NEW MOSS WINNER! I am delighted to announce that Moss wins again at the Fair this year. This is the second NEWS FLASH about moss because it is the second time moss takes "Best of Show." Go Green With Moss!

Moss is moving up in the world. Judges at the 15th Annual NC Mountain State Fair select mosses over flowers for BEST of SHOW for the second time. Mossin' Annie's innovative creation featuring bryophytes (mosses) in a bird bath is the winner of "Best of Show" in the 2nd session of the flower show competition this week. Last week, a "mossy" hollow log took the same top honors over all the other incredibly beautiful flower and plant entries in the 1st portion of competition.

The "Best of Show" moss bird bath is two-tiered with textures of Dicranum, Sphagnum, Thuidium, Bryum argentium and Leucobryum mirroring a mountain landscape. A healthy Carolina Hemlock seedling graces this moss garden along with a Renaissance fern. The "Best of Show" moss winners contrast each other  the first moss log reflecting mosses in a natural setting such as native restoration projects while the moss bird bath exemplifies mosses in a more formal and creative presentation.

All mosses and native plants incorporated in these blue ribbon moss creations have been rescued from high impact areas in the region supporting responsible land stewardship with environmentally-concerned developers and property owners. To further the concept of "Going Green", all the indigenous mosses used in these award-winning displays could actually become features in a sustainable landscape for year-round green. The aesthetic and practical aspects of eco-friendly mosses offer new options in landscape designs.

The flower show at the Fair is sponsored annually by the Buncombe County Master Gardener Volunteer program of the NC Cooperative Extension Service. Annie Martin is a native of Asheville and currently lives in Brevard where her home boasts her own moss garden which she started over eight years ago. She recently completed her certification as a Master Gardener Volunteer in Transylvania County. The WNC Agricultural Center is located across from the Asheville Regional Airport in Fletcher, NC. While you are visiting the fair this year, please stop by the Flower Show Tent to see this winning moss creation. Join Mossin' Annie in her quest to "Go Green With Moss."

Here is a link that might be useful: FairMossWinnerBirdBathREALWeb