When: February 7, 2026 @ 10:30 am
HELP US RESTORE THE LEGACY OF THIS UNIQUE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
There’s a piece of history hidden in plain sight at the Andrews Public Library. In the 80’s, a permit was granted to a Master Gardener to collect native plants from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and transplant them into a garden at the library. The garden flourished under the care of the Cherokee County Master Gardeners until about fifteen years ago, when the lead caretaker passed away. Since then, the nonnative, invasive plants have encroached on this space, shading out the special wildflowers and suppressing their growth. Though the garden looks choked out, there is hope for the wildflowers slumbering under the invaders; every few years, a lady slipper orchid fights her way through the invasive plants to send up her bloom, signaling the resilience of our native plants if we only give them the space to grow again!
Join us on Saturday, February 7th to clear non-native, invasive plants from this historic native plant garden. This workday will not only benefit the town of Andrews, but may support our WNC Wildseed Library program as it enters its second year of distributing seeds from local varieties of native plants. We hope that after uncovering the garden, we may be able to collect seeds from the resulting plants and, in turn, make them available for free at the Andrews Public Library.
All tools will be provided, but feel free to bring your own if you have them including work gloves, pruners, loppers, shovels, and handsaws. Also bring plenty of water, sun protection, warm layers, long pants, and sturdy shoes. This workday will last around 3 hours.
Please leave pets at home. This workday is weather-dependent and is open to the public. Registration is not required, but is recommended to receive a reminder email and communications about weather-related reschedulings.
Email Alina at [email protected] with any questions.
