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Amye King

Volunteers from Maxwell Air Force Base Support the Gardens

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On the morning of Saturday, September 5, 2026, the skies threatened rain. But the group of twenty-seven volunteers arrived at 8:00am from Maxwell Air Force Base ready and prepared to help in the gardens. So, with coordination from Ethel Boykin and Cathy Maddox, these capable visitors began to perform a number of garden tasks to enhance the health and appearance of each venue. 

Some removed weeds and vines from the fence along Forest Avenue and Lake Street. Others removed unwanted growth among the hedges along the entrance drive. Others, including a few children of the volunteers, worked to removed scattered weeds on the stage area.  Some limbs and debris were gathered in several areas of the gardens. Unfortunately, a downpour of heavy rain forced the end of work a bit early before all tasks could be completed.

These energetic, rain-soaked volunteers were treated to home-made cookies and water as they huddled under a pavilion to escape from the rain. Ethel and Cathy share a bit of history of the development of the gardens and thanked them for their help. 

As classes cycle through Maxwell from throughout the United States, MBG invites them to visit the gardens and enjoy them. We also hope to benefit from future volunteers to help sustain the gardens. 

Pottery Class in the Gardens – A Family Affair

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The Montgomery Botanical Gardens began its Fall schedule of classes in the Gardens with the delightful “Pottery in the Gardens” class by Margaret Barber. With the threat of rainy weather gone for the morning, a full class arrived at Montgomery Botanical Gardens at Oak Park on Saturday, September 12, at 10:00 am, anticipating the “Pottery in the Gardens – A Family Affair” class in the Wisdom Wood Outdoor Classroom. 

Margaret Barber, a Montgomery-based ceramic artist, taught the class and demonstrated how to work with air dried clay. Margaret specializes in beautiful handmade crafts in her home studio, since 1997. Her pottery, inspired by her love of nature, includes functional dinnerware; decorative vessels; seasonal collections; and other decorative art. Her past and present participation in art festivals and competitions throughout the Southeast and Midwest regional markets highlights her skills and talents where her works have been both exhibited and sold. One can also view and purchase her work at the Montgomery Herb Day Society’s annual festival each spring. Margaret welcomes you to Seasonal Sales at her studio. You can find out more at her website www.margaretbarberpottery.com.

For eight consecutive years, Margaret organized and chaired a huge community wide fundraiser that included pottery bowls created by middle and high school youth for purchase. The Empty Bowls Project, a community fundraiser that raised money for Montgomery Area Food Bank through the sale of handcrafted ceramic bowls. 

The class learned about various types of clay creations and the techniques needed to make them.  Students then had the opportunity to create their own clay creations. The item that Margaret taught each attendee in this class to make was a small, shallow bowl shaped like a flower blossom from which bees can drink water. She cautioned them to do their own research on safety for the bees if they plan to seal their bowls before placing them outdoors.  Margaret showed them how to use items from nature to create texture in the pieces. 

There are benches in the outdoor classroom, but some students brought their own folding chair. Bottled water was provided. There is no admission fee to the gardens and there was no charge for this class, but all donations to MBG are always sincerely appreciated. There are signs in the gardens displaying the MBG QR code that you can use to make a donation.  Or you may visit the MBG website to donate at www.montgomerybotanicalgardens.com, or you may mail your donation to Montgomery Botanical Gardens P.O. Box 344 Montgomery, Alabama 36106.  

Before or after the class, attendees took the opportunity to stroll through the Phase I Southern Garden of MBG to enjoy the beautiful fall blooms and observe the busy pollinators at work. Then some visited the Japanese Maple Garden and Hosta Garden of Phase II and observed the construction in progress for the installation of the historic Janney-Crane Fountain. An official ribbon cutting will be held soon to open the fountain venue.

The MBG October Class in the gardens will be “Japanese Maples in the Landscape” and Mr. Lee Moore will be the presenter on Saturday, October 10, 2026. Watch for later announcements for this class

Pottery Class in the Gardens

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The Montgomery Botanical Gardens will begin our Fall classes in the Gardens with the delightful “Pottery in the Gardens” class by Margeret Barber.

Bring a friend, your children or grandchildren and come to Montgomery Botanical Gardens on Saturday, September 12, at 10:00 am, for the “Pottery in the Gardens – A Family Affair” class in the Wisdom Wood Outdoor Classroom. Margaret Barber, an Alabama-based ceramic artist, will teach the class and demonstrate how to work with clay.

Margaret specializes in beautiful handmade craft in her home studio, since 1997. Her pottery, inspired by her love of nature, includes functional dinnerware; decorative vessels; seasonal collections; and other decorative art. Her past and present participation in art festivals and competitions throughout the Southeast and Midwest regional markets highlights her skills and talents where her works have been both exhibited and sold. One can also view and purchase her work at the Montgomery Herb Day Society’s annual festival each spring. Margaret welcomes you to Seasonal Sales at her studio.

For eight consecutive years, she organized and chaired a huge community wide fundraiser that included pottery bowls created by middle and high school youth for purchase. Funds raised were donated to the Montgomery Area Food Bank.
Margaret will demonstrate types of clay creations and the techniques needed to make them. She will discuss using items from nature to create texture in the pieces. Students will then have the opportunity to create their own clay creations.

There are benches in the outdoor classroom, but you may also bring a folding chair. Bottled water will be available. There is no admission fee to the gardens and there is no charge for this class, but all donations are sincerely appreciated. There are signs in the gardens displaying the MBG QR code that you can use to make a donation. Or you may visit the MBG website to donate at www.montgomerybotanicalgardens.com, or you may mail your donation to Montgomery Botanical Gardens P.O. Box 344 Montgomery, Alabama 36106.

Before or after the class, don’t miss the opportunity to stroll through the Phase I Southern Garden to enjoy the beautiful fall blooms and observe the busy pollinators at work. Then visit the Japanese Maple Garden and Hosta Garden of Phase II and view the construction in progress for the installation of the historic Janney-Crane Fountain.

Montgomery Botanical Gardens Website is Getting a “Facelift”

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We are excited to announce that the new website for the Montgomery Botanical Gardens at Oak Park will go “live” very soon. When it does, you will see colorful video, photos, useful information about MBG and you will be able to navigate through the website more easily and efficiently than before. Our IT support, Amye King, has done a marvelous job in upgrading the appearance of the website and updating the quality of information and made it more user friendly. Watch for the appearance of the new website soon as you visit the home page at www.montgomerybotanicalgardens.com.

One of the objectives of the MBG Board of Directors in replacing the former website is to more clearly inform people about the gardens to encourage even more visitors and supporters. The site will include a map of Phase I and Phase II of the gardens to help you plan your visit. The site will retain the historical information about the origin of the gardens that was previously provided, information about upcoming events and archived newsletters. 

The new site will also include our newly adopted “Friends of the Gardens” page where everyone can become a friend, make a donation and support the gardens. The new MBG procedures for renting space in the gardens for events like weddings, parties, etc. will also be provided on the new website. There are many other advantages to the new website that you will experience as you move through the various content. So, watch for it and let us know what you think when it goes live!

We Need More Than “Three Coins in the Fountain”

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Please help us get the Janney Crane Fountain installed. The Board of Directors for the Montgomery Botanical Gardens are delighted and grateful to the City of Montgomery for the historic Janney-Crane Fountain that will be installed in Phase II of the Gardens. The necessary time for repair, restoration and moving of the fountain was accomplished and the fountain now sits near where it will be installed in the gardens. However, as might be expected, the materials for and construction of the large brick basin into which the fountain will be installed along with the ground level brick surround have all significantly increased in price since the installation plans were developed. 

Your gift of any amount would be very much appreciated. So, if you can “crack open your piggy banks” and make a thoughtful donation to MBG to help fill the funding gap between initial plans and current reality, it will be sincerely appreciated.

Donate to MBG

This beautiful fountain spent many years in the front yard of the Murphy House in downtown Montgomery, which later was the home of Montgomery Water Works. That property is now the location of the impressive Trilogy Hotel, a Marriott boutique hotel in their Autograph Collection. The fountain did not mesh with the new design for the hotel.

The fountain will be a lovely addition to the gardens along with a pathway from the Pedestrian Entrance, seating options and some plantings to enhance the venue. The fountain will provide a new visitor experience with the soothing sound of trickling water and a peaceful place for rest and restoration of the spirit. 

Thanks,
Ethel Boykin, MBG Founder

You may mail any donations to:
Montgomery Botanical Gardens
P.O. Box 344
Montgomery, AL 36101 

OR online via the button below:

Donate to MBG