Dear Friends,
Looking out my window today, I see the landscape drinking in the welcome spring rains. Fiddleheads are abundant, and the bubblegum pink of the pink-shell azaleas stands out in the newly returning lush green of the garden. Foamflower, iris, trillium, Dutchman’s breeches, bluets, and marsh marigolds all have emerged. After a busy winter — preparing the garden, working to complete the new greenhouse facility, planning with our partners for red spruce plantings, and attending conferences with other conservationists — spring is so welcome.
We’re excited to open the garden for a new visitor season. In addition to the new greenhouse, we’re unveiling new garden features and planting designs. After nearly two years of planning and construction, we are down to the exterior plantings in the landscape around the greenhouse, which will be complete in mid-May. Beginning May 20, all tours will include a stop at the greenhouse to learn about our red spruce restoration work and the new upgrades in our growing system. Adjacent to the greenhouse is our new rain garden and mountain bog, which showcase green infrastructure and stormwater mitigation in action and can be replicated in residences and communities. This project is the culmination of more than a decade of dreaming and building partnerships, and we are so proud to hold an integral role in regional conservation work. Through the support of our volunteers, donors, friends, and partners, we are beginning a new era of red spruce restoration for the southern Blue Ridge Mountains.
Our gratitude is boundless for everyone who has contributed to this project and continues to support our work in conservation. The Green-Light the Greenhouse capital campaign would not be possible without the dedication of so many of you. And we still need your help to reach our goal of $3 million. Through the generosity of our partners and donors, we have already raised more than $2.3 million, and together we can make a difference in conservation of plant and animal species for generations to come.
I also want to thank our founders, Betty and Robert Balentine, who are receiving a national medal from the Garden Club of America this week. Their lifelong dedication to nature, their vision, and their generosity have created a template for environmental philanthropy. They have redefined legacy for the benefit of generations of flora and fauna in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Prioritizing our natural resources and working together — with hearts full of hope and eyes on the future — is the way forward.
With gratitude,
Kelly M. Holdbrooks
Executive Director