Botanical Sanctuary Network Stories
BY JOSHUA HARKNESS Why must we think so poorly of wild plants? We dismiss them merely as “weeds”; we think of them as insignificant foreigners in our lawns, gardens and other manicured “landscapes”. We see them as a threat to the aesthetical appeal of the sterile environments we are so fond of creating. These are …
by Justin Wexler and Anna Plattner American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) loves shade but not too much shade. After seven years of direct observation of hundreds of acres of wild-simulated and wild ginseng, we’ve noticed a pattern. Old wild ginseng plants growing in deep shade grow extremely slowly. Likewise, in full shade, the wild-simulated seedlings of …
Madison County, North Carolina Sanctuary Stewards: Michelle Dixon and Peter Waskiewicz Our Botanical Sanctuary story began Thanksgiving 2016 when we stood with the Lakota Sioux Tribe at Standing Rock and became avowed water protectors for life! On the long road back to North Carolina we hatched our first action plan and long-time dream: find a …
Deerfield, Virginia Sanctuary Stewards: Shay and Kim Clanton and family Walker Mountain Botanical Sanctuary lies in a hollow between two mountains—Walker Mountain and Sideling Hill. Clayton Mill Creek, a rushing rocky mountain stream, flows the length of the hollow. At the base of the north slope on Sideling Hill there is a small, nearly hidden …
Sperryville, Virginia Sanctuary Steward: Teresa Boardwine The Green Comfort Botanical Sanctuary has been growing for 15 years on an acre near the Shenandoah National Park, in Sperryville, Virginia. The land that surrounds us is naturalized and undeveloped, providing opportunity for plant walks through adjoining properties in woods, to a sandy river basin, out to pavement …
By Joe Pigmon with Kate Farley Those of us who love Appalachian woodland medicinal herbs often hear stories about the men and women who have harvested these plants from the wild for generations. Sometimes these stories blame traditional herb harvesters for the declining abundance of our beloved plants. We hear about diggers who take plants …
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Sanctuary Steward: Jen Frey In 2014, heartbroken, I sold my beloved farm. This was the place that helped my life-long affair with Plants bloom into something deeper and pushed me down my Soul’s path. I loved the farm—it was where my babies grew and explored. It was where I discovered many dreams …
Natural Bridge, New York Sanctuary Steward: Diane Seufert Tait My sanctuary is in a forest that covers thousands of acres, crossing roads and streams, and comprises state forest, private holdings, and towns. I am twenty miles from the green line of the Adirondack Park, the largest national park in the USA. Over the last three …
Pangaea Plants, Lake Lure, NC Sanctuary Steward: Gabriel Noard When I wake up, it’s still dark out. If the sun is up before I am, I think I am already late. The day has started without me. No matter though, there’s work to be done and songs to be sung. Not that I am good …
Ontario, Canada Sanctuary Steward: Penelope Beaudrow Deep within my soul I have a love of plants and nature so deep that they are a part of me, not knowing where one begins and the other stops. I have a constant yearning to be out of doors, see the land awaken after a long cold winter, …