Alan Carmichael, left, with Angie Campbell and Jim Richards, the new executive director of the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum.
The good folks at the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum used their annual Green Thumb Gala earlier this month to officially introduce their new executive director, Jim Richards. Downtowners will know Richards as the longtime general manager of Mast General Store on Gay Street. He is a great guy and a great match for the garden.
An avid outdoorsman, Richards is the director of the national bike event Cherohala Challenge as well as the founder and current treasurer of Bike Walk Knoxville. He is on the board of Center City Events and the Central Business Improvement District and is chairman of the Knoxville Area Transit Board.
“We really are a hidden gem in Knoxville,” Richards said when he was introduced at the event. “Our job is simple. To tell our story and to bring people here.”
The Knoxville Botanical Garden spans 47 acres in East Knoxville on the site of the former Joe N. and C.B. Howell Nurseries, which were established in 1786. It is a five-minute drive from downtown.
Part of the event on Sunday was held in the new welcome center on site, which used to be a barn. The next big project will be the renovation of another old barn into a farmers’ market and FDA-certified kitchen. The garden is open every day of the year from dawn until dusk.
The new welcome center is visually very interesting. It doesn’t look at all like an old barn anymore!
It’s interesting on the inside, too.
A cocktail party and silent auction started the evening. I’m sure there is a lot of pressure to get the flowers right at an event at the Botanical Garden. These sweet arrangements were on the cocktail tables.
Dino Cartwright, left, was the emcee for the event. He’s here with Dr. Bedford Waters. (I love a urologist named “Waters!”)
From left, Dawn Ford, Alan Carmichael, Martha Ashe and her father, former Knoxville Mayor and U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe.
I think this event has one of the best silent auctions. Georgiana Vines went home with this cute deer. She’s going to put it out for Christmas in the courtyard of her condo building, Crown Court, in the downtown YMCA.
David Butler, executive director of the Knoxville Museum of Art, donated this painting he created.
Well-known local artist Melanie Wood donated this beauty.
The crowd had plenty of room in the 5,000-square-foot welcome center that will be offered for weddings, parties and other special events.
There even was room for some intimate seating areas, which our friend Richard Ford took advantage of.
I liked this Vera Bradley tote donated by Julia Bentley.
What a cool wine rack!
Music was by the Old City Buskers, one of our favorite bands at Moxley Carmichael.
I thought this was a good idea for an appetizer. Brown sugar sweet potatoes wrapped in bacon. Caterer was Bradford Catered Events.
Tom Cervone and Susan Creswell.
Soon we were called to dinner in a huge tent outside. This outfit Samantha Edwards is wearing pretty much sums up the weather. It wasn’t raining, thank goodness, but prior days of showers had left a bit of mud to deal with. We managed.
Come on guys, move it! From left, Alan, Arthur Seymour, and former Knoxville Mayor Dan Brown, who currently is on City Council.
From left, Cathy and Mark Hill and Sheila and Chris Hill. The guys are brothers.
Mixed greens, roasted chickpeas, radish and carrot ribbons with ricotta, prosciutto crisps and maple balsamic dressing made a beautiful salad.
The warm sweet potato biscuit made it even more beautiful.
Shaun and Roger Hyver at the Moxley Carmichael table. She’s our company’s CFO.
Tom and Deanene Catani at the U.S. Cellular table.
Chris and Amy Stokes. He also is with U.S. Cellular.
Shelly and Scott Lohman were at that table, too.
Betsey Bush, left, and Ilene Cheek.
The centerpieces were stunning.
Up close.
Dinner was cheddar apple stuffed chicken breast with honey thyme glaze, brown sugar crusted pork tenderloin with cranberry apple chutney, roasted root vegetables and fingerling potatoes. Very fall.
From left, Sara Hedstrom Pinnell and Ben Pinnell with their friends Christi and Scott Branscom.
From left, Gary and Julia Bentley with Dan and Pamela Chips.
From left, Tom Boyd and Sandi Burdick and Pandy and Riley Anderson.
From left, Jamie and Blake Wilson with Angie Campbell. Blake handled the live auction.
The Sugarlands Shine apple crumble moonshine cheesecake was a showstopper!
Dorothy Stair, left, with Susan Seymour.
Joan and Victor Ashe. Joan is chair of the board of the Knoxville Botanical Garden.
Gail Jarvis, left, with Maribel Koella and Chuck Jones.
Kenneth and Jane Creed.
David Butler and Gay Lyons.
Georgiana Vines, right, with her friend Fran Scheidt and Fran’s son, Ben Alford. They were getting ready to go claim Georgiana’s reindeer!
It was a lovely event; you captured it well!
The Botanical Garden–an amazing place–has developed a well-deserved reputation for hosting some of the best events in town. Love their new welcome center–fits beautifully into the space. I’m already looking forward to Hats in Bloom at the Garden in April.
I love the new welcome center. What a lovely event. Wonderful evening in great company.
My gosh, everything looks so good I want to do it again this week!
Everything – setting, flowers, food and people – looks terrific. And Samantha managed the impossible: stylish and practical.
Thanks for your comments, everybody. This is one of my favorite events because it’s laid back and the auction items usually are so interesting. And you can’t beat the setting.
Our most successful Green Thimb Gala to date thanks to many volunteers, great co-chairs, fabulous food and support of so many wonderful people. Thanks to all for making our future so bright.
Joan: Congrats on the great event. And on hiring Jim Richards. I think he will do a fantastic job.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this a spectacular event – especially our chairs Shelby Wright and Emily Wakefield. It was fun and fabulous.
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