April Program

TUESDAY | APRIL 16, 2024

Unveiling the Mystery of Collecting and Propagating Spring Ephemerals

Presenter | Patrick Maun

6:30 pm Social | 7:00 pm program

Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield

Click here to join online for this hybrid program.

Spring ephemerals are the first to appear in the spring for a brief and brilliant window of magic They can also be somewhat tricky to propagate. In this presentation, Patrick Maun will go over different approaches to gathering, starting seed and division of roots. Patrick will talk about what’s worked over the years for him, and how you can start getting ready for the upcoming season.



Miss our April Program? View it HERE!



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RECRUIT A FRIEND, PLANT A SHRUB!

If you bring in a new member by May 15th to join you on your native plant journey, you will receive a free native shrub, for each member that joins, that you can pick up at the WOTC Resource Fair on May 21st at Wood Lake Nature Center.  To receive your free shrub, contact gkhalloran@gmail.com when your friend(s) joins, to pick which species of shrub you would like to receive.   Shrubs available to choose from are Saskatoon ServiceberryElderberryBlack Chokeberry and Red-Osier Dogwood.  You can learn more about the individual shrubs by clicking on their names above.

March Program

 TUESDAY | MARCH 19, 2024

Native Plant Primer + Habitat Gardening Basics

Presenter | Andy Scott, ReWild Gardens, LLC

6:30 pm Social | 7:00 pm Program

Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield

Click here to join online for this hybrid program.

So you've decided to jump into natural gardening but not sure where to start? Andy will cover native garden basics including site preparation, plant selection, planning basics and long term care to help your project succeed. He'll also highlight unique, under-utilized native species and landscape techniques that can help your garden setting become balanced and resilient.

About the Speaker:

In 2017, Andy shifted career focus to pursue his passion for nature and gardening to start his small native landscape and design business. Located in Bloomington, he utilized his own property to better understand how native plants respond to an urban garden setting and developed a natural approach to convert lawn and wasted space to wildlife-friendly gardens. These spaces support beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife while also creating healthy soil and conserving water. Education driven, Andy likes to involve his clients in all aspects of the process and helps provide resources to learn about and demystify the plant/pollinator relationships that their landscape will be fostering.

 ReWild Gardens creates natural spaces that beautify the landscape while also supporting a myriad of important native pollinator and bird species. Gardens that utilize native plants (and wildlife-friendly practices) not only provide nectar and pollen but also act as hosts for butterflies and bees – giving them support for their entire life cycle. ReWild provides planning, installation and maintenance services for new and established wildlife-friendly natural plantings in the metro area. 

Native Plant Sales in the Twin Cities Metro

MAY 18 | Wild Ones Southeast Minnesota in Northfield • FB Event

MAY 18 | City of Burnsville Native Plant Market • Details and List of Vendors

MAY 31 | Wild Ones Prairie Edge in Edina • Details and List of Vendors

JUNE 1 | Landscape Revival in Lake Elmo • Details and List of Vendors

Orders Open in March | Big River Big Woods • More details here

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RECRUIT A FRIEND, PLANT A SHRUB!

If you bring in a new member by May 15th to join you on your native plant journey, you will receive a free native shrub, for each member that joins, that you can pick up at the WOTC Resource Fair on May 21st at Wood Lake Nature Center.  To receive your free shrub, contact gkhalloran@gmail.com when your friend(s) joins, to pick which species of shrub you would like to receive.   Shrubs available to choose from are Saskatoon Serviceberry, Elderberry, Black Chokeberry and Red-Osier Dogwood.  You can learn more about the individual shrubs by clicking on their names above.

February Program

TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 20, 2024

On line presentation by Minnesota Chapters of Wild Ones

Looking Forward to a Livelier Landscape:

Indigenous plant-based landscapes. The best is yet to come…

Presenter | Alan Branhagen, Executive Director, Natural Land Institute in Illinois

7:00 pm

Click HERE for link to Zoom presentation.

Or jobs us at Wood Lake Nature Center for a WATCH PARTY!

We are members of Wild Ones because we need Nature close by to enrich our lives. This program provides some additional ideas about how we can capture the spirit of our place and bring more nature into our landscapes. Insects run the world after plants. Learn about some keystone plants to nurture more insects and create a more sustainable landscape. Know maintenance that embraces Nature to create a flourishing ecosystem: what does it take to have a diversity of bees, butterflies and moths at one’s home? Lastly, have faith in a seed, understand that plants migrate and know if you plant it they (nature!) will come. Let’s have fun and bloom where we’re planted!

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Alan Branhagen is Executive Director of the Natural Land Institute (NLI) in Rockford, Illinois: one of the nation's first land trusts. Founder, George Fell, started the legally protected concept of nature preserves beginning with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission 60 years ago. NLI is responsible for protecting over 18,000 acres of natural land, mainly in Northern Illinois.

Alan was Director of Operations at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum from 2017-2023 where he managed Horticulture, Plant Curation, and Natural Resource Management as well as its facilities of the 1,200-acre site.

Alan has a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University and a Masters of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. He is an all-around plantsman and naturalist, specializing in Birds, Butterflies, Botany, and Planning and Design with Nature. He’s authored 3 books: The Gardeners Butterfly Book, Native Plants of the Midwest and The Midwest Native Plant Primer.

Remembering Martha Flueck Rice

In January local members of Wild Ones joined family and friends to celebrate the life of Martha Flueck Rice, founder and president emeritus of Wild Ones Twin Cities chapter. Marty touched us all with her infectious smile and love of nature. We are forever grateful that she dedicated much of her life to education about our native plant community, Marty will be missed and remembered by all who knew her.