Mobile Botanical Gardens

The Mobile Alabama Botanical Gardens is a lush, expansive garden located in Mobile, Alabama. Jon and I recently visited the garden.

As we walked through the gardens, we were surrounded by a diverse collection of flora, a small bog garden, a magnolia grove, a longleaf pine forest, a Japanese maple garden, and the most expansive collection of azaleas I have ever seen.

One of the highlights of our visit was the crimson bottle brush bush, which was full of hundreds of bees. It was amazing to see how so many different types of bees together.

We also enjoyed learning about the history of the garden, which dates back to the 1970s when the once-private garden was donated to the city of Mobile. Since then, the garden has grown into a beloved landmark and cultural attraction for locals and visitors alike.

During our visit, we were lucky enough to attend their weekend plant sale. It was an exciting opportunity for us to purchase some unique plants and take a little piece of the garden home with us. I finally found a plant that had been on my wish list for years - a "big leaf magnolia tree". I was thrilled to finally be able to add it to my own garden. I also picked up an interesting hosta plant for my mom, and some heirloom tomato plants for my dad's garden.

Overall, our visit to the Mobile Alabama Botanical Gardens was a delightful experience that we would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area. It's the perfect place to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Alabama and explore the incredible diversity of flora and fauna that the garden has to offer.

Afterglow by Christine Cannon at the Cochran Gallery

I recently had a solo exhibition of my paintings at the Cochran Gallery, in my hometown of LaGrange, Georgia. Growing up in LaGrange I was fortunate there were some resources for community engagement in the arts already in place. Wes and Missy Cochran have really brought a lot to the area with the Cochran Gallery. I appreciate the programming and work that the Cochrans bring through LaGrange. It is a great service they provide to the community.

I was really excited about the opportunity to show my most recent works. The space is large, bright, and open. I installed the show just after Christmas and it ran through the end of February.

The opening reception was a blast and I caught up with several friends and family I have not seen in a long time. The interactive component is alway so fun to experience with others. I was thrilled to see Hillside Montessori brought a group of students to see the exhibit. I have stolen and plagiarized some of their adorable images from their Facebook post below.

Thank you to the Cochrans and to everyone who came out.

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