Treasures at the Trails at Fontanel

by Nola Hastings

If gnomes and wildflowers bring you joy, I encourage you to visit the Trails at Fontanel, in Whites Creek. You’ll have to look closely to find the gnomes, but the wildflowers are prolific on this 2.2-mile loop. The unpaved trail leads up and over the ridge behind the Fontanel Mansion, but also connects to a mile of paved Metro Parks Greenway.

We walked this easy, albeit muddy trail, a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed seeing Virginia bluebells, Dutchman’s breeches and Fernleaf phacelia. Dutchman’s breeches were new to us, and quite interesting! According to the USDA, this native wildflower is common throughout the eastern U.S., blooming in early spring. Growing out of dense fern-like leaves the flower stalk supports clusters of fragrant, white flowers which resemble a pair of pantaloons hanging upside down. This native will grow in sun, part shade or shade but likes moist soil and is of special value to bumble bees.

The Fontanel Mansion was built in 1988 for Country Music Hall of Fame star Barbara Mandrell. Mandrell and her family lived in the 33,000 square foot log cabin from 1988 to 2002. In 2010 new owners turned the property into a tourist attraction, but late last year, the property went to auction and is now owned by multiple entities.       

Take your peeps and your pup (dogs are welcome on this trail) and go check out this hidden gem! If you’re looking for more adventure, ziplining is also an option!

The RCMGA annual picnic was a blast! The weather was absolutely perfect, and we couldn't have asked for a more welcoming backyard and garden. Thank you to our gracious hosts, Jeanie and Kevin Moll, Jeff Bayer for coordinating, and to everyone who brought a dish to share. It was a wonderful evening of fellowship and green-thumb inspiration!

Our annual Plant Sale was a huge success, selling close to $4,000 in plants! Thank you to Project Lead Becky Juanes and the dozens of volunteers who worked so hard over the last few months to make our annual fundraiser the biggest and best yet. We welcomed hundreds of shoppers and sold even more plants. Start thinking now about the plants you want to bring to next year's sale at its new home, Highland Rim AgResearch and Education Center!

Becky would like to thank all who spent hours watering, repotting, rearranging, and nursing all the seedlings in the greenhouse. With the sale moving to HR next year, even more possibilities come to mind. She would like our membership to think about a few things going forward and will be asking for your feedback shortly.

What went well?

What could be improved?

How could we get better / more widespread, public notice?

What type of plants would you like to see offered?

Would you be interested in being part of the planning committee next year?

Thanks again for everyone making this year remarkable!

Did you catch us....

...on Experience Robertson County's socials during the month of April? Experience Robertson County is the tourism face of our beloved county, connecting visitors and residents alike with the goings-on within the eleven municipalities that make up our beautiful and unique county.

The Robertson County Master Gardener Association was featured over the span of six spotlights last month. If you missed out, you can look back through their April posts and read all about RCMGA here.