Palmetto Bluff Real Estate Company Sales Office
Office Hours
Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm
Sunday 12 - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm
Sunday 12 - 4pm
Photography by Krisztian Lonyai. Illustrated by Amanda Davis
Once there was a tree.
Summertime in the Lowcountry. Not exactly the time of year when one starts thinking about Christmas and the holiday season. Yet, there I was in a sundress and knee-high rain boots waiting on my ride—Jay Walea, director of the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy and knower of all the secret places—to take me into the wilds of Palmetto Bluff to find the perfect Christmas tree.
No, we weren’t scouting a tree to cut down for the annual tree lighting at Palmetto Bluff. We were looking for the perfect tree for our annual Christmas card. A tree that would not only bring joy and warm wishes to our friends and neighbors via mail delivery but also a kind gesture (and a bit of winter sustenance) to those we hold most dear—the wild inhabitants at the Bluff.
At 20,000 acres—with habitats ranging from maritime forests and mixed pine hardwoods to evergreen wetlands and hardwood bottoms—Palmetto Bluff is a constant hive of activity for wildlife. Sprawling live oaks, southern magnolias, eastern red cedars, and cabbage palmettos are home to white-tailed deer, eastern wild turkeys, opossums, raccoons, mink, coyotes, gray foxes, and bobcats. When the tide is high, look down low and you can see fiddler crabs and redfish. Look to the sky and you’ll find wood storks, great egrets, snowy egrets, great blue herons, tricolored herons, summer tanagers, and painted buntings.
But back to Christmas. (And the very non-winter-esque day riding around the marsh looking for the perfect tree.)
When the task was presented to me last summer, to find inspiration for the Palmetto Bluff Christmas card, the idea of giving a Christmas tree back to Mother Nature just seemed to make sense. So, with plenty of holiday spirit (and bug spray), Jay and I rode around, or rather bumped along, the backwoods of the Bluff looking for the perfect tree to present to our furry friends. And then we found it. Located on the New River marsh, about 100 yards from the dirt path we were on, was a 15-foot-tall cedar tree deep within our tidal wetland. This was it. We had found our “Wildlife Christmas Tree.”
What came next was a week’s worth of research on edible decorations followed by drying, mixing, baking, molding, popping, and stringing.
And then, it was time to trim the tree.
Gathering up the décor, I once again called on my trusty chauffeur to take me back to the woods and the marsh so we could trim our tree. (I may have also said a little prayer that it would be low tide, so carrying all the delicate ornaments would be a bit less cumbersome.) And although it was September, this particular day happened to be cool and overcast—helping just a bit to make it feel a little less like summer and more fitting of the task at hand.
Retracing our path from a few weeks prior, we made it safely to the tree (and yes, thank heavens, it was low tide), and we went to work.
Garlands of puffy white popcorn intertwined with shiny red cranberries were carefully draped on the cedar’s prickly branches. Shimmering like stained glass, vivid orange slices danced in the breeze. And just like those handmade ornaments from Christmas past that need just the right branch, the holiday-shaped birdseed ornaments were carefully placed on sturdier limbs—signaling that the buffet was now open.
That was it. Our work was done. We had taken a lonely cedar tree in the middle of the marsh, nearly inaccessible to most, and outfitted it with the most beautiful (and edible) ornaments for our furry and feathered friends (with the leftover twine used for nests in the spring).
And while last year was the inaugural year of the Palmetto Bluff Wildlife Tree, I have a strong feeling that with each passing year, the number of elves decorating the tree may grow, the ornaments may get more ornate, and, perhaps, the wildlife may get a bit plumper.
And the tree was happy.
To learn more about the Palmetto Bluff Wildlife Tree, including how to make edible ornaments for your own tree, visit: palmettobluff.com/discover/palmetto-bluff-wildlife-tree.
%GALLERY%
Photography by Summer Pagatpatan Bentley || Chocolate Labrador || Male || 9 Years Old Bentley is always happy to see anyone. He’s the fan favorite in our neighborhood and might bust down the door to see you! Bentley loves to go on a treat walk in Wilson ...
What’s more “summer” than tomatoes from the garden? Or, in Palmetto Bluff’s case–tomatoes from The Farm? We asked our newest addition to the Palmetto Bluff Club’s culinary team, Chef Beth, to share a classic summer staple from her library of recipes: Fattouche...
How did you two meet? Patti: We actually met in college but never dated. We went to Auburn University and both moved to Atlanta after graduation. He was in graduate school at Emory, and I worked as a nurse at Emory’s Children’s Hospital. Pat: Our friend grou...
Boat The Bluff: South Carolina Waterways Imagine gliding through serene, glassy waters surrounded by lush marshlands and maritime forests. Welcome to Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina—a paradise for nature enthusiasts, water sports aficionados, and anyone seekin...
Photography by Charlotte Zacharkiw The fourth of July is the highlight of the Palmetto Bluff calendar. Follow along with the Truslow family on this magical summer day. Neal and Lauren Truslow come to Palmetto Bluff as often as they can. Their kids...
Protecting Nature and History at Palmetto Bluff In the heart of South Carolina's Lowcountry lies Palmetto Bluff, a sanctuary of natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant ecosystems. Since its establishment in 2003, the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy has been dedi...
Photography by Gately Williams Cruise Control Palmetto Bluff lies at the heart of the vast network of rivers and creeks that connect the South Carolina Lowcountry’s barrier islands. A stone’s throw from the notable cultural and historic hubs of Savannah, B...
Tracy’s Journey to Palmetto Bluff Real Estate Situated in the heart of Bluffton, South Carolina, Palmetto Bluff is more than just a community—it's a place of magic and wonder. For Tracy Schyberg, a dedicated sales executive with the Palmetto Bluff Real Estate...
Enhancing Coastal Living With Lowcountry Landscaping Trends The Lowcountry lies along the southeastern coast of the United States, a region known for its breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and unique culture. From the charming streets of Charleston to the...
Palmetto Bluff Real Estate Available in Moreland Forest Nestled in the heart of the Lowcountry, Moreland Forest is a charming neighborhood known for its beautiful natural surroundings, Lowcountry architecture, and luxurious amenities. Within the lush forests ...
Learn about the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy and how we keep the vision of our land in place.
On land or water, there is an ever-evolving variety of activities.
We do not attempt to independently verify the currency, completeness, accuracy or authenticity of the data contained herein. All area measurements and calculations are approximate and should be independently verified. Data may be subject to transcription and transmission errors. Accordingly, the data is provided on an “as is” “as available” basis only and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market”. © [2023] REsides, Inc. All rights reserved. Certain information contained herein is derived from information, which is the licensed property of, and copyrighted by, REsides, Inc.