On April 9th and 12th, the Blue Ridge Naturalist Network once again returned to Big Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for it’s spring wildflower bonanza.  A total of 16 members including our walk leaders toured the trails in fine weather.  Highlights included a variety of trilliums, white and purple phacelias, yellow mandarin, and lots of dwarf crested iris.  Both groups found the trails fairly empty on weekday mornings, so it seems the secret isn’t completely out yet.  Our own Steve Livingston has shared some of his photos from the walk.

Photo credits: Florrie Funk

After a very long hiatus, the Blue Ridge Naturalist Network has restarted its outdoor programs with a series of early spring wildflower walks at the Twin Bridges area near Saluda.  Four separate groups visited the area between April 1st and 7th, with a total of 22 members participating either as participants or hike leaders.  A short walk yielded a rich variety of wildflowers, as attested by the attached photos . Our hike leaders have recorded over 50 species!  This event would not have been possible without our volunteer walk leaders – Ken Czarnomski, Barb Harrison, Charlotte Caplan, Lou Dwarshuis, and Marilyn Kolton.  We owe them a huge debt of thanks for their commitment of time and energy.
This event is being followed quickly by a return to Big Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  In May we are planning more wildflower walks at a higher elevation in the Mount Pisgah/Buck Spring area.  More information to follow on that shortly.

Video link of Digging Deeper Into Gardening.

During the last year many of us have discovered the hidden benefits of gardening and the myriad ways that nature lifts our spirits. In this talk we will discuss some of those benefits, how to use our gardens to engage all the senses, and dive into some simple garden assessment to explore ways – both large and small – to increase our enjoyment of our outdoor spaces.