Category Archives: Grandmothers Garden

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!

Birmingham Historical Society, Grandmothers Garden

Grandmother’s Garden at Sloss

This Facebook video created by Lisa Jones of Jefferson County – Alabama Extension – shares details surrounding the beginning and evolution of Grandmother’s Garden at Birmingham Historical Society’s headquarters at Sloss Quarters. Narrated in part by BHS Director, Marjorie White, the video also pays tribute to retiring longtime Urban Regional Jefferson County extension agent, Sallie Lee, as well as master gardener volunteers who have helped plant and maintain the garden since its beginnings fifteen years ago.

For a look at some of the native plant materials included in the garden, please refer to BHS publication, Pretty Posies, Healing Powers –An Herbal Primer

Book Sale, Book Signing, Exhibition, Grandmothers Garden, Watercolors

Pretty Posies “Rainy Day” Garden Party, Sunday Oct 13th, 2019

Pretty Posies publication principals: artists/illustrators, author and editor, left to right: Gardener, Editor, & BHS Director, Marjorie White; Illustrators, Ellen Erdreich, Sumter Coleman; Herbalist and author, Antonia Viteri; Illustrators, Gail Cosby, Louise McPhillips, and Jane Reed Ross….and Mary Virginia Rushing and her sister sampling the lavender.

Barbara Shores is presiding over the Lemon Balm and Lavender Punch that was a big hit….

  • Watercolors and books are for sale at the Botanical Gardens Library, $20 and $300 respectively. Thirty-four watercolors are in the exhibit.
  • Gardeners (with floral hats) Eunice Gray and Marjorie White. Pretty Posies publication principals include artists/illustrators, author & editor, left to right: Marjorie White, Ellen Erdreich, Sumter Coleman, Antonia Viteri, Gail Cosby, Louise McPhillips, and Jane Reed Ross.
  • Eunie Gray and Marjorie White previewing the exhibit
  • Eunie Gray and Marjorie White previewing the exhibit
  • The herbalist/author Antonia Viteri and her sister Esperanza
  • Herbed biscuits using herbs from Grandmother’s Garden
  • Barbara Shores serving Lemon Balm and Lavender Punch
  • Mary Virginia Rushing and her sister sampling the lavender with Jane Reed Ross’s watercolors of the Passion Flower vine/May Pop (that they also enjoyed eating in the garden).
Book Sale, Book Signing, Exhibition, Grandmothers Garden, Watercolors

Sunday, October 13, 3-5PM

Sunday, October 13, 3–5 p.m.—Garden Party, Publication Celebration, and Exhibit of watercolors from Pretty Posies, Healing Powers–An Herbal Primer by featured artists Sumter Coleman, Gail Cosby, Ellen Erdreich, Louise McPhillips, and Jane Reed Ross, all Birmingham residents. Grandmother’s Garden at Sloss Quarters, 10 North 32nd Street.

October 15–November 30—Watercolors from Pretty Posies, Healing Powers–An Herbal Primer. Birmingham Botanical Gardens Library Gallery. Here’s a preview!

Thirty-four watercolors are included in the exhibit at Botanical Gardens Library and are available for sale at $300/each. Books are available for $20/each. Proceeds benefit the Botanical Gardens and the Birmingham Historical Society.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maria Antonia Viteri, a native of Mobile, has studied Western and Southern Appalachian herbal traditions in Alabama and California. Viteri, a Master Gardener, is also licensed in Architecture and Landscape Design. She currently resides in Sterrett, Alabama.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATORS

Birmingham Historical Society “Artists in the Garden,” all avid gardeners themselves, have been painting en plein air in Grandmother’s Garden for many years. For this volume, they sketched our herbs from specimens and photographs, coordinating their work at lunchtime gatherings at Gail Cosby’s home.

Sumter Coleman is a psychiatrist now retired to her mountain top residence where she writes and paints.

Writer, editor, publicist Gail Cosby now employs her talent as a watercolorist.

Artist and art historian Ellen Erdreich first sketched herbs as a teenager.

Louise McPhillips, an architect by profession, currently specializes in making portraits of her family.

Landscape architect Jane Reed Ross has left her mark on many Birmingham area park and greenway projects.