October - UT Gardens - The University of Tennessee

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.
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