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Lookout Mountain
​Happenings

Check back often for up-to-date news, events and article previews between issues of the monthly Lookout Mountain Mirror.

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LMPC Hosting Floral Design Workshop

1/31/2018

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PictureSybil Sylvester is leading a floral design workshop on February 7 at LMPC.
If you are the least bit interested in arranging flowers, you’ve probably heard of Sybil Sylvester. The owner of Wildflower Designs in Birmingham, Ala., she has graced the pages of countless magazines, including Southern Living Weddings, Southern Accents and Brides. She’s a contributing editor to Flower magazine and offers flower schools in Birmingham at her shop. Her clients include the famed Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, as well as the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and the Birmingham Museum of Art, among numerous others.

The author of “Fresh,” Sybil is coming to the Jane Harris Youth Building at the Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, February 7, at 9:30 a.m. The Garden Club of Lookout Mountain invites you to hear this talented dynamo speak about her work, and her lecture is bound to be as educational as it is delightful. Sybil will also conduct a flower arranging workshop after the lecture, and all you need to bring to the workshop is a pair of clippers; fresh flowers, supplies and a delicious lunch is included. The lecture is free, but the cost of the workshop is $125 per person.

“Southern floral artist Sybil Sylvester does more than arrange flowers; she uses inventive ideas and fresh plants to illuminate her surroundings. Many of her plants come straight from her own garden, revealing a natural sense of connection that is evident throughout the pages of “Fresh.” This stunning book presents Sybil’s most effervescent and distinctive floral designs, organized by season, plus some of her celebrated arrangements from a variety of special occasions. Excitingly, “Fresh” also includes a beautifully photographed how-to section in which Sybil empowers readers to create their own magic from the natural world with instructions for a number of delightful designs, plus her own special brand of inspiration and helpful advice. Full of whimsy, joy, and elegance, “Fresh” is a magnificent paean to floral beauty,” touts her book description on Amazon. No worries if you don’t have a copy and want one – she’ll be signing books at the lecture.

Space in the floral workshop that is offered after the lecture is limited, so please contact Lee Easterly at (423) 280-9161 to reserve your spot.

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Workshops Will Teach You How to Save Your Hemlocks

4/11/2017

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PictureJimmy Stewart tagging a hemlock tree that is infested with the hemlock woolly adelgid
The hemlock trees on Lookout Mountain are in danger of totally disappearing because of an infestation of the hemlock woolly adelgid, a small aphid-like insect that covers itself with a white woolly coating for protection. The larva attach themselves to the undersides of needles and branches on hemlock trees, and remain there their entire lives, sucking sap 24 hours a day from the needles. The needles then fall off, depleting the flow of nutrients, which causes the tree to die. The woolly adelgid can be recognized by what appears to be tiny cotton balls at the base of the hemlock needles. Their numbers increase exponentially and rapidly because both the male and female are capable of laying 300 eggs three times a year. These insects have been present on Lookout Mountain in small numbers for about two years, but the population has exploded this year because the trees were stressed and weakened by the drought last summer.

The pests originally were brought from Asia to Canada and have been spreading south rapidly because there is no local natural predator. The insects cannot fly, but spread by floating on the wind, and hitching rides on birds, animals or people.

“Trees that are infested can live around two years, and that is where we are now,” said Jimmy Stewart, a professional garden designer and community volunteer. If not treated, it is inevitable a tree will die, he said. The good news is that there are effective treatments that can save a tree even after it is covered in the insects. It is important to treat trees that already have the adelgid, to kill them, and to treat the ones that are not yet affected, to help prevent the spread. Once treated, he said, results can be seen within months. It is the responsibility of homeowners to treat trees that are in their yard, and of the towns of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., and Ga., to treat those on municipally-owned property. “Everybody needs to do their part,” Stewart said.

To help the community identify and become aware of the quantity of diseased trees, Stewart plans to mark some of them with yellow caution tape. A note to homeowners who find their trees flagged will be left near mailboxes to explain the yellow streamers. He also is planning to conduct two public meetings, on April 15 and April 29, where he will demonstrate how homeowners can adminster the treatments themselves. The April 15 lesson is at Temple Park from 9 a.m.-noon. On April 29, he’ll teach another class at Fairyland Club from 9 a.m.-noon.

The attempt to eradicate the hemlock woolly adelgid can be done by either professionals or homeowners. Stewart said there are two very effective systemic products that are recommended if individuals want to treat the hemlocks themselves. One is sprayed on the lower 5 feet of the trunk and will be absorbed through the bark. The other is applied as a soil drench. Both are safe for humans and pets once they dry and when used as directed, he said. The spray he recommends is not harmful to bees as long as it is sprayed directly on the trunk of the trees. These treatments offer protection from two to five years. Stewart said trees should be checked each year, and the ones where the insects are still present should be treated again yearly.

The hope for a long-term solution is that a predator beetle can be found to create a natural balance. Beetles have been bred and released in other areas around Chattanooga, but this method is not working yet because the beetles have died. The University of North Carolina and University of Georgia are both actively trying to breed beetles that will survive here. There is an experimental breeding station now at the Lula Lake Land Trust.

Flyers about treatment options that include a list of licensed contractors for treating the hemlocks will be available at the post office, at both town hall buildings and from the garden clubs on the mountain. Recommended companies that service both Tennessee and Georgia include: Lawn Doctor (423) 708-7900; W.D. Scott Company (423) 622-0320;  ABC Tree Company, (423) 344-8732; and Green Tree Specialists (423) 508-5883.

The website www.SaveGeorgiasHemlocks.org is recommended for additional and reliable information. The Hemlock Help Line number is (706) 429-8010, or you can email [email protected] for more information. Jimmy Stewart is also available and willing to talk to homeowners and can be reached at (423) 413-6420.

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Order Christmas Mailbox Decorations Now

10/31/2016

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PictureOrder your Christmas mailbox decorations now.
The Laurelwood Garden Club is taking orders now for its Christmas mailbox decorations. Purchase beautiful greenery topped with a red velvet bow to embellish your mailbox or lamppost this holiday season. The funds raised with the purchase of the decorations support landscaping and environmental needs at Lookout Mountain Elementary School and Fairyland Elementary School, as well as the Lookout Mountain Beautification Fund.

The deadline to order the decorations is Thursday, November 24. Arrangements will be delivered on Friday, December 2. Decorations are $40 each.

Download this form (PDF) and mail it to Celeste Lindeman, 1103 Tinkerbell Lane, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750. Call Celeste at (404) 803-0705 if you have any questions.

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Tackle Mountain Weeds This Saturday

4/4/2016

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PictureHelp wrangle weeds this weekend before Peggy Laney gets strangled by an invasive plant!
by Ferris Robinson
Mark Saturday, April 9, on your calendars. It will take the whole village (two villages, actually) of Lookout Mountain, but the Weed Wrangle will result in a notable reduction in invasive plants on our lovely mountain. On that Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, volunteers are encouraged to don gardening gloves and grab a pair of clippers and meet at Point Park. Members of all five garden clubs on Lookout Mountain are especially urged to take part.

According to Fran Rittenberry, co-chair of Weed Wrangle along with Gracie Schriner, everyone will start at Point Park and spread out to attack some of the more threatened areas on the mountain. Steven Manning of Invasive Plant Control in Nashville will guide the volunteers in combatting the invasive plants. There is a certain protocol he follows, ensuring the plants not only do not spread, but are killed. No poisons or chemicals will be used at the Weed Wrangle, only tools and a little elbow grease.

Supervised by Mr. Manning, an expert in invasive weed management, community volunteers will learn about exotic pest plants, as well as how to locate and remove them. Typical unwelcome plants are honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica and L. maackii), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), winter creeper (Euonymus fortunei), autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata var. parviflora), English ivy (Hedera helix) and kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata).

Both Lookout Mountain, Ga., and Lookout Mountain, Tenn., along with the Fairyland Club, the Lookout Mountain Golf Club, the Lula Lake Land Trust and the Lookout Mountain Conservancy have been working with the Garden Club of Lookout Mountain on this project. The model for the Weed Wrangle, a Partners for Plants (P4P) Project of the Garden Club of Nashville, has spread to other clubs as a template for combating invasive plants in parks and public lands.

At the Weed Wrangle, volunteers will not only help maintain and beautify compromised areas of Lookout Mountain, but will learn how to eliminate invasive plants in their own yards. Children age 10 and up are encouraged to participate as well.

If you are interested in helping to wrangle the weeds, contact Gracie Schriner by emailing [email protected] or calling (423) 667-3470.

Later in the day, from 1-4 p.m., the Lookout Mountain Conservancy will be tackling weeds at 1813 Old Wauhatchie Pike at the foot of the mountain. No tools are required, and hot dogs and Coke will be served at the end of the work session. Find out more on LMC's website.

But remember, this project will definitely take a village. Hopefully the entire village will turn out!



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Garden Club Hosting Famed Floral Designer

1/27/2016

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John Grady BurnsJohn Grady Burns
The Garden Club of Lookout Mountain, a member of Garden Clubs of America (GCA), invites the public to a seminar, workshop and book signing by John Grady Burns.
 
John Grady Burns, a noted author and floral designer, will be at the Fairyland Club on Wednesday, February 3, and will sign books at 9 a.m. and speak at 10 a.m. He will conduct a workshop on flower arranging at 1:30 p.m.
 
If you would like to attend the "Stump John Grady" workshop, please include that payment as space is limited. Bring a container you think may be hard for John Grady to arrange and try to stump him! You will not only be able to bring home your container with flowers, but you will also get to watch him put together 30 unique arrangements!  He will explain and demonstrate arranging flowers using oasis, frogs and simple containers.

Burns is a native of Natchez, Miss., attended St Mary’s Cathedral Schools and graduated with a degree in retail floral management from Mississippi State University. Upon graduation he arranged flowers for the White House, the Blair House and numerous embassies and other foreign and domestic dignitaries.
 
He attributes his level of taste to the garden club ladies of Natchez, saying, “Not only do they appreciate and preserve beauty, but they promote it.” His second home is in Natchez, at Beekman Place Livery, a charming bed and breakfast.
 
In the 1980s, Burns worked in both the retail and wholesale end of the flower industry, carving out a niche in the floral arena specializing in weddings, parties and events. He taught floral design at Kennesaw State University for over 13 years and for the past nine years has been teaching the art of floral design at Halls Atlanta Floral Design School.
 
He has done florals for the Atlanta Symphony Ball, Atlanta Ballet Ball, Junior League Ball, Atlanta’s Swan Ball and for Wynnona Judd at the Cecil Scaife Visionary Awards held at the Governor’s Mansion in Atlanta. He has won numerous awards over the years as well as appeared in many major publications.
 
These events led him to the publication of his three books, “Personally Yours, Flowers for Weddings, Parties and Events,” “Evergreen, Decorating with the Colours of the Season” and “Collections, Sharing the Passion.” Burns leads demonstrations, seminars and flower programs across the country. He was recently invited to become an honorary member of the GCA Chapter “Garden Lovers of Natchez.” He is always grateful to have the chance to travel and meet new friends. 
 
Reservations are $50 per person for the presentation and $75 per person for the workshop; they are due by January 15. Download the payment form here (PDF).
 
Please make check payable to: Garden Club of Lookout Mountain, P.O. Box 11, Lookout Mountain, TN, 37350.



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Cravens House Holiday Open House is This Weekend

12/1/2015

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Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is hosting a Christmas Open House at the Cravens House on Lookout Mountain. The Cravens House will be decorated by the Lookout Mountain Beautiful Garden Club in a manner very similar to the Civil War era.

This special holiday event will take place from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5. Tours begin every 30 minutes. Reservations are required due to capacity limitations. To make a reservation, and for more information about this event, please contact the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at   (423) 821-7786.

In 1863, the Cravens family spent Christmas away from their home on Lookout Mountain. In fact, only a skeleton of their once vibrant dwelling stood at Christmas. Union soldiers and war correspondents camping on Lookout Mountain stripped the home of its wood for tent flooring, firewood, and souvenirs. Learn about some of the experiences Union and Confederate soldiers and their families experienced after the Battles for Chattanooga during your visit to Cravens House.  

For more information about upcoming programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/chch.
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Garden Club Selling Mailbox Decorations, Planting Trees

10/5/2015

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This fall the Laurelwood Garden Club (LGC) will plant 50 trees around the mountain to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary. To kick start this project, there will be a dedication ceremony at the Commons honoring club founder, the late Nancy Caulkins, in October. "We are working with both towns and the Council of Garden Clubs to find the best locations for these trees, to benefit and beautify the mountain for years to come," says Project Chair Susan Philips.

"By planting these trees now we hope to have a sustainable source of greenery to use in the future for our annual fundraiser that benefits both schools," says Susan Philips. The club hopes that these trees will bring more beauty to the mountain and be enjoyed by generations to come. Please contact Susan Philips at (423) 991-9228 or susanvphilips@gmail with any questions or location ideas.


In addition to planting trees in the many pocket parks, the club plans to plant fruit trees at Lookout Mountain School to use in conjunction with the new greenhouse, as well as donate trees to Fairyland School projects. With this project, the LGC will also plant trees to help supply greenery for its annual Mailbox Decoration fundraiser.


Mailbox decorations are on sale now. The lovely displays are $35, and this year the club plans to replace the hemlock used as the base of the mailbox decoration with a mix of Cryptomeria, yew and cypress in response to the infestation of woolly adelgid on Lookout Mountain. Download this form (pdf) and send it to the club to reserve your decoration.


The woolly adelgid is a small, aphid-like insect that threatens the health and sustainability of the beloved hemlock trees on our mountain. If you suspect your hemlock trees are infected, decide whether to treat or remove infected trees. There are two proven and effective methods of treatment.


More information can be found by calling Green Trees at (423) 508-5883 or  the W.D. Scott Company at (423) 622-0320. Both companies can assess the damage and give an estimate on treatment.
Infected trees that need to be removed must be destroyed, most effectively by burning. Do not compost or put in landfill!

Please call Jimmy Stewart with any questions at (423) 413-6420.


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