g Botanical Museum

Not to be confused with neighboring Bowman’s Tower, “Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is the only accredited botanical museum in the country dedicated to native plants. Unlike the many fine arboretums in our region that feature plants from around the world, the Preserve nurtures only plants native to our region. Plants that the Preserve has added over the course of many years are inventoried, catalogued, tracked and interpreted for the visiting public. Approximately sixty species that are classified as either rare, threatened or endangered are held by the Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve Association in the public trust,” according to their website, www.bhwp.org.

How did it all begin? Envision the 1930s, ninety years ago. Conservation and preservation of the natural beauty that is Bucks County was as relevant then as it is today. In the fall of 1933, W. Wilson Heinitsh worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Forest and Waters as a consultant for Washington Crossing Historic Park. Picnic grounds were in the plans. He was visiting the proposed picnic area, an untouched, peaceful, natural wooded area of the park.

Here, he happened to meet Mary K. Parry, chair of the Bucks County Federation of Women's Clubs. The two started chatting, sharing their mutual appreciation for the colorful, tranquil autumn setting that surrounded them. According to bhwp.org, “they imagined a sanctuary for Pennsylvania native plants with nature trails winding through wildflower plantings – a place where visitors could enjoy this natural splendor year-round. Both firmly believed that this area was far too beautiful to be turned into the ordinary picnic grounds proposed for the site.”

Using their positions and contacts, they got support from various Pennsylvania conservation/ legislative authorities, and ultimately, a gift from the Council for the Preservation of Natural Beauty in Pennsylvania to the Washington Crossing Park Commission was used to create Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve.

Nearly nine decades later, wildflowers–plants one would expect to see growing in open fields–represent just a fraction of what the Preserve has on offer. When you visit, you will see and learn about native plants of all sizes, from trees to shrubs, perennials to annuals. Native plants, mostly straight species, as opposed to hybrids or cultivars, grew alongside our native deer, small mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, bees and butterflies to give them the perfect habitat and food sources.

Since its inception, the Preserve has been actively managed to promote native plant diversity. To keep the meadow from reverting back to forest over time, they mow it in late winter and work hard to remove invasive

species that compete with our native plants. They have also excluded deer from most of the Preserve with a deer exclosure fence, creating one of the largest intact and deer-minimized forests in our area, a living museum of many species of native flowers, shrubs and trees that have all but disappeared elsewhere. The fencing allows deer access to the meadow area only, where they are free to browse.

The Visitor Center is the gateway to Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve. Here, a staff member or volunteer will give you all the information you need for an enjoyable visit. Pick up a Visitor Guide and Trail Map and start your adventure.

Just outside the Visitor Center is the native plant Idea Garden. See how you can use native plants to beautify your own home gardens and flower beds as well as benefit the local ecosystem. Native plants can require less maintenance than non-native garden plants because they are adapted to our local environment.

Your admission fee allows you to enjoy a self-guided tour of the Preserve and gives full access to all open areas. The five miles of trails are surfaced with gravel and linked by a paved pedestrian roadway. They wind through the forest, follow a stream, weave through wetlands and lead to the pond and meadow. Some trails are moderate, but most trails meander gently and are equally suited for a leisurely stroll or a fast-paced walk.

Guided wildflower walks are held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from April to October, from 11amnoon and/or 2pm-3pm. The website says, “see flowers and fruits in season and discover fun facts about their use. Learn about the Preserve’s history, habitats and important plant-animal interactions while enjoying the beauty along the trails. Preserve staff and volunteer naturalists lead the tours. Tours leave from the Visitor Center, weather permitting, with a minimum of two and maximum of twelve guests.” For organized group tours, contact the Preserve at 215-862-2924.

My favorite suggestion from the Preserve is, as you enter each new section, listen to the sounds of nature around you. Maybe the hammering of a woodpecker, or the sound of water rushing over the rocks will attract you. “Letting your ears dictate your wanderings can often result in a spectacular nature moment.”

Looking for a great venue to host a get-together? Look no further. The Pidcock Creek Bridge is not only one of the most often photographed bridges in Bucks County, but it also offers a magnificent view of the creek. There is a gazebo se-

wildlife; basics of botany; and how to use native plants, trees and shrubs in the garden and landscape.

“The Preserve responded to covid with virtual programming and saw a huge increase in participation from people living both in our local area and all over the world,” Executive Director Peter Couchman told me. A grant was awarded to purchase technology equipment so they can stream and better capture video and audio. Programs are a hybrid of in-person and virtual. Another silver lining to covid is that people discovered the Preserve when looking for a safe outdoor space to visit.

The Preserve is excited to re-engage with the community through their creative children’s and family programs, such as falconry demonstrations, wreath making, and how-to-draw classes. For landscape professionals and homeowners, they offer a Land Ethics Symposium. Most offerings that are available in person are also available via Zoom. Here are a few examples of upcoming classes that embody the Preserve’s vision:

Invasive Species ID & Management

What is an invasive plant? What problems do invasive plants cause? Identify the most common and troublesome invasive plant species in the Delaware Valley region. You will also learn about several alternatives for control of these exotic intruders, many without the use of chemicals.

Knowing Native Plants: Meadow

Discover the Preserve’s four-acre meadow. This program will introduce you to native plants that thrive in a meadow habitat, including wildflowers, grasses, sedges and rushes. Learn what defines a meadow, the benefits it provides, meadow successional stages, the actions necessary to maintain a meadow and the animals that depend on this type of ecosystem. Find out why it is important to plant native species and avoid non-native ornamentals that may escape from cultivation.

Why grow native plants? They attract

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plants throughout our region while creating an easily sustainable and care-free garden. The nursery is staffed by gardeners and naturalists to answer questions and help you choose the native plants that will grow best in your garden. Free resource material is also available, including native plant recommendations for your specific growing conditions. The plant sales area also features suggested native plant combinations and demonstration gardens.

What does the future hold for Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve? Currently, the Preserve has a forest therapy pilot program–remember shinrin-yoku, forest bathing–for children with special sensory needs. It is the only organization of its kind trying to link special needs with forest therapy, with hopes of using this type of program for other cognitive issues such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and PTSD.

The Preserve is looking to bring in climate change education. Executive Director Peter Couchman feels it is crucial to talk about hundred-year storms happening a few times in a decade (think Hurricanes Sandy and Ida), the increase in tornado activity in our area, and the impact of how human activity affects the ecosystem (think deer overpopulation). “The impact of a community working together making small efforts can enact great change,” he says. “People are thirsty for ecologically responsible education to support a healthy planet, to use that information in their own gardens, and engage with their own landscapes in a meaningful way.”

Visit the website bhwp.org for any information you need or questions you have. Or better yet just go visit the Preserve. Take a walk, take a tour, take a class, buy some native plants. Bring home the Preserve’s vision of “stewardship” – the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care. v

Lori Rose, the Midnight Gardener, is a Temple University Certified Master Home Gardener and member of GardenComm: Garden Communicators International. She has gardened since childhood and has been writing about gardening

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