Category Archives: Farming

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham Historical Society, Farming, Gardening, Grandmothers Garden

In memory of Sallie Lee, Jeff County Extension Agent

For fifteen years, Sallie Lee guided the Birmingham Historical Society in the creation of an early 20th century demonstration garden at Sloss Quarters. She was an invaluable resource in identifying plant materials that might have been planted next to a shotgun house of that era as well as providing soil amendment advice and even labor. Over the years, the master gardener volunteers and BHS Director Marjorie White enjoyed her friendship as well as her tutelage in creating Grandmother’s Garden.

Sallie Lee and Marjorie White talk about Grandmother’s Garden (video)

Sallie was featured on WBRC’s Good Day Alabama as a gardening expert and had many friends among Alabama gardeners as well as among the staff at Birmingham Botanical Gardens where she maintained an office and often lectured. Sallie retired in 2020 after serving Alabama Extension for over 22 years. She successfully held several positions beginning with 7 years as an Agent Assistant, before moving up to a County Extension Agent in 2005, and in 2009 an Urban Regional Extension Agent with the Home Grounds, Gardens, and Home Pests team.

Although she retired early to care for family members, she was making plans to move back to Alabama. Our BHS gardening group was really looking forward to reconnecting with her. Sadly, she died August 2nd. She will be greatly missed.

Birmingham Historical Society, BOOK, Farming, Gardening, Grandmothers Garden, Highland Avenue, Neighborhoods, Publications

For the Heirloom Gardeners

It’s been almost a year since Birmingham Historical Society moved from a free-standing shotgun house at Sloss Quarters with a period garden to a mid-rise residential building in the historic urban neighborhood of Southside. While we love the new space and especially our new neighbors, it’s no longer possible to keep Grandmother’s Garden. But we have preserved some of the best parts of that 15 year experience.

A popular medicinal herb book, Pretty Posies Powerful Healing – an Herbal Primer, featured watercolor illustrations of plants grown in what was called Grandmother’s Garden.

And the Facebook page is archived with photos and information gathered over the 15 year period by both master gardeners and volunteers. Both sources are a wealth of information for those interested in heirloom plants, organic herbs, fruits, and vegetables, as well as decorative period plants and the way in which they were historically used.

There are lots of reasons to rediscover heirloom plants including their disease resistance, flavor, pollination without pesticides, and even the memories that they evoke. Be sure to take a look at the links above and if you’d like to try this yourself, here are a few useful tips!

Census, Elyton, Farming

What the Census tells us about “Old Elyton” plantations in Jefferson County

Elyton, currently a residential neighborhood in Birmingham containing the historic Arlington House, was the county seat of Jefferson County from 1821 to 1873. The censuses during that time provide documentation of the agricultural practices and sources of wealth during that period, as well as the incidence of enslaved labor. Birmingham Historical Society’s May 2021 Newsletter explores this topic and includes the transcripted data used in their research.