Georgia Botanical Pilgrimage
I can only take satisfaction that some future generation will have a mountain ambience of rhododendron in our garden.
By JOYCE HALL Plant Rescue Team

Native rhododendron is a great choice for future generations.

The Georgia Botanical Society sponsored the Wildflower Pilgrimage in Union and Towns County the first weekend in May with about 100 people attending. Classroom learning and field trips to experience our regional landscape in the springtime was outstanding.

Knowledgeable naturalists were excellent guides. In the evening speakers entertained the audience on such subjects as "Geology of the Southern Appalachians", "Native Orchids of the Southern Uplands" and a just published book by Linda Chafin "Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia" was reviewed.

What an experience! There were 16 different field trips over the weekend. I chose Wagon Train Trail with Tom Patrick of Georgia DNR as our guide. It was my first time to hike all six+ miles of the trail but with that beauty it was like a walk in the park! Even the rain could not dampen our enthusiasm for seeing the variety of such plants as the blooming rare rosy twisted stalk, 7 species of trillium, sweet cicily (licorice-like), doll's eye, toothwort, wild comfrey, meadow parsnip (confused with golden Alexander but flower of each umbellet is stalked) and saxifrage on the rocks. Soon tassel rue, lovage, and turks cap will be blooming in profusion. The wild gooseberry which has maple like leaves and raspberry canes is supposed to smell like skunk when you touch. Hopefully, the berries are better and at least the birds like them. Many varieties of ferns along with Canadian blackberry with no thorns, the stripe maple with its' stripped trunk, the rock tripe pealing off the boulders and our mountain signature plants mountain laurel and rhododendron was simply awesome. It was a reminder for us who live here to let nature create our garden. She does it quite well.

(Above) Trillium. We observed seven different species of this plant.

This mountain atmosphere can continue right into our garden by planting native flowers, ground covers, shrubs and trees. These natives are hardy enough to better endure the weather extremes as we recently experienced. Ideally the best way to have this ambience in your garden is to preserve and nurture what grew without assistance from us but we can re-wild.

Striped Maple has white stripes running down the bark of the tree.

Two years ago we bought nine native rhododendrons from a reputable garden center. We took great care in establishing the plants and continue to nurture the plants lovingly.

Every time I pass a thicket of the hugh native rhododendron I am reminded of just how long it will take for our rhododendron to be so beautiful. Alas, we will not be around for this future event. I can only take satisfaction that some future generation will have a mountain ambience of rhododendron in our garden.

Conservation development is a growing trend in many areas and creating these types of communities is taking shape. Building is centered on one parcel of land and the rest is held in an easement through stewardship with permanent restriction on development.

Preserving forest, wildlife corridors, views and other natural assets create communities pleasing to everyone. The #1 amenity that people are looking for in a housing development is TRAILS says Gary Driggs of the New River Gorge Preserve. "They want to be able to walk out of their house and into a pleasing natural environment."

Native plants are often destroyed during construction. If you know of property that is going to be sold for development call the Native Plant Rescue to identify and rescue, if appropriate, endangered plants and they will be replanted at Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center where they can be enjoyed by the community.

If you wish to learn more about the Native Plant Rescue program at the Georgia Mountain Research and Education center contact Jennifer Cordier, 706-745- 9317, ivylog@alltel.net or Glenn Henderson, abletinker@aol.com or myself Joyce Hall, joycehall113@hotmail. com.