Hidden botanical treasure in Lynchburg

Among the many attractions in Lynchburg, there are probably a few that have slipped under your radar.

If you have never visited the botanic garden on the grounds of Randolph College, you are missing a real treat. This garden features native plants and provides a wonderful opportunity to see some of our most beautiful wildflowers.

This botanic jewel in the center of the city is the result of both the vision and hard work of Dorothy Crandall Bliss. Dr. Bliss, a native of Rhode Island, began teaching in 1949 at what was then Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and retired from the biology department in 1983. After retirement, her interest in the newly established Virginia Native Plant Society (founded in 1982) was a factor in promoting her dream of developing a wildflower garden on the campus.

Established in 1994, the garden is a real asset, both to the college community and the public. The use of this picturesque spot is easily incorporated by the science faculty across the curriculum. It provides ecology, chemistry, botany and zoology students with an opportunity to investigate a variety of conditions within a living laboratory.

Of course, the garden is also open to anyone who would simply like to learn more about our native plants. The specimens are labeled, which is very helpful to those who are trying to develop identification skills. As might be expected, early spring is probably the best time to take a stroll, but you will always find some color there, even if it is only bright berries against a winter landscape.

By mid-April, the lovely Virginia bluebells take center stage, along with the fragile blossoms of the rare twinflower. By the end of the month, you can look for shooting star,
trillium and golden ragwort.

I took a walk through the garden earlier this week and found very nice stands of spiderwort and columbine. The delicate flowers of the fringe tree were really spectacular.

At the end of this month, Randolph College will honor the person who made all of this possible by renaming the site the Dorothy Crandall Bliss Botanic Garden. It is certainly a fitting tribute to her dedication and efforts over the years, which resulted in a real treasure for us all.

Take a few minutes for a visit to refresh your senses (the garden is next to the Martin Science Building, and the easiest access is from Norfolk Avenue). I guarantee that you will plan a return trip.

News and notes

--The Lynchburg Bird Club will sponsor a field trip to Staunton River Battlefield State Park on Saturday. This is a great spot to see both prothonotary and prairie warblers. We will also look for the great blue heron breeding colony along the Staunton River. Bring your binoculars, wear sturdy walking shoes and pack a picnic lunch. We will meet at 7:15 a.m. at Yellow Branch School on U.S. 29 south and return to Lynchburg in the early afternoon. For more information, call (434) 298-7773.

--The annual Memorial Day Bird Walk will take place at the Old City Cemetery on Monday, May 26. Meet just inside the main gate at 8:30 a.m. This is an easy stroll through the grounds of the cemetery and will finish before noon.