Plant Guide
Plants in the Woodland Forest
This four-acre property is ideal for those who wish to learn more about shade-tolerant, deer-resistant plants and woodland forest garden design. This natural, low(er) maintenance, and environmentally-friendly landscape creates a retreat-like atmosphere and is a compelling alternative to a lawn (turf grass). Guests will see many native and some non-native plants, including:
Canopy Layer
Tulip poplar, White oak, Black oak, Southern red oak, Northern red oak, Red maple, Sweet Gum, Beech, Hickory, Loblolly pine, Shortleaf pine
Sub-canopy Layer (Understory)
Dogwood, Redbud, Black gum, Red cedar, Sourwood, Persimmon, Slippery elm, Sassafras, American Holly, Southern magnolia, Witch hazel, Black walnut saplings, Buckeye
Shrub Layer
Leucothoe, Hearts-a-burstin, native blueberry, Downy Arrowwood, Flame azalea, Virginia sweetspire, Daphne, Nandina, Mahonia, Rhododendron, Yew, Illicium, Sweetshrub, Forsythia
Herbaceous Layer
Christmas fern, Lady fern, Mayapple, Rattlesnake fern, Deer grass, Pussytoes, Solomon’s plume, Wild ginger, Lion’s foot, Striped wintergreen, Lyreleaf sage, Violet, Daisy fleabane, Pokeweed, Obedient plant, Virginia snakeroot, White wood aster, Firepink, Eastern red columbine, native woodland Iris, Spiderwort, River oats, native sedges, Green and gold, Ebony spleenwort
Groundcover Layer
Woods left in natural state with leaves and other decaying organic matter, moss-covered areas, and blooming ground covers including Hellebores, Pachysandra, and Myrtle
Root and Vine Layers
Virginia creeper, Greenbrier, Muscadine grape
Plants in the Food Forest
While still young (established in 2022), this 1,800 square foot, seven-layer food forest is complete with fruit- and nut-bearing trees and plants, and is already producing fresh food. The food forest features an outer and inner path for foraging and peaceful, Garden of Eden-inspired meditation walks. Guests will see many medicinal and edible plants that are able to thrive due in large part to the deer fence, including:
Canopy Layer
Red Oak, White Oak
Sub-canopy Layer (Understory)
Apple, Chickasaw Plum, Pawpaw, Persimmon, Serviceberry, Mulberry
Shrub Layer
Raspberry, Blueberry, Blackberry, Bush Cherry, Hazelnut, Elderberry
Herbaceous Layer
Ostrich Fern, Sorrel, Egyptian Walking Onion, Comfrey, Asparagus
Groundcover Layer
Strawberry, Wintergreen
Root Layer
Jerusalem Artichoke, King Stropharia (wine cap) Mushrooms
Vine Layer (Climbers)
Muscadine Grape