First Lady Sandra Deal opens the 70th Annual Atlanta Camellia Show Feb 17th

 

Following the naming of a camellia for her in 2015 the First Lady has been active and supportive of the new Georgia Camellia Trail, featuring over thirty camellia gardens, that was created by the Tourism Division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.  In February of 2017 she was instrumental in cutting the ribbon to open the Trail at the American Camellia Society’s headquarters at Massee Lane Garden in Fort Valley.

At the time of the Trail creation there were only two other former First Ladies of Georgia who had shared the honor of having namesake camellias, they are Rosalynn Carter and Betty Foy Sanders. 

Since then Mrs. Deal has worked with the staff and volunteers at the Mansion to plant those particular camellias in a special garden to honor the former First Ladies.  Additionally she has encouraged the planting of a number of cold hardy varieties near the front area of the Mansion so that visitors can enjoy them while visiting. In May of 2017 the Governor and First Lady were present at the dedication of the initial First Lady Camellia Garden.  “Along the way we have had people ask us what other First Ladies of Georgia have a camellia named for them and we discovered that there were only three,” said Mrs. Deal. 

Over the past year she has worked with hybridizers and growers to select a series of new camellias to be named for all of the former First Ladies who have resided at the Governor’s Mansion on W. Paces Ferry since it first opened. 

 “I am so excited to help make the Mansion a part of the Georgia Camellia Trail and I do enjoy getting to visit so many other wonderful Georgia camellia gardens.”

John Newsome, President of the North Georgia Camellia Society said, “We were absolutely delighted to have the First Lady of Georgia be a part of the opening of this longstanding Atlanta horticultural event.”

The North Georgia Camellia Society is a volunteer nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization and a member of the American Camellia Society.

Photo credit: B. Supplee NGCS