I have a real appreciation and a growing fascination for wildflowers and plants even though they are not my favorite photographic subjects.

That appreciation stems(!) from my involvement with the South Carolina Native Plant Society (SCNPS) and the Upstate Master Naturalist Association.

I find it hard to remember plant names and the many characteristics that distinguish even the most familiar ones. However, I consider myself a “student” of nature, so I keep learning at every opportunity.

Walking in the woods or on a trail with someone who knows trees and plants is, I think, the best way to learn about them. Field guides are also helpful, like Porcher/Rayner’s book, A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina.

Another great learning resource is Janie Marlow’s website that she founded — www.namethatplant.net.

If you’re in any way interested in native plants and would like to meet a fantastic group of people, then I encourage you to check out SCNPS.

If you’re interested in becoming a Master Naturalist, visit the Clemson website. It will be one of the best twelve days of your life, one day a week for twelve (12) weeks from late August to November! (Sessions tend to stay filled so sign up early in the year!) Then after graduation, keep the momentum going by joining the Upstate Master Naturalist Association -- more opportunities to learn about nature and volunteer as a Master Naturalist.

By all means visit and explore Janie’s website — namethatplant.net. She would certainly welcome your comments and feedback!

Finally, two (2) things I have definitely learned about wildflowers and plants:(1) You don’t have to go far to find great examples, and (2) the best places to find them may be in some very mundane locations. It can be absolutely amazing what is growing in a roadside “ditch,” or what you can discover in your own backyard! That’s where the field trips sponsored by the Native Plant Society have helped me and outings with the Master Naturalists. I learn something on every outing that adds to my knowledge and awareness of native and invasive plants.

I'll probably forget a large percentage of the details in a week or less, but if I keep going and seeing some of the same familiar “faces,” I just may lock in on one or two per outing.