While most of the places we feature on this podcast are either a state park or forest, this episode is about something a little different. Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is not just a garden or a park. It’s a sanctuary. A living, breathing tribute to Pennsylvania’s native plants and the ecosystems they support.

Founded in the early 1930s, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is the nation’s only accredited native plant museum. Today, it boasts over 700 native plant species—each one telling its own story of survival, adaptation and connection. 

This isn't your average wildflower walk. When you step onto the trails here, you're transported through time and terrain—from spring ephemerals peeking through forest floors to late summer blooms lighting up sunny meadows. The preserve’s landscape is as diverse as its mission is vital: to inspire the appreciation and use of native plants by serving as a sanctuary, nursery and educational center.

The preserve’s role in education and community outreach is unquestionable. It serves as a living classroom for children and adults alike, fostering curiosity and stewardship in the next generation of conservation-minded Pennsylvanians.

For many, a visit to Bowman’s Hill is the start of a lifelong love affair with native plants and the wild places they represent.

So whether you're a seasoned botanist, a backyard gardener, or someone who just enjoys a peaceful walk in the woods, Bowman’s Hill is for you. Because in a world that often feels loud, fast, and disconnected, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve offers something rare: a chance to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover the extraordinary beauty in the plants that have always been here. 

On this episode, I spoke with Peter Couchman. Peter is the executive director of Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve.

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Keystone Trails Association
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Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Sisters' Sunflowers

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Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis