The Garden Conservancy will premiere its latest documentary film, A Garden in Conversation: Louise Agee Wrinkle's Southern Woodland Sanctuary, on Sunday, May 5 at 3 p.m. at the Virginia Samford Theatre (1116 26th St. S., Birmingham).
The movie, part of the Suzanne and Frederic Rheinstein Garden Documentation Program at the Garden Conservancy, also marks the first time the Conservancy has interviewed the creator of a garden it has documented on film.
Louise Agee Wrinkle has inspired a growing appreciation for native gardening across the country, and she and her garden are well known throughout the Birmingham area. Together on film, Wrinkle and her ethereal woodland sanctuary present a unique opportunity for viewers to explore the nexus of preservation and conservation. Wrinkle's gardening philosophy focuses on "letting plants develop as they will and tend to them in a way that highlights the subtle beauties of texture, rhythm, pattern, repetition."
Wrinkle is a founding member and Director Emerita of the Garden Conservancy. She has been a distinguished member of the Garden Club of America for 40 years. She received the Foundation for Landscape Studies' Place Maker Award in 2019.
Following the 25-minute film, Garden Conservancy President & CEO James Brayton Hall will guide a discussion on southern gardens, native plants, and conservation with panelists Steele Marcoux, Editor-in-Chief of Veranda Magazine; Steve Bender, Grumpy Gardener columnist and Editor-at-Large at Southern Living; Staci Catron, Director of the Cherokee Library of the Atlanta History Center; Pamela Governale, Director of Preservation at the Garden Conservancy and Filmmaker Michael Udris.
Following the discussion, a reception and book signing for Wrinkle's Listen to the Land: Creating a Southern Woodland Garden will take place at the theatre. The award- winning book has been revised with a new preface written by James Brayton Hall. It is published by Design Books and distributed by the National Book Network. Copies will be available for sale.
The May 5 film event is free; registration is required. Individuals should visit the Garden Conservancy website to register. www.gardenconservancy.org
On Saturday, May 4, Louise Agee Wrinkle's garden will highlight the Garden Conservancy Open Days event in the Birmingham area. Four private gardens will open their gates for one day for the public to visit. This is the first time that area gardens have opened for Open Days tours since 2009! Admission is $5 for Garden Conservancy members; $10 for non-members. Tickets available at gardenconservancy.org/open-days.
--Submitted by Anne Wrinkle
