Mountain Moss — Moss ID

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Fall 2013 Short Courses 0

Want to learn more about mosses from an expert? Wishing that you could identify mosses growing in your own yard or when you're hiking in the forest? Wondering which mosses can be featured in your garden? Mountain Moss is offering two classes in Fall 2013 through Brevard College's community education program – Creekside. Mossin' in the Woods will be held Sept 19 & 20. Moss Gardening class is scheduled for October 10 & 11. These classes will be open to the public. If you want to attend, please register through Brevard College located in Brevard, NC:

email: creekside@brevard.edu

Web site: www.brevard.edu/creekside

September 19 & 20, 2013, Thursday & Friday, 1-4 pm

Mossin' in the Woods

Botanists and moss lovers will marvel at mosses as the class takes a hike in the woods to learn about

WNCs oldest plants – bryophytes. Over 450 million years old, this region boasts over 450 types of

bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, hornworts). The first session meets at Brevard College for classroom

preparation with PowerPoint lecture and impressive photographs accompanied with moss specimens

to examine up close. Second session will be held in the field at Holmes Educational State Forest. As you stroll along with Mossin' Annie, common mosses that can be recognized with the naked eye will be highlighted. Pleurocarpus and acrocarpus types of mosses will be identified with emphasis on the differences of mosses when wet vs. dry as well as distinctions during reproductive stages. Participants will begin their own herbarium collection of moss specimens. A close-up lens or loupe is suggested.

Course registration fee for Brevard College: $65.

Supplies Fee to be paid to instructor during first session: $35.

October 10 & 11, 2013, Thursday & Friday, 1-4 pm

Magical, Marvelous Mosses: Green Solutions for Today's Gardeners

Explore the fascinating world of our native mosses and discover how these eco-friendly plants make

great horticultural choices for today's gardeners. Transylvania's moss expert, Annie Martin aka Mossin'

Annie, will share key information on how to assess your microclimate and to choose the right mosses

for the right place. First session conducted in classroom with PowerPoint program featuring moss

gardens and an introduction to moss gardening methods. Second session will be an on-site visit to

Mountain Moss' demonstration garden featuring 50 different species of bryophytes where you'll learn

how to create moss focal features and moss lawns. Each participant will have an opportunity to create

their own moss dish garden to keep. Containers, selection of live mosses, decorative rocks, lichens and

native plants provided to Creekside students.

Course registration fee for Brevard College: $65.

Supplies Fee to be paid to instructor during first session: $35.

To register for these Fall 2013 Creekside classes through Brevard College: www.brevard.edu/creekside

NOTE: Most of our educational programs are scheduled well in advance by garden clubs, Master Gardeners and environmental groups. Occasionally, Go Green With Moss lectures, workshops and hikes are held at botanical gardens or other public venues. To schedule a program for your group, please contact me directly: mossinannie@gmail.com. Schedule your upcoming events soon since lecture fees will most likely increase after my moss gardening book is published in 2015.

All blog content and photographs are the intellectual property of Mountain Moss.

Aug 21, 2013
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Tags: bryophyte ID bryophyte identification bryophytes moss classes moss courses moss garden moss gardening Moss ID moss identification moss landscapes moss landscaping Uncategorized

Learning Moss Garden 0

If you want to learn more about mosses in landscapes and gardens, we now have a learning moss garden located in the Botanic Garden at the Highlands Biological Station in Highlands, NC – a research facility affiliated with Western Carolina University and the University of North Carolina system. The Leila Barnes Cheatham Learning Moss Garden exemplifies mosses used creatively in a natural setting. This moss retreat is one of the few places in America where the bryophytes (mosses) are actually identified with labels. This venue sets the stage for educational programs about the beauty and environmental benefits of mosses in landscapes. Installed in Winter 2013 during freezing temperatures and snowfall, this garden honors the memory of an avid native plant enthusiast – Leila Barnes Cheatham – and perpetuates her love of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

A native of Griffin, Georgia, Leila III spent many summers at her mountain house near the Biological Station. She took her kids hiking along the HBS trails and taught them to appreciate all types of indigenous plants. In fact, nearby Leila's Rock is one of the only privately-owned rock cliffs that hasn't been commercially developed. It is a place where hikers stop to rest and picnic while enjoying spectacular views during treks along the Bartram Trail.

Despite the harsh weather conditions during installation, the creation of this unique moss garden has been my pleasure. I'm honored to be part of this project that memorializes my best friend's mother. Leila Cheatham Von Stein and I have mossed together for years. We have spent many hours in search of mosses on her Rich Mountain property delighting in our discoveries. To create an educational moss garden in a public venue is a goal we both have shared for years. Thanks to Leila IV for providing funds to realize the first phase.

Climacium, Atrichum, Thuidium, Hypnum, Entodon, and Leucobryum are among the many moss types you'll find in Leila's Learning Moss Garden. The 200 sq ft garden continues to thrive and we'd like to expand its footprint. If you are a moss lover and you would like to contribute to this expansion, please donate now: http://highlandsbiological.org/joingive/

***Make sure to note that HBS donation is intended for Leila Barnes Cheatham Learning Moss Garden.