News & Events

With spring season soon upon us, it’s time to brush off those garden tools and prepare for Mother Nature’s majesty. By March of each year, she’s already hard at work rolling out a colorful carpet of wildflowers with vivid colors and sweet nectars that will lure the Monarch butterflies from now until autumn. Her gardening skills are unmatched! And her butterfly gardens are a source of inspiration to all of us would-be gardeners.

Her dazzling explosion of fiery oranges, mellow yellows, luscious lavenders, and robust reds is a springtime staple along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Johns River NC. Peak wildflower viewing in this area takes place from late April to late June, and nature lovers come out in droves to see this fabulous floral tapestry and the many winged creatures summoned by its beauty.

When it comes to those highly anticipated annual mountain wildflower displays, one thing you can count on is that each season is uniquely spectacular. Like a singular snowflake or sunset, Mother Nature whips up each bold new wildflower season with the distinction of being one of a kind. Whether she spreads her blankets of blooms across green rolling mountains or fills her mountain fields to the brim with sweet-smelling blossoms, she never presents the same display twice. From meadow to meadow, from season to season, her abundant displays are truly original works of art.

This time of year, her Blue Ridge Mountains are alive and abuzz with springtime flora. New buds and blossoms peek through the rich organic soil, their stems reach high toward the sun as fickle mountain winds tickle their petals. Their roots are nourished by mineral-rich rivers, mountain streams, and some of the most beautiful waterfalls of North Carolina, plentiful in these parts.

This ever-moving, ever-changing landscape of rushing waters and rolling hills creates a constant state of change. It’s that change that yields a beautiful diversity of mountain wildflowers that must be seen to be believed. And it’s that same diversity that attracts butterflies to the scene. After all, the experts say, a wide variety of flowers that will appeal to a wider selection of butterflies.

That’s one reason butterfly gardens are so popular in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Green thumbs abound in this fertile landscape, where mild climates and rich soil produce plants and flowers of all varieties.

Nobody paints a prettier picture across the Blue Ridge canvas than Mother Nature herself. But when you have your own little slice of heaven in the foothills, you can certainly give it a try! The NC mountain land for sale in this area is perfect for nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and flower gardeners. Most mountain homes have that nice bright sunny spot that’s perfect for a butterfly garden. That’s where you’ll want to plant a nice mix of “early bloomers” like lupine, Russell hybrids, and verbena, then mix in some aromatic beauties like purple coneflower and verbena homestead purple. And for the crowning glory, don’t forget that “banquet of nectar” known as the butterfly bush.

After a day of planting, you’ll want to sit back and breathe in the beauty of the mountains in springtime as you sip a cool lemonade on your porch and wait for your blooms burst onto the scene. It should only take a few weeks before you spot those first glorious buds. And soon your garden will become home to a kaleidoscope of delicate mountain butterflies. If you’ve planted enough of a variety, by late summer and into fall, you’ll be basking in the golden glow of your beautiful butterfly garden, now home to many more Monarchs adding a dash of zesty orange to brighten your days.

What better way to remind us that spring is a time of new beginnings than a butterfly garden – full of wonder and promise. New life. New and exciting things ahead. Spring is certainly a time of new beginnings for our neighbors in the mountain towns of Western North Carolina. This is the time of year people come shopping for NC mountain land for sale. With a reputation for unmatched beauty and that coveted mountain-river lifestyle, the Johns River NC area attracts new home-buyers each spring like butterflies to nectar.

They come for the vibrant mountain vistas. They stay for the promise of peaceful retirement living in a mountain paradise like The Coves Mountain River Club, a 3,600-acre mountain community with five miles of river frontage along the Johns River, and a Waterfall Park that features four of the most visually stunning waterfalls of North Carolina. There’s Penelope Cascading Falls (40-foot layered waterfall with splash areas, Grandfather Gorge falls (50-foot triple-tier waterfall that spills over large boulders and plunges into a pool below), Mila Cascading Falls (a dramatic stairway-like waterfall that cascades into the Johns River at Mila Park), and Highland River Falls (tumbles down a mountain hollow into the Johns River).

With such gorgeous natural surroundings, every home at The Coves enjoys a spectacular view. Custom designs range from cozy to rustic to luxurious, and there’s a variety of spacious open floor plans to choose from. The endless list of amenities at The Coves includes well-appointed equestrian stables, a hilltop swimming pool, and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

But perhaps the most unique and enticing amenity at The Coves is the beloved community garden. Known as Isabel’s Garden, this fenced English-style garden is the perfect example of what community gardening is all about. With two dozen individual plots and three communal plots for sharing, it’s ideal for growing fruits and flowers.

Remember that butterfly garden you wanted to get underway? Why not plant it at Isabel’s Garden and share the experience with your neighbors? It’s a wonderful way to bond with your fellow butterfly lovers. And if you’re lucky, they may invite you to dinner and toast your efforts with a glass of wine from the grapes they harvested at Evelyn’s Vineyard –  just one more of the many amenities at The Coves Mountain River Club that draws from Mother Nature’s majesty and makes this community one of the highest-rated in Western North Carolina.

Call us at 828-754-0700 to schedule your visit to The Coves. It’s the most sought-after gated community in the Johns River NC area, and it offers your choice of NC homes on prime NC mountain land for sale.

If you’re exploring the area for the first time, ask for our 84-page complimentary Western North Carolina Visitor’s Guide, which gives you more information about living in the foothills.