Chapters in Alabama

This tour is for WONA members only. Details about the carpool will be provided. Please request a reservation with wildonesnorthal@gmail.com.

The Holistic Garden borrowed by Soos for its next generation, goes quite well with the “Crash” House—that is the Stock Market Crash of Oct. 1929, when the house was finished. It is a Craftsman period home built of the final virgin Longleaf Pine to be harvested in the State. It seemed complimentary for an organic house as this one to have a fitting Forest.
 

In short, Chrysalis Garden was started to reverse the decades old habit of raking leaves off the property. The soils lost their fertility by losing the product that the trees produce—Carbon in the form of leaves, bark, and limbs. Here we strive to allow the Carbon Cycle to be complete—humus, or broken-down parts of trees is carefully sequestered, and turned into the soil by our best farmers—ants, worms and other insects and annelids. Voles and moles also have their part in turning the soil, so as not to destroy roots or the important natural layers of soil.
 

This long-gone lawn of grass with a few trees and shrubs has been replaced by many trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials. Some volunteered on their own (Licorice or Sweet Cicely, large leaf toothwort), others were grown from seed (American Smoke Tree, Hornbeam). But the largest portion of native plants came from rescue operations on other properties. Soos in her career as an ecologist, has sadly seen many valuable habitats put to the dozier, and was able to harvest some individuals before their erasure.
 

Chrysalis Garden stands today as a refuge of a small contingent of native plants (about 1/3 acre and 100 species) where they are freely grown and allowed to spread. It is these extras that have been used in plant sales to the public, and more are contemplated to be grown for forest restoration work. Proceeds are donated to the Land Trust of Huntsville and N AL, but more and more, they and other land protection groups will be needing plant donations.
 

Chrysalis Garden is also a Pollinator Garden and is Certified by the National Wildlife Federation. Indeed because of extensive work on Monte Sano, it was Certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat—the first in Alabama—on Earth Day 2012.
 

This June 1 st as a part of the Native Plant Symposium, Soos will guide groups of attendees through Chrysalis Garden, to familiarize participants with the key parts of a successful “restored habitat”. The only requirements, are the comfortable clothing, boots or good sturdy shoes, and notebook if desired. You are promised an adventure, from the ground all the way to the top of the tree canopy to treasure the workings of a forest. Please register for the Symposium to be held June 7th , and check that you would like to participate in the Forest Adventure.

Alabama Extension is organizing the first North Alabama Native Plant Symposium since the COVID-19 Pandemic. The event will take place at the Monte Sano Lodge and will be open to the public. Keynote speakers, guided hikes, plant keying workshops, panel discussions and a business incubator session are planned for the Symposium. The organizers are seeking corporate and non-profit sponsors to help propel this event in 2025 and beyond. Final details about the agenda and registration will be available to the public in March 2025.

Join WONA for our monthly hike at Chapman Mountain. Meet in the parking lot.

Email wildonesnorthal@gmail.com to register, or register on facebook.

Difficulty: easy

Distance: ~3 miles

Rain date: 6/10/2025 @ 3 PM

WONA Members: free

Kids 12 and under: free

Non-members: $5

Meet at the Hiker's Trailhead. Come learn about the plants of Monte Sano with us.

Email wildonesnorthal@gmail.com to register, or register on facebook.

Rain date: 7/15/2025 at 8:30 AM

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 3.4 miles

WONA members: free

Kids 12 and under: free

Guests/non-members: $5

Susan McDonald has spent her entire life gardening in USDA Hardiness Zone 7, the last 20 years in Huntsville.  For the last 12 years she has volunteered weekly in the Fern Glade of the Huntsville Botanical Garden and has served as the manager of the Fern Glade since 2018.  The Glade covers almost an acre.  It has over 80 different species of ferns growing within its borders, including about ten native Alabama ferns. She will talk about important characteristics of ferns, how to grow them in North Alabama, and which native ferns do well in home gardens.