Rosedown Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana

 

by Pat Fasanella, Odyssey Tours

What could be lovelier than springtime in the deep south? Acres of blazing azaleas, massive live oak trees dripping with Spanish Moss, mint juleps on the terrace of an antebellum mansion – we’ll soon be enjoying all these and more, on Green Bay Botanical Garden’s upcoming Great River Road Gardens & Plantations Tour.

We invite YOU to come along with us March 22-29, 2011 as we fly south to admire glorious gardens and tour historic plantations along the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Natchez. We’ll experience elegant estate gardens, marvel at the world’s largest stand of live oaks, sample the very best of local cuisine, visit a town with more antebellum homes than anywhere else in the country, and even learn a bit about Cajun culture.

Seats on the tour are first-come, first-served, so be sure to sign up soon to avoid disappointment. For a full itinerary and registration form, click here or contact our tour director, Pat Fasanella, Odyssey Tours, at (920) 217-5181 or patfasanella@yahoo.com

Julia Child floribunda rosa

by Mark Konlock, Director of Horticulture, Green Bay Botanical Garden

“Rose, oh pure contradiction, delight of being no one’s sleep under so many lids.”
- Rainer Marie Rilke

No other flower says flower like a rose!  There are so many different types -  hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, shrubs, climbers, etc.  Our collection here at Green Bay Botanical Garden includes over 800 plants of 155 different species and cultivars.  With so many plants to choose from, one might have a hard time picking.  One good place to investigate is the All-America Rose Selection website .  This site has information on regional greats as well as plants that have performed well throughout the country.

Shrub roses are popular due to their disease and insect resistance as well as their cold hardiness and floriferous nature.  Local landscapers and greenhouses carry a wide variety of these roses that thrive in our zones.  Here at the Garden, the Easy Elegance collection from Bailey Nurseries has performed well .  We especially love Sweet Fragrance with its warm, apricot color and fragrant flowers.

So come on out and smell the roses!  Visiting the Garden and noting which roses you like is a great way to find out what will work in your home oasis.  Or you can just visit our babies and then go home and relax!

Herb of the Year: Dill (Anethum graveolens)

by Jane Knaapen Cole, member of Herbs in Thyme and member-at-large of The Herb Society of America

When I started my first herb garden, about 30 years ago, dill and parsley were the only herbs available locally. Looking back to my childhood, I seem to remember it being in every garden in the neighborhood.

 A hardy annual, dill is native to southern and western Asia, naturalized in southern Europe, and North America. The Romans introduced it to Britain. The plant has feathery, aromatic leaves growing 2-3 feet tall. It has yellow-green flowers on flat umbels that bloom July to September, which are followed by flat ribbed fruits/seeds. It is a good companion plant to cabbage, coriander and mallow, and considered a bee plant.

Dill is one of the ancient herbs: used in ancient Egypt as an ingredient in a pain-killing remedy; in an unguent to cure headaches; the Talmud and Bible mention it. It has a long history of use in cooking and medicine in India. The name dill is from a Saxon word meaning to lull: dill-water was distilled from the seeds and  given to colic-y babies to soothe them. It has been used to aid digestion, relieve flatulence, induce sleep, and as Culpepper wrote in 1653, “It stayeth the hiccough, being boiled in wine…”. Dill was an ingredient in love potions, hung in windows or doors against “the evil eye”, carried in amulets to ward off disease or attract a lover. In Colonial days, it was the ‘meeting’ seed for parishioners who nibbled it during long sermons to alleviate hunger pangs. Dill in hot milk was recommended to quieten the nerves.

There are several varieties available. My favorite, ‘Fernleaf”, is dwarf (18 inches), with thicker blue-green foliage; ‘Bouquet’ is bushy, also somewhat blue-green, with compact prolific seed heads; ‘Hercules’ has abundant, flavorful, long-lasting foliage, grows 3-4 feet tall; ‘Mammoth’ has relatively few leaves, runs quickly to seed, with large seed heads, is considered best for pickling.

Both seeds and leaves are used in cooking, especially in Scandinavian cuisine, with fish, potatoes, seafood, eggs, sauerkraut, salad dressings, dips, and of course in making dill pickles!

Garden officially announces Campaign at press conference

by Jake Czarnik-Neimeyer, Director of Development & Operations

The Garden has been experiencing great success and has enjoyed two years of substantial membership growth.  Not only is it debt-free (a feat for non-profits these days), but growth in attendance has exceeded our ability to accommodate all those wanting to participate in our programs and events.  After a year of planning, our Board of Directors has determined that it is time for us to enhance our facilities to meet this growing demand.  We have decided to launch a campaign to raise $3.2 million.  Our Growing the Garden Campaign will fund an Education Center addition to a renovated visitor center, a rest area in our Children’s Garden, and additional storage at our horticultural building.  We also plan to further build our endowment to sustain this resource for many generations to come.

Earlier this week we officially kicked-off the campaign with an announcement that we have successfully passed the 2/3^rd mark in the number of pledges received so far.  We are well on our way to successfully achieving our goal—thanks to all of you. 

Click here for more information or if you would like to make a pledge to the Growing the Garden Campaign.

For naming opportunities, please contact  Jake Czarnik-Neimeyer, Director of Development and Operations at (920) 491-3691 ext. 104 or jakecn@gbbg.org

Enjoying a picnic dinner at Concerts in the Garden

by Lisa Andre, Event Services Coordinator

Relax and enjoy live music in a peaceful garden setting located in Green Bay Botanical Garden’s Agnes Schneider Terrace.  Green Bay Botanical Garden will host a six concert series every Thursday starting this week and running through August 19th. 

Concerts in the Garden Series:

July 15, 2010: Green Bay Symphony Orchestra Greenhouse Jazz Ensemble: Made up of musicians from the GBSO, the Greenhouse Jazz group is sure to delight with standard jazz favorites, Broadway classics and favorite pop tunes.  Get into the groove when you join us for a concert featuring Greenhouse Jazz – Paul Ristau (drums), Andy Sachen (bass), Tom Ditzler (piano) and Steve Schani (viola).

July 22, 2010:  Big Mouth and the Power Tools: This is a group that commands its audience to feel the music and have fun with great rhythm and blues classics, funk, soul, rock and roll with a chemistry all their own.  This group features a premier horn section.

July 29, 2010:  Patchouli: Patchouli is comprised of Julie & Bruce Hecksel who play real, original, acoustic music with a remarkable capacity to inspire and uplift the human spirit.

August 5, 2010:  Claudia Russell & The Folk Unlimited Orchestra: This group plays a style all their own: eclectic folk music with traces of blues, western swing, rock and county.  Claudia quickly bonds with audiences, winning them over with her powerful voice and signature guitar voicings.

August 12, 2010:  Celtic Consort: A light-hearted musical and pictorial overview of the history of Ireland, featuring traditional Irish music and songs by a Celtic harpist, flute player, fiddler, guitarist, bodhran (Irish drum) player and vocalist.

August 19, 2010:  Bay Area Big Band: An eighteen piece jazz band made up of Allouez and Pulaski community band players, teachers and other friends playing your favorite big band tunes.

Come and enjoy these casual, outdoor events on Thursdays from 6-7:30 pm throughout the summer. Concerts are FREE with admission to the Garden.  Admission rates:  Adults · $7, Children (5-12) · $2, Children 4 and under and Green Bay Botanical Garden members are FREE.  Food & beverages are available on site from Alpha Delights & La Java.  Popcorn, ice cream treats, soda & water are also available.

This series is sponsored by:  Sanimax, Emil & Gail Fischer, George Kress Foundation Inc, Les Stumpf Ford, WFRV-TV 5, Couples Bridge Marathon, Henry & Margaret Czachor, Heartland Business Systems, Billie Kress, Dennis & Karen Langenberg, M&I Bank, Charlie Nickel, Rawson & Mary Price, Jack & Margie Swelstad, and Weyers Equipment.

Bring your chairs, sit back and enjoy! We hope to see you there!

A rainy day engagement session with Heather Kessler Photography

by Aubrey Brennan, Site Rental & Volunteer Coordinator

Green Bay Botanical Garden provides a beautiful back drop for photography. There are hundreds of photo opportunities in the Garden. Take a stroll through the Garden and photograph beautiful structures, plants, flowers, animals or even insects. A few hidden spots to take some great photos are the Van Den Wymelenberg Color & Foliage Garden, Memorial Grove and the Stumpf Belvedere. You’re welcome to take casual photographs for your own personal use.  Formal photography is also welcome. A permit is necessary for those who wish to take formal, posed photography. This would include wedding, family, engagement, graduation, prom, senior photos, etc. Although it’s inspiring to take photos on a bright sunny day, rainy day photography is beautiful too. For more information on photo opportunities at Green Bay Botanical Garden contact Site Rental and Volunteer Coordinator, Aubrey Brennan at (920) 491-3691 x113 or abrennan@gbbg.org

Concerts in the Garden Thursdays, July 15-August 19

by Maribeth Frinzi, Membership & Donor Relations Coordinator

Wondering how to make the most of your brand new Green Bay Botanical Garden (GBBG) membership? Then consider attending our first ever new member cookout and orientation on Wednesday, June 23^rdfrom 5:00-7:00pm here at the Garden. New members who have joined since March 15, 2010 are invited to join us for a picnic dinner, tours of the Garden (including some of our hidden gems), and tips for taking advantage of your membership this year, and more. FREE for new members! If you are able to attend, please RSVP by Tuesday, June 22 to Maribeth Frinzi, Membership Coordinator, at (920)491-3691 ext. 105 or mfrinzi@gbbg.org

If you can’t attend, here are some quick tips to help you get the most bang for your buck:

• Bring a picnic lunch and a great book and relax in the beauty of the Garden
• Remember that the Garden is open until 8pm in June, July, and August. Evening in the Garden can be a magical time of day
• Host birthday parties, baby showers, retirement parties, and everything in between in the Kaftan Lusthaus, the Lower Level Classroom, or outdoors in one of several sites. Members receive a 10% discount on facility rental!
• Be sure to bring your membership card with you when you travel out of town. Your GBBG card will entitle you to reciprocal admission at more than 250 Gardens nationwide. Better yet, take a day trip this summer to Milwaukee (Boerner Botanical Gardens, Mitchell Park Conservatory – the Domes), Madison (Olbrich Botanical Gardens), Old World Wisconsin, or even the Gardens of the Fox Cities in Appleton!
• Bring your lawn chairs, a picnic dinner, and a bottle of wine and enjoy some great music at Concerts in the Garden. This year’s lineup includes The Green Bay Symphony Orchestra Greenhouse Jazz Ensemble, Big Mouth and the Power Tools, Claudia Russell & The Folk Unlimited Orchestra, Celtic Consort, and Bay Area Big Band.
• Purchase gifts for friends and family, or a treat for yourself in the Trellis Gift Shop. Members receive a 10% discount.
• Get your workout in at the Garden. There are several miles of hiking trails through some beautiful wooded areas – prefect for hiking or running!
• Come often! The Garden changes quickly, and members receive free, unlimited admission!

 For more information on membership to Green Bay Botanical Garden, click here!

Springhouse ruin in King Shade Garden

by Susan Garot, Executive Director

A tremendous opportunity awaits visitors to the Garden this summer. 

Green Bay Botanical Garden was the recipient of two very generous gifts in the past few years and we have been through the design and planning phases and now we’re finishing the construction and planting stages for the Jenquine Overlook Garden and King Shade Garden. This is a great opportunity to see how a new garden is constructed and grows.

 The overarching theme of the two new gardens is to allude to the Garden’s past as an orchard. This will be achieved in the Jenquine Overlook Garden via an overlook wall, where a visitor can sit on the wall and look back to the formal Gardens across the ravine. Next to the wall will be an open air pavilion, constructed of rough-hewn beams from an old barn salvaged from the area, held together with timber pegs. All of the tools used in the construction of the gazebo will be hand operated….truly constructed in the old-fashioned methods. The plantings in the Jenquine Overlook Garden will consist of woodland perennials and native species.

The King Shade Garden will feature shade tolerant perennials. The site is graced with mature trees, primarily Oaks, and the space is being defined by plantings of shade tolerant ornamental trees and shrubs. The entry to this Garden is through a ruinous springhouse, which is a small building used for refrigeration once commonly found in rural areas before the advent of electric refrigeration. It was usually a one-room building constructed over the source of a spring. The water of the spring maintained a constant cool temperature inside the springhouse throughout the year. The main use of a springhouse is for the long-term storage of food that would otherwise spoil, such as meat, fruit or dairy products, as well as to keep the stream water from freezing in the winter. Upon entering the ruin of the springhouse, you’ll be greeted by a gently flowing stream with sounds that will evoke memories of times gone by. Looking up the stream, you see magnificent boulders, bridges, and glorious plantings that will provide a contemplative space within the garden and at the top of the stream, there’s an overlook wall. 

Please come and watch our Garden grow!

A group of twenty-eight individuals (members and friends of Green Bay Botanical Garden and the Gardens of the Fox Cities) along with local tour director, Pat Fasanella of Odyssey Tours left on April 6 for a ten day Tulip-Time European River Cruise.  The group was expected to return home on Friday, April 16 however, due to the volcanic eruptions in Iceland, they were unable to fly back to the States.  The group returned after an extra ten days in Holland on April 25. 

Before departing Europe, they sang a little tune in remembrance of a trip they’ll never forget (sung to the tune of the Gilligan’s Island theme song).

Sit right back and you’ll hear a tale,

  a tale of a long, long trip.

Our passengers set sail last month

  on a European cruise, a 9-day cruise.

The tulips sure were beautiful,

  the windmills very quaint.

But who’d have guessed how it would end

  when a volcano blew its top, a volcano blew its top.

We’ve tried and tried to fly back home,

  the airlines said oh NO you’re not!

If not for the courage of our fearless group,

  our spirits would be crushed, our spirits would be crushed.

We hunkered down at the Tulip Inn

  and had the best of times.

Our new Dutch friends took care of us,

  and Rambo drove the bus, and Rambo drove the bus.

We’ve seen our share of the countryside,

  of cities large and small.

Our Odyssey became a “vol-ca-tion”

  but we made it through it all, we made it through it all!

For more information on the group’s ‘adventures’, please contact Pat Fasanella, Odyssey Tours at patfasanella@yahoo.com or 920-217-5181.

TasteBud: An Outdoor Culinary Experience & Silent Auction May 20th

by Lisa Andre, Event Services Coordinator

Spring has arrived here at Green Bay Botanical Garden! The Garden is filled with many wonderful blooms, the air is warm and welcoming, and we are ready for an amazing start to our season! Our 10th Annual TasteBud event held Thursday, May 20, 2010 from 5:30-8:30 pm marks the beginning of a full summer of activities and beauty in the Garden. TasteBudis our premier fundraising event, featuring food and beverages from some of the area’s finest restaurants and caterers, along with live music by The John Kelley Duo and a rare and unusual plant auction.

Enjoy the tastes of delicacies from area caterers and restaurants served throughout the budding spring gardens and have the opportunity to bid on a variety of unique and rare plants as well as other prizes including getaways, events and more during our silent auction. While strolling the gardens, listen to The John Kelley Duo featuring John Kelley on violin and Jim Bayard on guitar playing an eclectic blend and intense fusion of Classical, Jazz, Rock and Musical Theatre. The proceeds from this fundraising event support the mission of Green Bay Botanical Garden. TasteBud is a non-ticketed event, but advance reservations are required. Advance reservations can be made by calling (920) 490-9457 or click here to download a printable registration form. The cost of the evening is $50 (includes unlimited food and drink). As a benefit of membership, Green Bay Botanical Garden members receive a discounted admission of $35.

The following restaurants and caterers are graciously providing delicacies and drinks: All About the Cake, Alpha Delights, Apple Creek Inn, Big Tomatoes, Black & Tan Grille, Brett Favre’s Steakhouse, Caliente La Fiesta Mexicana, Captain’s Walk Winery, Curly’s Pub, Edible Arrangements, Hotel Sierra, Legends Brewhouse & Eatery, Mackinaw’s Grill & Spirits, Montagues Wine Bar & Café, Mustard Seed Café/The Private Chef, Not By Bread Alone, Oilerie of Fish Creek, Riversbend Steak & Seafood, Schreiber Foods, The Tasteful Cake, Titletown Brewing Company, Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe and von Stiehl Winery.

Your support makes it possible for Green Bay Botanical Garden to continue to serve as a vibrant horticultural and educational resource for the Northeast Wisconsin community. We hope to see you at Tastebud on May 20!