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Since we relaunched the Friends of Bellingrath newsletter with a new look in the fall of 2024, each issue has featured a different fundraising campaign. We’ve used an integrated digital fundraising approach, inviting gifts through the newsletter, emails, Facebook posts, donation stations in the Gardens, and prompts at the time of ticket purchase.
We’re grateful for the progress these contributions have fueled in the Gardens. Here’s a quick recap of eighteen months of investment by Friends of Bellingrath and other supporters.
Pathway to World Class Camellias and Azaleas (Fall 2024)
This campaign provided funding to add 750 varieties of azaleas and 500 varieties of camellias to our newly designated core collections (joining our tree canopy and native plants). It also covered the cost of creating a database of our collection. As a result of this work, we’ve become more active in the American Azalea Society and the American Camellia Society. The American Camellia Society recently named Bellingrath the legacy lead for preserving and protecting the Back Acres hybrid group, which our team collected from Pass Christian, Mississippi. The American Camellia Society named Bellingrath a pre-conference site for the 2027 International Camellia Congress.
Summer House Renovation (Spring 2025)
Major gifts from the Hearin-Chandler Foundation, the A.S. Mitchell Foundation, and the Estate of Stephen Crawford covered the majority of the renovation expenses, but our spring campaign in 2025 aimed to cover the remaining costs. The new copper roof and open ceiling bring an air of quiet elegance. Repairs will be completed over the summer, and we expect a dedication this fall.
Head House Renovation (Fall 2025)
Our fall 2025 campaign raised money to repair the insulation in the Head House, the main office in our Greenhouse complex. We’ve begun work on the insulation project and other winterization in the current greenhouse complex. With foundation support through our Laying the Groundwork for the Centennial Master Plan campaign, we’re beginning design in July on a new greenhouse and maintenance complex that will meet our needs into the next century.
River Pavilion Restoration (Spring 2025)
Our current campaign is raising money to fix the River Pavilion, our front porch on the Fowl River. The river has been important throughout Bellingrath’s history. As part of our Centennial Master Plan, we will be placing increased attention on the waterfront, including along North Bayou. Our STEM program has already installed a real-time water monitoring station on the pavilion to record changing conditions in the tidal river. We’ve reached half of our $25,000 goal. As we’ve worked, we’ve recognized a need to make minor repairs now and plan for a redesign that will meet our needs into the next century.