About Carrie

A lifelong student of trees, wildflowers, and the living landscape

Carrie Japanese pine tree small for Wix.jpg

Carrie with the largest pine tree in Japan

Carrie Blair didn't always notice plants.

That changed in the early 1990s, when a friend took her to see a hillside filled with trillium and other spring wildflowers in bloom. The experience was unexpected and transformative — a realization that the natural world held far more beauty, complexity, and diversity than she had ever imagined.

From that point forward, she began paying closer attention. And what started as curiosity became a lifelong study.

A Life of Learning

Over many decades, Carrie has developed a deep knowledge of trees and plants through field exploration, botanical societies, courses, conferences, international travel, and extensive independent study.

She has spent countless hours walking in forests, meadows, and natural areas — observing, taking notes, comparing field guides, and learning from experienced botanists. Her knowledge has grown gradually through repetition, careful observation, and long-term immersion.

She is particularly strong in identifying trees, shrubs, vines, and flowering plants, and is especially skilled at recognizing trees in all seasons — including winter — using structural clues such as bark, buds, and branching patterns.

400-year-old Chinquapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) in Luray, Virginia

Botanical Travels and Garden Tours

Carrie’s study of plants has extended far beyond her home landscape. Over the years, she has traveled widely to observe plants in different climates, cultures, and ecosystems. According to her, “My hobby is identifying plants wherever I go.”

Many of these travels have taken place through garden tours led by horticulture and landscape architecture professor Robert McDuffie of Virginia Tech. These tours focus on the botanical and cultural character of each region, offering opportunities to study plant communities and landscape traditions around the world.

These experiences have deepened Carrie’s understanding of how landscapes function — and how they change — while reinforcing the importance of choosing plants suited to place and caring for local ecosystems.

Places Explored

North America
& Caribbean

Canada
Mexico
Cuba
Virgin Islands
Barbados
Puerto Rico
Costa Rica

Europe

England
Ireland
Scotland
Wales
The Netherlands
France
Germany
Spain
Portugal
Italy
Austria

Asia & Oceania

Japan
China
New Zealand

South America

Peru
Ecuador
Brazil
Chile

Africa

Morocco

Teaching & Sharing Knowledge

Carrie has spent many years sharing her knowledge through:

Guided plant walks
Multi-session classes
Classroom presentations
Community talks

Her teaching combines clear explanation with field-based observation. Students learn how to identify plants not only by memorizing names, but by recognizing patterns and understanding relationships.

She encourages learners to:

Ask questions
Use field guides
Observe closely
Revisit the same places across seasons

Her goal is to help students move from uncertainty to recognition, to the point where familiar trees and plants can be identified at a glance.

From Understanding to Stewardship

For Carrie, learning plants isn’t only about identification, it’s about relationship.

As people begin to recognize the plants around them, they often begin to care about them. That awareness can lead to a deeper understanding of issues such as:

Invasive plant species
Habitat loss
Land use and development decisions
Erosion and stream health
Fire risk
Climate change

Carrie believes that appreciation naturally leads to stewardship. As she says, “It’s up to all of us to improve the health of our world for future generations.”

Through Tree Lovers School, she encourages people not only to learn, but to stay engaged — whether through volunteering, supporting conservation organizations, or simply paying closer attention to the land around them.

Botanical Community & Involvement

Carrie has been actively involved in botanical and conservation communities for many years. She currently participates in several regional organizations, including:

North Carolina Native Plant Society (Land of the Sky and Oconee Bell Chapters)
Western Carolina Botanical Club
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners
Georgia Botanical Society
Tryon Garden Club
South Carolina Native Plant Society (Upstate Chapter)
MountainTrue
Conserving Carolina
Pisgah Conservancy

Explore Local Botanical Organizations

Past Memberships & Affiliations

Earlier in her work, Carrie was involved with botanical and conservation organizations in Virginia, where she developed much of her foundational knowledge and experience.

President and Instructor, Virginia Native Plant Society, Piedmont Chapter
Docent, State Arboretum of Virginia
Virginia Master Gardener
Virginia Master Naturalist
Front Royal/Warren County Tree Stewards
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy
Member, Maryland Native Plant Society

Current Involvement

Pearson's Falls Reopening

For the past seven years, Carrie has been actively involved with Pearson’s Falls & Glen, a nearly 300-acre botanical preserve near Saluda, North Carolina. Protected by the Tryon Garden Club since 1931, the preserve is home to more than 310 species of wildflowers, trees, shrubs, mosses, and other plants, as well as the spectacular 90-foot Pearson’s Falls waterfall.

A favorite destination for botanists, students, and nature enthusiasts, Pearson’s Falls serves as both a natural sanctuary and an outdoor classroom. Following significant damage from Hurricane Helene, extensive restoration efforts have been underway to repair trails, improve facilities, and restore the visitor experience. Carrie has contributed to these efforts in a variety of ways, including helping transplant native spring wildflowers into the preserve’s new education courtyard.

Pearson’s Falls is scheduled to reopen to the public in summer 2026 by reservation only. Visit their website to learn more about the preserve, its history, and current restoration efforts.

NCNPS 75th Anniversary

Carrie has been a member of the North Carolina Native Plant Society since 2018. Founded in 1951 as the North Carolina Wild Flower Preservation Society, the organization now supports education, cultivation, and advocacy for native plants through chapters across the state.

In 2026, NCNPS will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a statewide gathering in Pittsboro from September 25–27. The celebration will include field trips, workshops, speakers, exhibits, a plant sale, food trucks, and a 75-plant identification challenge.

Carrie is especially excited about this anniversary year as an opportunity to honor the Society’s long history while looking ahead to the future of native plant education and conservation in North Carolina.

Visit the NCNPS website to learn more about the organization and their 75th-Year Celebration.

Tree Lovers School Today

Today, Carrie lives in Brevard, Transylvania County, North Carolina, where she continues to explore the forests and landscapes of the southern Appalachians.

Through Tree Lovers School, she offers:

Plant identification classes
Guided plant walks
Classroom presentations
Property walks and assessments

She selects plant walk locations carefully, choosing sites based on what plants are present and what seasonal features — such as buds, flowers, or fruit — can best be observed at that time of year.

Her work remains grounded in the same approach that shaped her learning: time in the field, careful observation, collaborating with other botanists, and a deep curiosity about the natural world.

Carrie believes that learning to recognize plants changes how people experience where they live.

What once appeared as a uniform forest becomes a diverse and interconnected system.
Familiar places take on new meaning. Small details become visible.

Tree Lovers School exists to support that shift — from simply being
in nature to understanding it, appreciating it, and caring for it.

Explore Classes & Plant Walks

Contact Carrie