Garden hospitality – attracting birds, bees and butterflies
On April 15 at 7 p.m. Dr. Rebecca Ross will share insights about the plants that thrive in our region and which also provide food and a welcome home for our pollinators. Dr. Ross is a Master Gardener and a long-time member of the Blue Ridge Wildflower Society, the Herb Society of Southwest Virginia, and the Virginia Native Plant Society. The program will be held at the Salem Museum, and is free and open to the public.
Dr. Ross was raised on her parents’ farm in Ferrum, Virginia, and spent her childhood dancing in the fields and forests with the butterflies, birds, and bees. She had her first garden at three years old, which the rabbits totally devoured.
She went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UVA, and a doctorate in Biology and Science Education from Virginia Tech. She has taught biology and other courses for the past five years at Ferrum College. Before that, she taught at Radford University, Virginia Western Community College, Cave Spring High School, and the University of Virginia. She was Director of Educational Outreach for six years at the Fralin Biotech Center at Virginia Tech and taught Genetics and Biotechnology for 12 years for the Summer Governor’s School at Lynchburg College.
Master Gardeners help both beginning and seasoned gardeners. As an educational outreach of the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Master Gardeners are trained volunteer educators who work within their local communities to promote environmentally sound horticulture practices through sustainable landscape management. They provide communities with locally-focused educational programs, including the preservation of historic landscapes, urban tree planting, and guidance in making the natural environment accessible to all.
Note: The Salem Museum’s entrance is closing soon. Be prepared to turn off Main Street at Oakey Field. Then turn left to drive up to the Museum’s parking lot and entrance.
- Submitted by Fran Ferguson, Salem Museum Executive Director