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Month: April 2022

Commemorative Plaque Donated by the Rotary Club Dedicated at Montgomery Botanical Gardens

A dedication ceremony was held at Montgomery Botanical Gardens recently to honor the Rotary Club for donating the plaque that provides the history of the beautiful cast iron lions in the gardens. The plaque reads: “In Memory of John Hall Haardt (1901- 1971). The gift of this majestic pair of life-sized cast iron lions was donated by Anton Haardt and Haardt Moses to The Montgomery Botanical Gardens. The Lions were cast by the Robert Wood Foundry circa 1860, and guarded the Haardt home at 44 S  Haardt Drive for more than 50 years. The Lions previously stood at Morning View, the estate of General Mitchell B. Houghton in Capitol Heights. John Haardt was well known for his real estate entrepreneurial endeavors, antique collecting, and his great love of Montgomery. He was active in civic organizations, and served as President of the Montgomery Rotary Club.
 
Board President, Dr. Tyna Davis, and founding board member Ethel Boykin, thanked the members of the Rotary Club and expressed appreciation for the generosity of Ms. Anton Haardt, daughter of Mr. John Haardt for the donation of the lions. The lions have been restored to their majestic beauty and now guard the terrace at the gardens.  
 
By Cathy Maddox

Left to right: MBG Board members Mary George Jester, Cathy Maddox, and Dr Tyna Davis, and Rotary Club representatives Richard Cater and Stacia Robinson

Left to right: MBG Board members Fairlie Rinehart, Dr. Tyna Davis, Rotary President Stacia Robinson and MBG Board member Ethel Boykin

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Support the Montgomery Botanical Gardens when you shop on Amazon and a portion of your purchase will go to improve the Gardens.

1. Go to smile.amazon.com

2. Click the ‘Start Shopping’ button

3. Shop as usual.

Volunteers Prepare the Gardens for Spring Visitors

The beauty of the gardens does not occur by accident. Through God’s natural processes of growth, change and weather, the gardens require a lot of maintenance to produce the beauty and variety of venues for visitors. Master Gardener Volunteers spent time in the gardens recently to perform seasonal tasks. Some added more plants to the three Pollinator Gardens. Some watered the new plants by hand to support them until the next irrigation cycle. Others diligently removed some stubborn weeds and spread pine straw mulch to help retain moisture and reduce weed growth. While another blew the debris off the pathways. Thank you, faithful volunteers! 

Please do not copy or distribute without permission from the author.

Support the Montgomery Botanical Gardens when you shop on Amazon and a portion of your purchase will go to improve the Gardens.

1. Go to smile.amazon.com

2. Click the ‘Start Shopping’ button

3. Shop as usual.

MBG Receives Grant from the Kiwanis Club

The Montgomery Botanical Gardens at Oak Park is delighted to announce that it has received a grant for $15,000 from the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery. The Kiwanis Club donated a total of $317,000 to local nonprofit agencies serving children.  

The grant awarded to the Montgomery Botanical Gardens is to improve access to the Outdoor Classroom; purchase additional tables and seating; and to bring in Charlie “Tinman” Lucas, a world-famous Alabama sculptor, to do workshops in the Outdoor Classroom in advance of our upcoming Sculpture in the Garden Exhibition.

The Grants Committee and the Education Committee of the Montgomery Botanical Gardens are working with the Montgomery Public Schools, local private schools, and art teachers across Alabama to render workshops and supply the Gardens with art exhibits. The exhibition will be open to all residents of Alabama. For more information contact Beth Wicker at ruralart@earthlink.net

Beautiful Blooms

Take a break in your day to come spend awhile in the botanical gardens surrounded by beautiful blooming colors. Rest on one of the carved oak benches or sway in a glider. Stroll by the delicate colors of the “Conversation Piece” Azaleas near the cast iron lions. Enjoy the rows of “Starlite Encore” Azaleas, the lacy white Fringe trees or Bridal Wreath Spirea and the myriad of early blooms in the Pollinator Gardens. Spring’s visual performance is fleeting, so don’t delay your visit. 

Support the Montgomery Botanical Gardens when you shop on Amazon and a portion of your purchase will go to improve the Gardens.

1. Go to smile.amazon.com

2. Click the ‘Start Shopping’ button

3. Shop as usual.