The Claytor Nature Center is a natural preserve operated by the University of Lynchburg. It features wetlands, hardwood forests and a variety of interesting botanical species including native orchids. Walking will be easy. We will be led by Professor Nancy Cowden of the University’s Biology department. Leader: Butch Kelly 540-384-7429 or butch2410@msn.com. Bring boots, lunch,…

The BRWS Plant Sale will be at the parking lot next to the Virginia Western Community College Arboretum greenhouse in Roanoke. We expect to have at least 50 species of native plants for sale. Some of the more popular varieties will be five species of native ferns, Solomon’s Seal and Plume, bleeding heart, Virginia bluebell,…

Date changed to third Monday due to Memorial Day being the fourth Monday. Contact: Ellen Holtman, 389-1514

NEW LOCATION: Please note the sale is at the Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs, where we have our meetings and NOT at Virginia Western Community College. PLANTS WE HAVE ON HAND FOR SALE: Red (Swamp) Milkweed Butterfly weed New England Aster Joe Pye Weed Bergamot / Red Bee Balm Woodland Bergamot /Light Purple-Pink Bee Balm Wild…

Zoom meeting with Mike Hayslett, Naturalist-In-Residence at Sweet Briar College. Mike will speak on vernal ponds, important and unique aquatic ecosystems, each including a short-lived pond or pool and a rich mix of a few species that can’t live anywhere else. Mike has studied vernal ponds for many years and many miles and he is…

Zoom meeting with Ian Caton, owner/operator with his wife Elizabeth of Wood Thrush Native Nursery in Floyd. He is a popular speaker in the area and a lifelong lover of natives. He also is a successful propagator of our favorite plants using seeds and cuttings and has provided many plants we have sold at our…

John Magee is a well-known landscaper in Northern Virginia. His company, Magee Designs, regularly uses native plants in the landscape and specializes in sustainable landscaping and eco-friendly designs for public and private buildings. (The design samples on the company website are fabulous!) He has served on the Board of Directors of VNPS since 2014 and…

Ellen, Rebecca and Linda will “lead” a socially-distanced walk on this favorite hillside of spring ephemerals in Roanoke County. They will post ahead of time a series of flags along Pawpaw Trail and a handout will offer information about the flowers near each flag. It’s a Covid-era experiment! You might want to come early and…

Zoom meeting: Ben Kessler is nursery manager at Little Bluestem Nursery in Ivy, Va., and he also is, notably, a member of our chapter. Ben will show us the landscaping beds at the nursery and talk about cultivation practices at the farm and at his nursery. He will allow time for your questions on gardening…

The Blue Ridge Wildflower Society’s Annual Native Plant Sale will bloom this year on Saturday, May 15, at the Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs, 3640 Colonial Avenue on the grass behind back parking lot. The sale will be open to the public from 9 a.m. until noon. View/download the Annual Plant Sale Flyer (PDF). Because…