CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 06/13/13

Plenty of plants and plenty of stories featured at the Trial Gardens at UGA's annual open house

By Merritt Melancon

Friends, fellow plant lovers and groupies are invited to take one last walk around the Garden with Dr. A at the Trial Gardens at UGA’s annual Public Open House on July 13 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Renowned UGA horticulturalist Allan Armitage is finishing up his last growing season at the Trial Gardens, which he founded upon arrival at UGA.

Every year at the Trial Gardens' open house, visitors have the chance to get an up-close look at a new class of vetted ornamentals ranging from gorgeous flowers and spectacular roses to hardy bulbs.

This year there may be as many stories in the garden as plants, as friends and fans say goodbye to Armitage, who has helped support the green industry and inspire gardeners since he arrived at UGA 31 years ago. A short thank you recognition will be held at 11:00 am, Dr. A stories can be shared at that time.

"We enjoy sharing the beauty of the garden and highlighting some of the new plants that people can plant in their gardens," Armitage said. "After all, where is it written that research has to be ugly?"

Armitage will give tours throughout the day. He will also hold a book signing, and his recent titles will be on sale. He will demonstrate his new smartphone/tablet App, “Armitage’s Greatest Perennials & Annuals.”

Hundreds of plants will be on display, but the staff is particularly proud of their collection of roses this year, said Sheridan Weaver, marketing director for the garden.

Located on the UGA campus in Athens between Snelling Dining Hall and the pharmacy building, the gardens display hundreds of annuals and perennials from plant breeders around the world. John Ruter, a veteran ornamental horticulturalist with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, will continue the garden in the future.

The garden is generally open to the public free of charge, but the open house gives visitors a chance to learn inside knowledge from Dr A. and his students about this year's most promising plant varieties. A $5 donation will be accepted to help support the Trial Garden and to support the student workers.

Planters designed by the gardens' staff will also be available for sale.

As this is a Saturday, most parking lots around the garden will be open and free of charge. However, parking is also available in the South Campus Parking Deck. The Trial Gardens are located at 220 W. Green St., Athens, Ga. 30602. For more information, see ugatrial.hort.uga.edu or email contact@ugatrialgardens.com.

Merritt Melancon, a public relations manager for the UGA Terry College of Business, previously served as a public relations coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension.

Authors:
Merritt Melancon
Experts/Sources:
Allan M. Armitage
Dr. Allan Armitage, author and UGA horticulturalist, Introduces gardeners to this year's must have plants at the Trial Gardens at the University of Georgia's annual Plantapalooza plant sale in April. Allan Armitage guides visitors around the UGA Trial Gardens.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
UGA Grand Farm Site Plan web CAES News
UGA Grand Farm wins stage two of 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund competition 11/13/24 Jordan Powers
Startups in the agricultural technology sector face significant barriers on the path to establishment, including access to training and capital. These barriers are heightened for underrepresented entrepreneurs seeking to start new companies. The University of Georgia Grand Farm, part of a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm, aims to change that.
In partnership with the Center for Black Entrepreneurship, Innovation Gateway is one of 49 recipients of the Federal and State Technology Grant, receiving $200,000 to support proposals for Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer. (Photo courtesy of Center for Black Entrepreneurship) CAES News
Innovation Gateway partners with Center for Black Entrepreneurship on new SBA grant 11/08/24 Brandon Ward
Innovation Gateway will continue supporting startups and technology-based small businesses affiliated with the University of Georgia—thanks, in part, to the renewal of the Federal and State Technology Grant. In partnership with the Center for Black Entrepreneurship, Innovation Gateway is one of 49 grant recipients in 2024, receiving $200,000 to support proposals for Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grants, which are awarded to startup businesses engaged in developing advanced technologies.
University of Georgia startup CytoNest Inc. released its first commercial product this year, a fiber scaffold that optimizes cell manufacturing and tissue engineering. (Photo by Lauren Corcino) CAES News
UGA again ranks No. 1 in new research-based products 11/04/24 Brandon Ward
The University of Georgia once again ranks No. 1 among U.S. universities for the number of commercial products to market based on its research, according to an annual survey conducted by AUTM. For nine straight years, UGA has placed in the top two and has never appeared out of the Top 5 in the 11 years the survey has been reported by AUTM. UGA industry partners and startups released a record 66 new products developed from the university’s research in fiscal year 2023, on which the AUTM report is based.
Combining data collection and analysis with plant pathology, precision agriculture and robotics, the UGA team will build a photographic library of the foliar symptoms caused by onion diseases and other physiological disorders, feed them into the AI software, and use machine learning to identify the diseases based on pattern and color recognition from the images. CAES News
UGA uses AI, robotics to improve Georgia’s Vidalia sweet onion crop 10/23/24 Jordan Powers
A multidisciplinary team of UGA researchers aims to enhance the competitiveness of Vidalia onion growers in Georgia by providing them with the ability to confidently detect onion diseases early, enabling them to make management decisions on their crop at a critical time. These abilities, researchers say, should result in increased yield and quality of marketable onions and an overall increase in efficiency and productivity.
Associate Professor Rhuanito Ferrarezi poses with a Gerber daisy grown by students in his 4050/6050 Greenhouse Management class in fall 2023. CAES News
Upcoming UGA plant sales bring color to fall 10/15/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Fall weather means fall gardening, and several groups at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will be offering the fruits of their labors at ornamental plant sales across campus this semester. On Friday, Oct. 18, the Trial Gardens at University of Georgia will hold its annual Fall Houseplant Sale, and on Wednesday, Nov. 20, greenhouse management students will offer their ornamental plant sale at the South Milledge Greenhouse Complex.
Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. CAES News
Done with mowing? How to transform your lawn into a native, perennial landscape 09/12/24 Emily Cabrera
On a tour of her Blairsville, Georgia, home, Becky Griffin navigates a swaying maze of perennial grasses interspersed with pussy willows, switchgrass and boneset. Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. As a native plant enthusiast and coordinator of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, Griffin hand-selected each of these native plants for the countless ecological services they provide year-round.