These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of Native Plant Society happenings.
Two weeks ago, a group of us went to Gainesville to the Kinsey Family Farm to purchase plants. We brought home a truckload and an SUV load of native trees and shrubs to plant along the nature trail at Buffalo Creek.
Last week we had the second of our big workdays, getting the sites ready for planting. On Tues. a group of about 20 planted 300 Trillium grandiflorum on a hillside. There were so many people on that hillside, they looked like ants scurrying around at a picnic. And they got all 300 planted and watered in about an hour. Those trilliums will be spectacular as we walk the trail in the spring.
On Thursday, I led a rescue at a new site here in Carroll County. The new owners are planning to pulpwood the land to start a small family farm. They have graciously allowed us to go into the woods and collect native plants that will be endangered by the pulpwooders and the cows. I got some spice bush, Silverbells, trillium, Jack in the Pulpit, Rattlesnake orchids, Elephant’s Foot, Collinsonia, Itea, Royal fern, Lady Fern, Fragile Fern, green headed coneflowers….It is a treasure trove for those of us who love native plants.
I have spent all week potting the rescued plants from Thursday, and some rescued at two other rescue opportunities. Many of these are going on the Buffalo Creek trail.
Next week, I’m putting displays in five libraries in Carroll, Heard and Haralson counties, giving information about the West Georgia Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society. Go by the library in Bremen, Bowdon, Villa Rica, Temple, or Ephesus and check it out. If you are interested in learning more about the importance of native plants and how to identify them, you should come to our meetings.
Last month we had Charles Seabrook, free lance writer of Georgia Wild featured in the Sat. edition of the AJC. He did a nice job telling us all about the wonderful places to go and things to see here in Ga. Check Google for his list of 35 places in Georgia everyone should see before they die. Just type in Charles Seabrook 35 places. You’ll find a list with lots of helpful links. I have our list printed, and we plan to start doing all 35 things later this fall. Some we did years ago, but now that I’m so interested in our native plants, I plan to revisit those places and see them from a different perspective.
We are having another workday on the trail on Wed. to prepare planting sites for the 100 native azaleas we’ll be planting when cooler weather gets here. I can’t wait to see what the next spring will bring. Hope to see lots of blooms, as most of the native trees and shrubs we bought and the azaleas all have wonderful blooms.
My life is so rich, getting to do the things I never had time for when I was working. Wish everyone could find that special something that makes their world a brighter place. It sure keeps me going!