Growing Plants – Making the Garden Grow

The State Botanical Garden’s greenhouses are not just oases of botanical diversity and delight; the growing space they provide is an integral part of the Garden. The products of these greenhouses can be found in the display bed at the front entrance on Milledge Avenue, throughout the grounds and around the buildings. Annual color display production, tropical plant collection management and propagation for plant sales and special events are just a few of the many services the Garden’s greenhouse facility provides.

State-of-the-art environmental control systems in each room are connected to a dedicated computer. These systems can be controlled on-site or remotely via dial-up. A backup generator ensures power will be sustained in the event of an outage. Alarms will sound if temperatures get too high or too low, and the system can be programmed to call a phone tree of numbers, beginning with the Greenhouse Manager.

Volunteers are a big part of the greenhouse operations. A group of dedicated and fun volunteers give their time to the Garden every week. The greenhouse volunteers play an important role in operations and help the Garden in many ways.

As you enter the State Botanical Garden you will pass the greenhouses before arriving at the parking areas. While this area is not open to visitors, we do invite school groups, garden clubs and others to tour the facility on an appointment-based schedule. Junior high students, high school students, and the Garden’s summer campers visit the greenhouses. We feel it is very important to reach our younger guests, introducing them to the fascinating world of horticulture while teaching them about the environment in which we live.