Tag Archive | parks

Mabry Mill On The Blue Ridge Parkway

Nov21

 

Mabry Mill

 

 

Mabry Mill

Mabry Mill is among the most photogenic stops on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

 

 

Last month, a leisurely drive took me to Mabry Mill in Meadows of Dan, Virginia. It was an easy detour from a few of those towns in northern North Carolina I had been exploring. During this pandemic, with social distancing in mind, day trips are pleasant diversions. My mother and I called them “mental health drives”.

I’ve spent the past few months looking for property with more sun, more space, and no homeowners’ association. The goal: large gardens for pollinators, butterflies, and birds. Raise greens and vegetables, and maybe a dog. Fix it up while working part-time? Open a little plant shop? The possibilities are exciting! With the vaccine apparently a likelihood, maybe more properties will soon come to the market.

For years, the western part of North Carolina was the location of choice. But, for the past month or so, I’ve widened the search to include counties in the northern part of the state. Lovely area, beautiful terrain, home to several vineyards. This is where people waved from their riding mowers as I drove by.

 

 

Getting to Mabry Mill

 

driving the Blue Ridge Parkway

Driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

 

The mill is located at milepost 176.1 (watch for signs) on the Blue Ridge Parkway and is administered by the National Park Service. This is a truly memorable drive and part of the National Scenic Byways system. The Blue Ridge Parkway winds 469 miles through the southern Appalachian Mountains. Elevations range from 649′ near the James River, Virginia, up to 6053′ on the slope of Richland Balsam Mountain (milepost 431) in North Carolina.

The Parkway connects the eastern side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It continues northward as Skyline Drive, from where it intersects with U.S. Interstate 64 near Afton VA, to Front Royal VA. The Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain.

But don’t expect to whiz by at interstate speeds; this is a slower road, with over 380 stopping points. There are many intersections along the faster U.S. or state highways where you can pick up a local stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. And gas up the car before reaching the Parkway because there are no filling stations on this road.

 

Caution

Keep in mind that people live and work here, so there might be farm vehicles on or crossing the Parkway. And check with the National Park Service to see if hazardous conditions or inclement weather might have closed parts of the Parkway.

 

Camera’s Ready

 

Trails cabin

Trail’s cabin.

 

Very picturesque. The entire area presents scenes of astonishing beauty, with views of pastoral landscapes, deep valleys, and mountain vistas. If you need to get away from it all, come to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The “blue” in Blue Ridge derives from the Cherokee Indian description for the mountains, an area they and their ancestors have inhabited for over 10,000 years. Their term translates to “land of blue mist”. Isoprene compounds (hydrocarbons) are released from and protect the trees in hot sun, cloaking the distant hills in a bluish haze. The Mohawk, Iroquois, and Shawnee also inhabited this mountain chain, with the Cherokee centered around the Great Smoky Mountains at the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

This was my second visit to Mabry Mill, and I had a particular goal in mind: pictures of fall foliage! Although there was some color in the trees and shrubs, the bright reds and oranges of sourwood and maple, and the glowing gold of hickory, had already passed. A gentleman in the restaurant informed me that, just a few days prior to my visit, a wicked wind had stripped much of the fall color from the trees.

Photographers after the perfect shot of the mill and its reflection waited for the pond water to stop rippling after a young boy had stirred it up. But no one complained. He was having a great time! A few of us exchanged “Oh well” glances, and made sure we were positioned to capture the moment.

 

Mabry Mill grounds

Entering the grounds of Mabry Mill.

 

 

Building Mabry Mill

 

Edwin B. Mabry and his wife, Mintoria Elizabeth (“Lizzie”), had acquired the property and water rights around 1905, and finished construction of the gristmill three years later. By 1914, the gristmill, the sawmill, and blacksmith and woodworking shops were providing services for residents living in the area. A sorghum evaporator and the remains of the whiskey still also can be seen.

Mabry Mill flume

A flume channeling water toward the mill.

Mabry built a system of concrete tributaries, which collected water from streams above the mill, and directed it toward the wooden flumes (photo, right). Those flumes, in turn, channeled water toward the race, which fed water to the overshot waterwheel.

Because the water flowed slowly, the gristmill (called a “slow grinder”) ground corn with less friction, preventing the grain from overheating and burning. This earned the Mabrys a reputation in the region for producing products of excellent quality.

A few years after the mill and the shops were operating, around 1918, the Mabrys built their new home. It has since been replaced with a wooden structure once owned by the Marshall family (photo, below). The house on the site was built in 1869 near Galax, and donated to the National Park Service in 1956.

 

appalachian house

The old Marshall house.

 

The National Park Service

The Parkway’s construction began in 1935 at Cumberland Knob, milepost 218, just south of the border between North Carolina and Virginia. In 1938, two years after Ed Mabry died, the National Park Service purchased Mabry Mill.

Restoration of the historically significant mill and other buildings was completed in 1942. By then, gristmills had been rendered obsolete by more efficient large-scale milling operations and transportation networks that shipped products throughout the country.

The site is home to the restored mill, the wooden residence, and the workshops. This property includes short walking trails, a restaurant, and a gift shop, where you can pick up publications and maps. The restaurant closes for the season in early November, so check first if you’re hungering for their famous pancakes.

On certain days through the year, the National Park Service conducts craft demonstrations recounting ways of the past. They also bring in live musical performances to entertain visitors. The day I was there, Park Rangers Chris and Tabitha welcomed questions and shared information about how residents met the many challenges presented to them at that time. Each year, hundreds of thousands of travelers from around the world stop at the mill.

 

 

Seeing how others lived just 100 years ago gives me renewed appreciation for our more modern conveniences. Now that my mother has passed, I enthusiastically look forward to life in a more rural location…one with those modern conveniences.

 

 

Farther Up the Road

 

yellow flowers of witch hazel at Mabry Mill

Native witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, in bloom at the mill.

In no rush to get home, I drove for another two hours or so, northward on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There was so much to see; each stop had its own unique view or plant life or structure to learn about. Trail’s Cabin, Shortt’s Knob Overlook, Rocky Knob, Rakes’ Mill Pond…and that’s only one small segment. Informative signs provide more details at the various sites.

“There’s something for everyone” along the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you’re curious about the history of a region or its natural wonders, if you enjoy photography or painting, bicycling or walking the trails, it’s all here. Check before you go to see when campgrounds, visitor centers, and picnic locations will be open.

Within a few miles of the Parkway are hundreds of attractions, including museums, folk art centers, performance theaters, lodging, restaurants, water sports, caverns, and fishing opportunities. Enjoy the friendly vibe or the local craftwork in any of the quaint shopping districts not far from the Parkway.

 

 

Biodiversity

 

pink thistle flowerThe Parkway accommodates tremendous biodiversity. According to one pamphlet, 159 kinds of birds nest along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and dozens more migrate through it. 130 species of trees, 1600 kinds of plants, and 74 kinds of mammals (including bears) live here. Near one of the gorges, a sign indicates that 25 species of native ferns inhabit that area.

More than 50 species of threatened or endangered plants occupy terrain around the Parkway, so tread respectfully.

Among the oldest land formations on earth, the Appalachians got their start 1.1 billion years ago. From that time up to around 250 million years ago, European and North American tectonic plates collided, pushing up this mountain range that stretches from Pennsylvania to Georgia.

The Appalachians once were as high as the Rocky Mountains, but erosion slowly reduced their elevation. Now, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River is Mount Mitchell, reaching 6684′, near milepost 350, west of Old Fort NC. These cooler mountain tops support evergreen spruce-fir ecosystems, also found in the northern United States and Canada, while mixed hardwood forests occupy the lower elevations.

As rivers and streams shaped the surface of the land, pockets of territory became isolated from each other. Smaller “niche” ecosystems evolved, each with its own assortment of organisms. Geographic isolation and a great deal of time are the primary drivers behind speciation. One kind of salamander might inhabit a particular streamside location, but not occur anywhere else in the world, not even over the next ridge.

 

From the first superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Stanley Abbott:

“A parkway like Blue Ridge has but one reason for existence, which is to please by revealing the charm and interest of the native American countryside.”

Modern living continues to extract more land for housing, transportation, and commerce. But, with conservation of natural habitats, the National Park Service has protected vulnerable ecosystems for wildlife and preserved the history and character of the region for all to see.

 

 

If you’d like to read another article about gristmills, this one at The Farm In My Yard describes one that is still working in North Carolina, and dates from pre-Revolutionary War days: The Old Mill of Guilford. (Try their gingerbread mix!)

 

 

2020: The Year That Wasn’t?

 

pumpkin pie

Kim’s pumpkin pie.

Well, it’s almost over. We have the holidays to look forward to, right? Oh wait; here, we can’t gather indoors in groups numbering more than 10… Some areas are discouraging any kind of indoor celebration. I wonder what most American families will do.

There will be turkey roasting in the oven while freshly baked pumpkin pies cool on the counter. We’ll celebrate Thanksgiving (400th year since the Mayflower) and Christmas, although new traditions—new ways of gathering—might be born. (With respect due the native Indian cultures, I acknowledge that not everyone celebrates this day.)

How will your holidays look different this year?

Such misery this pandemic has caused many millions of us: jobs lost, loved ones lost, businesses closed, weddings postponed, school children missing out. The good news on the radio this morning announced another pharmaceutical company that has developed a vaccine for the virus. If it’s safe and effective, sign me up.

If all we can do is gather outdoors, then so it shall be. No problem; I’ll gather the camera and some snacks, and be off to some not-too-distant location…somewhere in nature, which, for me, never fails to rejuvenate.

This has been a difficult year for all of us, all around the globe. Good days are on the horizon, though, and I wish you happiness and good health. There’s still so much to be grateful for. Let’s celebrate that.

 

trees and sky, North Carolina

Northern North Carolina.

 

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Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, in Belmont NC

Feb26

2020

 

A Visit to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

 

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, daffodils

 

A few days ago, I visited the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, in charming Belmont, North Carolina. In 1991, Daniel Stowe, a textile industry executive, and his wife, Alene, dedicated 380 acres to this natural showcase. They developed themed gardens and installed spectacular fountains among meadows, woodland, and lakefront property.

This is a relatively young horticultural destination, which opened in 1999 with the 13,500 square foot Robert Lee Stowe Visitor Pavilion. Individuals and groups can reserve spacious rooms for weddings, luncheons, and corporate events. Stop by The Garden Store for a book, a bottle of wine, or that special botanical gift. Or perhaps you need a snack to fuel further exploration.

DSBG offers educational opportunities for adults and children throughout the year. “Holidays at the Garden” is a magical event for everyone. For information regarding hours, event planning, special displays, and classes, contact www.DSBG.org.

 

 

The Orchid Conservatory

 

orchid, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Orchids at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.

 

Not far from the Pavilion, inside The Orchid Conservatory (2008), a photographer snapped pre-wedding photographs of the bride-to-be. Behind her, water splashed down the stone wall, and orchids bloomed and scented the air. Perfect setting!

Several tables and chairs outside on the patio invite visitors to recharge in the winter sunshine. Visitors may picnic anywhere in Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, amid birdsong and seasonal color.

Activities centered on orchids—the show, educational presentations, and the sale—take place during the first three months of the year. A schedule of events can be found on the website.

I cannot provide the botanical names of the orchids, but will supply photographs…

 

 

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, air plants

Many species and varieties of Tillandsia, or air plants, growing in the orchid house.

 

 

Theme Gardens

 

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden fountain

Fountain in Ragan Canal Garden.

 

New features continue to add to the garden’s vision of instilling an appreciation of nature. In Lost Hollow: The Kimbrell Children’s Garden (2014), children “of all ages” play and create adventures. They can indulge an active imagination among the trees and trails, the Moonkeep, an amphitheater, and around the sunken pond. So cute, the children’s smiles.

Be sure to bring the camera, as there are delights at every step. Paved walkways and forest paths direct visitors from one garden room to the next. There’s the Nellie Rhyne Stowe White Garden, the Cottage Garden, and a Four Seasons Garden. Follow the 100-yard-long water feature in the Ragan Canal Garden to the great water fountain at the end.

Beyond the fountain is the Piedmont Prairie Garden (2018). Here are native grasses, perennials, and other plants that lived in this area 200 years ago. The Magnolia Allée, more water features, and the Conifer Garden stretch into the distance, approaching Lake Wylie.

 

sculpture by Gary Lee Price at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Gary Lee Price sculpture, “Child of Peace”, in a bed of crape myrtles and dwarf mondo grass.

 

 

The Carolina Thread Trail

 

From the Persimmon Trail, off the parking lot, you can connect with the Carolina Thread Trail, maintained by the Catawba Lands Conservancy. Part of this path follows the edge of Lake Wylie.

The Carolina Thread Trail consists of 260 miles of public and private properties that connect people and communities over 15,000 acres of protected Southern Piedmont terrain. The master plan calls for including more than 1600 miles of trails and blueways.

 

 

Stickwork by Patrick Dougherty

 

brochure, Patrick Dougherty stickwork at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

DSBG’s brochure, Patrick Dougherty’s Stickwork.

Take a look at the photographs, hanging in the Pavilion, of the fascinating work by North Carolina resident, Patrick Dougherty.

His work is commissioned all around the world, and one of his larger-than-life sapling sculptures stands on the grounds of DSBG. Walk through the Pavilion, exit the back door, then turn right. “The Magnificent Seven”, seven huge woven urns, complete with fenestration, dominates the vista beyond the pergola. I don’t know how long it will last.

Typical for gardeners, two acquaintances and I speculated whether the twigs might root in the ground and leaf out in spring. We looked for willow stems, which could root. “Oh, look…do those buds look like they’re swelling to you?” Alas, I couldn’t squeeze just one more picture out of the camera…not one.

Near Lost Hollow, a sinuous bundle of sticks snakes its way through the trees, passing under a small bridge. Not only does this sculpture (done by DSBG, I assume) provide a quirky element on the daffodil-dotted slope, but it also holds back topsoil and leafy mulch that could erode downhill. Plus, birds, insects, and other critters might find refuge there during winter months. This can be done by anyone, maybe on a smaller scale, and would be a great fall or winter project.

 

 

Information

 

The DSBG website lists all coming events and details, and the fee schedule for admission to the garden.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

6500 S. New Hope Rd., Belmont NC 28012

704 825-4490

 

 

 

 

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South Mountains State Park, North Carolina

Oct21

 

 


 

 

Introduction to South Mountains State Park

 

Yesterday, I spent a couple of enjoyable hours at South Mountains State Park hoping to get some late afternoon pictures of fall color. But there wasn’t much going on quite yet. This was my first trip here, but fall foliage is a good reason to return. If you like being surrounded by nature, this is the place for you!

poison ivy

Poison ivy.

South Mountains State Park is the largest in North Carolina’s state park system. It is located south of Morganton, about an hour and a half northwest of Charlotte. You can hike along 50 miles of trails, enjoy camping and equestrian paths, and pack a picnic lunch. There are no designated swimming areas. But there is poison ivy (photo, right) on the ground and climbing trees, so you are advised to learn how to recognize–and avoid–it. It can cause a rash even from dormant stems.

The park comprises two separate areas:

  1. the larger Jacob Fork Access, 3001 South Mountains State Park Ave. (S.R. 1904), Connelly Springs NC 28612 (828 433-4772)
  2. Clear Creek Access, 5999 Branstrom Orchard St., Morganton NC 28655

More information is available from the NC Division of Parks and Recreation, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, at south.mountains@ncparks.gov or www.ncparks.gov. Some activities require a permit and carry fees, so check first.

 

 

The Visitor Center

 

South Mountains State Park, NC

 

 

My first stop was at the Park Office, not far from the entrance sign, to pick up a map and purchase a couple of books (insects and butterflies) from the store. I walked through the interactive display room, with information on various topics, including watershed pollution, river basins, seasonal changes in the forest, and the 80′ tall High Shoals Falls (a strenuous hike, according to the list of Trails).

You can also learn about the unique plant and animal ecology of the Spray Cliff Community. This type of biome is rarely seen in this terrain (elevation approximately 1500′) of the North Carolina piedmont. Throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains, though, this kind of constantly wet environment is more common.

 

 

spray cliff environment sign

 

Sounds of Nature

 

Kids of all ages will want to press the buttons to hear the drumming of a pileated woodpecker, the call of a wild turkey, or the song of a Swainson’s warbler. And you’ll learn that just one bat can consume 3,000 insects in one night! At the exit, various brochures are available, listing, for example, wildflowers or birds of South Mountains State Park.

 

 

bird calls, south mountains state park

 

 

Going For A Walk

 

I asked the park ranger about hiking to High Shoals Falls, but it didn’t sound like a good idea; my knee certainly would have objected. She highlighted on the map where I could find the easy trails. The road continued downslope about a mile from the Park Office, ending in a parking lot.

 

 

tree signs, south mountains state park

 

 

Here was the beginning of the Hemlock Nature Trail and the River Trail, the two easy trails. Downstream, a fisherman cast his line for trout, and most hikers were packing up for the day. This time, I walked the gravel-and-earth-surfaced Hemlock Nature Trail, alongside Jacob Fork River, easy enough even for a wheelchair. Maybe next time I’ll try a moderately difficult trail; one can always turn around!

 

 

South Mountains State Park

 

 

At intervals down the path, signs described features such as local trees, animal tracks, salamanders, rotting wood, and species of fish living in the river. And there are handrails, some benches, and a restroom on the Hemlock Nature Trail.

 

 

animal tracks sign

 

 

A Carolina wren sang nearby, accompanied by the stream’s whooshing refrain. Lovely walk, less than half a mile into the woods. I love this. The clean fresh smell of moist woods…

 

 

Death and Birth

 

The steep hillside across the river was home to huge evergreens, including Rhododendron maximum, and deciduous trees in various stages of succession. Big old trees claimed much of the canopy, but eventually they, too, will fall. Opportunistic saplings and forest floor flowers take advantage of the new sunlight and quickly fill the space.

 

 

large tree, South Mountains state park

 

 

Why wait for a summer vacation “to get away from it all” when a trip to one of the state parks takes just an hour or two? For me, there’s no greater power than being in nature to restore feelings of wellness. I need that connection with the natural world. The sights, the smells, the music of the trees, birds, and water…nothing is more refreshing!

 

 

hemlock, South Mountains state park

Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis.

 

forest at South mountains state park, river, rhododendrons

Riverside Rhododendrons and trees.

 

mushroom, South Mountains state park

This mushroom gives shelter to a passing fly.

 

Mushrooms and Other Fungi

After the mushroom’s gills mature, the spores disperse. When the spores germinate, they grow a complex system of hyphae that absorb nutrients and water from the ground and leaf litter. The fruiting structures—the mushrooms—ensure that a new generation will continue to decompose and recycle organic matter.

The mushrooms themselves are fleeting, but the mycelium, the collective term for the branching hyphae, can live an incredibly long time, perhaps thousands of years and spreading over many square miles in undisturbed forests.

Birth, growth, maturity, procreation, death, and decomposition. It’s all part of Nature’s plan to use and to recycle nutrients, giving new life to generation after generation.

 

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A Trip To The Old Mill Of Guilford

Oct15

 

The Old Mill of Guilford, in Oak Ridge, North Carolina

 

A couple of weeks ago, I took a pleasant drive to a part of North Carolina that I don’t normally visit. The Old Mill of Guilford, in Oak Ridge, is a working mill an hour and a half northeast of Charlotte. It has the distinction of being one of the oldest operating gristmills in America. The mill is located at 1340 Hwy 68 North, a few miles northwest of Greensboro.

 

 

 

 

History

 

Before We Were The United States

 

Let that sink in. Before we were The United States!

After moving from Hopewell, Virginia, in 1753, Daniel Dillon settled in this area, then part of Rowan County. In 1755, a tract of 552 acres of land was surveyed for Dillon, and, in 1759, was granted to him by the Earl of Granville. On January 10, 1764, according to Rowan County records, Dillon obtained a license to build a public gristmill, to grind grain for area farmers, near the mouth of Beaver Creek.

In 1771, this area became part of Guilford County.

 

 

The American Revolution

 

British Successes

George Washington

George Washington.

During the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), it is believed that the mill was seized by British General Charles Cornwallis, in February of 1781. Cornwallis saw earlier successes against General George Washington’s Continental Army in New Jersey, in 1776.

But, by June, 1778, the French had entered the war, in support of the Americans. So Cornwallis shifted his campaigns to the South, hoping to enlist American colonists still loyal to Great Britain and the Crown. He thought that taking the South first would make it easier to win in the North.

Cornwallis’ forces defeated American troops in several battles in the South, including the ports of Savannah, Georgia (December, 1778), and Charleston, South Carolina (May, 1780). He also fought Major General Horatio Gates at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina (August, 1780), strengthening the British hold on the South.

After Gates lost Camden, Washington replaced him with Major General Nathanael Greene to lead the Continental Army in the South.

 

The Tide Turns   

Cornwallis’ exhausted army soon met with stronger opposition as they marched toward North Carolina. A turnaround began on October 7, 1780, when the Patriot militia defeated the Loyalists at King’s Mountain, near the border between North Carolina and South Carolina. Patriot troops surrounded and surprised British Major Patrick Ferguson’s 1200 men. Ferguson was killed after an hour’s fighting, and the Patriots claimed victory. Among the 900 Patriots was Davy Crockett’s father, John Crockett.

Greene divided his troops to force Cornwallis to battle on multiple fronts. Brigadier General Daniel Morgan defeated British forces led by Colonel Banastre Tarleton at Cowpens, South Carolina, on January 17, 1781. Cornwallis pushed into North Carolina and engaged in heavy recruiting to expand his forces. Greene was in Virginia doing likewise, before returning to North Carolina.

On March 14, 1781, Greene and his troops camped near Guilford Court House. This location is near present-day Greensboro, which later was named for General Greene. The next day, the Battle of the Guilford Court House lasted less than two hours, pitting Cornwallis’ 1900 soldiers against Greene’s 4400 troops and militia. Both sides suffered losses before Greene’s forces retreated. Cornwallis lost one fourth of his troops in that short period of time.

After decisive losses at King’s Mountain and Cowpens, and this Pyrrhic victory at Guilford Court House, Cornwallis abandoned the British campaign for the South. He and his army proceeded to Wilmington, North Carolina, to rebuild his forces. Greene moved into South Carolina, achieving a dissolution of the British hold on the South, later in 1781.

 

Surrounded

Cornwallis led his troops to the Virginia coast, hoping to receive backing from British General Henry Clinton’s large army in New York City, and ended up in Yorktown, in southeastern Virginia. He raided every farm he came across, stealing horses and freeing thousands of slaves, winning allegiance from many of them. General Cornwallis fortified the town, and waited for help.

In the meantime, Washington asked the Marquis de Lafayette to block Cornwallis’ escape. George Washington’s troops and the French, under Comte de Rochambeau in New York and Comte de Grasse’s fleet offshore, surrounded Cornwallis’ army. After a three-week siege, this battle effectively signaled the end of the American Revolution.

 

And Surrendered

After 5 years of General Cornwallis’ participation in the war, he surrendered his 8,000 British soldiers and seamen to the French and American forces at Yorktown, on October 19, 1781. He did not attend the surrender ceremony, perhaps due to illness, but sent his second-in-command, General Charles O’Hara. O’Hara presented Cornwallis’ sword to the American and French commanders.

Peace negotiations commenced in 1782, and the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783. The United States of America now was formally recognized by Great Britain as a free and independent nation.

 

 

 

 

The Mill

 

The Old Mill of GuilfordDaniel Dillon’s estate, through Nathan Dillon, executor, sold the tub mill, a house, and 175 acres on Beaver Creek to Joel Sanders (also seen as Saunders) in 1808 for $900. Records indicate that Sanders owned two other mills on Deep River, in Guilford County. Sanders moved the mill 500′ downstream; the original mill now sits in the mill pond.

Through the early 1800’s, the mill changed hands from the Dillon family to the Sanders family. In 1869, R.A. Blalock, for $2250, purchased a half interest in the mill and 197.25 acres. James A. Sanders and his wife, Ella, sold the other half of the mill and 197.25 acres, in 1872, to John M. Brittain for $2500. In 1875, Brittain bought Blalock’s interest for $2350.

Ownership of the mill continued under the R.M. Stafford family, and then the Johnsons, then the Baynes and Lowry (Lowery) families, the Cudes and the Beesons.

In 1912, British buttons and musket parts reportedly were found on the site when the dam washed away. The next year, in 1913, K.L. Hendrix (Hendricks) bought the mill. Undocumented information indicates that the mill was converted to a roller mill, replacing the less durable wooden water wheels.

Around 1928, a metal pipe was installed under the road, replacing the canal from the dam. The mill changed ownership a few times over the next quarter century, from the Hendrix family to the Staffords, and back again.

 

The Old Mill of Guilford

 

In 1954, Clarence E. Bailes and McLeod Leather Belting Co. purchased the roller mill, a power plant, and 122 acres. They replaced the roller mill machinery and the turbine with a 24′ x 4′ Fitz overshot water wheel.

Bailes made other improvements to the operation to comply with agricultural regulations, added the sales office, and built the feed mill next to the original mill. Lloyd Lucas became miller and operated the mill until his death in 1975, when the mill closed.

 

 

In Modern Times

 

Charles Parnell purchased the mill in 1977, renovated it, and restored its 200-year-old tradition as a water powered gristmill. He and his wife, Heidi, developed many new products, which gained national recognition for quality.

Annie Laura Perdue spent years training as a miller under Mr. Parnell. When both of the Parnells died in 2007, she took over as miller.

The mill currently is powered by electricity, as the metal pipe that carries water from the mill pond needs to be replaced. Although the mill has experienced many changes over the centuries, some original parts, including structural timbers, still remain in the building.

In 2008, Amy and Darrell Klug bought The Old Mill of Guilford. Annie Laura continues to this day as miller, with help from community volunteers. The Old Mill of Guilford brochure, compiled by Jack L. Perdue, concludes with this succinct missive: “The Klugs continue to introduce new products, maintain the historical integrity of the mill, and enhance the mill’s reputation for high quality, natural stone ground products.”

 

products at the Old Mill of Guilford

 

 

Products

 

The Old Mill of Guilford’s website lists many locations in North Carolina where their products are sold. (Yes, they can ship them to you!) And, of course, you’re welcome to purchase directly from the mill store. It’s open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can find outlets carrying the mill’s flours and mixes in other states, as well, including Virginia, California, South Dakota, and Texas.

This is a privately owned operation, so your patronage is kindly appreciated.

Think: Gifts! Stocking stuffers! Must warm up the oven once in a while!

 

 

 

The Mill Store has grits and flours of all kinds (including rye), steel cut oats, gingerbread mix, lemon poppyseed and sweet potato biscuit mixes. Buttermilk and apple cinnamon pancake mixes, corn meal, cookie and scone mixes. But there’s so much more! The store, conveniently located right next to the gristmill, offers 50 or so all natural ground products, with no preservatives. You’ll also find local jams and honey, bean soup mixes, locally made crafts, and even a jigsaw puzzle featuring The Old Mill of Guilford.

Annie Laura and volunteer Carola were there to answer all my questions, as they packaged and labeled the mill’s products.

 

Carola and Annie Laura at the Old Mill of Guilford

Carola, left, and Annie Laura at work.

 

The Old Mill of Guilford is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It would be a great day trip with the kids, a camera, or an easel and canvas. Since semi-retiring, I love finding places like this.

Today, it’s so easy to put bread on the table, but imagine how complicated it was 200 years ago. And who doesn’t miss the smell of freshly baked bread or muffins? With cold weather about to make its debut in the coming days, this is a great time to bake something. Mmmm…gingerbread!

Phone: (336) 643-4783, Amy and Darrell Klug.

Email: info@oldmillofguilford.com.

Website: www.oldmillofguilford.com.

Address: 1340 Hwy 68 N, Oak Ridge, NC 27310.

 

An article about another gristmill can be found here: Mabry Mill On The Blue Ridge Parkway, in Meadows of Dan, Virginia. It’s part of the National Park Service.

 

 

The Old Mill Of Guilford

The Old Mill of Guilford.

 

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Return To The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Jul15

2019

Updated 10/28/2024

 

 

An Early Summer Visit To The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

 

petunia's hideout, lake lure flowering bridge

“Petunia’s Hideout”

On Wednesday, I headed once again for the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, hoping to find respite from this prolonged period of high humidity and temperatures in the mid 90’s. Yes, I could retreat to the air conditioned confines indoors. But that’s too close to the refrigerator. As usual…the mountains!

The first thing I noticed upon arrival was the missing huge maple (photo, right) at the end of the parking lot. It had a great rotten hollow at the base and was taken down as a precaution. It didn’t take long for someone to put a green roof on the stump and to invite The Bear to reside in the cozy void.

Another thing I noticed was that it wasn’t much cooler here than in Charlotte. Lake Lure sits at 1,000′ elevation, so I expected it to be a bit cooler. Regardless of the temperature, I needed pictures.

 

 

The New Information Station

 

The information station was stocked with all sorts of maps, diagrams, and mailboxes brimming with brochures since my last trip here. At that time, only the frame had been built. The volunteers at The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge do an excellent job informing the public.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an avid gardener or a beginner; the flowering bridge is simply a wonderful place to enjoy plants or to walk through on your way to the lake or to lunch in Chimney Rock, just up the road half a mile or so. I met two friendly ladies here, in the shade—a volunteer who plants herbs in the garden and a visitor enjoying a private tour.

 

 

Daylilies Galore At the Flowering Bridge

 

I don’t recall ever seeing as many beautiful daylily hybrids (Hemerocallis) on the flowering bridge. Some flowers were enormous! (Missing were cultivar identification tags. Next time, I’ll look more closely.) These perennials have sturdy flower scapes, and some have high bud counts.

Although each flower lasts only a day, you can see from the photograph of the double orange daylily that many buds have yet to open, and several scapes grow on each plant.

 

 

 

Peak Bloom at The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

 

True blue balloon flowers (Platycodon grandiflorus) and their round buds invite inspection. Pink and white cultivars also are available, and dwarf types, such as ‘Sentimental Blue’.

Several varieties of hydrangeas boldly proclaimed their presence throughout the garden. Those with cone-shaped inflorescences, Hydrangea paniculata, include ‘Pinky Winky’, ‘Strawberry Vanilla’, and the popular ‘Limelight’. A few smaller mopheads (H. macrophylla) also grow on the flowering bridge.

Crocosmia, grown from bulbs native to South Africa, was in full golden bloom. Crocosmia, sometimes called montbretia, is hardy in zones 5 to 9 and is a member of the iris family (Iridaceae).

Dwarf butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii ‘Pugster Blue’, has strong stems and grows only about 2′ tall. It’s hardy to zone 5, growing in full sun and well-drained soil. Other colors are available in this series of small butterfly bushes. Most of these perennials were humming with pollinators—bees, wasps, moths, and butterflies.

 

 

Roses

 

The roses were in full bloom, and some had wonderful fragrance.

 

 

 

Hibiscus

 

Growing to about 4′ in height, Hibiscus ‘Starry Starry Night’ is a stunner with flowers up to 8″ across! They appear from midsummer to fall. Leaves are dark burgundy-black, with the deepest color in full sun. This one likes moist, well-drained soil, as most hibiscus plants do.

Hardy hibiscus grows in zones 4 to 9, and stems die to the ground in the colder zones. Apply a few inches of mulch under young plants before winter. Hibiscus is native to North America and is said to be deer resistant, but…

 

 

 

More Native Perennials At the Flowering Bridge

 

goldenrod, buddleia at lake lure flowering bridge

Early goldenrod next to the dwarf butterfly bush.

Goldenrods (Solidago) were just beginning to open in the flowering bridge garden, and will continue all summer. Their bright yellow flowers and those of the ‘Pugster Blue’ butterfly bush played well off each other, a nice combination.

Stokesia laevis, native to the southern U.S., likes acidic soil and remains evergreen in warmer regions. It tolerates drought when well established. Stokes aster grows to 2′ tall and blooms over a long period of time, in full sun.

Tickseed (Coreopsis), with its canary yellow flowers and finely textured foliage is always so pretty. When choosing coreopsis varieties for your garden, check their hardiness zones. Some do not tolerate frost. But, among the annual tickseeds, breeding efforts have come up with some spectacular new colors. The family Asteraceae includes around 80 species of coreopsis, all native to the Americas.

Stately clumps of billowing garden phlox (family Polemoniaceae) showed off their peak bloom. Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators are attracted to these plants. Most of the 67 species are native to North America.

Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), zones 4 to 8, spreads rather invasively by rhizomes. This plant is a member of the Lamiaceae family, along with many other herbs. Its small pink flowers sit above silvery bracts. This plant can be used to make a mild tea. Kind of understated with its unusual flowers, but a strong pollinator magnet.

 

Black-Eyed Susan

The widely adaptable black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida var. fugida, was in top form. Among my favorites of the hardy Rudbeckias, this variety is perfect for meadow, prairie, mass plantings, or clustered among the shrubs. Use it to highlight a garden around a lamp post or off the patio. And they’re well-suited in combination with ornamental grasses.

Deer are not especially fond of this variety, but they might take a bite now and then. They came in for seconds in the Maryland garden. Give them full sun or sun for 2/3 of the day and well-drained soil that doesn’t stay wet. The best thing about “Ruff” is its incredibly long bloom period. Although it begins flowering a short time after Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, it blooms until frost, weeks longer than ‘Goldsturm’. Deadheading helps maintain the display.

 

 

Annuals

 

Zinnia, lantana and ‘Bat Face’ Cuphea attracted pollinating insects. Although they will die with autumn frost, annuals give us the opportunity to plant different varieties each year. And they flower all summer. Although some varieties of lantana perennialize in zone 7, they’re usually planted only for the current season’s flowers. Coleus, grown for its colorful foliage, is another heat-tolerant annual.

Elephant ears (Colocasia) produce large tropical leaves from underground tubers. This garden had both the black and the green-and-black-mottled varieties. They’re perennial in warmer sections of zone 7, but I don’t know if they survive the winter in Lake Lure. Because cold winter air passes under the bridge, the soil is not as well insulated from temperature extremes as is garden soil.

 

 

Styrax 

 

styrax at flowering bridge

Styrax japonica seedpods.

 

A Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonica) that had been growing for 25 years in the Maryland garden was cut down by the family who bought the house from me. I loved that tree for it fragrant pendulous white flowers and for the umbrella-shaped canopy. It’s a great tree for shading a sunny patio. C’est la vie.

That tree in Maryland seeded heavily, but there never were many seedlings popping up in the bed below it. I did, however, gather a few, germinated them, and then brought them with me to North Carolina, where the grounds maintenance crew whisked them away with the loropetalum trimmings…

This species of styrax has many ornamental features in addition to the flowers and habit—the fruits will split open later in the season, revealing shiny brown seeds. The leaves and twigs are fine in texture, and it has a pleasing horizontal branching pattern. A perfect small tree!

 

 

Osmanthus

 

osmanthus hetero. 'Goshiki'

False holly, Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’.

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’ has variegated leaves, with some pink at the tips of the stems. ‘Goshiki’ means “5 colors”—white, creamy yellow, gold, pink, and green—for the different hues that appear in the somewhat spiny leaves.

Plant in full sun, or in morning sun in hot zones, and in moist soil. Strong, hot sun will burn the tender new foliage or the white parts of the leaves.

This Asian native is hardy in zones 6 to 9. Use it in mass plantings or as a specimen, in borders or in a bright woodland setting. Small flowers are fragrant. This compact evergreen grows 5′ to 7′ tall.

 

 

Peanut Butter Tree

 

clerodendrum trichotomum at lake lure flowering bridge

Clerodendrum trichotomum, the Harlequin Glorybower.

 

What?! Yes, apparently, crushed leaves from this suckering tree from eastern Asia smell like peanut butter. Clerodendrum trichotomum (family Lamiaceae), more commonly called Harlequin Glorybower, grows in zones 7 to 10, and reaches 10′ to 20′ tall, and wider than that.

Hummingbirds and butterflies sip nectar from its flowers, which appear most of the summer. This large-leaved tree makes a bold statement in the landscape.

 

 

But If There’s Work To Do

 

A simple screen or workshop like this one can be constructed to hide the works of the garden—the compost pile, tools, and stacks of pottery. It defines the edge of the garden, and it also can hide the neighbor’s trash cans.

Incorporating structures into a landscape adds another dimension, enriching the experience. Finally, personalize with a green roof, interesting twigs and vines, and small hanging pots that express your whimsical side.

 

wood screen, plants

 

 

The Twig Chair

 

Here’s a great place to rest after the day’s transplanting and weeding, surrounded by peace and beauty. With iced tea, some magazines, and the family dog for company, it’s a great way to spend a summer afternoon. All that’s missing is the “Please do not disturb” sign.

Every time I visit the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, something new is in bloom, or one of the sections has been completely replanted. It’s only about an hour and a half from Charlotte, and there are plenty of restaurants and mom-and-pop shops to make this area a delightful way to spend the day.

Bring the kids; a Merry-Go-Round and other children’s activities are only a mile away in the Village of Chimney Rock. There are lots of reasons for returning to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge over and over again!

 

 

 

Hurricane Helene

 

Chimney Rock Village sign, after flood

 

This section added 10/7/2024:

***Update***: Hurricane Helene and the resulting floods and landslides scoured the western North Carolina mountains and other regions in the southern Appalachian Mountains for a few days on and after 9/27/2024. It destroyed small towns, roads, bridges, and people’s lives. Around 100 people died and many more are missing in NC alone. Heroic efforts are being made by individuals, churches, and charitable organizations to assess the damage, bring food, water, and communication to trapped families, and to begin the process of mitigating the damage and rebuilding.

Most shops and restaurants in Chimney Rock have been washed downstream to Lake Lure. From what I’ve seen in news coverage, the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge has been reduced to the only remaining feature: part of the concrete balustrade at the edge of the bridge (as in the photo at the top of this article).

Mark Huneycutt documented what he has seen, and here’s one of his videos:

I walked to Chimney Rock for answers… Hurricane Helene Aftermath – YouTube

Rescue operations request that you not venture to the area on your own, even if offering help and supplies. The ground is unstable, and you could end up being one of those needing rescue, so leave it to the professionals. Ask them if you can help.

Please, generously donate money and requested goods to legitimate rescue operations. I donated to Samaritan’s Purse and will forward a portion of my proceeds earned at the farmers’ markets. Samaritan’s Purse, headquartered in the area, has tractor trailers, machinery, supplies, and an army of dedicated volunteers. They are doing a fantastic job, so please help them in their efforts. Thank you.

Added 10/28/2024:

This video demonstrates hope, determination, and generosity in the face of a devastating life-changing event. I also have donated to hurricanehelenewnc.com from my revenues at Wellspring Gardens (Elkin NC farmers’ market):

Asheville is Worse than We Realized – Can They Rebuild?

Thank you again.

 

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The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Sep25

2018

Updated 10/28/2024

 

 

A Trip To the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

 

Yesterday, US 64/US 74-Alt/NC 9 delivered me to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. The weather forecast predicted a hot Saturday here in Charlotte. So, I decided to take another trip to the mountains of western North Carolina. There’s rarely a plan or an itinerary of any sort, but I always end up somewhere.

I have been there before, once a couple of years ago to walk the length of the bridge, and many times as a drive-by viewer on my way to…somewhere. If I had stayed home, I would have felt compelled to plant the potted vegetables that were quietly pleading, “Plant us…Plant us!”

 

view from Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

View from the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge.

 

 

A Little History

 

This “Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful”, it’s called, opened in 2013, after a new bridge had been built 2 years earlier, right next to it. The original 1925 bridge and now this pedestrian walkway span the Rocky Broad River, which feeds Lake Lure, an easy stroll along the Town Center Walkway. (Parts of the movie “Dirty Dancing” and other movies were filmed here.) Stunning stone backdrops surround the lake, where you can enjoy water sports, dine, or simply sit back and take it all in.

The Visitor Center, between the lake and the garden, houses a small museum with artifacts and informative historical displays. You can trace the history of the Hickory Nut Gorge from the time of the Cherokee and Catawba Indians. Read about the area’s involvement in the Civil War and the Gold Rush, to today’s economy, centered around agriculture, industry, and tourism.

The garden has been designated a Monarch Way Station by Monarch Watch. And the National Wildlife Federation includes it in its Certified Wildlife Habitat program. It is known as “Historic Bridge Seven” in the Register of Historic Places.

 

path through the garden, lake lure

Path through the gardens, with scenic backdrop.

 

A short drive down the road is Chimney Rock State Park (“The Last of the Mohicans”) and the always bustling Chimney Rock Village. Here you can enjoy shopping and outdoor dining while being mesmerized by the sound of rushing water cascading down the rocky incline. Did I mention how scenic this area is? Spectacular!

 

Rocky Broad River

The beautiful Rocky Broad River.

 

 

Back to the Garden

 

A paved pathway takes visitors through a succession of gardens. There’s an herb garden, a fragrance garden, and one that highlights tropicals. And a miniature train garden, succulents, and roses. Annuals are planted here and there, providing vibrant color and nectar for the bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Perennials and woody plants are the backbone of this garden, and each section has a plant list to help identify individual specimens. This garden is open all year, inviting opportunities for new experiences every time I visit.

Expanding gardens spill out over the ends of the bridge span, offering more potential garden space. The parking lot is at one end, near the huge maple tree (2019—now a stump!). Planted near the other end of the garden is a Franklin tree, which no longer exists in the wild. You can stay on the level curvy paved path or explore several side pathways.

 

bricks, llfb, for a donation

 

There is no charge to visit, but do leave a donation in the box near the lake end of the walk. Contribute $200 (today=?) and have an engraved brick placed along the path. This garden is planted and maintained entirely by a group of hard-working volunteers.

Everywhere you go, you will see whimsical additions to the landscape. There are bird baths with good-luck coins (cameras are watching, the signs say), and repurposed painted doors. That’s a nice touch along a path as the garden transitions into another style or simply to add a splash of color.

You’ll see metal sculptures from inconspicuous to the can’t-miss Opuntia, houses for birds and bees, and an old chair with the seat replaced with a sack of soil and succulents.

 

 

Wildlife

 

 

The bright orange butterfly is a Gulf Fritillary. Males are bright orange, and females are slightly browner. The caterpillars feed on passion flowers (Passiflora), and adults take nectar from butterfly bush (Buddleia), lantana, zinnia, and other flowers.

Where water drained from one of the raised beds, a butterfly called the Red-Spotted Purple paused for a mineral drink. The larvae of this butterfly feed on several species of trees, including amelanchier, aspen, birch, poplar, and wild cherry. Adults find sustenance from dripping tree sap, rotten fruit, carrion…and dung. Sometimes they sip nectar from spirea, viburnum, and privet flowers. Birds avoid the red-spotted purple because it mimics the poisonous pipevine swallowtail butterfly. But I wonder if that’s the only reason.

This chrysalis (photo, above) clings to the back of an elephant ear leaf. Tropical Colocasia plants add dramatic presence to a garden, with huge green or purplish-black arrowhead leaves.

Another butterfly skipping around the lantana and the basil flowers was the Clouded Sulfur butterfly. Small lizards (green anoles) scurried off when disturbed. 

 

perennial sunflower, Helianthus

A tall perennial sunflower, Helianthus, for late blooms and bumble bees.

 

A cultivar of the perennial native sunflower (Helianthus) was a favorite of the bees. This stately plant grows to 7′ tall and offers bright color in sun to partial shade when little else flowers there at this time of year.

A water hose thoughtfully left on the edge of the sidewalk filled a bowl for thirsty dogs. It was a hot day! Heading back to the parking lot, the metal archway misted cool water on visitors who chose to take this route. That felt great.

 

 

So, What’s Blooming Now?

 

Perennials

 

solidago at Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Pollinators at work on the goldenrod, Solidago. This is not the plant responsible for hay fever.

 

Camera in hand, I clicked away as others smiled hello or asked “What’s that?” There were visitors from New York, and several from other countries. A lovely woman from Hickory commented on the turquoise-winged wasps all over the goldenrods (Solidago) and was curious to know the name of another yellow flower. It was listed on the nearby clipboard as Rudbeckia fulgida, a small-leaved black-eyed Susan. It’s native to the eastern U.S.

 

rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida

Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida.

 

A popular seller at the Maryland markets where I sold plants was Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida, a better choice, in my opinion, than the ubiquitous ‘Goldsturm’. I’m not sure if the specimens on the bridge were R. fulgida, as indicated on the plant list, or R. fulgida var. fulgida. The latter black-eyed Susan, a slightly glossy-leaved variety of the species, starts blooming a week or two later than ‘Goldsturm’, but it continues non-stop until frost.

And it is not susceptible to that unsightly black mildew that often covers leaves of ‘Goldsturm’. Sure, the flowers are smaller, but, to me, it is the superior variety.

 

Anemone

Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’.

 

Reblooming bearded irises (“Update”, below) were budding up for an encore presentation, and chrysanthemums filled in the gaps. Tall, white Japanese Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ lit up the partly shaded recesses of the metal archway.

 

mum and glass sculpture, Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Burgundy chrysanthemum echoes similar color in glass bead sculpture.

 

More Perennials

New England asters, Gaura, pink turtlehead (Chelone obliqua), garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ were finishing up their blooms. Ripening seedheads of coneflowers (Echinacea) and black-eyed Susans attract hungry birds, especially the finches. Now there’s a lesson for visitors to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge—keep the seedpods on the plants for the birds!

Heuchera, also called alumroot or coral bells, is bulking up foliage for what I’m sure will be an impressive display next year. Cooler temperatures bring out a vibrancy in the heuchera foliage that rivals fall tree color. Hummingbirds visit the airy flowers for their sweet nectar.

Also growing in part shade was toad lily (Tricyrtus), with orchid-like purple spotted flowers. It won’t grab your attention as other brightly colored flowers will, but, viewed up close, it has its charms. The fact that it blooms at the end of the growing season and in mostly shady conditions merits placement along a woodland path.

 

Annuals

 

Ruellia

Ruellia, sometimes called Mexican petunia.

 

There’s great botanical diversity on the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. The brochure states there are over 700 species of plants in this garden!

A few heat-loving annuals are blooming overtime, such as lantana, scaevola (fanflower), ruellia, cuphea, and zinnia, attracting butterflies and bees. Coleus varieties, partly shaded by the maple tree, will stay in leaf until cold weather or frost claims them.

While perennial gardening offers many benefits, the annuals deliver an abundance of color and the opportunity to grow something different every year.

 

violas in the garden

Violas in our front yard flower through the winter.

 

In our front garden, near the sidewalk, I planted biennial violas a few weeks ago. Smaller cousins of the pansy, violas bloom all winter and spring in this USDA zone 7b location. They will succumb to late spring’s high temperatures.

The deer are fond of violas, so I spray the plants with a deer repellent every 3 or 4 weeks. These plants will “bridge the gap” in this garden between fall and spring.

 

 

Shrubs

 

Many of the plants on the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge have noteworthy features in the fall. When landscaping your property, look for not only flowers, but also ornamental bark, attractive twigginess or structure, fragrance, fall color, fruits, and benefits to wildlife.

 

Beautyberry

 

White Beautyberry

White Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, overhanging Rudbeckia fulgida.

 

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), with branches gracefully bending under the weight of their fruits, is an easy shrub to grow. The birds feed on the ripe berries, distributing their seeds. Robins, mockingbirds, and thrashers will eat the berries when their favorite foods are no longer available.

There are both purple- and white-berried Callicarpa americana shrubs on the bridge. This beautyberry is a multi-stemmed shrub growing 4′ to 6′ tall.  It’s native to the southeastern U.S., from Texas to Virginia, in USDA zones 6 to 10. Cultivars of the related Callicarpa dichotoma and other Asian species range from 3′ to 10′ tall.

 

Purple beautyberry, Callicarpa americana.

Purple beautyberry, Callicarpa americana.

 

I used to cut back the purple beautyberry (C. dichotoma) in our Maryland garden to only 6″ or 12″. Because flowers, and therefore berries, form on new growth, this approach keeps it more manageable in the landscape. In fact, delaying the pruning until mid-spring (instead of late winter to early spring) will cause it to leaf out a bit later, keeping the plant even shorter and less “wild” looking.

Beautyberry is undemanding in a casual mixed border. This plant vigorously self-seeds, although birds consume many of the fruits.

 

Colchicum autumnale Waterlily

Colchicum autumnale ‘Waterlily’.

 

Planted near purple beautyberry in the Maryland garden, a fall-blooming bulb called Colchicum autumnale ‘Waterlily’ perfectly echoed the berries of the shrub. It is poisonous, so use with caution.

Mosquito Repellent

Fresh leaves of American beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, contain a substance that is said to repel mosquitoes and other biting insects.

I haven’t tried the beautyberry, but catnip (Nepeta cataria) always did an excellent job keeping mosquitoes away from me. Simply crush a leafy stem and rub it on your skin, adding a few drops of water to help distribute the natural repellent. If I reapply the solution soon after the first one dries, mosquitoes keep their distance all day. Prepare a concentrated solution a cup at a time and store it in the refrigerator, where it can last for a few weeks.

 

Strawberry Bush

 

strawberry bush, Euonymus americanus, at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Native strawberry bush, Euonymus americanus.

 

Another shrub sporting curious-looking fruits is “hearts-a-bustin”, or strawberry bush. Euonymus americanus, native to the eastern U.S. (zones 6 to 9), is a suckering shrub, growing eventually to about 6′ by 6′. Inconspicuous flowers develop dark orange-red fruits in autumn, providing food for birds, but they’re toxic to us.

The untamed nature of this shrub is well suited to a wild native garden or on wooded slopes. Deer feed on the foliage and twigs.

This plant is susceptible to crown gall and, like other Euonymus species, to euonymus scale. But it does have interesting characteristics if you’re looking for a native plant to add to a woodland garden. Strawberry bush tolerates clay or sandy soil and growing near black walnut trees.

 

 

The Franklin Tree

 

Franklinia tree, F. alatamaha, at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

The Franklin tree, Franklinia alatamaha.

 

A Franklin tree (Franklinia alatamaha) grows near the lake end of the path. This medium sized tree is related to Camellia and Stewartia, in the family Theaceae. It has late season white flowers, vibrant red fall color, and ornamental striated bark. It needs well-drained, acidic soil, and dislikes compacted clay and wet conditions. Don’t plant it where cotton has been grown.

Franklinia has the reputation for being difficult to grow, but if you live within zones 5 to 8 and welcome a challenge…

Pennsylvania botanists John Bartram (1699-1777) and his son, William (1739-1823), “discovered” this plant in 1765. They collected specimens, saving the species from extinction, and named it in honor of their friend, Benjamin Franklin. All existing Franklin trees originated from specimens collected over 200 years ago, near the Altamaha River in Georgia. Unfortunately, it disappeared from the wild at about that time.

 

 

Styrax Japonica

 

Japanese snowbell

Japanese snowbell, Styrax japonica.

Another tree, one of my favorites, is the smooth-barked Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonica). This is a finely branched medium-sized tree with fragrant dangling delicate white flowers that appear after the spring rush is over. Some of the seedpods can be seen splitting open (photo taken Nov. 3), revealing brown seeds inside.

The species has a lovely broad umbrella-shaped canopy, but newer cultivars tend to be more upright. It grows in zones 5 to 8. A pink-flowering cultivar is available.

 

 

Time To Go

 

On the road again, Route 64 climbs to a cool 2500′ elevation as it continues winding through small towns and apple fields toward Hendersonville, where I sometimes have a hefty tuna sandwich on marbled rye before heading home.

I’d like to see the garden’s winter light display, so I might return to see that. But the fall color in the mountains of western North Carolina will probably draw me back in a month or two. Most likely, the trip will include a stop at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge.

 

 

***Update: November 3, 2018***

 

painted penguin squashes

A pair of painted gourds.

 

On a quest for pictures of fall foliage in the foothills and lower elevation mountains of western North Carolina, I was reminded instead of the consequences of recent storms: broken limbs, toppled trees, and some rockslides…but no photo ops of fiery maples or golden hickories. The power of nature!

Today’s trip to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge presented a few new subjects…

The rich purple reblooming irises didn’t disappoint. Several plants were in full flower, and some had more buds yet to unfurl. Blue fall-blooming asters welcomed busy honey bees, and purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) still had some flowers. Clusters of yellow quilled petals crowned a robust Rudbeckia subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’.

 

Reblooming iris at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge.

Reblooming iris.

 

 

Throughout the garden, seasonal decorations nestled in among the plants and structures. Pumpkins of various shapes and colors, painted squashes, sequined straw-stuffed figures… Soon these undoubtedly will give way to wintry themes and holiday lights.

A local company called Mark of Excellence, Inc., had just completed building this new information kiosk (photo, below). Mark, like all other contributors to this garden, volunteered his services for the enjoyment of all visitors.

Even though it’s November, you can see that the growing season is hardly at an end! Visiting public gardens, parks, farmers’ markets, and garden centers during off-peak times of the year will tempt you with some of these season-extenders.

It doesn’t take much to get me outdoors, but give me some plants to fuss over, admire, or photograph…and, well…dinner will be a little late.

 

Information station at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

The new information station.

 

 

Hurricane Helene

 

Chimney Rock Village sign, after flood

 

This section added 10/7/2024:

***Update***: Hurricane Helene and the resulting floods and landslides scoured the western North Carolina mountains and other regions in the southern Appalachian Mountains for a few days on and after 9/27/2024. It destroyed small towns, roads, bridges, and people’s lives. Around 100 people died and many more are missing in NC alone. Heroic efforts are being made by individuals, churches, and charitable organizations to assess the damage, bring food, water, and communication to trapped families, and to begin the process of mitigating the damage and rebuilding.

Most shops and restaurants in Chimney Rock have been washed downstream to Lake Lure. From what I’ve seen in news coverage, the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge has been reduced to the only remaining feature: part of the concrete balustrade at the edge of the bridge (as in the photo at the top of this article).

Mark Huneycutt documented what he has seen, and here’s one of his videos:

I walked to Chimney Rock for answers… Hurricane Helene Aftermath – YouTube

Rescue operations request that you not venture to the area on your own, even if offering help and supplies. The ground is unstable, and you could end up being one of those needing rescue, so leave it to the professionals. Ask them if you can help.

Please, generously donate money and requested goods to legitimate rescue operations. I donated to Samaritan’s Purse and will forward a portion of my proceeds earned at the farmers’ markets. Samaritan’s Purse, headquartered in the area, has tractor trailers, machinery, supplies, and an army of dedicated volunteers. They are doing a fantastic job, so please help them in their efforts. Thank you.

Added 10/28/2024:

This video demonstrates hope, determination, and generosity in the face of a devastating life-changing event. I also have donated to hurricanehelenewnc.com from my revenues at Wellspring Gardens (Elkin NC farmers’ market):

Asheville is Worse than We Realized – Can They Rebuild?

Thank you again.

 

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Plan Now for Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Sep9

2018

 

Time For Spring-Flowering Bulbs

 

colorful tulips, daffodils, muscari

Spring-flowering bulbs in a public garden.

 

In a few days, we finally will see some almost normal temperatures in this part of the southeast. It’s time to think about spring-flowering bulbs that will be planted over the next 2 or 3 months. Get comfortable; this is a long essay on the big topic of spring-flowering bulbs.

It often happens: when the daffodils, tulips, and wonderfully fragrant hyacinths bloom in February, March, and April, that’s when many customers ask for the bulbs. But most bulbs are planted in the fall and into early winter. Their roots develop as the soil cools in late summer and autumn, but growth above ground is delayed until months later.

It is no longer uncommon for garden centers to sell potted bulbs in spring. So, if you missed out on the fall planting season, or if you want to see the flower colors before planting, inquire with the growers. Vendors at spring home and garden shows and farmers’ markets also sell pots of budded or blooming bulbs.

 

yellow daffodils, cane creek park

Daffodils are reliable, easy to grow, and not eaten by animals.

 

Many thousands of varieties of bulbs are available to gardeners. Each region of the country has its favorites, based on ease of culture, resistance to hungry animals, and familiarity with what people “usually” grow there.

If you want something more unusual but your local sources don’t carry it, you can probably find it online or through mail order catalogs. Find out what the bulbs require before investing in 2,000 pink tulips that can’t take the heat in your back yard.

 

 

On the Subject of Tulips

 

pink tulips

Tulips are not deer-proof.

Large-flowering hybrid tulips grow in the cooler northern half of the United States, down to Zone 7. A few will perennialize in slightly warmer climates. The smaller species tulips will grow a bit farther into the South.

Tulip bulbs planted among the roots of trees and shrubs might work slightly better than those in open beds. The soil there is somewhat cooler and dryer. They’re not fond of warm temperatures and high moisture levels.

Many gardeners here in the piedmont of North Carolina plant tulips with the expectation of only one glorious show, and then tear them out when flowers fade. Beautiful as they are, tulips in zone 8 or warmer usually do not come back for an encore performance the next year. Even zone 7 is a challenge for them.

And that’s okay with a lot of people, including designers of public parks and municipal common spaces. But, wow, what a show...if you can keep the deer and rabbits away from them! They are especially fond of tulips, and I highly recommended using deer repellents. When using a solution in a sprayer, set the nozzle to a fine mist. A coarse droplet will simply bead off the waxy foliage and flowers without sticking.

Voles, too, eat tulip bulbs. Planting tulips with PermaTill (small, expanded gravel used for drainage) around them usually deters the voles. Stainless steel mesh planting baskets will exclude burrowing animals from the root zone. And squirrels have been known to do a little transplanting of their own. Products are available to help prevent these problems.

 

 

How Bulbs Work

 

crocus pickwick, white with purple stripes

Striped ‘Pickwick’ and purple ‘Remembrance’ crocus, in the Maryland garden.

 

A bulb is a shortened stem, with roots that emerge from the basal plate when the temperature cools in the fall. The basal plate, clearly visible on hyacinths, is a rounded disc of tissue at the bottom of the bulb. Tightly folded undeveloped leaves surrounding the flower shoot contain food for the plant during dormancy. A bulb has all the parts necessary to complete its life cycle: root initials in the basal plate, a growing tip, leaves, stems, and flowers.

daffodil and beeThe rooting bulbs remain safely tucked underground until the soil begins to warm up in spring. That signals the plants to burst from the ground with their beautiful, cheerful flowers. We bid another winter adieu! Hungry bees and other pollinators emerging on warm spring days feed on pollen and nectar from spring-flowering bulbs, when little else is in bloom.

The foliage must be given enough time to photosynthesize and to store carbohydrates in the bulbs. This food will sustain the plant during dormancy, and ensure that more buds will develop for next year’s flowers. So, after the flowers finish up, let the plants wither naturally. Foliage can be removed after at least half of it has yellowed.

 

 

First, a few words on summer- and fall-blooming bulbs

 

Garden centers stock most of the summer-blooming bulbs in spring to early summer. You can find bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes of lilies, gladiolus, canna, caladium, iris, and calla at that time of the year. Nurseries also offer potted specimens as they come into growth.

 

Elephant Ears

For dramatic foliage plants, look for elephant ears (Alocasia and Colocasia spp.), which grow only a foot tall to over 6′ tall. These are tropical plants and will die with frost, unless the tubers are dug and stored over winter. Planted in the ground in regions where frost doesn’t penetrate the soil, they usually survive the winter.

 

Caladium

caladium

Caladium, in late spring.

The colorful caladiums are tropical and need warmer soil temperatures in winter in order to survive, even when dormant. Some gardeners dig up and save the tubers every year, but most purchase new tubers or potted plants in spring to mid summer.

Foliage colors include green, white, chartreuse, pink, peach, and red, and can be mottled, edged in a contrasting color, streaked, or spotted. Their spathe-like flowers are not showy and usually removed.

For the past four years, I’ve kept a large Italian terra cotta pot outdoors in the summer. It contains a white caladium, a few kinds of brake (Pteris) ferns, and trailing clumps of Pilea ‘Aquamarine’, with its reddish stems and incredible pewter-blue, rounded leaves. It’s also home to whatever else dropped in. This year: some bulbs of tender Ledebouria socialis (leopard lily), a miniature African violet, and Dendrobium kingianum, a small orchid that has lived in a 3″ clay pot for over 4 decades.

Dormant Caladium

When the weather cools, the whole pot comes indoors to the sunny kitchen, where the caladium goes dormant. One by one, the leaves turn yellow, and the caladium sleeps through the winter. At average indoor temperatures, it remains dormant.

Instead of digging out the tubers, I leave them in the soil, caring for the rest of the plants as needed. Every couple of years, some potting soil is added under the plants, and the pot goes outdoors to light shade. And each year, the caladium comes back after about a month of warm weather. It’s a heavy feeder, so fertilize caladium every 2-3 weeks while it’s in leaf.

Dormant caladium tubers that remain surrounded by soil over the winter are more likely to return the next year than dry, loose tubers kept in a bag. Keep them dry if by themselves in a pot; damp is okay, if in company with other plants.

 

amaryllis

This variety is always the first amaryllis to bloom.

 

Amaryllis

Amaryllis (photo, above) is a beautiful late fall to spring flowering plant. Dormant bulbs can be found at garden centers at this time of year, alongside the spring-flowering bulbs. Potted in the fall, Amaryllis bulbs begin blooming indoors around the holidays.

 

Colchicum Autumnale

 

 

This is one of my favorites partly because the plant is animal-proof and partly because it blooms in the fall. Sometimes slugs can be a problem. Scattering Sluggo granules near the Colchicum will take care of that.

The bulbs will appear in some, but not many, garden centers, along with the daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs. Left on a windowsill, the bulb produces flowers with no encouragement necessary! But I prefer to plant these hardy bulbs in the garden. Colchicum is the source of a potentially toxic pharmaceutical component, so grow with care.

Only the flowers make an appearance in autumn; colchicum foliage arrives in spring and lasts a short period of time.

Placed near a shrub called Purple Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma or C. americana), the Colchicum ‘Waterlily’ flowers perfectly echo the color of the shrub’s berries (photo, above).

Once planted, they soon begin blooming in white (‘Alba’) and shades of lavender-pink. ‘Waterlily’, available from Wayside Gardens, has many petals, pale in color until exposed to light. It has the appearance of a water lily, but it is not an aquatic plant. After 2 years in the ground, one bulb will produce dozens of flowers. This plant is sometimes called “fall crocus”, but it is not to be confused with…

 

…Fall Crocus

Species crocus bulbs, with saffron on the left.

 

A few hardy crocuses bloom in the fall. One is saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, which gives us our most expensive spice, harvested from the female flower part, the red style and stigma. Only 3 threads of saffron are laboriously harvested from each flower, explaining its very high cost. Incidentally, saffron has been used as a spice for 3500 years. And for more trivia–saffron crocus is a sterile triploid whose ancestry is open to speculation.

There are other bluish (C. speciosus ‘Cartwrightianus’) and white (C. kotschyanus) fall crocuses available. The lavender-blue color positively glows in the setting sun. This color is rare in the garden at this time of the year, and a welcome surprise when the flowers emerge through the Liriope and other short groundcovers.

Crocus, technically, grows from a corm, but, for simplicity, is often called a bulb.

 

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Headings

Page 1: Time For Spring Flowering Bulbs, On the Subject of Tulips, How Bulbs Work, and First, a few words on summer- and fall-blooming bulbs (Elephant Ears, Caladium, Amaryllis, Colchicum Autumnale, Fall Crocus)

Page 2: Color Effects, Formal and Informal, Naturalizing in Lawns, Naturalizing in Meadows, If You’re New To Spring-Flowering Bulbs, When Planting Drifts of Bulbs (Microclimates and Timing, Laying Out the Beds), and Aftercare

Page 3: Galanthus, Crocus (Snow Crocus, Giant Dutch Crocus), Eranthis, Muscari, and Puschkinia

Page 4: Hyacinthoides, Tulipa (Tulips In Zones 7 and South, Species Tulips), Hyacinthus, Narcissus (Buying Daffodil Bulbs, Linnaeus, the RHS, and the ADS, Planting Daffodils, Fragrant Daffodils), and Allium

Page 5: Maintenance, Tricks to Hide Maturing Foliage, Stinzenplanten, Forcing Spring-Flowering Bulbs, Rock Gardens, and Don’t Overlook the Little Ones

 

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