Text and photos by Sarah Flores
I was recently able to sit down with Lynda Waldrep, former chairperson of the Triad Chapter, to learn about the recent donation she made to the NC Native Plant Society. Lynda has been generous with her time and talents over the years, serving as NCNPS board vice president, secretary, and planner of the Spring and Fall trips. She was awarded the President’s Award Fall 2022 which is given to recognize and publicly acknowledge individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the cause of native plants and habitat conservation in North Carolina. This September, Lynda made a $22,000 donation to the Alice Zawadzki Land Conservation fund as well as a $22,000 donation to the NCNPS with a directive to fund scholarships for the annual Cullowhee Native Plant Conference. Her combined gift is the largest amount made by a living individual in the 72-year history of the NCNPS.
She continually impacts the native plant movement and leads by example, happily sharing her knowledge and her plants. Hers is a legacy of conservation and education.
NCNPS awarded the first Alice Zawadzki Land Conservation Fund in 2017. These grants to land trust organizations help sustain natural plant habitats through preservation of lands, either by managing the property themselves or by turning ownership over to other organizations or government agencies. Each year, NCNPS funds two to three conservation grants for land purchases including recent recipients, Fisher’s Peak, Morrow Mountain, Jonas Ridge Cranberry Bog, and Salter’s Creek.
When asked what areas of North Carolina she is most concerned about, Lynda mentioned two: the Piedmont where rapid expansion and development is occurring, as well as the mountains where she spent many hours botanizing. Lynda grew up driving north from Greenville, SC each summer to the mountains of North Carolina where she observed the wild plants blooming every year. These moments in nature eventually led her to a passion for habitat conservation and restoration.
Lynda’s donation to the NCNPS will allow us to continue our support of the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference’s Sponsorship Fund. This sponsorship enables students and young professionals to experience the annual Cullowhee Native Plant Conference held at Western Carolina University. For more information: Cullowhee Native Plant Sponsorship.
Lynda noted she hopes young professionals working in the trade will be able to access this experience with the help of her donation. As nurseries receive more requests for native plants, it’s important that these young growers and landscapers are able to develop professionally through education.
Talking leads to doing
Lynda has attended the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference since 2002 and says one of the best parts is being able to “talk plants” with others who are equally as passionate during the social hour after dinner. Those eye-opening conversations would often lead Lynda to her next project, like making hypertufa planters, collecting and winter-sowing seed, or growing ferns from spores.
During my visit, I took advantage of some time to “talk plants” with Lynda. As we were chatting, Lynda brought up the fact that lawn reduction is a main focus on plant forums but the problem of too much mulch is often left out of the narrative. There are plants like Cardinal Flower, which are prevented from seeding out due to heavy mulching. The seeds must touch the soil and the heavy mulch causes them to wither in the sun. These helpful hints from Lynda over the past few years have been invaluable to me as a novice gardener.
She also mentioned that one of her favorite parts of Cullowhee is the vendor area where she could find rare native plants not available in her local nurseries. A question Lynda heard over and over during her time in NCNPS leadership is, “Where can I buy native plants?” As the trade catches up to a surging demand for natives, Cullowhee will continue to be an important training ground for students as well as self-taught professionals working at garden centers, nurseries, and landscape companies.
As a retired teacher and lifelong learner, Lynda is passionate about education and also recently donated to the Kathleen Clay Edwards Library where NCNPS Triad Chapter meetings are hosted, the NC Botanical Garden, and the Emily Allen Wildflower Preserve. She said that each cause has an educational component.
Until last May, Lynda had been planning to take a trip around the world with her daughter, but those plans were changed when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Lynda is currently undergoing treatment, and is hoping to spend the spring watching the ephemerals come up on her property in Summerfield.
Her evolving yard
Lynda’s wooded yard is a testament to all she has learned since discovering the importance of native plants. As we walked through the yard, she told me stories of each plant we saw. Whether it was a gift from a fellow member’s yard, or one she found during a rescue, she is skilled at cultivation.
We also spoke about changes she has seen since joining the NCNPS. One change we talked about is the switch from having plant discussions in person or by email to an open forum on social media. Lynda is active on Facebook and often gives helpful advice and guidance to newbies just discovering native plants. Being able to discuss plants online allows her to continue her work of advocacy from a hospital room.
Lynda’s Basement Growing Lab
Since I met Lynda and began learning from her, she often spoke about growing ferns in her basement. During my last visit, we went down to the basement grow room where she cultivates ferns from spores collected in the wild.
Growing ferns from spores is a task requiring patience as it takes around three years. Lynda has grown Walking Fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum), Hart’s-tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium), and Goldie’s Fern (Dryopteris goldieana), which she has planted in her garden and shared with others as door prizes at Triad meetings and at our annual plant swap. As we tour her yard, I see the evidence of her patient efforts displayed along the walkways and in hypertufa containers.
Supporting education and conservation efforts
Lynda’s humor and spirits remain high as she navigates her current health issues. Her gifts will make an important impact throughout our state as the NCNPS works to protect biodiversity. We spoke about planning a late winter/early spring garden tour at her home where members can view her vast population of Hexastylis and trilliums. Always generous with her time and talents, Lynda continues to be an active member of the NC Native Plant Society’s Triad chapter despite facing new challenges. I am privileged to call her my plant mentor, and am continually inspired by the work she has accomplished for the native plant movement. Seeds must touch the soil. Thanks to Lynda, they will.
Text and photos by Sarah Flores
Native Plant News – Winter 2023
Sarah Flores lives in Greensboro, NC with her husband, two daughters, and golden retriever. With a degree in hospitality management from the University of South Carolina, she has worked in the food and beverage industry and as an event planner. A passion for farm to table food and foraging led her to advocate for native plants. She is the Social Media Director for Out of the Garden Project, an NC based organization addressing childhood hunger, and is currently serving as the co-chair of the Triad Chapter of NCNPS.