fels,
Judy Griffith, Meg Kranaskas, Henry McIlwaine,
Joan McMullen, Darby Parker, Chelsea Shultz and
Becky Stout.
Secret Garden Parties Reports:
The Friendship Garden
By Christine Griffin
In East Knox County two 100-year-old maple trees,
lovingly planted and sited for someone’s old home
place, captured Mae Sim’s imagination. She lived
nearby. She told us she could just see a new home
on the knoll and a circular drive going up behind
them. When the property came up for sale, she
acted on that vision. And it made the perfect shady
gathering place for the Friends’ Secret Garden
Party June 2.
Calendar Reminders
Books & Blooms continues in October and
November in the Gardens. The programs will be full
of enchanting Halloween and harvest stories with
some fun fall crafts. Many participants also pack a
lunch for a picnic afterwards. Dates coming up are
Thursdays Oct. 11 and 25 and Nov. 8. The storytime
starts at 10:30 a.m. and is open to the public at
no charge. If you would like to volunteer as a storyteller
for this event, or to sign up for our mailing list,
please contact Terumi Watson at tsaito@utk.edu, or
974-7256.
The last set of Lunchtime & Twilight Walks led by
Gardens’ Staff will be at 12 noon and 6 p.m., respectively,
Tuesday, Oct. 16. This is your best chance
to get expert answers to questions about plantings
in the Gardens by the staff who plant and care for
them, not to mention the pleasure to stroll about
the beautiful grounds while the weather is cool, too.
Friends volunteers and board members offer hospitality
and light refreshments at these walks.
The Knoxville Garden Club presents Mary Palmer
Dargan Oct. 3 at 10 a.m. at Second Presbyterian
Church, 2829 Kingston Pike, who will talk about
The long, deep border with its little rooms tucked
inside—fun to explore—and the koi pond with its
trained, good sized fish were a real treat. The pond
looked like it had always been there, perfectly done
with a view of peaceful hay fields. But the best part
of the summer afternoon was meeting Mae and
Ray, who are so welcoming and enthusiastic about
gardening. Some pass-along plants got passed on,
and valuable tips on how to rescue a headless
statue. We sat under the maple trees, munched on
delicious home made cookies and enjoyed the day.
Special thanks to volunteers Debbie Allen
and Sandi Burdick, who provided exceptional
refreshments and treats, and Nancy Rennie,
who helped by being on hand to give botanical
information.
landscaping and design. The talk is open to the
public at no charge. Dargan, a member of the
American Society of Landscape Architects and
author of Timeless Landscape Design: The Four-
Part Master Plan, is based in Atlanta and has been
featured on HGTV, CNN and Southern Accents. See
her work at www.dargan.com.
Ijams Nature Center has a new program in October
for 6- to 8-year olds called “Elementary Explorers.”
Ryan Gainey will also speak at their Fall Plant Sale
Oct. 14. Call 865-577-4717 for more information.
The journal Horticulture sponsors Smaller
Garden/Big Ideas seminars at various Southeastern
and Mideastern locations in October. For example:
Oct. 18 in Wheaton, Md.; Oct. 20 in Raleigh; and
Oct. 21 in Akron, Ohio. Register at 877.436-7764 or
visit www.hortprograms.com.
The American Horticultural Society presents
“The Amazing World of Plants: New Trends in Plant
Selection and Their Influence on Garden Design”
at Crestwood, Ky., Oct. 4 and 5, hosted by Yew Dell
Gardens. Visit www.ahs.org for complete details.
12 13

Friends courses at UT
Dig and Divide
How often does someone invite you to come and
learn how to dig treasures out of the
yard? This is your opportunity to dig in the UT
Gardens and take home a load of plants
for your own use, too. We will learn how to divide
plants in the perennial beds throughout the
Gardens, replant one section of a plant, and put
the remainder in the course pool for participants to
select from when the digging is completed. Tools
will be provided, but if you have favorite digging
tools and hand pruners, bring them along. Also,
dress comfortably and be prepared to get dirty and
have a good time.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 13, l0 a.m.-12 noon
Location: Friendship Plaza of the University of
Tennessee Gardens, Agriculture Campus
Instructors: UT Gardens Staff assisted by master
gardeners from the Friends of the University of
Tennessee Gardens
Course # 281620
Fee: $49
Space is strictly limited for this class.
Registration deadline is Oct. 5.
Plants Alive! Keeping Gardens and Containers
Awake in Winter
Fight those winter blues and blahs. Learn how to
maintain winter interest in the garden, including
a review of plant material to use for winter and
early spring containers. Also, design strategies for
selecting plant material as well as techniques for
grooming the winter garden will be discussed and
demonstrated.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 20, l0 a.m.-12 noon
Location: Friendship Plaza of the University of
Tennessee Gardens, Agriculture Campus
Instructor: Karen Petrey. With degrees in ornamental
horticulture and plant and soil science from UT, Karen
has extensive experience as a garden designer in East
Tennessee. She is also a past president of the Friends.
Course #: 281605
Fee: $39
Beyond Dogwoods and Azaleas – Less Common
Trees and Shrubs for the Home Garden
Searching for distinctive trees and shrubs beyond
the usual spring pretties? Explore some of the less
commonly used woody plants suitable for our area.
After a slide presentation, we will stroll through the
University Gardens to see some of these unusual
specimens first hand.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 3, l0 a.m.-12 noon
Location: Room 128 in UT Ellington Plant Sciences
Building on the Agriculture Campus
Instructor: Nancy Rennie A graduate of the UT ornamental
horticulture and landscape design program,
Nancy has extensive experience as a consultant and
garden designer in East Tennessee.
Course #: 281606
Fee: $39
Holiday Wreaths with Greenery from the Gardens
There is no substitute for fresh greenery and woody
plant material plucked directly from the wide selection
at the University Gardens under the guidance
of a master designer. Course members will
have the option of constructing a wreath or centerpiece
arrangement. There will also be a demonstration
of how to fashion a “kissing ball.” Participants
are encouraged to bring material from their own
gardens to use and to share.
If you plan to make a centerpiece and have a
special container you want to use, please bring it.
Also, bring your own hand pruners. All other materials
will be furnished, and a $10 materials fee is
due to the instructor at the class.
Date: Saturday, Dec. 8, 10 a.m.-12 noon
Location: UT Greenhouse 11, Agriculture Campus
Instructor: Nancy Robinson
Course #: 281600
Fee: $39
Space is strictly limited for this class.
Registration deadline is Dec. 1.
The Friends offer educational programs through UT
Outreach & Continuing Education Professional
& Personal Development. Call 865-974-0150 to
register or order a catalog, or see www.outreach.
utk.edu/ppd to register or for additional details.
Nyssa sylvatica
Black Tupelo, Black Gum or Sour Gum
By Andrew Pulte
Around the year 1735 the first member of the
genus Nyssa was described and given the name
Nyssa aquatica. Nyssa is a derivation of Nysa,
the mythological water nymph. Later (around
1750) this plant was discovered to be related to
one of the Eastern Seaboard’s most beloved native
trees: Nyssa sylvatica or Black Gum. The scientific
name “sylvatica” means “of woods,” which
by all accounts would make Black Gum the water
nymph of the woods. This makes sense, because
you often find this tree along stream banks
throughout the eastern half of the U.S. However,
it’s not isolated to stream beds; it’s also quite
ubiquitous in the Southeast in both lowland and
upland areas. In the wild you will find Black Gum
in large groups as well as mixed with other hardwood
trees. The common name Black Gum is
somewhat of a misnomer, because the tree is not
known to produce latex or gum of any kind.
The wood of Nyssa has been used for centuries
for implement handles, skid poles and even floors.
Black Gum could possibly be one of our most
underused native trees. It is adaptable to both wet
and dry sites and is relatively immune to almost all
insects and disease.
This tree is also interesting during all four seasons.
In spring a beautiful flush of shiny green leaves
appears with soft greenish yellow flowers. This
is followed by a late summer crop of small blue
and red berries that are quickly eaten by wildlife
as they ripen in late September. Fall is when this
tree really comes into its own, as its leaves show
their charm in shades of florescent yellow, orange,
scarlet and deep purple. Black Gum is by far one
of the most consistent in its fall display and never
seems to disappoint those looking for a tree with
fall personality. When the brilliance of fall is past,
the gray-brown, broken and thick irregular bark
Nyssa sylvatica, or Black Gum, is interesting in the landscape during all seasons,
but fall is when this tree comes into its own. Photo courtesy of Michigan
State University.
stands out and complements the different forms of
this tree, which can range from pyramidal in youth
to oval at maturity.
Nyssa sylvatica is a great size tree for many
urban yards. It matures to between 30 feet and
50 feet high and spreading around 20 feet or 25
feet. Typically only the straight species of this
tree is planted; however, some noteworthy cultivars
can be found in the nursery trade. The UT
Gardens proudly displays the common species of
Nyssa sylvatica along with Nyssa sylvatica
‘Zydeco Twist’ a new contorted variety, and Nyssa
sylvatica ‘Dirr’, a variety chosen by plantsman
Michael Dirr from the University of Georgia. You
may also want to look out for the variety ‘Wildfire’
chosen specifically for fall color and ‘Autumn
Cascades’ which has a graceful weeping habit.
14 15

The Perfect Hardy Annuals: Pansy & Viola
By Dr. Susan Hamilton
If you are looking for the perfect flower to enliven
your winter landscape, then pansies and violas
ought to be your choice. In the South, both bloom
non-stop from fall through spring, providing
cheerful color in a time of the year when you least
expect it. The name pansy sure doesn’t do justice
to this durable and winter-hardy plant either, in
that it can withstand the harshest of elements and
continue to bloom.
If you wonder what the difference is between
pansy and viola: The history of the pansy is linked
forever to the viola, its ancestor. Viola is a large
genus containing around 500 species. The hardy
but delicate viola was cultivated by the Greeks for
herbal medicine and much later inspired William
Shakespeare to write of romance. The pansy’s transition
from the small viola wildflower to the beautiful,
large-flowered pansy resulted from the dedicated
efforts of an English gardener in the early 1800s. As
a result, the pansy gained popularity rapidly in North
America. In an 1888 mail-order catalog, the pansy
was described as the most popular of all flowers
grown from seed, with pansy seed sales exceeding
100,000 packets a year. In the last 50 years, much
of the innovative pansy breeding has been in
Germany, the United States and Japan.
Today, violas (or Johnny-Jump-Ups, as they are
sometimes called) have proved to be more winterhardy
and durable in the landscape than pansies.
However, they don’t produce as large or as showy
blooms as the pansy. Both can put on a spectacular
show, but in the end, it is the pansy that is
more dramatic. The name pansy comes from the
French word pensée, which means “thought.” This
name was given many centuries ago, for the French
believe that pansies could make your lover think of
you. The three colors of the original pansy (purple,
white and yellow) were thought to symbolize memories,
loving thoughts and souvenirs. Both the leaves
and flowers of pansies and violas are edible and
are high in vitamins A and C. The flowers impart a
strong flavor and have been used to make syrup,
flavor honey and tossed in a salad. Both the leaves
and flowers can be used as a garnish, such as on
cold fruit or cream soups. The flowers are also
useful as a dye.
The pansy has one of the widest color ranges of
any garden annual. Colors include red, purple,
blue, bronze, pink, black, yellow, white, lavender,
orange, apricot and mahogany. Blooms may be
a single color or have two or three colors with a
face. Pansy flowers have one of three basic color
patterns. Blooms can be a solid, clear color, such
as yellow or blue. A second pattern is a single color
having black lines, called penciling, radiating from
its center similar to viola markings. The last type of
flower is probably the one most familiar to home
gardeners. The bloom of this type has a dark blotch
or center called appropriately called a face.
When selecting plants for your garden, choose
plants that are stocky with dark green foliage. The
ideal plant is one with just a few blooms but many
buds coming on. Pansies and violas thrive in moist
but well-drained soil which is rich in organic matter.
As for location, pansies and violas prefer full sun
to partial shade. Planting in September through
November is ideal to ensure that plants get established
before cold weather really sets in. Be sure
to fertilize at planting time as well, as pansies need
plenty of food while they grow during the fall and
again as spring arrives. A granular or timed-release
fertilizer can be incorporated into the garden soil
as you plant. Be sure to mulch these cold weather
annuals to give them added protection to endure
harsh weather. Any composted hardwood bark is
fine, but pine needles are an ideal mulch for overwintering
pansies and violas, because they are not
heavy and provide great insulation.
Pansies and violas can be used in a variety of ways
in the garden. Nothing is more impressive than
when they are planted en masse. However, if you
use pansies in such a manner, make sure your
spacing is correct. Because pansies and violas are
small plants growing only 8 to 10 inches tall and
wide, they should planted 6 to 8 inches apart.
Spacing plants further apart may be cheaper, but
it will detract from the desired effect. Pansies and
violas are impressive when used in containers or
window boxes, too. They look great if used alone or
in combination with other cool temperature-loving
plants, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, snapdragon
and dianthus. If you want to have a truly
impressive spring garden, consider inter-planting
tulip or daffodil bulbs with your pansies and violas
both in the landscape or container. Planting the
bulbs between such hardy annuals will bring a
surprise burst of color in the spring. And when the
fading bulb’s foliage begins to wither, the pansies
and violas are so colorful that one barely notices
the bulbs’ yellowing foliage. Combining so many
plants into one garden certainly is not the cheapest
garden you’ll ever plant but well worth the price of
spring enjoyment.
Hundreds of varieties of both pansies and violas are
on the market, but I recommend you shop for the
series or varieties we have selected from our university
evaluation studies. Results from our winter
trial garden tell us which pansies and violas are the
best for our Tennessee gardens. Out of 29 different
series of pansies and violas tested for landscape
performance and appeal, nine were selected as
outstanding and definitely worth using in your
landscape.
Those selected include:
Pansy series
Matrix
Crystal Bowl
Panola
Fanfare
Viola series
Ultima
Penny
Rebel
Rocky
Sorbet
Be sure to visit our winter variety trail garden just
planted this month. If you find that you are truly taken
and passionate about pansies and violas, you may
want to get involved with the National Viola and Pansy
Society. You can check them out on the Internet at
http://www.sweetviolets.com/nvpspage.htm.
Ultima Radience Red
Panola Deep Blue Blotch
16 17

What you learn
from a walk in
the Gardens...
The interview protocol at these walks has made
for some very interesting results so far.
On one summer day, almost all of the
attendees were new to Knoxville and almost
none of them had joined the Friends yet. They
were enthusiastic about getting involved in
the Knoxville community and gardening activities.
One person had moved to Knoxville upon
retirement from the University of Michigan and
said she was sorry to leave from there only
because she would like to have continued
volunteering at the Arboretum.
One attendee at a walk spoke highly of Sandi
Burdick from her acquaintance with her at a
Secret Garden Party and said she’d come to the
Gardens because Sandi encouraged her to go
“check them out.”
Another attendee said she’d thought the Plaza
was a bad idea at first, but now she thought
it was turning out to be wonderful when she
finally came to see herself.
Several came to see the passion flower in
bloom … and they were.
One came all the way from Maynardville and
another from Athens. We had people from out
of state who happened to hear the WUOT spot
on their way through town and stopped by.
Attendees expressed appreciation for the
student interns, Robin Yeary and Stephen
Wolfe, who led the walks that summer day and
gave out lots of information.
Business
Marketplace
Please show your appreciation and support by
patronizing these places of business!
ERINʼS MEADOW HERB FARM
The Best Selection of Herbs in East Tennessee!
Organic Gardening Supplies
Nature-Inspired Gifts and Accessories
Herbal Products, Dried Organic Herbs
Classes and Workshops
132 England Lane, Clinton, TN 37716
865-435-1452
erinsmeadowherbfarm.com
New & Renewing Members and Donations
Members
Silver Anniversary
Friends ($2,500+)
Dr. Jesse Poore
Benefactors ($1,000+)
Garden Study Club
East Tennessee
Hosta Society
Patrons ($500+)
Dorothy & Caesar Stair
Business Friends ($250+)
Modern Design Landscaping
Sponsoring
Friends ($250+)
R.C. & Connie Gonzalez
Sherri Parker Lee
Mr. & Mrs. W. R. McNabb
Garden Club and
Society Friends ($100+)
Gardeners’ Forum
Tellico Village Garden Club
Contributing
Friends ($100+)
Eli & Catherine Fly
Anna T. Ford
Mary Donnet Johnson
Marian Oates
Theresa Pepin
Mary Ann & David Piper
Patty Powers
Dr. & Mrs. John Rodgers
Robbie Nelson &
Tammy Stoneberger
Lynn Venafro
Family Friends
Bob & Betty Braden
Michael & Heather Floan
Mary Laura Koella
Susanne Levi
Catharene & Jim Petty
Individual Friend
Julia Christenson
Glenda Clark
Pat Dent
Mary Frances Drak
Melissa Ferguson
Marsha Flanigan
Barbara Garret
Judy Griffith
Janet & Rob Herman
Marie S. Hogan
Lois Hoskins
Martha Lionberger
Janet Lundy
Joanna Montgomery
Linda Rogers
Fran Scheidt
Jeanie Shover
Jennifer Stokes
Debbie Way
Martha J. Williamson
Thea Yoder
Donations
Adopt-a-Garden Gold
East Tennessee Hosta Society
Friendship Plaza Project
Melinda Davis
Lane Hays
Linda Yates
In honor of
Dr. Bruce Avery by West Hills
10 o’clock Gardeners
Frances Lothrop by the
Gardener’s Forum
Mary Spengler by
Deborah Whitson, Diane Gross,
Elaine Powell, Ann Shelor,
Lynn Wardley and Marnie Page
Theresa Pepin by Kanunsita
Garden Club
Theresa Pepin by
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. McNabb
Angela and Greg Ellenburg by
Joe Fuhr
Faye Beck by Sunrise Garden Club
In memory of
C. Tony Jeffries by Lucy Gibson
Frances McAmis Lothrop by The Knoxville Garden
Club, Suzanne Stowers, Virginia Rogers, Faye
Beck, Mary Collins Shepard, Mary Gillespie,
Connie and Clayton Greene, Marty Russell,
Sandi Burdick, Edward S. Albers, Jr., Dick and
Jean Bowen, William and Marian Broome,
Dr. James and Jerry Burdette, Daniel and Ellyn
Cauble, Dr. William and Gertrude Gardner,
Elizabeth Lee, Dan Mayo, Ellen Mitchell, Lloyd
and Nancy Montgomery, Dr. Tom and Ellen
Morgan, Margaret Newton, Don and Nancy
Preston, John and Mary Rayson, Robert and
Carol Schmid, Betty Schmid, James and Mimi
Smith, Joe and Mary Spengler, Lillie Wallace,
Julia Webb, William and Betsy Wright, Hallie
Galyon, Alex and Mary Belle Harkness, James
and Marilyn Dick, Mrs. Floyd Goodson, Jr.,
Robert and Julia Schriver, Dr. A. Michael and
Cammy Glover, Shirley Heinsohn, Richard and
Angelyn Koella, John and Sandra Butler, Karen
Petrey, Tom and Melissa McAdams, George
Wilson, Townsend and Conni Collins, Kim
McMillan, James and Melinda Ethier, Ann and W.
C. Adams, Thomas and Anna Ford, James N.
Proffitt Jr., Whitney Dunford, Carter V. Slatery,
Jennifer and Christopher Jones, Proffitt &
Goodson, Inc., Dr Robert and Helen Ferguson,
Ed and Susan Adams, Richard and Lee Whitson,
Martha Williamson, Joanne Stephenson,
Veterinary Referral Surgical, and Jane and
Robert Smith.
Modern Design Landscaping generously
donated proceeds of its Pond Tour to the Friends
in July 2007.
Gift memberships were given by Susanne Levi
and Debbie Mayfield.
All annual memberships and donations at the level
of $250 and above are listed on the annual giving
board in the Gardens prepared for the Friends Annual
Report in late December.
Silver Anniversary Friends at the level of $2,500
and above in 2007-2008 will be permanently
recognized on the new marble donor wall in the
Friendship Plaza.
18 19

Coming Up On The Calendar:
Thursday, Oct. 11 ......IN THE GARDENS ....Books & Blooms 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 13 ......... COURSE .......Dig and Divide in the Gardens, UT PPD #281620
Sunday, Oct. 14 ...........EVENT . . . . . . .Secret Garden Party, The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
Tuesday, Oct. 16 .......IN THE GARDENS ....Lunchtime Walk 12 Noon, Twilight Walk 6 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 20 ......... COURSE .......Plants Alive! Keeping Gardens & Containers Awake in Winter
UT PPD #281605
Monday, Oct. 22 ............ ..........Board meeting 7p.m., Fourth budget quarterly report
Thursday, Oct. 25 ......IN THE GARDENS ....Books & Blooms 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, Nov. 1. .........DEADLINE ......December newsletter (Gifts & Talents Issue)
Saturday, Nov. 3 .......... COURSE ......Beyond Dogwoods & Azaleas: Less Common Trees & Shrubs
for the Home Garden, UT PPD #281606
Monday, Nov. 5 ............. ..........Annual membership meeting, Guest speaker Robert E. Grese
Thursday, Nov. 8. ......IN THE GARDENS ....Books & Blooms 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 8 .......... COURSE. ......Holiday Wreaths with Greenery, from the Gardens
UT PPD #281600
Volume 14 No 7 October 2007
865–525–4555
friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu
www.friendsoftheutgardens.org
In this Issue:
Annual Meeting Guest Speaker – pp 1
Leadership transitions – p 2
From the Outgoing Friends Executive Director – p 3
New Executive Director – p 4
From the UT Gardens director – pp 4-5
From the UT Gardens Curator – p 6
Good News – p 7
News Briefs – pp 7-8
Letters – p 8
Friends’ Gardens Reports – pp 9-10
Friendship Plaza update – pp 10-11
Secret Garden Parties – pp 12-13
Friends courses at UT – pp 14
Best & Beautiful – pp 15-17
What you learn from a walk in the Gardens – p 18
Marketplace – p 18
New and Renewing Members and Donors – p 19
P.O. Box 51394
Knoxville, TN 37950–1394
Non–profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Knoxville, TN
Permit No. 204
THE GARDEN POST
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