Recently, we spent a day away from Fernwood and traveled to one of our favorite hiking destinations, Gulf Hagas. For those who have never been, Gulf Hagas is located in Brownville in the Katahdin Iron Works region. The river, the hiking trail (part of the Appalachian) and the spectacular falls are well worth the trip. We had a great outing, spent with family and friends and of course, we engaged in a bit of botanizing.
Hobble Bush
Included in the many plants we saw that day were Small Solomon Seal(Polygonatum biflorum), Hobble Bush(Viburnum lantanoides), Shinleaf(Pyrola elliptica),Creeping Snowberry(Gaultheria hispidula), Twin Flower(Linnaea borealis), Pipsssewa(Chimaphila umbellata), Rosey Twisted Stalk(Streptopus lanceolatus v. roseus),Painted Trillium(Trillium undulatum), Goldthread(Coptis groenlandica),and Bunchberry(Cornus canadensis).
It’s rewarding to see such beautiful specimens flourishing in the wild. These plants exist and often thrive within their natural habitat without the help of well-meaning gardeners. This is one reason we’ve dedicated so much of our time and energy to propagating native plants. They are well adapted to our climate and soil conditions. If properly sited, native plants will thrive with a minimal amount of effort on our part, especially when compared to most other garden plants. Consider this the next time you have a spot or section of your garden that most plants fail in. A native may be the answer.
We try to make sure we get up to Gulf Hagas at least once a year, and each time we are richly rewarded by the sights and sounds of this beautiful, historical place (Katahdin Iron Works being the only 19th century iron works operation in Maine). The kids love it, too, as you can see from this video of our son, the daredevil.
Fernwood Nursery & Gardens 