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Board Members
Nicholas Anderson
Faye Beck
Sandi Burdick
Sherry Chobanian
Mary Collins-Shepard
Carolyn Crowder
Christine Griffin
Bunni Hood
Sandra Leach
Laura McFee-Adams
Theresa Pepin
Karen Petrey
Steve Row
P. J. Snodgrass
Jason Spence
Mary Spengler
editorial Board
Bettie Corey
Carolyn Dean
Steve Row
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october 1
The Garden PosT
Congratulations!
Photo by permission of the UT Daily Beacon—Janna Rudolph, photographer
A young Blooms Days visitor creates a rubbing on the
Touchstone Marble Table donated by sculptor Bruce Bennett.
Volume 13 no 7 september 2006
Blooms Days workshop
FOGPrimaryRack.indd 1 6/22/06 11:50:16 AM

From the
Friends of the UT Gardens’ President
Theresa Pepin
This newsletter issue expresses appreciation for
all of the many people in the Friends and the
Gardens who make it possible for us to raise
critical funds for the University Gardens through
the mechanism of the fundraising events
that have long been our primary way to meet
our commitments. This year there have been
dozens of courses and sales events, Secret
Garden Parties and Blooms Days ’06. Taken
together, these activities have raised nearly
$50,000 of net proceeds so far this year
towards our commitment of $75,000 to the
Gardens in 2006.
Our board and committee members show
impressive initiative in the very tough job of
taking responsibility for the success of our
many events. These occasions raise the visi-
bility of our cause in the community, and they
give people of all means a chance to donate—
and enjoy a much greater value in return—at
the level they can afford. I particularly would
like to acknowledge the leadership of Faye
Beck on our educational course offerings and
plant sales events, Mary Collins-Shepard
on Blooms Days ’06 and Sandi Burdick on
the Secret Garden Parties. I cannot list all of
the people on the Gardens’ staff, UT faculty,
students and administrators who have made
such a huge difference this year.
Thank You!
Highlights of Blooms Days ’06
Mary Collins-Shepard
What always makes Blooms Days so much fun for all of
us involved is not only experiencing the incredible enthusiasm
of a huge group of dedicated volunteers, but
also discovering that each year brings a few delightful
surprises. Blooms Days ’06 was no exception.
A flurry of kid-sized parasols could be seen moving
about the Gardens, each uniquely decorated by young
people who visited the arts and crafts area. Public horticulture
students also painted larger parasols with our
signature Blooms Days flower to provide additional
shade in the Gardens.
Children’s tent fun!
Terumi Saito painting Blooms Days umbrellas
Offerings in the Friends’ booth included copies of
Best Garden Plants for Tennessee, signed by the
author, Dr. Sue Hamilton, as well as several copies
of Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley and the
Southern Appalachians donated by past president Karl
Heinzman. Door prizes included bonsai donated by
Aaron Harden, Harden’s Bonsai Planters. Ron Emery
of Emery 5 & 10 came through for us again with a grand
door prize—a teak pool box won by Brian Garton.

Fans of “The Garden Girls” radio show on WNOX were
able to meet stars Sue Hamilton, Beth Babbit and
Christine Jessel in person and watch a live broadcast
of the show Sunday afternoon. Some even took a turn at
the mike to seek answers to their gardening questions.
Southern Living Magazine sent a photographer to cover
the show. Look for an article featuring the “Girls” and the
UT Gardens in next year’s May or June issue.
The Garden Girls Radio Talk Show broadcast live from Blooms Days
On the Friday evening preceding Blooms Days ’06, the
inaugural Presidents’ Preview took place, in which
guests from the campus and community were invited to
join the Board of the Friends in thanking sponsors for
their support of Blooms Days. If we’d been smart (we
were too tired!), we would have gotten photos of some
pretty delighted VIPs. R. B. Morris and Hector Qirko
entertained guests in Gardens, which were cooled off by
a quick thunderstorm in the late afternoon.
Friends’ member Jean Hess and Hanson Galleries
donated “Buffalo Ridge,” a fabulous painting ( 4x 4-inch
oil, acrylic, paper collage, plants and resin on canvas) by
Jean that was the door prize drawing. (see art on page 4)
Pool box winner Brian Garton of Oak Ridge, pictured with his mom Sharon
Garton and Ron Emery of Emery 5 & 10 Bonsai winner Phillis Titko
Bonny Naugher won the painting, and Dr. Alan Heilman
won the second door prize—prints in the new 006
release of Don Williams. (see art on page 5)
Major sponsors Knoxville News Sentinel and UT
Federal Credit Union both received matted, enlarged
prints of Dr. Heilman’s arresting photo of the Tennessee
Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) that has recently
been used in the Friends’ first “Discover the Passion” full
color rack card for the Gardens. We could not present
Blooms Days without these two major sponsors and
the many other sponsors and volunteers who make this
outreach festival such a worthwhile and successful event.
“On behalf of the East Tennessee Iris
Society, I would like to thank you and all
your colleagues for inviting us to participate
in Blooms Day ’06 again this year.
We had a great time and raised about 50
percent more money for our club than we
did last year.
“As always, the staff and logistics were
outstanding, and your selection of vendors
was really good. (My personal favorite
was the carnivorous plants!) We enjoyed
the opportunity to present a workshop to
further get out the word on iris and perhaps
dispel a few old wives’ tales in the process.
“We look forward to participating next year.
Thanks again for all your help.”
Bob Lauf
Oak Ridge

Art for Gardens at Blooms Days
Jean Hess Buffalo Ridge 2004
24 x 24” Oil, acrylic, paper collage, plants, resin on canvas.
Retail $1700
I believe I am obliged as an artist to create visual surfaces that have a positive
and uplifting effect and are, at best, engaging. Sometimes I think it is most
important that the work praises those things I care most about: The natural
world, represented by plants, minerals, shells, soil and scientific diagrams; A
sense of collapsed time, suggested by mysterious antique texts and graphics as
well as found and recycled materials from popular culture and my own excursions.
My process is actually a form of prayer, involving as it does immersion in
labor-intensive, often repetitive actions.
2006 Releases of Don Williams Botanical Collection
The 006 releases of the Don Williams
Collection are now available. This year’s selections
are Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
and Common Blue Violet (Confederate) (Viola
priceana) As with all in the series, the prints are
done on a heavy stock, sized to be easily mounted
in a standard 8x 0 frame. The pair is available for
$ 5 plus $ shipping and handling. All proceeds
benefit Friends of the UT Gardens. The prints are
available at each of our major events through the
year, or you can call 865-5 5-4555
or email friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu to
arrange your purchase.
4
In the beginning, each piece is more or less a “document.” They are records of,
studies for, and notations about, various places and experiences inspiring my
work. These often consist of rather realistic vignettes like process notes from
geographical, historical and environmental research, grids, maps and lists,
pigments and minerals, paper collage, as well as plants and other collected
ephemera. I often collage graffiti and sketches from the textbooks of children
who lived over a hundred years ago here in the southeast, and I have collected
old geometry notebooks from Italy.
The finished works, created by layering pigment and resin over the original
infrastructure of details, become more abstract “environments.” That is, I like
to think the viewer can experience these directly, kinesthetically. They depict no
specific place, just a state of happy suspension – in water or air or light. These
atmospheric paintings emphasize the ethereal; light-refracting surfaces are
enhanced by scattered dry metallic pigment, pressed flowers and leaves, and
realistically rendered flowers floating on the surface.
The plants I incorporate into my work typically come from my own garden. I
also collect plants from places of special significance to me, like the Trial Gardens
at UT, the gardens of family and friends, and a garden on the campus of Milligan
College, near Johnson City, where my paternal grandparents went to school.
I am, then, a bricoleur, engaged in experimentation with contrasting materials
from disparate sources. I think of these paintings as a gathering of gifts,
reaffirming my fundamental belief in emphasizing the good. I use a vocabulary
of natural forms, atmospheric environments, rich secondary colors, and intricate
texts and marks as signifiers of an ideal state of grace. One might say they are
evidence of yearning for Eden which, of course, I imagine to be a garden.
Jean Hess
Knoxville

From the UT Gardens’ Director
Dr. Sue Hamilton
We’ve added some great plants this spring. Thanks
to Beaver Creek Nursery for giving us a new introduction
of the Japanese Cornel Dogwood. Cornus
officianalis ‘Sunsphere’ is a small tree with a more
rounded shape, compact branching and closer
nodes that produce more stunning yellow flowers
than the species. The sunny flower blooms about
two weeks earlier than the species, beginning in
mid-February and lasting until late March. It also has
a wonderful cinnamon colored exfoliating bark. We
have planted this great selection close to Neyland
Drive, where its bright yellow spring bloom will
catch drive-by attention. Also from Beaver Creek,
‘Tamukeyama’ Japanese Maple, a lace-leaf Acer
palmatum, has deep burgundy color turning scarlet
red in the fall. Check out this fine nursery at www.
beavercreeknursery.net.
The East Tennessee Hosta Society has generously
granted $500 toward developing our hosta
collection and shade companion plants. Working
with Brian White of D&B Yarden Goodys, we’ve
added 4 hosta selections; two fern selections,
Japanese Painted Fern ‘Pewter Lace’ and Victorian
Fern ‘Encourage’; four selections of astilbes ‘Maggie
Daley,’ ‘Pumila,’ ‘Vision in Red’ and ‘Fanal’; ‘Satin
Doll’ Tradescantia (Spiderwort); and Disporopsis
pernyi (Evergreen Solomon’s Seal). (continued) Brian White and Sue Hamilton
HELP!
Committed and active board members are essential
to all vital nonprofit organizations. The Board of the
Friends is seeking individuals from our campus and
community with the following competencies to add to
our capabilities in fulfilling our mission: accountant;
attorney; public relations; publicity and promotion;
marketing and sales; park management; business/corporate
relations; hospitality/food services/
entertainment; volunteer placement/management;
5
Duane Ridenour of Beaver Creek and Sue Hamilton with ‘Sunsphere’ Japanese
Cornel Dogwood
donor services; membership services; database
management; wordprocessing wizardry; funds
development and finances.
If you are interested in being considered for the
Board, please contact Sandra Leach, Treasurer
and Chair of the Nominating Committee, by
calling the Friends’ Infoline 865-5 5-4555 at
your earliest convenience.

Our faithful volunteers planting hostas
Another wonderful source for many new plants that
have been added to the Gardens is Gum Tree Farm
Specialty Nursery located in Hermitage, Tenn.
Friends board member Faye Beck and I recently spent
six glorious hours touring the gardens and arboretum
there and then shopping. In addition to selling us many
fabulous plants for the Gardens, nursery manager
Robert Wilson gave the following choice plants:
Edgeworthia chrysantha - Giant Leaf Paper Plant
Panicum amarum ‘Dewey Blue’ - Bitter Switchgrass
Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Vintage Gold’ - Sawara Cypress
Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’ - Variegated Giant Dogwood,
Wedding Cake Tree
Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ - Raulston Allspice
Acer davidii ‘George Forrest’ - Snake Bark Maple
Abies koreana ‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke’ - Silberlocke
Korean Fir
Robert Wilson and Sue Hamilton with Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’
- Raulston Allspice
Gum Tree Farm is open only selected days, so visit
www.gumtreenursery.com to learn more about
this great nursery and how you can visit. Mr. Wilson is
quite a plantsman and is Tennessee’s version of Tony
Avent, the (infamous) North Carolina nurseryman and
owner of Plant Delights Nursery.
6
Faye Beck with Korean Fir ‘Silberlocke’
Thanks to Bert Williamson of Palmetto Farm in
Knoxville, we are building our hardy palm collection.
We already have a nice collection of hardy
tropical plants such as the Hardy Sugarcane,
Phormium and Brugmansia, but Bert has assisted
in building our palm collection. I also have joined
the Southeastern Palm Society to learn more
about these plants in our region of the country.
Bert has donated the following:
Trachycarpus fortunei - Chinese Windmill Palm
Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Bulgaria’ - Bulgaria Windmill Palm
Serenoa repens - Saw Palmetto
Sabal minor - Dwarf palmetto
Sabal minor ‘Louisiana’- Louisiana Palmetto
Sabal Bermudiana - Bermuda Palmetto
Sabal uresana - Savannah Palmetto
Sabal palmetto - Cabbage Palmetto
Quercus virginiana - Live Oak
Rhapidophyllum hystrix - Needle Palm
Washingtonia filifera - California Fan Palm
Zamia integrifolia - Coontie
Also, thanks to Friends board member Faye Beck, we
have added Butia capitata Jelly Palm to our collection.
Finally, I want to say “Thank You” to everyone who
helped make the fourth annual Blooms Days a great
success. Mary Collins-Shepard does an amazing
job as the event coordinator, heading up a large
committee of coordinators and volunteers. Special
thanks to Dr. John Hodges of the UT Agricultural
Experiment Station and his staff for their work and
support of this event. We are all deeply grateful to
our staff and volunteers for all that they do to make
the Gardens beautiful and ready for this event, especially
during an extremely dry June.

News Briefs
The University of Tennessee Gardens has been
featured in a number of media this summer. In
the March 006 issue of At Home Tennessee,
the Gardens were one of several public gardens
of Tennessee highlighted in the article “Garden
Grandeur” by Kay Thompson Lee. An Associated
Press article by Elizabeth Davis in the Knoxville
News Sentinel on May 5 discussed the role and
value of the Gardens’ plant trials program both
locally and nationally.
Congratulations to public horticulture graduate
students who have received several outstanding
state and national awards. Beth Willis recently
earned a $ , 50 scholarship from the Tennessee
Federation of Garden Clubs and $ ,500 from the
National Garden Clubs to support her graduate
studies. Andy Pulte received a travel grant from the
American Public Garden Association to attend the
annual conference in San Francisco. Terumi Saito
has received a travel grant from Western Carolina
University to attend the Cullowhee Conference
on Native Plants in the Landscape. She was also
accepted to attend the 006 Monticello Historic
Landscape Institute on “Preserving Jefferson’s
Gardens and Landscapes.” All these awards are
competitive, and the financial grants and travel experiences
to these conferences and institutes should
prove invaluable to these students’ professional
studies and development. The awards also bring
welcome exposure to these outstanding students, our
public horticulture program and the university.
Cherokee Garden Club awards public horticulture student Beth Willis a $500
scholarship. Back row: Beth Willis (left) and Dr. Sue Hamilton. Front row: Bonny
Naugher (left) and Angie Campbell-Schultz of Knoxville’s Cherokee Garden Club.
Gardens’ Curator James Newburn leads a tour of the International MOMS Club
of Maryville.
Many field trips and tours brought visitors to the
Gardens in May, June and July. Terumi Saito coordinated
two noteworthy field trips, one with 85 first
graders and chaperones from Carter Elementary
School and another from Fort Craig School with
06 children and 45 chaperones. Terumi used six of
our Gardens’ staff to rotate the children through three
different activities which taught them about pollination,
plant anatomy and seed dispersal, thus fulfilling
Knox County’s First Grade Performance Objectives
for plant science. This also was great experience for
Terumi and our public horticulture students to see and
learn how a public garden can be used to teach children
about plants and nurture the next generation of
gardeners. It also demonstrates another way that the
UT Gardens are relevant to our community. (continued)
Public horticulture graduate students Sarah Murphy (L) and Terumi Saito represented
the UT Gardens and its Books & Blooms Summer Reading Program with a
“Plant Petting Zoo” at the Knox County Library’s Festival of Reading Fair in June.

Fredda Williams, director of Children’s Special Programs with Knox County
Libraries, leads storytime at Books & Blooms in June.
Another way that the Gardens reach into the community
is with the Books and Blooms summer program
with Knox County Libraries, which has attracted more
than 00 children and parents. Terumi Saito coordinated
this program, which brought parents and
children to our Gardens for “botanical storytime.”
Pre-schoolers through fifth graders enjoyed stories
and learning about plants on the second and fourth
Thursdays of each month through August.
Children enjoy “sprinkler time” after Books & Blooms.
8
Summer found the Gardens full of bugs, but not
necessarily pests—shutterbugs were out in large
numbers. Retired UT botany professor Dr. Alan
Heilman is no stranger to regular visitors. You can
find him pursuing his passion of close-up photography
most days in the Gardens. We see many
professional photographers in the Gardens and
even a professional videographer as well. Abacus
Creative Management filmed a television commercial
for St. Mary’s Health Systems with Karl
Heinzman, a Friends past president. I can’t wait
to see Karl and the beauty of our Gardens on
television!
Dr. Alan Heilman photographing in the Gardens
Past Friends president Karl Heinzman appears in a television commercial for
Abacus Creative Management.

From the UT Gardens’ Curator
James Newburn
One word describes the Gardens for the second half of
the summer, and that is HOT—not just because of the
temperature, but also because of the hot tropicals and
tropical looking plants. With their big, bold textures and
outstanding foliage colors, these plants really make a
statement and make you feel as though you’re walking
through a paradise.
One favorite tropical plant that we have used extensively
in the past couple of years is variegated tapioca
or Manihot esculenta ‘Variegata.’ This plant loves
summer and in fact does not begin to thrive until
night temperatures are above 60 degrees. The variegated
chartreuse and bright yellow five-lobed leaves are
striking, and one plant can get 4-5 feet tall and up to 5
feet in diameter. We use them as a centerpiece or backdrop
for that splash of color to complement the flowers
of annuals and perennials planted around or in front
of them. We also use them mixed in with cannas and
bananas for a truly tropical feel.
Of course, nothing says tropical like banana plants.
These plants always draw visitors’ attention. Musa
basjoo, the hardy banana, is the large green-leaved
banana in the perennial border and in the bed above
the annual display area. Each year our clumps get bigger
and bigger, and for that reason they are popular at the
Dig-and-Divide course because you can split off the side
shoots or “pups” and start a new stand. These are truly
hardy here (even to zone 5) and die back at the end
of each season. They grow 0+ feet in one season and
often bloom and begin to produce fruit, although our
growing season is a bit short for them to ripen.
We have several other bananas that are show stoppers
but are not hardy and must be protected from freezing
temperatures. Musa acuminata ‘Zebrina’ and ‘Rojo’
often have the common name of blood banana. They
have green leaves splotched with burgundy wine to
bright red stains. We also have the large Musa Ensete
maurelii or Red Abyssinian. This plant has a very thick
trunk, and the leaves are green on the top with a shiny
red underside. It is outstanding at any time of day but
spectacular when backlit by the sun. New this year
and planted throughout our annual beds and in mixed
The popular lotus plant
containers is the dwarf banana ‘Little Prince.’ This plant
only gets 4- 6 inches tall and though small adds a
dramatic touch to the display bed or acts as a centerpiece
in a mixed container.
Then we have the elephant ears. Talk about adding a
dramatic touch! These wonderful plants come in such
variety. You can’t help but notice these standout plants
as they act as a focal point of garden planting. Typically
known as partial shade plants, many of these will do
just fine in full sun if given adequate moisture. One
of new selections this year is Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’
from Plant Delights Nursery. Appropriately named, this
plant has upright leaves that cup upward and hold
water. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen insects
such as dragonflies use it for a drinking fountain. Other
notable elephant ears are Colocasia ‘Big Dipper’ with
black stems and green leaves; Alocasia ‘Portodora’
and ‘California’ with leaves pointing skyward; Alocasia
amazonica in the shade garden with its high-gloss blue
green leaves and contrasting white veins; Colocasia
‘Illustris’ with dark green to black leaves with lime
green veins; and finally another new addition this
year Colocasia gigantean ‘Thailand Giant Strain’ that
appears to live up to its name by having individual
leaves close to two feet wide.
Last but not least: the lotus plants. What a tropical
feel this lovely bloomer exudes. A hardy water plant
that we have in containers lowered in the ground, the
tubers grow in soil with some leaves floating but most
standing well above the water surface. We probably
have more questions and comments about this plant
than any other we have blooming at this time of year.
The soft pink or white bloom opens to about 8- inches
across and the leaves are so interesting the way they
hold and collect beads of water. Kids (and adults) are
fascinated by swirling the trapped water around the
cupped leaves.

Entertainment by the Tennessee Valley Ensemble
Dr. Sue Hamilton leading a workshop group
0
Information, please? Donna Stinnett (seated) answers a question.
PJ Snodgrass checking out the carnivorous plants with Mrs. Harden
Jean Weaver (wearing hat) helps a visitor choose among workshop
offerings and exhibits.

2006 Blooms Days Volunteers, UT Faculty and Staff
John Adams
Laura McFee Adams
Sam Adams
Debbie Allen
Mazel Andrews
Beth Babbit
Faye Beck
Pat Bing
Lydia Birk
Leia Blackstock
Ben Blackwood
Deedee Blane
Sheila Boggs
James Bomar
Betty Braden
Bob Braden
Jim Brown
Caroline Buckner
Sandie Burdick
Kathy Burke
Mary Burnett
Bill Byerley
Don Byerly
Sue Byerly
Charles Callis
Lynn Carlson
Stephen Carver
Betty Christian
Mary Collins-Shepard
Posey Congleton
Jim Cortese
John Coykendall
Dave Craig
Susan Creswell
Carolyn Crowder
Gary Dagnan
Kim Davis
Melinda Davis
Cindy Day
Melanie Deaderick
Pat Dent
Linda Denton
Beth Dicus
Will Dunkin
David Dunn
Joy Fels
Ione Fielden
Maria Gall
Lucy Gibson
Brenda Gregory
Judy Griffith
Sally Gross
Ron Hamilton
Sue Hamilton
Aaron Harden
Alan Hart
Marci Hayes
Alan Heilman
Sarah Hendricks
Jean Hess
John Hodges
Bonnie Holmes
C. Rae Hozer
Laurel Humphreys
Dale Jacobsen
Sondra Jamieson
Christine Jessel
Marilyn Johnson
Mike Jones
Sandy Kehne
Bill Klingeman
Alexis Kloss
Shyla Kloss
Carolyn Koefoot
Judy Kopp
Peter Kopp
Dean Kopsell
Ann Lamb
Luis Lara
Nancy Larson
Bob Lauf
Terry Lee
Terry Leese
Bill Lively
Nicole Lloyd
Frances Lothrop
Colette Mancke
Joy Matthews
Zig McMillan
Nathaniel Morgan
Susan Morgan
Sarah Murphy
James Newburn
Lien Nguyen
Pearl Norman
Scott Oderson
Kenneth Pace
Darby Parker
Theresa Pepin
Madelon Perrault
Tom Perry
Karen Petrey
Jenny Pfeffer
Jane Phillips
Jim Phillips
Lisa Phipps
Jill Pierce
Andy Pulte
Beccy Pulte
Bill Rainey
Beverly Rankin
Dick Raridon
Mary Rayson
Brad Reagan
Emily Reynolds
Laura Riester
Pat Rimmer
Kathy Riordan
Nancy Robinson
Mitzi Rouse
Steve Row
Emily Rowland
Bob Russell
Elaine Russell
Terumi Saito
Tom Samples
Fran Scheidt
Irene Schins
Dorothy Sharp
Mark Sharp
Lorene Sigal
Bobby Simpson
Ione Smith
PJ Snodgrass
Harriette Spiegel
Donna Stinnett
Jay Strozier
Cindy Stuart
Kathy Sullivan
Bobby Summers
Bobby Terry
Fran Thie
Duren Thompson
Ann Tourtelotte
Barbara Tourtelotte
Bob Trigiano
Sandy Vandenberg
Emily Vreeland
Jan Walker
Connie Wallace
Jean Weaver
Mary Weaver
Jason Wight
Cindy Williams
Fredda Williams
Les Williams
Martha Williamson
Beth Willis
Joann Wilson
Mark Windham
Patty Wingate
Deborah
Thompson-Wise
Joan Worley

Welcoming Midas,
the new garden cat
We are delighted to announce the arrival of a new
garden cat.
One morning in May, as our crew began its morning’s
work, a big, beautiful, orange and white longhaired
cat came strolling up to them. He seemed very
friendly and affectionate—rubbing up against their legs
and following them around. We wondered where he
came from and if he was perhaps lost or had escaped
from the UT Vet School. He had no collar or tags and
seemed to have been out for a while, as evidenced by
some matting of his fur and scratches on his legs, ears
and nose.
Midas enjoys story time at Books & Blooms.
After a while he
wandered off and the
next thing we knew
we saw him again
carrying a mouse he
had caught in the
garden. We thought
this might just be the
mouser we need to
continue the great job
Lotus did in controlling
garden pests.
But we still weren’t
sure if he belonged to
anyone.
He stayed around for a few days wandering in and out
of the Gardens as we checked with the Vet School,
made inquiries of visitors, and tried to determine his
story. Finally, he just seemed to want to stay, and
we thought we’d keep him. We took him to the Vet
School, and they were more than happy to see him
and give him the once-over. They determined that he
was a neutered male approximately 5 years of age and
in very good health, except for the few minor wounds.
After having him micro-chipped, groomed, vaccinated
and monitored for a couple of days, he was ours.
What to call him became the next question. Thanks go
to frequent garden visitor and cat lover Jimmy Brimer
for coming up with the appropriate name Midas, for
our golden-haired beauty does have the Midas touch.
We are keeping him up in a building at night, but first
thing every morning he goes down to the garden to
begin his day’s work. More so than Lotus, Midas is a
very people-oriented cat. This was initially a problem,
as he kept following everyone out to the parking lot.
Many thanks to Friends president Theresa Pepin and
all the folks working on the front entrance renovation
for rescuing him many times and putting him back in
the Gardens. He is slowly but surely realizing where his
domain is, and we are having fewer problems with that.
Midas seems to love the Gardens, and he is a working
cat. He does have his collar with tags and ID on that
jingle-jangle, so rest assured that the birds are safe
from him. Besides with his thick coat and long hair
he seems to have more of an air of king of the jungle
rather than fierce beast. His mere presence alone
seems to be keeping the unwanted critters at bay.
On your next visit to the Gardens, you might see our
new addition, so feel free to introduce yourself. But he
will probably see you first and approach you quickly to
make himself known and receive your greeting.
Midas riding in the Gardens’ mule

Conifer Corner
Andrew
Pulte
Golden larch - Pseudolarix amabilis
I was recently reminded that not only does the UT
Gardens have a great collection of new conifers, we also
have a diverse collection of older conifers we can be
proud of. One of my favorite older species is the golden
larch. The golden larch (Pseudolarix amabilis) is one
of several deciduous conifers we have on display. These
conifers lose and then re-grow their needles every year.
Conifers such as the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides),
bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and
ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) also fall into this same group.
Pseudolarix means false larch. Pseudolarix differs
primarily from the larches (Larix) in cone morphology
and length of needles. This tree is native to the coastal
mountain areas in southeastern China and has been
known to grow to at least 00 feet in the wild. In cultivated
gardens it grows between 0 and 60 feet tall.
This tree would be wonderful as a backdrop to any
garden. Its soft, blue-green needles have a yielding
texture that can be used as a canvas to paint a jaw-dropping
landscape. In the fall this tree that works wonderfully
as a backdrop takes center stage as its needles
turn truly golden.
I first happened upon the golden larch at the Sarah P.
Duke Gardens in Durham, N.C. I saw it at just the right
moment of peak fall color, placed next to a small pond
where the golden yellow needle color reflects beautifully
off the water’s surface. This is a tree encounter I will not
soon forget.
The golden larch has the possibility of creating a line
around the block of onlookers during the fall akin to
those looking at the best Christmas light displays in
December. If you have the space to accommodate this
tree, it’s a worthy addition to any part of your garden.
If not, come and see our specimen behind the shade
garden near Neyland Drive.
4
More on Conifers
Dr. Sue Hamilton met this summer with Ellen
Adcock, executive director of Knoxville Botanical
Gardens and Arboretum, and Jenny Jukes, the
daughter of the founder of Howell Nursery, which
is now the botanical garden and arboretum. After
discussing how the UT Gardens and KBGA can
collaborate and benefit each other, Ellen and Jenny
presented the UT Gardens with a unique conifer,
the Umbrella Pine, or Sciadopitys verticillata. This
is a highly prized ornamental tree in many gardens.
Ellen and Jenny give Sue the Umbrella Pine.
Look for this prized conifer in the newest renovated
area of the tree and shrub garden. In exchange
for this unique conifer, public horticulture graduate
student Andy Pulte and Sue gave the KBGA
a selection of coleus from the UT Gardens ‘Rocky
Top’ series and an unusual tree, Aleurites fordii,
the Tung Oil Tree. You can learn more about KBGA
by visiting the website at www.knoxgarden.org.
American Conifer Society president Tom Cox awards Dr. Sue Hamilton a $3,000
gift in support of the Gardens’ conifer collection at the recent national conference
in Knoxville.

Secret Garden Parties 2006
All parties have been well received in this new
format, and tickets have sold out well before party
dates. As of early August, tickets remained for
the stellar event of the season at Hill Top Farm.
Both local and regional media plan to feature the
Hill Top Farm event in publicity, so we encourage
you not to delay purchase of tickets, especially if
you are hoping to join other tables/groups already
booked.
We wish to give heartfelt thanks to all of the garden
owners who hosted the Secret Garden party events
and to the many hosts and sponsors who gave their
assistance. We could not provide this enjoyable,
enlightening and entertaining schedule of events
without their generous support. Please note that all
the food and beverages provided at these parties is
financed by the hosts—not to mention their investment
in establishing and maintaining these very
private and personal gardens—so that all of the
revenue from the ticket sales goes to the University
Gardens.
The following is a brief review of the parties that
have occurred since the May press time of the
last newsletter:
May Wine (May ) took place at the captivating
garden of Bill and Jeannie Tapp. Also hosting
were Becky and Jim Ferguson, Leah and David
Moir, Priscilla and Tom Siler, and Lisa Stanley and
Sue Wrisberg of Stanley’s Plant Farm. Jeannie,
Host David Moir conducts the wine tasting.
5
Becky and Leah created a delectable array of
hors d’oeuvres, with recipes provided. David Moir
discussed the newly introduced wines from the
Biltmore Estate Winery, along with the first tasting
of their annual May Wine. Guests sampled these
tasty wines as they enjoyed walking through this
enchanting garden. Lisa and Sue demonstrated
some of the newest plant varieties available, and
Lisa created a potted arrangement while the guests
looked on.
Swan Pond Farm (May ) was at the perfectly
manicured 00-acre farm of Barbara and Dewey
Hillard, who provided a delicious lunch for guests
under the trees of their back yard next to the
Dana McLaughlin with host Barbara Hillard
charming cottage garden. Guests wandered from
the adorable guest house to the enormous barn
filled with gigantic equipment (that mesmerized
all the men) and to the boat house, where several
guests enjoyed the hammock and blue and white
seating arrangement. The picturesque setting
should be in a magazine. Helping out were Dave
McPherson and wife Dana McLaughlin and Brian
and Michelle Hillard.

Florilège (May 0) took place at the beautiful
garden of Laura McFee-Adams and her husband
Mitchell Adams. This morning event was a perfect
time to beat the heat and to enjoy a bountiful
brunch in the gardens. Cappuccino, espresso
Hosts Laura McFee Adams and Mitchell Adams
and a delightful fruited tea were just a few of the
morning beverages offered. Debbie Allen baked
a cream-cheese pastry that would make Martha
Stewart envious. Camilla Lyle, Laura’s sister,
arranged delightful fresh flowers for the event.
Guests enjoyed tranquil music (by Theresa Pepin on
keyboards and Margaret Scanlan on the dulcimer)
as they dined and wandered through the colorful
and creative garden.
Riverdale (June ) was a two-part event in which
Debra Taylor and husband Mark Burch allowed
a one-time tour and shopping spree for guests
at their greenhouses at Riverdale Nursery, which
is a wholesale business only. A truly magnifi-
Mary Collins-Shepard (left), Karen Petrey, Ken Shepard
6
cent Mediterranean-inspired gourmet lunch buffet
prepared by Vicki Baumgartner was set out under
the huge shade trees at the Baumgartner home
next door. Vicki prepared all dishes with herbs
from her garden and the nursery. Guests explored
the many gardens at the beautiful Baumgartner
farm on the river. This event was also hosted by
Julia Huster, Mary Spengler, Faye Beck and Sondra
Jamieson.
A Day in Sweetwater (June 0) took place at
two unique locations in the charming little town of
Sweetwater. The tour began at the historic farmhouse
and scenic property of hosts Craig and Griff
Harsh. Guests were thrilled to explore the entire
Becky Stout (left) and Pam Reddoch
property, including the beautiful antique-filled
house that began as a log cabin in 8 . As guests
enjoyed their picnic lunch, two mares and their
foals ran and played in the adjacent field—an aweinspiring
site to behold. A wonderful selection of
dessert was served at the exquisite garden of host
Elin Johnson. Guests were extremely impressed
with Elin’s design and use of unusual plants
throughout the garden, taking many clever ideas
away with them. Also hosting were Pam Reddoch,
Mary Spengler and Carol Schmid.
Secret Garden Parties Meadowlark (September 6)
and Rose Point (October ) are sold out.
Special thanks to sponsors of the 006 Secret
Garden Parties—Home Federal Bank and Lane Hays.

Upcoming Secret Garden Party:
Hill Top Farm, Oct. 14, 6 p.m.
There is no one on earth like Ryan Gainey.
Much of the success of the Atlanta Botanical
Garden can be attributed to the style and sensibility
to fine gardening practices and in depth knowledge
of plants that Ryan Gainey has cultivated among
owners of exquisite private gardens and stewards
of great public gardens in his home city of Atlanta,
Georgia. Internationally acclaimed as a champion
of gardens and a master garden designer, Gainey
is a true Southern original, raconteur, classicist
and connoisseur. He has inspired garden lovers all
over the world to accept nothing less than the best,
the most fragrant, and the most beautiful in siting,
structure and planting.
Ryan Gainey and Marc Mosley on an inspection trip of the new plantings and
structures at Hill Top Farm in July 2006.
There is no spot in the city that can compete
with the views from this elevated site overlooking
the Tennessee River off Lyons View in
West Knoxville.
Together with architect Marc Mosley, Gainey has
worked with owner Caesar Stair to create this oneof-a-kind
setting. Distinctive architectural elements
of the home and property have been combined
with considerations of lifestyle and favorite vistas to
result in an environment of elegance and gracious
living. A newly constructed pergola of stone and
wood nearly 00 feet long dominates the center of
the design and echoes that of Hestercombe in the
View of the Tennessee River from Hill Top Farm
Cotswolds. Planted with wisteria, roses, asters and
many other annuals, perennials and shrubs, this
main axis gives way to stone stairs through lushly
planted beds to a lower terrace with meticulously
pruned trees in a semi-circular allee centered by an
antique baptistery fountain. A guest cottage now
revels in the renovation of both its shingle exterior
and sheltering plantings of osmanthus, hollies,
viburnum and hydrangeas.
There is no better example of community
support in this event of the season than the celebration
of a new private garden as a benefit for
the public University Gardens.
The Stairs are celebrating their new private
garden by hosting cocktails and dinner as a fundraising
event to benefit the University of Tennessee
Gardens. In the course of transforming their lives,
Gainey has become a friend and is the guest of
honor at this celebration, where he will discuss
his work at Hill Top Farm. The cost of this event
is $ 5 per person. All tickets must be purchased
in advance and are strictly limited in number. All
proceeds from tickets sold benefit the University of
Tennessee Gardens. Tickets can be purchased by
sending payment to the Friends of the UT Gardens,
P. O. Box 5 4, Knoxville, TN 50- 4 or by
PayPal online at www.friendsoftheutgardens.org.
As of mid-August, tickets were still available for
this final fundraising event of 006. The Friends’
Infoline at 865-5 5-4555 will advise when tickets
are no longer available for Hill Top Farm. For more
information on Ryan Gainey and his portfolio of
commissions, see www.ryangainey.com.

Q& a
Q: Wow! Nifty new welcome
and donor boards in the
Entrance Garden. The space
also seems much larger and
more open. I read about the
plans for Phase 2 and Phase 3
improvements on the Entrance
Plaza. Are they really on track
to happen by this fall and
winter?
a: They sure are. Work on the
entrance began in earnest in mid-
May. A design committee headed
by Mary Spengler and Dr. Sue
Hamilton met in early May to
discuss design issues, and we
rushed on Phase (the nitty-gritty
who-wants-to-do-this dirty-work?
phase) to get the plaza in safe and
attractive shape for Blooms Days
’06. It won’t be long before you
see caution tape back up on the
main entrance for new construction.
A huge thank you to Henry
and Sandra McIlwaine, donors of
$ 0,000 for this renovation effort,
and the several contractors who
have so far donated in-kind materials
and services to this effort
amounting to nearly $5,000. (The
McIlwaines, it should be noted, were
also major donors to the original
construction work on the Entrance
Plaza in 000 undertaken by Dr. Don
Williams and his students.) Special
thanks to Liz Etnier and her sister
for their volunteer help (immediately
following a family wedding in the
Gardens, too!)
Calendar Reminders
UT Non-Credit Course: Weird and Wonderful Plant
Variations
Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m.–noon
Make close acquaintance with witches and she-monsters
of the plant world—known more precisely as “witches
brooms” and “chimeras.” Discover how plants react to
their environment through chemistry and in association
with fungi and grafting. Be the only person on your block
(planet?) to own an other-worldly and entirely unique, living
specimen.
Instructor: Dr. Will Witte, retired University of Tennessee
professor who has long been involved in research on
“woodies” of the plant world in the UT Gardens and
elsewhere.
Course Fee: $
Location: University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge
UT Non-Credit Course: Dig and Divide
Saturday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m.-noon
How often does someone invite you to come and learn how
to dig treasures out of their 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 furnished, but if you have a favorite digging
tool and hand pruners, please bring them along. Also,
dress comfortably and be prepared to get dirty and have a
good time.
Instructors: UT Gardens Staff assisted by master
gardeners from the Friends of the University of Tennessee
Gardens.
Course Fee: $4
Location: University of Tennessee Gardens, Neyland Drive
on the Ag Campus
NEW UPCOMING COURSE:
Nov. 8: Drying Natural Plant Materials
All courses are now offered in partnership with the
University of Tennessee Outreach and Continuing Education
Office. To obtain the latest Non-Credit Courses Catalog,
call 865- 4-0 50 or visit www.outreach.utk.edu/ppd.
All proceeds from course offerings and trips benefit the
University Gardens. Note that most courses, unless indicated
otherwise, will also qualify for the non-credit UT
Landscape and Garden Design Certificate program.
8

New & Renew Membership List
PATRON FRIEND
Garden Study Club
BUSINESS FRIENDS
Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm
Beaver Creek Nursery
Sunlight Gardens
SPONSORING FRIENDS
Ellen Adcock
Jack & Frances Britt
Melinda Davis
Sherri Parker Lee
SUSTAINING FRIENDS
Deedee Blane
Kathryn P. Clark
Arun Jethanandani
Fritzie Logan
Anne Victoria
Stuart Worden
GARDEN CLUB FRIENDS
Garden Study Club
The Great Smoky Mountains
Koi Club & Pond Society
CONTRIBUTING FRIENDS
Mr. & Mrs. Samuel E. Beall, Jr.
Carol Costello
Mark Fuhrman
Lane Hays
Nancy Hugh
Edie Johnson
Mary Laura Koella
Judy Loest
Joyce McGlothin
Mary Mishu
Nancy Montgomery
Judy Moore
Pat & Lester Petrie
Mr. & Mrs. George E. Wilson
FAMILY FRIENDS
Bob & Betty Braden
David & Elizabeth Craig
Lynda Everman
Donna Fain
Mary & Dean Farmer
Doug & Sally Gross
Ron & Sue Hamilton
Mr. & Mrs. Joe Harrison
Wes & Thalia Hatmaker
Janet & Rob Herman
Gary Westley & Judith Ideker
Anne and James Johnson
Ann & Jim Lamb
Susanne Levi
Don & Anne Loy
Hilde De Weerd & Mary Lucal
Tricia McClam
Scott Jackson & Chris Moore
Harold Myers
Mike & Kay Northern
Branca Paul & Robin
Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Samples
Kathy & John Sullivan
Elizabeth & James Wall
INDIVIDUAL FRIENDS
Michelle Albritton
Kathleen Ambrose
Laurie Andrews
Barbara Apking
Leslie Badaines
Maritza Bailey
Allen Beeler
Katherine R. Brennan
June S. Burch
Vance & Martha Burkey
Bill J. Byerley
Anglyn Campbell
Ellyn Cauble
Yi Ying Chen
Chesley Dale
Faye Daniel
Ann R. Davis
Betty Dick
Janet Dowlen
Elizabeth Etnier
Melissa Ferguson
Nancy Fitzpatrick
Dianne Forry
Barbara Garrett
Brenda Gregory
Judy Griffith
Stephen Guess
Edith C. Halbert
Joanne Hanley-Wilson
Paticia Harris
Craig Harsh
Amy Haun
Barbara Hillard
Julia Huster
Jo Davis
Roberts John
Lucie Jones
Paul Kelley
Carol Labudde
Larkie Gildersleeve
Ruby Lee
Betty Leverett
Debra Lord
Lynn Lowery
Carroll M. Lynn
Julia Malia
Glenn Marshall
Joy Matthews
Brian Maynard
Pam Milner
Flo Moore
Lori Murphree
Bobby Murphy
Rennie Nancy
R. L. Ousley, Jr.
Carol Overbey
Diantha Pare
Joanna Partain
Sherae Patterson
Susan Peterson
Janice S. Peterson
Lee Ann Ratledge
Ann Reed
Duane Ridenour
Pat Rimmer
David Roberts
Linda Rogers
Mitzi Rouse
Alan Rowe
Marty Russell
Gail Rymer
Wagner Sanford
Millie Senatore
Charlotte Smith
Jennifer Stokes
Becky Stout
Stella Sudderth
Karen Trentham
Pam Turner
Patricia Van Leeuwen
Lynn Venafro
Jackie Victorson
Patricia Vogel
Mary Sue Walker
Esther Webster
Jackie Wilson
Marilyn Wohl

P.O. Box 5 4
Knoxville, TN 50- 4
Return Service Requested
Volume 13 no 7 september 2006
865-525-4555
friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu
www.friendsoftheutgardens.org
The Garden PosT
Coming Up On The Calendar:
Saturday, September 16 . . . .COURSE . . . . . . . . Weird and Wonderful Plant Variations UT PPD Course #271619
Saturday, September 16 . . . .EVENT . . . . . . . . . Secret Garden Party—Meadowlark SOLD OUT
Tuesday, September 19 . . . . .IN THE GARDENS . . Twilight Walk 6 p.m.
Saturday, September 23 . . . .EVENT . . . . . . . . . . Ag Day on the UT Agriculture Campus
Monday, September 25 . . . . .MEETING . . . . . . . . Board Meeting 7 p.m.
Saturday, September 30 . . . .COURSE . . . . . . . . Dig and Divide UT PPD Course #271620
Saturday, October 7 . . . . . . .EVENT . . . . . . . . . Secret Garden Party—Rose Point SOLD OUT
Saturday, October 7 . . . . . . .SALE . . . . . . . . . . Fall Plant Sale
0
Non-profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Knoxville, TN
Permit No. 04
In this Issue:
From the UT Gardens’ President – p 2
Blooms Days Highlights - pp 2-3
Art for Gardens - p 4
From the UT Gardens’ Director - pp 5-6
News Briefs - pp 7-8
From the UT Gardens’ Curator - p 9
Blooms Days Photos - p 10
Donors & Sponsors - p 11
Blooms Days Volunteers - p 12
Welcoming Midas - p 13
Conifer Corner -p 14
Secret Garden Parties - pp 15-17
Question & Answer - p 18
Calendar Reminders - p 18
New & Renewing Members - p 19