Summer EVENTS

Native Plant Garden Tours for Seven Dollars

Sunday July 27, 2014, 11am - 4 pm

Map updated 7/16

Tour seven suburban yards that showcase the use of native plants in woodlands, prairies, boulevard gardens, rain gardens and lakeshore restorations. Tour locations are in the southwest metro including gardens in Wayzata, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie and Chaska.

Tickets available for purchase at 3 of the 7 tour sites or at a local Wild Ones event. Tour tickets can be purchased in advance at the Wild One's table, Pollinator Party on July 24th. More info at Pollinator Party.

Please visit our website for more information: 
www.PrairieEdge.WildOnes.org

Hope to see you there!

June 7, 2014 Landscape Revival: Native Plant Expo and Market Sponsored by The St. Paul Audubon Society and Tours of Native Yards in Merriam Park

After you visit the Native plant celebration and sales in Roseville’s Landscape Revival,  join us for two free tours organized by the Twin Cities Chapter of Wild Ones!

Tours of Native Yards in Merriam Park

Tour 1: 10:30 - 11:30 355 Cleveland Ave North, St. Paul.

Susan and Paul Damon will welcome visitors on a tour of their well-established yard planted entirely in natives. A limited number of native plants will be available free to those who come early.

Tour 2: 11:45 - 12:45 one block west, corner of Carroll Ave and Finn.

Landscape designer Meredith Cooley will lead a tour of a native garden in its 4th season. You can see some areas as they transition from original plantings.

Summer Tuesdays at NOKOMIS NATURESCAPE, Lake Nokomis

Meet at the Nokomis Naturescape Tuesday evenings in the summer,
6pm - 8pm.

Encouraging People to Connect with Nature by Growing Native Plant Gardens

The Nokomis Naturescape (NN) is the Wild Ones Twin Cities adopted native plant landscaping project. The NN is a 4-acre native planting, provides a model of sustainable landscaping, is an official Monarch Waystation and National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat site. Located on Lake Nokomis at 5001 East Nokomis Parkway, Minneapolis 55417, the NN is part of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board system. Share and expand your native plant enthusiam by gardening here. We do meet most Tuesdays, May – September from 6-8pm.

To volunteer or receive event emails, contact Vicki Bonk at 612-727-3562 or vbonk@usiwireless.com

Gardening at the Water's Edge

Speaker: Samuel Geer, reGen Land Design

This presentation will introduce shoreline gardening as a new approach to improving shorelines that prioritizes the importance of aesthetic beauty and the ecological benefits that are provided by plantings at the water’s edge.  By viewing shoreline spaces as gardening opportunities, it is possible to design beautiful gardens that appeal to a wide range of property owners, but also increase biodiversity, treat stormwater runoff, and prevent erosion.  The presentation will detail garden design alternatives to turfgrass or native restoration plantings that can be adapted to work with a diverse array of site conditions and owner preferences. 

Samuel Geer is a landscape designer and planner who focuses on sustainable site planning and resilient landscape design.

Tuesday, 7:00 pm - 8:45 pm

(socializing and setup begins at 6:30 pm)

Wood Lake Nature Center, Richfield, MN

2014 Native Plant Sale

Wild Ones Twin Cities and Prairie Edge Chapters ~ 
2014 Native Plant Sale

Our 8th Annual Native Plant Sale offers 6 collections, 3 shrubs and 6 showy favorites for pre-order. Additional plants donated by members will be for sale on the pick-up day.

2014 Native Plant Sale - Full Brochure
Detailed plant lists available on the plant sale page

2014 Native Plant Sale - Order Form

PLANT ORDER DEADLINE: Thursday, May 20th, 2014
Payment in the form of check, cash or money order must be included with order.

PICK UP DATE: Sunday, June 1, 2014

PICK UP LOCATIONS:  
South Minneapolis - 4009 Minnehaha Ave S (about a mile north of Minnehaha Falls) Noon to 3 pm  Link to Map

Chaska -  200 Pioneer Trail (front of Rainbow Foods) 1-3 pm

If you cannot make the scheduled pickup, please call our message center at 612-293-3833 or send an email to our sale coordinator, Marilyndjones@gmail.com.

PLEASE NOTE: Species may be substituted if there is a crop failure. All flat and plant reservations will be accepted in the order they are received.

Next Meeting April 15, 2014

The 2nd Annual Native Plant Landscaping - Table Topics Featuring small Question & Answer discussion groups on a variety of topics.

Have you or are you planning to use native plants in your garden and need help on plant selection and maintenance? Attend our 2nd annual Natural Landscaping Table Topics event featuring a variety of native plant topics and leaders. Participate in Question & Answer discussion sessions on your choice of topics. Hosts for each table are either professionals or have many years of experience. All participants receive $5 off purchase of a flat at our annual plant sale.

Topics and Leaders: 
Growing Monarch Habitat
Vicki Bonk, Lake Nokomis Naturescape gardening and project coordinator
Discussion of the basic principles of gardening for wildlife and the role of stewardship, with the monarch as an example species.

Vicki has served as volunteer coordinator for the Nokomis Naturescape -- a 4-acre native plant installation, for 18 years.
In this role she developed the Growing Monarch Habitat program which lead to the Minneapolis Monarch Festival, now in it's 6th year.
Both the Naturescape and her yard are certified Monarch Way Stations and National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitats.

Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden

Heather Holm, Landscape Designer & Consultant, Author 

Discussion will be on landscaping with native plants that attract pollinators, including native bees, butterflies and moths.
 

Heather has observed, photographed and researched the relationship of native plants and the pollinators they attract, recently published in her book, Pollinators of Native Plants. She is a member of Wild Ones and serves on the board of the new Prairie Edge chapter.

Landscaping with Native Trees & Shrubs 

Erik Olsen, Landscape Designer, Out Back Nursery & Landscaping 

Focuses on selecting native trees and shrubs of Minnesota that are versatile and suitable for natural landscaping in urban or suburban settings.

Erik graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Environmental Design and a Masters in Landscape Architecture in 1995. Shortly thereafter he was introduced to native plants. Erik joined Out Back Nursery & Landscaping in 1997 and began designing and installing landscapes using primarily native plants. He brings vision into his designs that merge ecological processes with horticultural practices.

Boulevards: Creating Thriving Eco-Gardens in Challenging Spaces

Roxanne Stuhr, Owner of True Nature Design 

Native plants can make great boulevard gardens and add curb appeal too. This session will focus on plant selection that follows municipal guidelines while adding beauty to your yard.  You will get a brief introduction into where to begin, and then we will talk about how to get there.

Xeriscaping: Techniques to Save Water, Time, and Money While Creating Native Habitat 

Douglas Owens-Pike, president, EnergyScapes 

Discussion will be centered around techniques presented in greater depth in his book Beautifully Sustainable.

Douglas founded EnergyScapes in 1989 with the goal of preserving and enhancing the diversity of native habitat around our homes. He completed his MS in plant ecology at the University of Washington after his BS in Environmental Sciences at UW - Green Bay. Douglas draws on the rich experience of decades devoted to transforming lawn into meadows of the most appropriate native plants.

Shade: Woodland Edges & Naturalized Woodland Gardens 

Julia Vanatta, Native Plant Gardener, Member of Twin Cities Chapter of Wild OnesFocusing on plant selection for shade gardens along with formation of plant communities for natural woodlands gardens.

Julia joined Wild Ones when she began to learn the importance of native plants to our ecosystem. She has transitioned her shady back yard garden into plant communities that flourish and is currently redoing her front yard into an oak savanna style garden. Since 2008, Julia has led historic walking tours of Nokomis Naturescape; also speaks on gardening with native plants to local garden clubs.

Wild Ones in the Lobby 

Who are we? Chapter leaders will answer questions about our organization, plant sale, upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

Member library, book and merchandise store will also be open, check or cash only.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014 

7 pm - 8:45 pm

(socializing and setup begins at 6:30 pm)

Wood Lake Nature Center, Richfield, MN