Fall Gardener’s Corner

Fall Gardener’s Corner

Fall seemed to arrive quickly this year. Cool temperatures twenty degrees below average always get my attention.  But guess what?  The plants were expecting it! The shorter daylength was already beginning to occur and the plants were tracking its progress, slowing...
Fabulous Fungi

Fabulous Fungi

Visitors to the Reserve this season have noticed an unusual abundance and variety of mushrooms popping up everywhere, given the increase in rainfall this season.  In addition to enjoying their delightful shapes and colors, our staff have feasted on...
Summer Gardener’s Corner

Summer Gardener’s Corner

Summer on a mountain is a somewhat different when it comes to gardening.  We can continue planting thanks to slightly cooler temperatures and regular rain.  Planting in May, we sometimes actually experience drier weather, forcing us to water more often.  Adding...
Panthertown Valley by Marci Spencer

Panthertown Valley by Marci Spencer

About ten highway-miles west of Lake Toxaway on US-64 on land now bordered by Southern Highlands Reserve, developers planned to build a lodge in Panthertown Valley in the 1960s. A dam, impounding the headwaters of the Tuckasegee River, would offer guests a scenic,...