The Fringed Campion Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society

Who We Are

The Fringed Campion Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society was formed in 2021 by a small group from Middle Georgia who are passionate about the issues of native plant conservation, stewardship, and education. In 2025, our ~125 members hail from all over Middle Georgia, and we are active where our members are! We designed our signature native plant garden at Amerson River Park in Macon, but also have planted and maintain gardens at the Centerville Branch Library, the Old City Cemetery in downtown Macon, and two downtown planters in Milledgeville, and we provide support to the Perry Library Pollinator Project.  We schedule multiple invasive plant removals each year, often in partnership with other groups, in Macon at Amerson River Park and Rose Hill Cemetery, and in Perry at Rotary Centennial Park, but have also tackled privet and eleagnus at the Oconee River Greenway and Selma Erwin trails in Baldwin County. We have partnered with local native plant nurseries — Juniper Creek Natives in Byron and Flat Creek Natives in Perry — to host workshops on topics such as propagation, irrigation, and saving seeds. Fringed Campion members also enjoy group native plant walks along area trails. We hope that you join us at an upcoming activity!

2026-2027 Chapter Board of Directors

  • Andrew Benesh (President) 
  • Julie Savage (Vice President)
  • Jessica Plante (Secretary)
  • Donna Bennett (Treasurer)
  • Lida Hill
  • Michelle Edgar

Bylaws

Members of the Fringed Campion Chapter may view our chapter bylaws here.

Participate

The chapter board of directors meets over Zoom on the second Sunday of each month at 5:00 pm. The meeting is open to all chapter members. Contact fringedcampion@gnps.org for the zoom link.

Chapter committees accept new members at any time of the year.  Let us know your interests and skills, and we can suggest a good fit for you!  Committees include advocacy, communication, education, plant sales, propagation, plant rescue, and more.

Contact

Follow

Join

Click here to start your one year membership with the Georgia Native Plant Society.  When prompted, choose Fringed Campion (Macon) as your Chapter Affiliation.  Selecting autorenew is an effortless way to stay connected with us year after year.

Support

If you are moved to financially support the chapter and our activities, online donations of any amount are gratefully accepted at: https://fringedcampiongnps.square.site/

 

Shop Our Online Store

Official chapter merchandise can now be purchased online! The current selections include t-shirts, hoodies, coffee mugs, notebooks, and more. Each purchase supports the chapter and spreads awareness of Georgia Native Plants. Shop at: https://www.bonfire.com/store/fringed-campion-chapter-gnps/

Chapter News & Events

Boy Scout Road Native Plant Festival (Byron, GA)

Boy Scout Road Native Plant Festival (Byron, GA)

Save the Date! The Fringed Campion Chapter 2026 Native Plant Festival will be held on Saturday September 19th at Boy Scout Road Nursery. Stay tuned for details!

Volunteers to help with planning, event set up, and day of the event are needed! Email fringedcampion@gnps.org if you would like to lend a hand!

Longleaf Distilllery Informal Social

Longleaf Distilllery Informal Social

Fringed Campion Chapter is hosting a members and friends informal social at Longleaf Distillery at 664 2nd Street in downtown Macon on July 16, 2026 at 5:30 pm.
We love seeing you at our workdays and educational events, but we want to get to know each other in a space where dirt and sweat aren’t invited too!
Come out for drinks (Longleaf has mocktails too!), snacks, or just good company. Hope to see you there!
Pollinator Week BioBlitz @ Amerson River Park (Macon)

Pollinator Week BioBlitz @ Amerson River Park (Macon)

Join Fringed Campion Chapter President Andrew along with chapter members and friends in celebrating Pollinator Week at the Native Plant Garden at Amerson River Park on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 9 am for a foray into citizen science!
Here’s how it works:
At 9 am, we’ll gather at the Native Plant Garden, where we’ll help everyone learn how to use the iNaturalist app to identify and document plants and pollinators, and get some hands on practice in the garden.
Next, we’ll spread out into the park to document as many pollinators and pollinator supporting plant species as possible. It’s like a real world scavenger hunt!
Afterwards, we’ll reconvene at the garden to share what we’ve found and learn about how to verify observations on iNaturalist.
If you can, before you arrive at the park, install the iNaturalist app on your phone and create an account.Join the project here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2026-pollinator-week-bioblitz-amerson-river-park (But no worries if you don’t, we can help on Saturday!)
Check the Facebook Event Page for any last minute updates: https://www.facebook.com/events/2174934513255895

Upcoming chapter events

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