Wonderful Wednesdays at Bellingrath Gardens continue through July

Wonderful Wednesdays at Bellingrath Gardens continue through July

Wonderful Wednesdays at Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile continue June 20 with a program titled Attracting Pollinators to the Garden from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Pollinators are experiencing a serious decline across the country. Jack LeCroy, an Urban Regional Extension Agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, will give an overview of best practices to attract and protect bees, butterflies and other pollinators in the garden.
Other Wonderful Wednesday programs:
• June 26: Paint Party at Bellingrath, 6-8 p.m. Paint your favorite Bellingrath Gardens scenes and flowers during this evening Paint Party, led by artists Renee Wallace and Janie Brown. Guests may choose to create their own designs on a blank canvas, or may select a pre-sketched Bellingrath Gardens scene on a 12” x 16” canvas panel. All supplies are included. This session requires an extra fee of $30 per participant to cover the costs of supplies.
• July 10: Viewing the Summer Sky at Bellingrath Gardens, 7-9 p.m. This evening astronomy program, led by members of the University of South Alabama Department of Physics, will begin with a brief lecture in the Magnolia Room and then move to the Great Lawn, where telescopes will be set up to view planets and constellations. Guests are encouraged to bring binoculars and flashlights.
• July 17: Horticultural Reflections, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Executive Director Bill Barrick will share insights from his 40-year career in public gardens management. Dr. Barrick has served as Executive Director of Bellingrath Gardens and Home since 1999. July 19, 2019, will be his last official day of employment with Bellingrath Gardens and Home.
• July 24: Cheers: A Look at Alcohol-Related Objects in the Bellingrath Collection, 10:30-11:30 a.m. According to those who knew her best, Bessie Morse Bellingrath “hated liquor worse than God hates sin.” And yet, her collection includes a wide variety of beautiful objects created to serve or contain everything from gin to champagne. Displayed throughout the Home are case glass decanters, Sheffield wine coolers, a ceramic book disguising a liquor flask and assorted glassware designed to serve an array of wines and liqueurs. Museum Home Director Tom McGehee will describe the origins of these alcohol-related treasures within a teetotaler’s collection.
• July 31: Christmas in July Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Go behind the scenes of Bellingrath’s famous Magic Christmas in Lights show and learn how to create your own lighted piece. Guests will select a metal frame and then attach lights to decorate the piece. All materials will be supplied and are included in the cost of the program. A boxed lunch is also included. Space is limited and reservations are required. Fees are $43 for members; $40 for the children of members ages 5-12; $56 for adult non-members; and $48 for non-members ages 5-12.
Bellingrath Gardens is dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the 65-acre garden and estate home of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath. For more information, visit bellingrath.org or call 251-973-2217.