Plant Sale Pickup and Habitat Gardening Expo

PICKUP for WILD ONES TWIN CITIES NATIVE PLANT SALE

Friday, June 3rd  | 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Wood Lake Nature Center

6710 Lake Shore Dr S, Richfield, at the outdoor amphitheater

Pickup is for plants pre-ordered through our annual native plant sale.

Please wear protective masks and observe social distancing protocol when picking up your order.  If you are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive, please contact us and we'll make arrangements for delivery to your driveway.

Wild Ones Twin Cities volunteers will be present to fill orders and answer native plant gardening questions.

And be sure to pick up a few NATIVE PLANT SIGNS when you come for your plants! 

Click here for a list of signs available.  Feel free to print a copy, fill out your order and bring it with you. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted.

You can also email us with any questions about our native plant signs.

Not picking up a native plant order? Come see us anyway if you're in the neighborhood!

There will be a limited number of ADDITIONAL PLANTS FOR SALE that day, including a variety of milkweeds, nectar plants, grasses and ferns. Check back here the evening of June 2nd for a complete list of species that will be available.

We'll also have Wild Ones Twin Cities Volunteers there with information on...

• Gardening with NATIVE PLANTS in urban and suburban yards!
• Creating HABITAT for Monarch and other Butterflies, Native Bees and Pollinators and more! 
• Preventing the spread of Jumping Worms and other invasive species!
• Becoming a MEMBER of Wild Ones and joining our community!

And to celebrate our return to live events at our Wild Ones home at Wood Lake Nature Center, we are offering 2 guided walks with a naturalist. 

Each 45 minute walk is limited to 15 attendees, and registration is required. Please sign up for only one tour so more people can attend. Thank you!

Click here to reserve your free ticket.

TOUR 1 • 3:00-3:45 pm - Forest Loop

Walk through the forest focusing on both the restored and unrestored portions of the forest.  The focus will be on woodland wildflowers, birds, and insects.  The wildflowers and shrubs of Wood Lake have for years been hit hard by white-tailed deer. This is the first winter in over 20 years that we have not observed deer so it will be interesting to see how the plants respond.

TOUR 2 • 5:00-5:45 pm - Boardwalk Loop

Walk through the east side forest looking the flowers planted and seeded in the recently restored portion of the forest by the nature play area.  We will continue onto the elevated trail that leads to the boardwalk.  This elevated section of the trail allows for nice views of water birds (herons, egrets, cormorants, several species of duck, and others) as well as painted and snapping turtles. The loop continues through forest again on the west side.

EDUCATION is our MISSION!

And we are proud to present a new set of informational resources developed by Wild Ones Twin Cities! Check them out, and look for even more new native plant and habitat gardening resources coming soon.

Favorite Native Plants for a Shady Boulevard Garden

Favorite Native Plants for a Sunny Boulevard Garden

Favorite Native Plants for Dry Shade

How to Create an Alternative Lawn

How to Create "Green Mulch" in Your Yard

Ideals for Edible Plants for Your Native Plant Garden

Keystone Species & Soft Landings

Native Plant Winter Seed Sowing

Native Shrubs to Plant after Buckthorn Removal

Native Trees for a Changing Climate (Twin Cities Urban & Suburban Areas)

A Selection of Regionally Native Vegetation for Birds

Raingarden 101

 Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Zoom Social 6:45 pm | Program 7:00 pm

In-Person & Online Meeting

Program is free and open to Wild Ones members and public, registration is required to access meeting.

We are still testing out our hybrid technology, hosting our May Meeting both online and at Wood Lake Nature Center. 

There will be LIMITED SEATING IN-PERSON for this program. If you are interested in attending at Wood Lake, please email us at info@wildonestwincities.org to reserve your spot. 

If you would like to attend on Zoom, please register here.

Living Mulch: An eco-smart technique to replace wood mulch, suppress weeds, retain moisture

Presenter: Kaitlyn O'Connor

Do you wish you could eliminate wood mulch in your gardens? If so, this event is for you! During this presentation, you'll learn more about native plants used as living mulches, including benefits, species selection, implementation, and potential challenges.

"Living mulch," also known as green mulch, is using plants to fill in spaces between other plants. These plants are usually short, spreading ground cover that occupy the lowest herbaceous niche in a garden, a niche that is often occupied by abiotic (wood, rock) mulches in more traditional garden design.

Kaitlyn O'Connor is a native plant enthusiast from the Driftless Region of Minnesota. In her professional role as a Plant Ecologist at ISG, she is responsible for integrating habitat restoration and biodiversity into the built environment to enhance ecological and sustainable design goals. Her past work as an educator and consultant for Prairie Moon Nursery and University of Wisconsin Extension has given her extensive knowledge on conservation, horticulture, native landscape design, and restoration. Outside of her professional life, she considers herself a homesteader and keeps busy with gardening, food preservation, and tending to her small flock of chickens.

And don't forget...

May 17th is also the order deadline for our annual Native Plant Sale!

See our plant sale page for more information about the Themed Collection Flats and additional favorite Wildflowers, Grasses, Shrubs & Trees available for pre-order this year.

All orders must be completed online. Payment is by credit card or check. Checks must be received by Tuesday, May 17th.

And introducing...

Native Garden Designs!

Developed as suggested planting plans for each of our Themed Collection Flats by Wild Ones Twin Cities member Andy Scott, owner of ReWild Native Gardens, LLC, check them out whether you are new to habitat gardening or just want to try something new.

FLAT A • STREET SMARTS — Hot & Dry Boulevard

.5-3’, dry, full sun, Apr-Oct  |  Short, sun-loving plants perfect for boulevard gardens or walkways, and welcoming to a diversity of native bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.

FLAT B • BUTTERFLY HATCHERY — Host & Nectar Plants

1-6’, moist, full/part sun, May-Oct  |  Host plants support caterpillars that feed on the foliage before metamorphosis, and nectar-rich wildflowers attract adult butterflies.

FLAT C • BIRD & BUMBLE BEE BANQUET — Plants for Forage & Sustenance

1-5’, dry, full/part sun, May-Oct  |  Attract birds and support native Bumble Bees with some of their favorite plants, offering 3 seasons of nutritious pollen, nectar and seeds.

FLAT D • SOFT LANDINGS — Safe Space for Beneficial Insects

1-4’, mesic, part sun/shade, May-Oct  |  Diverse native plantings under trees that provide critical shelter and habitat for one or more life cycle stages of moths, butterflies, bumble bees, beetles and fireflies.

FLAT E • DO IT IN THE SHADE — Woodland Pollinator Garden

.5-4’, mesic to moist, part/full shade, Apr-Sep  |  Support native bees and other pollinators, while a variety of foliage forms and textures add visual interest to shady areas.

Miss our April Program?

Spring into Planting with Wild Ones Twin Cities | Monthly Presentation April 2022

April Program Meeting

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Zoom Social 6:45 pm | Program 7:00 pm

In-Person & Online Meeting

Program is free and open to Wild Ones members and public, registration is required to access meeting.

We are still testing out our hybrid technology, hosting our April Meeting both online and at Wood Lake Nature Center. 

There will be LIMITED SEATING IN-PERSON for this program. If you are interested in attending at Wood Lake, please email us at info@wildonestwincities.org to reserve your spot. 

If you would like to attend on Zoom, please register here.

SPRING INTO PLANTING WITH WILD ONES TWIN CITIES

Presenter: WOTC 2022 Plant Sale Committee

Which native flowers, grasses, sedges, shrubs and trees are especially valuable for wildlife? Which will thrive in your garden conditions? Learn what to consider with us as we explore highlights from this year’s WOTC plant sale list — and provide suggestions for other great species to accompany them. Find out why and how we began creating themed collection flats, including “Hot & Dry Boulevard” and “Pollinator Shade Garden.” Bring it all together with a few simple design ideas, and get ready to host a diverse feast for your garden’s wild visitors!

Note: PLANTS will be available for pre-order beginning March 28th through May 17th. Check our 2022 plant sale page to learn more.

Want to VOLUNTEER at our plant sale pickup? Sign up here.

Want to JOIN Wild Ones Twin Cities or renew your membership? Click here!

TWO SPRING WILDFLOWER WALKS!

These special Spring Tours are MEMBER ONLY events. Please: only one ticket per member (or 2 per household membership). So that many of our members can enjoy these ephemeral walks, please only sign up for one event (either April or May). Thank you.

Not a member of Wild Ones Twin Cities? Click here to join!

Spring Wildflowers in Bloomington's Minnesota River Valley

Mound Springs Park Trail, Bloomington MN

April 10 Bloomington Wildflower Tour Rescheduled for May 1st.

As eager as we all are to see spring wildflowers, this year’s bloom is running a couple weeks late compared to last year.  In light of this delay, we’ve moved the date of our first wildflower walk along Bloomington’s Minnesota River Valley to Sunday, May 1st. from 2:00 pm-3:30 pm.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

 If you registered for the April 10th walk but cannot make it on May 1st, please let us know so we can open additional tickets for Wild Ones Twin Cities members. Thank you—and we look forward to walking amongst the wildflowers with you soon!

Join Wild Ones Twin Cities for a guided wildflower walk with Nathalie Shanstrom down the Spur Trail toward Mound Springs Park in Bloomington.

John Crampton, Bloomington historian, will provide background information about the Native Americans, mainly Dakota, who lived along this area of the Minnesota River.

Though the forest is quite degraded, this stretch of the Minnesota River Corridor has a surprising diversity and assemblage of spring ephemerals, including, among others: wild leek, hepatica, Dutchman’s breeches, and even Snow Trillium! Snow Trillium is listed by the DNR as a “Special Concern” species, and is described by Minnesota Wildflowers as “a rare find throughout its range."

WILDFLOWERS TO LOOK FOR ALONG THE TRAIL:

• Snow Trillium
• Bloodroot
• Hepatica
• Dutchman's Breeches
• Yellow Trout Lily
• Violets
• Virginia Waterleaf
• Wild Leek

The Mounds Spring Spur Trail connects with the Bluff Trail running on the north side of Long Meadow Lake (see map for this and more Bloomington Hiking & Biking Trails).  Please be advised that the trail we'll be following runs along a creek, is unpaved (and at times very uneven), and we'll be walking downhill (and up again).  This trail is also used by bicycles.

WHAT TO BRING:  Wear good hiking shoes, bring water and binoculars if you have them.  Also, if you want to help identify wildflowers and other plants, download the app Seek, by iNaturalist on your iPhone.  It’s a great, free app.  The photos you take contribute to a large Citizen Science database. 

PARK at the intersection of 100th St E and 11th Ave S. 

Spring Wildflowers Nine Mile Creek in Bloomington

Saturday, May 7, 2022, 1:00-2:30 pm

Nine Mile Creek Trail, Bloomington, MN

Participation in this Member-Only tour is limited, so please REGISTER HERE

Join Wild Ones Twin Cities for a guided wildflower walk with Nathalie Shanstrom and other Bloomington WO members along a section of the Nine Mile Creek Trail.  

We will be hiking down to the trail along the creek, stopping at a high meadow overlooking the river.  The terrain down is fairly steep but there are steps.  Hiking is easy along the paved main trail. Nine Mile Creek Trail connects to the Minnesota River unpaved trails.  

WILDFLOWERS TO LOOK FOR ARE:

• Bloodroot
• Canada White Violet
• Downy Yellow Violet
• Jack-in-the-Pulpit
• Hoary Puccoon
• Marsh Marigolds
• Nodding Trillium
• Skunk Cabbage
• Virginia Waterleaf
• Wood Anemone

WHAT TO BRING:  Wear good hiking shoes, bring water and binoculars if you have them.  Also, if you want to help identify wildflowers and other plants, download the app Seek, by iNaturalist on your iPhone.  It’s a great, free app.  The photos you take contribute to a large Citizen Science database. 

PARK at Life Church, 2201 W 108th St, Bloomington, MN

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Join Us for a Gathering of Wild Ones Friends: Ones We Know and Those We Have Yet to Meet!

Guided Phenology Tour at Dodge Nature Center (West St. Paul) 

Saturday, March 26 • 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 pm

Cost: $10  |  Limited to 35 Attendees - Purchase your ticket HERE

It has been a long time since "Wild Ones" from across the state have gathered! So, let's get together to reconnect, share a hot beverage, take a wonderful phenology hike through Dodge Nature Center's property in West St. Paul and, most of all...have fun! 

Pete Cleary, director of environmental education, will be our guide:

"Egrets blanketed in snow or red-winged blackbirds singing? Maple trees dripping sap or opening flowers? Geese resting on the ice or fighting for nesting territory? The end of March is always a tossup when it comes to the markers that herald the arrival of spring. We’ll explore Dodge to look and listen for ourselves."

Our gathering will begin at 10:30 in the recently restored Olivia Irvine Dodge Library and History Center. We'll have a half hour to mingle, reconnect, and introduce ourselves until Pete begins his tour at 11.a.m. Over the pandemic, naturalists have been taking a deeper look into the phenology at the Dodge property and Pete will share his observations with us as he guides us through the Center's woodlands, wetlands, and restored prairie.

After our 60-90 minute tour, we will reconvene at the Library for light refreshments and more conversation. We have a lot to catch up on. We hope to see you soon!

Note: this event is limited to 35 attendees so please be sure to sign up soon! This event is being hosted by Wild Ones Twin Cities.

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Miss our March program? Watch it on our YouTube channel!

Building Habitat, Building Community | Monthly Presentation March 2022