Sponsored by HGTV HOME, UT Gardens Gala: A Rainbow of Iris was held in the UT Gardens in Knoxville in April. Celebrating the gardens’ first full year as Tennessee’s official botanical garden, the gala took the theme of the state flower, and irises were everywhere. Tom Parkhill (Knoxville ’49), an award-winning tall-bearded iris hybridizer, was honored for his horticultural contributions. Vern Yip, HGTV host and designer, was the celebrity guest and emcee and thrilled the crowd with his stories. View photos of the event at tiny.utk.edu/UTGardens-Gala.
Shutterbug Fun
Photos of Institute of Agriculture employees, coolest bugs and landscapes were among 307 entries in the 2013-14 UTIA-wide photo competition. Students, faculty and staff across the organization’s statewide system contribute photos each year in a spirited competition to capture the essence of who the institute is and what it does. Reflecting the diversity of UTIA’s research, education and outreach, the contest featured 22 categories with multiple winners in each.
You may view photos at the UT Library’s Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange (TRACE) at trace.tennessee.edu/utiaphoto.
Fifty and Fabulous
This year the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries celebrates 50 years of service to students in the Institute’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The department is planning a grand celebration Sept. 11-13 and will have special events at the institute’s Ag Day celebration on Oct. 4. “Like” the department’s Facebook page or visit fwf.ag.utk.edu to keep up with plans for the events.