By Clint Cooper
ccooper@timesfreepress.com
Officials at Reflection Riding Arboretum & Botanical Gardens want to take the Tennessee Valley back to the 16th century. At least in the proliferation of native grasses, they do.
“That’s part of our mission,” said board member Michael Green, “to spread these native plants around the region.”
Officials at the gardens on the slope of Lookout Mountain will hold their annual fall open house and native plant sale Saturday and Sunday.
Among the items in the sale, Green said, will be Tennessee prairie grasses in pots, the same grasses that covered the area before the Europeans’ arrival in the 16th century.
Native trees, shrubs and vines also will be available, he said.
“This is the best selection we’ve ever had of shrubs and trees,” Green said. “They’re hard to find, they’re good for shady areas and they tend to sell out quick.”
Experts will be on hand to tell them how to plant, to give them tips on landscaping and to tell them what grows in the shade, he said.
It’s also a perfect time for Chattanooga newcomers to learn what grows and what doesn’t in the area.
More than just a plant sale, the two-day event also features lectures or demonstrations on subjects such as composting and shade planting; a mushroom walk; and several wildflower walks.
The walks, through some of the gardens’ 12 miles of trails and 300 acres, will be led by Bill Haley, education outreach coordinator of the Tennessee Aquarium; Kyle Waggener, director of education at the Chattanooga Nature Center; and Green.
Fall wildflowers, he said, “are so different than those in spring.”
A longer walk up Lookout Mountain will be guided by Ralph Brown, who also will point out butterflies, dragonflies and hawks along the way.
Children are welcome at the event, and Celtic and bluegrass music will be provided as a background to activities on Sunday by the Bramble Roses.
IF YOU GO
n What: Fall Open House and Native Plant Sale.
n When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
n Where: Reflection Riding Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 400 Garden Road.
n Admission: Free.
n Phone: 821-9582.
n Website: www.reflectionriding.org.