Celebrating Native Plant Month

Friday, April 30th, 2021

April is ‘Native Plant Appreciation Month’ and we are very excited to celebrate this special month with you all. We have many native plants growing all around Birch Hill and we love the idea of being able to showcase them. Our first one on the list is Bee Balm. We have many variants growing all over camp, both in the perennial gardens and growing wild along the Burley Trail, around the horse stables and more! We aren’t the only ones who love Bee Balm, the birds, the bees and the butterflies love them too. We have spotted many hummingbirds enjoying its sweet nectar around camp. This fantastic flower has many medicinal uses and is also used to make earl grey tea.

BEE BALM

LADY SLIPPER

The pink lady’s slipper (also called moccasin flower) is the New Hampshire state wildflower. This stunning flower is a woodland plant, and an orchid. It is found at camp in the spring time and we have been lucky to spot them in almost every wooded area at camp, and also along the rockwalls, at the waterfront, horse stables, around the high ropes course and many more places. Lady’s slippers are protected in some areas which is necessary as they have been severely reduced in numbers due to loss of habitat. They are a delicate flower that has a symbiotic relationship with certain fungus in the forest, so often transplanting attempts are not successful. If you spot a ladyslipper we hope you will enjoy its beauty now knowing what a special flower it is!