October events in S.C. Botanical Garden

Published: September 29, 2009

These events are planned in October at the S.C. Botanical Garden and Bob Campbell Geology Museum at Clemson University. Register in advance at 864-656-3405 or scbg@clemson.edu. For additional information, visit www.clemson.edu/scbg/.

Ongoing
GARDEN YOGA
Renee Gahan leads Vinyasa Yoga classes for every skill level. In Vinyasa Yoga, students move through a series of postures focusing on the breath. Attention is paid to proper alignment and guidance is provided in how to develop poses in the body. For more information, visit Gahan's website: http://clemsonyoga.typepad.com/.
Time: 6-7:15 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 10-11:15 a.m. Saturday
Fee: $12 for drop-in; $50 for five-class pass or $35 for full-time students; $60 for monthly pass
Location: Hayden Conference Center

Friday, Oct. 2
FIRST FRIDAY GARDEN WALK
Join naturalist David Bradshaw or a garden staff member for a unique exploration of the garden. No two walks are ever the same.
Time: 7 a.m. (hikes last one to two hours)
Fee: Free
Location: Meet at Caboose parking lot  

Friday, Oct. 2
FALL PLANT SALE -- PREVIEW
Open to Friends of the Garden and Geology Museum only (new Friends may join at the sale). Join us to shop the area’s best selection of hard-to-find and hardy plants selected by Garden staff to thrive in local gardens. Master Gardeners of the Foothills and SCBG staff will be on-hand to help you personally select the best plants for your landscape. All proceeds support Garden operations.
Fee: Free to Friends members. New members may join at the gate for $35/person or $50/family.
Time: 2:30–6 p.m.
Location: Nursery area. Enter by the stone gates on Perimeter Road near U.S. 76 (Clemson Boulevard).

Saturday, October 3
FALL PLANT SALE
Open to the public. Shop for the area’s best selection of hard-to-find and hardy plants selected by garden staff to thrive in local gardens. Master Gardeners of the Foothills and botanical garden staff members will be on-hand to help you personally select the best plants for your landscape. All proceeds support garden operations.
Fee: Free
Time: 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Nursery area. Enter by the stone gates on Perimeter Road near U.S. 76 (Clemson Boulevard).

Monday, October 5
PLANNING A THREE-SEASON VEGETABLE GARDEN
Fall is the perfect time to review seed catalogs, work on bed preparation as you harvest fall vegetables, plant bulbs, mulch hardy greens and plan rotations for next year’s plantings. South Carolina’s mild climate gives us plenty of time to grow both cool- and warm-season vegetables and herbs and to carry over winter-hardy species. Join Lisa Wagner to learn how to choose varieties to grow from seed, select transplants and maintain and improve soil health and fertility in this workshop focused on creating an enjoyable, productive and beautiful kitchen garden.
Fee: $15 ($12 for members and volunteers)
Time: 10 a.m.–noon
Location: Hanson Nature Learning Center

Tuesday, October 6
COMPOSTING BASICS
Home composting diverts valuable organic materials from landfills, but more importantly is a wonderful way to build soil health. Join Education Director Lisa Wagner to learn how to turn vegetable trimmings, kitchen scraps, leaves, grass clippings, weeds and kitchen scraps into healthy, nutrient-rich soil. Learn how, why, and what to compost, bin alternatives and how to use compost.
Fee: $10 ($8 for members and volunteers)
Time: 10 a.m.–noon
Location: Hanson Nature Learning Center

Thursday, October 8
PLANTS FOR BUTTERFLIES AND OTHER POLLINATORS
Relocating the garden’s Butterfly Garden to a new site in the Children’s Garden gives us an opportunity to create a new garden with a much greater diversity of nectar and host plants. Learn about these plants from Lisa Wagner and John and Carolyn Turner, butterfly gardening enthusiasts and experts, in this workshop focused on butterfly gardening. We’ll talk about some of the plants that we’ll be adding to the garden and then have an opportunity to help add plants to the garden (optional), if conditions permit.
Fee: $12 ($8 for garden members and volunteers)
Time: 10 a.m.–noon
Location: Hanson Nature Learning Center

Wednesday, October 14
PLANNING FOR SEASONAL GARDEN INTEREST
As fall leaves drop, it’s time to enjoy plant architecture, bark color and evergreen foliage textures, punctuated by shrubs and trees that flower here in winter. Join Lisa Wagner to learn how to select plants to create a four-season landscape by including plants that illuminate colder weather and those that welcome spring to come.
Fee: $8 ($5 for members and volunteers)
Time: 11 a.m.–noon
Location: Hayden Conference Center

Thursday, October 15
NATURE DISCOVERY HIKE: FALL FRUITS AND SEEDS
Discover the interesting world of fruits, cones and seeds in a fall walk in the garden with botanist Lisa Wagner. We’ll examine the variety of fruits produced and how they differ, as well as learn about their natural history, dispersal, and connections with wildlife.
Fee: $7/family (up to 5) ($5 for members and volunteers)
Time: 12:15–1 p.m.
Location: Meet at Caboose parking lot

Sunday, October 18
EARTH SCIENCE DAY OPEN HOUSE & METEORITE EXHIBIT OPENING
Take this opportunity to visit the Bob Campbell Geology Museum when all curators are available to answer your questions, identify your treasures and take you on an adventure of learning about the Earth. A new exhibit on meteorites will also be opened, showcasing specimens from around South Carolina and on loan from other institutions. Activities for families include mineral and shark tooth sieving, T-shirt and face painting and more.
Fee: Free
Time: 1–4 p.m.
Location: Bob Campbell Geology Museum

Wednesday, October 21
PLANTING STRIKING COOL-SEASON CONTAINERS
Containers and window boxes can be made to look striking through fall and winter by using cold-hardy plants and relying on foliage textures and shapes. Learn from Lisa Wagner how to mix evergreen perennials and herbs in interesting combinations with evergreen sedges, conifers and grasses. Learn to do something different than pansies or kale on a porch or entryway.
Fee: $8 ($5 for members and volunteers)
Time: 11 a.m.–noon
Location: Hayden Conference Center

Thursday, October 22
FALL COLOR WALK
Take a walk with botanist Lisa Wagner to learn more about the ecology of fall color and leaf drop. During the walk, we’ll enjoy fall colors in the Garden and focus on the variety of tree and shrub leaf colors and talk about the species-distinct differences.
Fee: $7/family (up to 5) ($5 for members and volunteers)
Time: 12:15–1 p.m.
Location: Meet at the Caboose parking lot

Friday, October 30
MONSTERS OF THE MUSEUM!
Bring the little ones for a fun morning of prehistoric discovery. Children may explore the museum, listen to readings of Halloween and dinosaur-themed children’s books, and create their own prehistoric pumpkin ‘monster.’ This program is suitable for children of all ages.
Fee: $8 per person ($5 for anyone wearing a costume!)
Time: 10 a.m.–noon
Location: Bob Campbell Geology Museum

ART GALLERY
Featured artists for October: Bruce Schlein (digital nature photography), Kent Ambler (woodcut and linocut prints), Patti Brady (acrylic paintings) and Clay Bolt (nature photography).
    
Visit the Fuller Galleries in the Fran Hanson Discovery Center to see a rotating collection of artwork by artisans inspired by the materials, nature and beauty of the Upstate. Up to six artists at a time, all connected to the Upstate area, showcase their work together. At least one new artist rotates into the collection each month, so there's always something new to see. Artworks, ranging from paintings to ceramics and baskets to photography, are available for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the S.C. Botanical Garden.

The Fran Hanson Discovery Center also houses a permanent display of Elizabeth Belser Fuller’s extensive collection of wildflower and nature paintings.
Gallery Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday to Saturday
Admission: Free
Location: Fran Hanson Discovery Center

BE A GARDEN VOLUNTEER
No matter what your background or the time you have available, there is a place for you at the S.C. Botanical Garden. Volunteer opportunities are available in grounds maintenance and gardening, education programs, special events and visitor services. Visit www.clemson.edu/scbg/support/volunteer/.

SPECIAL EVENTS – GARDEN RENTAL
Whether you're planning a business meeting, party or wedding, the S.C. Botanical Garden offers a beautiful setting for your important day. For rental information, call 864-656-3075 or visit www.clemson.edu/scbg/events/rentals/.

GIFT SHOPS
The Garden Gift Shop and the Bob Campbell Geology Museum Gift Shop offer unique gifts for children and adults, including beautiful handcrafted gift items by local artists, gardening and geology books, T-shirts, local food items, jewelry and more. Visit www.clemson.edu/scbg/shop.html.

HOURS
The South Carolina Botanical Garden is open from dawn until dusk 365 days a year.
Discovery Center and Garden Gift Shop: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Admission is free.
Bob Campbell Geology Museum hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $3 for adults and $2 for children ages 12 and under. Annual passes available; free admission for garden members.

BACKGROUND
The South Carolina Botanical Garden is located on the Clemson University campus at the intersection of U.S. 76 (Clemson Boulevard) and Perimeter Road. It encompasses 295 acres of display gardens, nature trails, woodlands and streams, and is open year-round from dawn to dusk, free of charge. The garden is partially supported by the state of South Carolina via Clemson University, but relies on private funding, memberships and proceeds from educational events to continue operations. Contact the Visitors Center for more information at 864-656-3405, email scbg@clemson.edu or visit www.clemson.edu/scbg/.

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