Shhh! Be Vewy Quiet! We’re Hunting Bearberries!

One grey, chilly, damp Saturday morning in March, three intrepid explorers set out from Little Egg Harbor. Junior Warden Ernie Tews, Senior Warden Mary Lou Malone and Joyce Ott were on a hunt for the perfect plants to line the walkway leading from East Main Street to the main entrance of Holy Spirit. They armed themselves with a tank of gas and directions from MapQuest, then headed west on Route 539 to Jackson NJ to find Rare Find Nursery.

They traveled through the Pine Barrens areas burned last spring in the wildfire, and the areas burned this year in a controlled fashion by the NJ Forest Service. They spoke of the delicate balance between the native plants found in our area and the availability of water in the sandy soil surrounding us. The further they rode, the brighter the sky became, until the sun finally came out and blessed their mission. The three travelers encountered few difficulties with their trip until they came close to the nursery. Here the Internet directions became a little confusing: West Commodore Drive intersected West Commodore, and Patterson Road showed itself to be a dirt path. But their final arrival at the nursery was the reward.

Prior to the journey, Ernie, as Junior Warden charged with the care of our Building and Grounds, organized a committee of interested parishioners to lay the groundwork for our long-term landscaping design. Members included Frank Lofton, a certified master gardener, and experienced hobbyists. They considered factors such as the frequency of drought conditions in our region and the lack of a ready source of water for plants in our gardens. The committee concentrated first on the walkway. They recommended a combination of a low-growing, sturdy native evergreen groundcover named red bearberry and a slightly taller evergreen shrub called sand myrtle.

Both plants are native to our region. They stay green all year and require little water after the first few years. Once established, they drop their roots deeply enough into the soil to find water if drought conditions arise. Since water is not readily available so far away from the building, this is a major consideration.
Bearberry grows 6 to 12 inches high and branches trail up to 10 feet away. Flowers appear from March to July, small pinkish temple bells clustered near the ends of the branches. Red berries appear in the fall, providing food for birds and -you guessed it!- bears. Humans can eat them, but we’d find them tasteless. The plants therefore are child-safe. The branches are woody, but they are not brittle. If accidentally stepped on, they should survive.

The travelers saw these plants and literally thousands of others once they arrived. Jay Schoss, resident specialist in plants of the Pine Barrens, showed them bearberry and sand myrtle, then led them on a tour of the greenhouses. They piled onto a golf cart for a complete tour of the acres of rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, Japanese maples, hollies and other trees and shrubs growing among the pines. A planned bog garden simulating areas in the Pine Barrens showed more plants, such as the carnivorous pitcher plants and sundews, grown for sale and available in a variety of unusual color combinations.

Jay confided in our representatives that all of the plants are grown from seed or cuttings. None are dug up from the wild. And, he told us that he knew of a stand of native bearberry bushes growing partway up the entrance road to Warren Grove Bombing Range. Not anxious to be arrested as terrorist spies, our travelers opted to believe him without taking a side trip to verify his claim. They returned home with catalogues and ample information to agree that the plant choices would accomplish the goal.

Ernie and his committee plan a Spring Dig-up and Clean-up Day once they have arrived. The committee has scheduled it for May 3. Join us, honoring both Earth Day (Apr. 22) and Arbor Day (Apr. 27), and plant some bearberry bushes!