The Tryon Garden Club recently took a look back at 2016 and all that the club accomplished.

Attendance at Pearson’s Falls increased to 24,689 visitors for the year. The Tryon Garden Club’s Pearson’s Falls education committee, under the leadership of Heidi Shull, assisted by Annie Ewing, held many programs. In February and March, Pearson’s Falls had four guided nature and wildflower walks; two docent-led walk and talks in May and October; hosted the early grades from Sunny View School in early June; hosted the Tryon Elementary School third grade for a field trip in October; and had a Polk County Free Day in November.

In addition, Tryon Garden Club produced a video entitled “Pearson’s Falls, A Beautiful Place,” written and produced by Kathy Wright, with video production by Eric Olsen, and narrated by Patrick McMillan, Ph. D. The 10-minute video explains to students and teachers the special ecology of the Pearson’s Falls Glen and its importance to Polk County and western North Carolina. The financial support for the video came from a 2016 Great Charity Challenge Grant awarded to us by the Tryon International Equestrian Center.

At Pearson’s Falls, the Tryon Garden Club’s staff including Andy Ruff, Gene Justice, Pearson’s Falls chairman Bob Tobey and volunteers, worked hard to improve the trails, refurbish the picnic shelter and build new picnic tables and benches, as well as staff the entrance gate welcoming and educating our visitors. Knowledgeable Pearson’s Falls docents gave free guided walks on request.

The garden club also is responsible for the depot garden in Tryon. Under Chairman Jackie Burke’s leadership, the garden club installed new plantings with a focus on native varieties, added plant identification labels and held two question and answer seminars for the public led by Polk County Cooperative Extension Director Scott Welborn.

This year the garden club purchased and installed a maple tree on the corner of Oak and Trade Street. The tree complements a maple tree the club planted at St. Luke’s Plaza in Tryon last year.

The Tryon Garden Club is planning activities for 2017 to commemorate their 85th year of stewardship of Pearson’s Falls. Joy Soderquist is the garden club’s historian and is delving into the archives for interesting information to share.

The Tryon Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to “foster awareness and appreciation of the natural world through preserving, protecting and treasuring Pearson’s Falls, contributing to the beautification of Tryon and educating members and the community.”

For those interested in the Tryon Garden Club, contact Donna Southworth by mail at President, Tryon Garden Club, P.O. Box 245, Tryon, NC 28782. Learn more about Pearson’s Falls at pearsonsfalls.org. or attend the garden club meeting on Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. at Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (FENCE). Pearson’s Falls is closed the month of January.

– article submitted by Lucy Brannon