by Judy Seeley
The Native Plant Demonstration Garden at the museum is maintained by volunteers from the SC Native Plant Society, Master Gardeners of the Foothills and Upstate Master Naturalists Association. These volunteers give their time and effort to keep the garden as a showcase of SC native plants. Their work includes weeding, mulching, pruning, adding new plants, moving and removing plants to maintain the design of the garden, placing identification signs on plants, educating garden visitors and occasionally spraying the walking paths for weeds.
In 2019, volunteers repeatedly pulled a noxious, invasive water plant, floating heart (Nymphoides peltata), from the stream bed. In 2018, this plant was declared illegal in South Carolina and Pickens County is under warning from the SC Department of Plant Industries (DPI) to remove it. Volunteers continue to wade the stream checking for and pulling the plant. Unfortunately we continue to find a small number of tiny plants each year and have needed to report that to the SC Department of Plant Industries (DPI). We will continue to monitor the stream carefully and will pull any plants found. Matt Howle of DPI will also continue to monitor the stream bed and work with us as we attempt to eradicate this invasive water plant. DPI may once again be in contact with Pickens County about removing the illegal plant, possibly using chemical means, though we hope we can avoid introducing herbicides into the stream where there are many plants, including at least one rare one.
In the past year, 31 people volunteered, some dedicated to coming to every workday that occurs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday from February through November. They are: Carol Asalon, John Batson*, Betty Bishop*, Lara Bishop, Gail Brownlee, Jackie Burke, Diane Coiner, Nancy Delph, Mark Eckert, Jean Fontaine, Anita Fredman, Jon Fritz, Betsy George, David George, Anne Hall, John Landers, Steve Lewis, Jeanne Malmgren, Melissa McDow, Polly Moxley*, Cheryl Murphy, Kate Odom*, Brian Pendleton and his son John, Jenny Redwine, Rebecca Roberts, Cathy Robison*, Marti Sample*, Andrea Seeley, Judy Seeley*, and Beth Whitten. These folks come from Pickens, Anderson, and Oconee Counties. (*Indicates volunteer team leader)
Collectively the regular volunteers and the “special workday” volunteers donated a total of 375 hours since July 1, 2023. The current IRS value of volunteer hours is considered to be $33.49 per hour, making the value of these hours $12,584 to Pickens County and the Museum.
The garden volunteers participated in the first ever Pickens County Ag and Arts Day. Volunteers provided guided tours of the garden and answered questions. It was a very successful day.
Pickens County provides mulch, takes away the garden debris, provides repairs to the stream and water systems and does larger jobs which our volunteers cannot handle. This year the pump for the stream was replaced. Tabitha Johnson was an excellent liaison from the museum and we are sorry to see her go. Our volunteers also have a modest amount of funds provided by the Master Gardeners of the Foothills for new plants, signage, and incidental expenses.
We hope the County Council appreciates what an asset the Native Plant Demonstration Garden is to the Museum and to all the Pickens County community. We appreciate the ongoing support from county staff to educate the public that the garden is an informal and slightly “wild” place. I encourage you to stop by and enjoy the garden. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or comments.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy Seeley