—-Allison Rogers, Director of Education
As Halloween and peak foliage season approach, one of my favorite things to do is look for leaves while hiking at the Rye Nature Center. Not only are the colors brilliant, but there are many fun and spooky shapes that can be found along our trails.
Spooky Stop #1
Starting at the Bread Loaf Rocks, on your way towards Nanderwhere pond, it’s hard to miss the tree that is flowering to your right. This is one of my favorite, eerie trees that can be identified not only because of the rarity of the yellow flowers blooming towards the end of October, but also by the witch hat-shaped galls growing on its leaves. These conical structures are not only nature’s Halloween décor, but they also provide shelter and food for tiny insects, called aphids.
Spooky Stop #2
Continuing along the Turtle Trail, you will eventually come to the deer exclosure. Following the fence to the beech tree grove, you may notice something ghostly to your right. This frightful tree, called sassafras, has three different shaped leaves-a football shape, a mitten, and a ghost! As these leaves fall to the ground, I enjoy making haunted houses out of my old paper bags and gluing the ghost leaves in the windows. It makes for a wonderful decoration on October 31st.
Spooky Stop #3
Remaining on the Turtle Trail, follow the path all the way towards the back entrance of the garden. As you reach the gate, look up in the trees and down on the ground for the orange leaves of the tulip poplar. These leaves resemble the shape of a cat’s face and are perfect for using a hole punch to create eyes and making a natural, feline mask for your little one.
Whether you’re looking for an autumn craft or simply trying to find a flowering witch hazel, we hope you can take a hike, wearing a mask of your own.
Happy Halloween!