The Red and Black

Issue date: 7/10/09 Section: News

The gazebo at UGA's Trial Garden. [Click to enlarge]

[Click to enlarge]

Behind Snelling Dining Hall, one can't help but notice senses of sight and smell overwhelmed with vibrant colors and pleasing aromas from thousands of different species of flowers, ferns, and herbs.

On July 11, the annual open house for the University Trial Gardens is held from 8 a.m. until noon with tours lead by Allan Armitage, the man who started the garden in 1982.

Armitage, a professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science, created the garden to experiment with different plants to see whether they can live in the Georgia climate. The primary functions of the garden are research, teaching, and crop introduction.

According to Armitage, the gardens started because he said every horticulture facility should have one for researching and teaching.

"It's a fabulous place to teach my students," Armitage said.

Gardeners can gather information for their own gardens and witness the beauty of more than 2,000 of plants. A main objective is to teach gardeners how to be more successful cultivating different plant breeds.

Not only is this place appealing to gardeners and botanists, but others can come because it simply "makes you feel good," said Armitage.

The gazebo, located at the center of the garden, has a 360-degree view of the many beautiful flowers.

"We get in growers all across the U.S. to see if plants can live in this environment," said Eric Durder, a University horticulture major. "But, I see the same people here every day that come through here just to see the plants."

"When you're in the garden, it feels like you're miles away from the UGA campus," said Michael Kaufman, from Atlanta. "Sitting in the gazebo, admiring the vibrant colors and inviting smells brings me into a state of tranquility."

The garden is free and open to the public year-round.

The foundation is asking for a donation of $5 for the open house on July 11, because the garden only receives funds from the gardening industry. It requires thousands of dollars to operate, and countless hours of research and hard work to grow each plant.

"Come over! We love having people here. It's just a beautiful place to be," Armitage said, with resounding confidence in his voice.

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