Story
Mountain in Bloom
We’ve all heard that Spring showers bring May flowers, and that couldn’t be truer at Blackberry Mountain. Our Grounds team maintains the land through all seasons, but in preparation for a successful and bloom-filled Spring, they spend the Fall and Winter months planting cover crops such as rye, wheat and clover to help preserve the land through harsh conditions.
Thanks to these cover crops, local wildlife are able to aid in further land succession, continuing a natural process that not only protects the land but regenerates what grows there. Wildlife like deer and turkey graze the cover crops in the early mornings and carry off varieties of seedlings, scattering them as they roam. In addition to local wildlife assistance, our Grounds team conducts a thoughtful seeding project to further promote existing local wildflower growth and the succession of other perennial blooms by planting roughly 500 regional seed varieties.
Scattered throughout the trails that invite you to wind your way around the Mountain, guests will see trillium, phlox and geranium covering the forest floor and blooming strong. Alongside the Mountain slopes and hillsides, fire pinks are bursting with color. Explore the Mountain in the heart of May, and those blooms will be joined by many others that are beginning to bud and blossom, like our beloved rhododendrons. The Valley field is known for being a hotspot for flower and pollinator activity, and this year will be no different as it homes zinnias, daisies, cosmos variations and more.
Working together with nature, our Grounds team not only creates a beautiful environment for our guests to enjoy but they also support the land we’re dedicated to protecting. Strengthening the presence of local wildflowers keeps the land healthy, the pollinators happy and the grazers content. It’s time for a wildflower walk at Blackberry Mountain.