September Wildflower Walk
The Depot 510 Riverview Ave, Fries, Virginia 24330
Nan Chase
Milkweed
FRIES—The town of Fries, Va., will host a wildflower walk on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 9:30 a.m. to highlight the wonders of fall-blooming wildflowers. There is no charge for admission and no registration required. Just show up. The starting point is The Depot in downtown Fries, 510Riverview Ave.
The wildflower walk is led by local naturalist Ashley DeCarme, who has studied native Appalachian plant life and currently teaches environmental studies at Grayson County (Va.)High School. She will be concentrating on the identification of such beautiful fall wildflowers as touch-me-not, Joe-Pye-weed, cardinal flower, mullein, ironweed, asters, goldenrod and many others.
“We tend to think of all wildflowers as blooming in the spring,” says Fries tourism director Nan Chase, “but the fall wildflower blooms are in some respects even more impressive. They have had all summer to put on growth, so many of them are quite tall. The brilliant colors are garish and continue to attract birds and insects through the first frost. The pace of the wildflower walk will be leisurely, in order to stop frequently along the way and learn about the various wildflowers that bloom in autumn and the bird, animal and insect life they support. Organizers of the walk will supply a souvenir checklist for plant identification.
For information contact Nan Chase at friesevents@gmail.com or 276-235-9294. For lodgingoptions see www.friesva.com.