Volunteering at the West Virginia Botanic Garden

In an effort to keep my mind and body active, I headed to the best classroom on earth...the great outdoors! What better way to witness the earth's natural systems in action...

Today's classroom is the West Virginia Botanic Garden, an 82-acre site that is a former reservoir off the Tyrone Road in Monongalia County, WV. Currently, the garden displays planned gardens, natural settings, and historic elements of its past. Yes, it could be my Shangri-La...

As any WVU LA alum will attest, no outdoor classroom is complete without the guidance of George Longenecker; after all, he wrote the exam for WV's professional LA's! George provided the guidance for my internship at Fallingwater and fostered my interest in plant life.

Today, we focused on the lavishly designed butterfly garden. Comprised of plants native to the site and select ornamentals, the garden is patterned after a native butterfly in both color and form. We worked to prevent seeding and weeds while discussing various horticultural techniques and growth habits.

After completing our tasks for the afternoon, we explored the grounds, noting the variety of life and textures on the forest floor, stopping to admire the pristine view of the former reservoir, while witnessing some of the magic along the trail...