PAUL J. CIENER BOTANICAL GARDEN

Whisnant’s connection to GreenHill came through another GreenHill patron, Susan Edwards, who sadly passed away last year:

“I was first introduced to GreenHill by Susan Edwards many, many years ago when she asked if I would volunteer bartend for Collector’s Choice. From that first year onward, my primary volunteer activity was organizing the bar and getting volunteers for that event. Eventually I was asked to be on the Board, and I really enjoyed that time of service. I think GreenHill is so very unique in its focus and each exhibit has always been top-notch.”

Whisnant has worked to keep the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Gardens open during this period of social distancing. The site maintains four cultivated acres with 25 individual garden styles and was designed with the creative eye of Chip Calloway. The Garden’s mission is "to inspire, enlighten and connect visitors of all ages with the world of plants, horticulture and gardening."

Open from dawn until dusk daily, Garden staff are available Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 am until 4 pm. Whisnant notes:

“During this stay-at-home time, we hope that our beautiful spaces and the ability to enjoy nature will be of great value to people.  We are mindfully stressing that visitors practice safe social distancing but at the same time give a friendly wave to others as they experience this lovely setting.  Now more than ever, folks need to connect with the natural world and to experience the solace and respite a garden can offer."

With many people at home trying to garden themselves, the Garden’s website and staff offer resources such as a “guide to creating a vegetable garden.” Whisnant hopes new gardeners as well as “garden geeks” will find resources:

“We are constantly thinking of ways to be a local gardening resource and provide expert content to anyone interested in gardening techniques, plant identification, plant selections, and best practices. Since we presently cannot offer our monthly lectures, we are open to new ways of sharing our knowledge and know-how.  Also, we encourage folks to take a stab at things, plant some veggies, introduce a new shrub to their yard or learn a technique like ‘espalier’ (a way of pruning and training a shrub or fruit tree). Gardening can be lots of fun and also therapeutic."