By Pat Holder
My first field trip as a new member of the North Carolina Native Plant Society was held on a very rainy Saturday in October 2015. About 35 native plant enthusiasts gathered in the McDonald’s parking lot in Richfield, NC. Like many of the others, I was intrigued by the chance to see some special native plants that grow in this area along nearby Riles Creek.
Because of the large number of participants, we were divided into two groups. Larry Mellichamp led the group that I had joined into the nearby woods, while Paula Gross led the others on a roadside viewing nearby. As Larry described the beautiful trees, shrubs, mosses and other plants we encountered, I realized that I was clearly in the presence of a very knowledgeable, passionate native plant advocate. Under a blanket of unrelenting rain, I was captivated by Larry’s charming descriptions, interesting insights and heartfelt enthusiasm for the plants we observed.
Without Hesitating, We Continued
As the rain continued to pour down, we stopped for lunch and a seed exchange. After lunch, Larry offered us the option of ending our plant walk or continuing on to a roadside forest area at Reed Gold Mine. Fueled by the exciting discoveries of the morning, I wanted to keep on exploring plants in this beautiful, diverse area. Without hesitating, I zipped my raincoat up a little higher and slogged along with Larry’s group.
We examined quite a number of different plants during the afternoon walk. As a new native plant gardener, I was unfamiliar with many of these plants. Luckily, Larry later emailed participants a list of what we had seen, which was very helpful to me since I could look up descriptions. What an incredible first native plant field trip! A major part of my joy on that rainy day was spending it with the author of my favorite native plant resource book, Native Plants of the Southeast
Pat Holder, Asheboro (NCNPS Triad Chapter). Coordinator, NCNPS Native Plant Habitat Certification Program.