Spring Means Wildflower Walks

I know spring is here when Noblesville’s Emma St. Dennis contacts me each year to encourage nature lovers to save the dates for Spring Wildflower Walks at Blatchley Nature Study Club and Teter Organic Farm in Noblesville.

I’ve been to both grounds a handful of times, especially in the springtime when there is much nature to enjoy.

The Blatchley Clubhouse is located at 125 Boulder Drive, off of Edith Avenue, north of the historic Potter’s Bridge off of Cumberland Road in Noblesville.

A hidden gem in our community, the 15-acre sanctuary offers nature trails that wind through the property with trails overlooking the White River as well as ravines along Fox Prairie Creek, which snakes through the grounds.

The sanctuary offers some of the most diverse collection of wildflowers and plants in Indiana.

Plus, this year, one of Blatchley’s main trails, which has been closed for the past 18 months, has been repaired — using six tons of rock, stair units, 40 rebar stakes and a lot of sweat equity from volunteers — and will be open for this month’s Wildflower Walks.

Last year, Rick Towle, Noblesville Middle School science teacher and president of the Blatchley Nature Study Club in Noblesville, invited me out in 2022 during the club’s centennial celebration and before that, during the cleanup day.

This year’s Blatchley cleanup day was last Saturday morning. This year’s Spring Wildflower guided walks, to see some of the most diverse varieties of wildflowers in Indiana, are open to the community free of charge from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on two Saturdays, April 15 and 29. (The first tour will showcase early bloomers, and the second tour late bloomers. So make plans to attend both if you love nature.) Early bloomers already visible are Dutchman’s Breeches, Mayapples, Trout Lily, Bloodroof and more, according to the Blatchley Nature Study Club.

Teter Organic Farm’s Spring Wildflower Walk is 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. April 23 at the farm at 10980 E. 221st St., with guided walks at 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

In 2022, the Blatchley Nature Study Club celebrated the 100th year of the nature study club, which was founded on April 8, 1922, by Dr. Earl Brooks. The club, which is made up of individuals who share a love of nature, changed its name to The W.S. Blatchley Club to honor Indiana’s greatest naturalist, Dr. Willis Stanley Blatchley (1859-1940). The Blatchley Nature Study Club was incorporated as a nonprofit on Nov. 12, 1941. Then Brooks deeded 15 acres of land to the club for use as a sanctuary and on which to build a clubhouse on March 8, 1963. The Clubhouse (built with a generous monetary gift from Eli Lilly family) and the sanctuary was dedicated on July 18, 1965.

Blatchley Nature Study Club’s monthly meetings offer special programs that teach club members about all aspects through interesting presentations. Here are upcoming topics for the remainder of 2023: April 27, “Establishing and Maintaining a Wildlife Garden” by Nancy Tatum; May 25, “Salamanders of Indiana” by Rod Williams; June 22, “Native Herbs” by Sue Arnold; and July 27, “Indiana’s Wetland Plants” by Landon Vine. All of these programs begin at 7 p.m. at the clubhouse, with social time beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Members are encouraged to propose new members for the club with a written application, which can be requested at blatchley22@gmail.com.

Memberships range from $5 for ages 18 and younger to a $500 individual life membership.

At Teter Retreat, guests may wander the woods on their own anytime between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on April 23, with guided tours, every half hour at the listed times. Although the walking path is easy, it is not wheelchair accessible, said St. Dennis, who is coordinator of the walk. In the event of lightning or downpours, the Teter event will be canceled.

-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times Editor Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com.