May 2011 Newsletter - Part 3

EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH and SPECIAL PROJECTS

[caption id="attachment_2202" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Starting down a mossy path in life"][/caption]

Spreading the word about mosses and instilling a life-long love of these magical plants is one of my greatest pleasures. Go Green With Moss programs and workshops can be geared toward various age groups and interests. Personal site consultations and private moss lessons are available to individuals and organizations. This past week, I sure enjoyed spending the day with Christine Bock from the Tennessee Aquarium as we explored appropriate moss types for their Cove Forest Exhibit.

[caption id="attachment_2198" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Christine Bock, TN Aquarium"][/caption]

Although our calendar is filling up, it is not too late to schedule your garden club, environmental group, summer camp or kids event. Here are some highlights of upcoming events. Some are open to the public. Early registration is recommended for workshops to ensure your spot.

In May, we will be recruiting more moss fairies and moss mavericks as we coordinate an exciting “hands-on” learning opportunity for 3^rd graders at Rainbow Mountain Children's School in West Asheville. This idea grew from a mutual moss fascination with Dulcita Love, an Asheville-based Web designer and social media marketing specialist. With her lead sponsorship, we've organized a moss project along with teacher, West Willmore, and principal, Renee Owen, for the 3^rd graders. The kids will transform an old water feature (original to this AVL historic home... now the school) and adorn the area with mosses, liverworts, lichens and special native plants (like ferns and miniature wild iris). This environmental art experience will emphasize a holistic approach incorporating botany, environmental science, art, and math as we design and install this moss feature in the school's outdoor classroom area. Parents and other interested supporters can donate $$$ to expand the project's vision. http://www.dulcitalove.com/news/moss-garden-installation-at-rainbow-mountain-childrens-schoo.html

Daisy Girl Scouts will actually get to dress up like moss fairies for their upcoming meeting in Mountain Moss' Demonstration Garden in Pisgah Forest, NC. They are guaranteed to have a magical moss experience... and maybe even find some REAL fairies! Beth Suttles Banks will be bringing Piper and her friends to lead them down a mossy path in life.

[caption id="attachment_2199" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Piper, the moss fairy, looking for REAL fairies"][/caption]

EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Southeastern Chapter of the American Rock Garden Society – East Flat Rock Village Town Hall – Flat Rock, NC – Saturday, MAY 21 @ 10:30 am

Invited back for a 2^nd time, Mossin' Annie of Mountain Moss Enterprises will present a Go Green With Moss program on how to effectively use bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) in rock gardens, waterfall features and for other horticultural applications in your garden. Specific bryophyte types will be highlighted for their environmental solutions regarding erosion control and stormwater drainage. Meetings are open to the public and held on the 3^rd Saturday of each month. No charge.

New Leaf Garden Market – Pisgah Forest, NC – Saturday, JUNE 11 @ 11 am

Tabletop Moss Garden Workshop with Mossin' Annie

Mossin' Annie Martin will teach participants about the wonderful world of mosses around us and then will help them create a magical moss tabletop garden to take home.  This New Leaf Garden Market workshop provides a unique opportunity for parent & child to work as partners in creating a moss masterpiece.  A moss tabletop garden would be a wonderful Father's Day Gift!  This workshop is not limited to Parent/Child teams, adults may participate individually as well.  Please pre-register as space is limited.  Cost for this workshop is $20 per moss garden (one moss garden per adult participant or adult/child working together).  All materials for your moss masterpiece are included in the fee for this workshop. Contact Hope Janowitz to register: 828-966-LEAF or newleafgc@gmail.com.

Asheville Greenworks Annual Community Garden Tour – Kenilworth Neighborhood – Asheville, NC – Sunday, JUNE 19 – 1-5 pm

Mossin' Annie will greet visitors as a garden hostess and share her expertise on moss gardening in the most magnificent moss garden in all of WNC – the home of John Cram and Matt Chambers.

Each year, Asheville Greenworks offers a garden tour of an Asheville neighborhood. This year, it's Kenilworth. It will be my privilege to be stationed in my FAV moss garden and in my old neighborhood. I'll be available to answer questions about the benefits of bryophytes and offer my expertise in moss gardening. In addition, moss trays will be available for sale and moss-as-art creations which would make a unique Father's Day gift. There will be other Kenilworth gardens on the tour that provide their own special magic as well. Please purchase tickets in advance as space is limited.  Cost is $20 and all proceeds will go to support the programs of Asheville Greenworks. www.ashevillegreenworks.org/summer-social-and-fathers-day-tour-2011/

Other Upcoming Events of Interest:

White Squirrel Festival in Brevard, NC

Brevard's Sesquicentennial Celebrations

New Leaf Garden Market Summer workshops

OUR 1^st OPEN HOUSE

Mountain Moss hosted our first Open House at our demonstration garden in Pisgah Forest, NC on Mother's Day afternoon. Thanks to all who joined us, especially those folks who traveled from Hendersonville, Tryon and even Greenville. It was such a success that I'm sure we'll do it again.

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