Running from January 9 – February 27 the Winter Wednesdays at Bellingrath Gardens is a wonderful treat for the whole family for your next Dauphin Island vacation!
Even during the cold season, Bellingrath Gardens is filled with blooms and beauty. Gulf Coast residents and visitors are invited to join us at our Winter Wednesdays for sessions on gardening, history and more. With a range of classes, you’re sure to find something you’re interested in.
By tradition, the Winter Wednesdays series begins with the After Christmas Sale in the Bellingrath Gift Shop shortly after New Years and includes deep discounts on holiday merchandise. Guests are encouraged to use the Snowbird Special Discount on Gardens-and-Home combination tickets during their visit.
The Winter Wednesdays sessions are held each week in the Magnolia Room from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. through February 28. Admission to the program is included in the regular Gardens admission, and guests are encouraged to tour the Gardens after the session. Registration is requested: To register, call 251.459.8864.
Here is the 2018 Winter Wednesdays schedule:
January 16: “The Underwater Forest,” with Ben Raines
Environmental reporter and filmmaker Ben Raines will describe the secrets of an ancient underwater cypress forest recently discovered south of Alabama’s Gulf Shores in the Gulf of Mexico. The cypress forest dates back to an Ice Age more than 60,000 years ago, when sea levels were 400 feet lower than today. Ben’s acclaimed documentary about the forest was released in June 2017.
January 23: Non-native Invasive Plants
Beau Brodbeck, an Extension Forestry Agent and an Affiliate Faculty in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences at Auburn University, will teach our guests about managing some of Alabama’s worst invasive plant species. Brodbeck holds a PhD in Forestry and is both an Alabama Registered Forester and ISA Certified Arborist.
January 30: Viewing the Winter Sky at Bellingrath Gardens
Do not miss this very special evening astronomy program, led by members of the University of South Alabama Department of Physics. Following a brief lecture, guests will view the night sky on the Great Lawn. Telescopes will be set up to view planets and constellations. Guests are asked to bring binoculars and flashlights.
February 6: Winter Garden Walk
There is always something blooming at Bellingrath Gardens! Learn about the interesting winter borders and containers throughout the Gardens from Bellingrath’s Horticulture Management Team: Executive Director Dr. Bill Barrick, Nursery Manager Chuck Owens and Display Coordinator Barbara Smith.
February 13: All About Camellias
Camellias are well-adapted to the South and have been growing in coastal gardens since the mid-1800s. Seth Allen, Horticultural Director and Curator of Collections at Mobile Botanical Gardens, will describe the history and cultivation of this winter-blooming shrub and give advice on selecting the best varieties for your garden.
February 20: “Things are Seldom What They Seem,” with Tom McGehee
The Bellingrath Home collection includes several remarkable examples of metamorphic furniture, pieces which were designed to change functions and were often built with moving parts. Join Tom McGehee, Curator of the Bellingrath Museum Home, for a closer look at these fascinating 19th century designs.
February 27: “Flowers for Mom: Honoring an Alzheimer’s Journey and Celebrating Nature”
Artist Elmore Demott, a great-granddaughter of Walter Bellingrath’s brother, William, uses the medium of photography to express thoughts and emotions. The “Flowers for Mom” series, which features photographs from 20 states, the District of Columbia and 12 countries, represents her artistic response to her mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
About Bellingrath Gardens
You can easily reach the Bellingrath Gardens from your Dauphin Island vacation rental. Only 20 minutes north of Dauphin Island, Bellingrath Gardens is easy to find and makes a lovely day trip. Come see the 65-acre garden and estate home of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, and learn about the history in addition to enjoying the beautiful blooms. They are a fascinating couple who helped the local economy during the Great Depression by purchasing flowers and bushes right out of people’s yards for hundreds of dollars. Bessie always had a life-long passion for gardening and her husband always said, “The Gardens were my wife’s dream, and I want to live to see that dream come true.”
Bellingrath Gardens and Home is operated by the Bellingrath Gardens and Home Foundation, a charitable, not-for-profit organization.
For more information:
Location: 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Rd, Theodore, AL 36582
Website: bellingrath.org
Phone: 251.973.2217
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