Johnston County awards grant for improvements to Freak of Nature

The Johnston County Recreation Grant Program awarded TLC with $8,000 for improvements to the Flower Hill Nature Preserve. This funding will be used to install benches and build a small parking area, providing safer access for visitors. Other facets of the overall project include enhancing existing hiking trails, purchasing and installing a preserve sign, marking property boundaries, and developing a self-guided interpretive trail.

“Flower Hill is one of TLC’s least utilized public spaces,” said Jon Scott, TLC Land Protection Specialist. “This grant will allow us to make this area more accessible and easier to find, so more people will be able to appreciate and enjoy the unique natural habitats found in this preserve.”

Located in northern Johnston County, the Flower Hill area is important both for its ecological diversity and cultural history as a recreational gathering place for the community. The name Flower Hill comes from the abundance of Catawba rhododendron found on the steep north-facing bluffs overlooking Moccasin Creek.  Catawba rhododendron is an evergreen shrub with large pink-to-purple flowers that is more commonly found in the mountain region of North Carolina.  Flower Hill is home to the easternmost population of Catawba rhododendron in the state.

Flower Hill has a rich history dating back to the late 1930s, when the Catawba rhododendron population was first documented by famed botanist B.W. Wells, who is reputed to have called the area “a freak of nature.”  The area was strongly promoted and became well-known as a distinctive natural treasure in the region, attracting thousands of visitors annually at its height of popularity in the mid-1930s.

TLC acquired the 10 acres that make up the existing Flower Hill Preserve in 1989 with the help of civic groups and other members of the Johnston County community that were concerned this natural and historic resource may be lost to development.

Today families from the surrounding communities still gather in early May to picnic and enjoy the spectacular display of wildflowers in bloom. Traditionally, TLC leads a hike the weekend before Mother’s Day along the steep bluffs of Moccasin Creek to view the unusual mix of native species typically found only in the mountainous regions of the state. The Johnston County Recreation Grant will enhance these activities.

Catawba rhododendron at Flower Hill

To learn more about Flower Hill Preserve and download a preserve guide, click here.