Shared by Susan Bossie, as Guest Blogger.

Updated Feb. 15, 2022

Westmoreland State Park has always had beautiful native grasses, plants, and trees.

Laurel in full bloom

We recently added more pollinator fields and four hundred trees to our landscape. This latest planting is an integral part of our pollinator and honeybee program. Wildflower and native plant diversity support our honeybees and native wildlife. Native species such as the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly, bluebirds, and possums all have a place to live and a food source here at the park!

 Wild Violets

A fun hobby you can do at home and in the wild is wildflower identification. There are many ways to identify flowers, including apps and even Google Images. But, one technique developed by botanist and conservationist Lawrence Newcomb is a favorite of both amateurs and experts. It draws in a person to note the details of a wildflower and ultimately trains your eyes for quick identification.

Chickweed and Purple Dead Nettle

Using Newcomb's Wildflower Guide takes us away from our phones and puts us in a world where our observations take the lead. With it, we ask ourselves questions about the wildflower's structural features visible even to the untrained eye. Are the leaves smooth, or do they have a toothed edge? Are the petals in a radial pattern, or is the flower a different shape? Our answers lead us to pages in the book where we narrow down which plant we are looking at.

This hobby has benefits beyond being fun, and educational  Studies show that getting outside and observing nature improves our physical and mental health  Our appreciation of our environment ultimately encourages us to take steps to improve the health of our planet as well! 

Your yard can be kept trim and have borders while also supporting wildlife and providing the beauty of wildflowers. In your own landscape, you can find and add native plant species. You may even take a more passive approach by letting wildflowers and clover thrive where there was once only cultivated grass requiring fertilizer and extreme maintenance.

Make this the year you get lost in the process of counting petals and leaves on a wildflower. For more information on all Virginia State Parks, please click here.