Events

Are you a native plant newcomer? or an experienced native planter? How will A2Wild Ones connect people to native plants in 2024? Drawing from the new Wild Ones playbook, we will claim what is meaningful and focused for the new year. The results of the 2023 membership survey will also help inform our Chapter's direction as well as illustrate the power of working together for increased impact. Add your interest, intention, and insight to the leaves of our organizational tree and join us for this membership session. 

Explore how native gardening can address climate challenges in our next Wild Ones national webinar, “Cultivating Change” with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Johnson has been researching and writing about environmental issues for three decades. Learn about the pivotal role of gardening as an act of stewardship in the face of climate and ecological challenges. Discover the profound connections between individual gardens and the broader world and learn how these green spaces can serve as catalysts for positive ecological and social change.  Join Wild Ones for a practical and insightful discussion on gardening's positive impact on the environment and our future. 

Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch the talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Register only for the time you will arrive; you are welcome to stay as long as you'd like.

Join us for a hands-on habitat friendly planting workshop. Our native seeds have already been experiencing winter in the Washtenaw County Parks refrigerator and they are ready to germinate indoors OR outdoors. Indoor growing requires grow lights, big bright windows, or a greenhouse is necessary for those planning to grow these babies. Outdoor growing requires containers appropriate for Winter Sowing.

Typically, each tray or container is planted with only one species of seeds, as species generally have different growth habits that can complicate mixed-species growing. Up to daily monitoring and care is necessary.

You are thus a steward of one or more species for just a few months and a key part in our communal approach. We encourage you to return with us on the weekend of April 20-21, to the greenhouse for up-potting, mixing, and sharing. With the help of many hands, we will have access to many more species at up-potting time. Some trays may struggle to thrive, but with so many participants, we also can pretty easily absorb some tragedy without dooming our individual dreams.

Please bring (or return) your own seedling trays or other appropriate seedling containers! Please gather and bring milk-jug style containers, if you have them, to help guarantee we have plenty for everyone! We encourage attendees to bring their own native seeds or your own vegetable seeds.

Trays and domes will be available for indoor growing.

Extra milk jug style containers will be on hand for outdoor growing.

This is a donation-supported event. Please donate at the end of the event to help us continue our offerings! We want everyone to have nature, no matter their personal situation, so we suggest a donation for each tray or container you select. This community series works because of all different kinds of reciprocity, so please ask us about other ways you can give back. We are so glad to grow with you!

Orientation sessions will happen all day at the top of the hour. Stay and grow as long as you like.

Register only for the time you will arrive; you're welcome to stay as long as you'd like.

Join us for a hands-on habitat friendly planting workshop. Our native seeds have already been experiencing winter in the Washtenaw County Parks refrigerator and they are ready to germinate indoors OR outdoors. Indoor growing requires grow lights, big bright windows, or a greenhouse is necessary for those planning to grow these babies. Outdoor growing requires containers appropriate for Winter Sowing.

Typically, each tray or container is planted with only one species of seeds, as species generally have different growth habits that can complicate mixed-species growing. Up to daily monitoring and care is necessary.

You are thus a steward of one or more species for just a few months and a key part in our communal approach. We encourage you to return with us on the weekend of April 20-21, to the greenhouse for up-potting, mixing, and sharing. With the help of many hands, we will have access to many more species at up-potting time. Some trays may struggle to thrive, but with so many participants, we also can pretty easily absorb some tragedy without dooming our individual dreams.

Please bring (or return) your own seedling trays or other appropriate seedling containers! Please gather and bring milk-jug style containers, if you have them, to help guarantee we have plenty for everyone! We encourage attendees to bring their own native seeds or your own vegetable seeds.

Trays and domes will be available for indoor growing.

Extra milk jug style containers will be on hand for outdoor growing.

This is a donation-supported event. Please donate at the end of the event to help us continue our offerings! We want everyone to have nature, no matter their personal situation, so we suggest a donation for each tray or container you select. This community series works because of all different kinds of reciprocity, so please ask us about other ways you can give back. We are so glad to grow with you!

Orientation sessions will happen all day at the top of the hour. Stay and grow as long as you like.

Make your romantic dinner plans for later in the evening, and join us first for a Valentine's Day special agenda. We especially encourage you to bring spouses, friends, children, and other (human) Valentines to this visually rich meeting. It will be a lovely Wild Ones family affair!

Excerpts from Microcosmos
This glorious 1996 French film features love and other vital life activities among and between plants, insects, gastropods, amphibians, and birds. We will show selected excerpts throughout the evening. 

Pros and Cons of Various Plant Identification Phone Apps
Focusing primarily on iNaturalist and the benefits of a citizen science approach, Doug Reith from the Washtenaw County Conservation District will share helpful insights for choosing the right plant ID app for you.

Dyeing to Be Your Valentine
Through pictures, words and examples, Sandy Kunkle will share her journey into the world of color, dyes, and prints from plants. She will be joined by Jan Frank, a fellow wanderer and traveler in this world. Both Sandy and Jan, members of the Ann Arbor chapter of Wild Ones, are making plans for spring, summer, and fall dye and print research that will involve native Michigan plants and maybe even you.  

This evening is sponsored by environmental organizations such as the Ann Arbor Citizens' Climate Lobby, the Ann Arbor Wild Ones, Common Cycle, and the Huron Valley Sierra Club.

Come see old friends and meet new ones, order food or drinks from Venue (who are graciously allowing us to use their space for free), learn a bit about local eco-activism pursuits, and then, let's "trivia-ize" with our volunteer host, Jeff La Roux! All are welcome to join in the fun. We'll be forming teams of six. You needn't arrive in teams—we can help you get into a team after you arrive.

Note: It will be helpful if you can register by Feb. 8th. And please cancel your ticket if your plans change, thanks!

COHABITATION: A Dozen Native Plants for Your Yard
Understanding Their Eco-function and Exploring Their Potential as Design Assets

Presenter: Loris Damerow

Wild Ones aims to link people with native plants for a healthy planet. Loris Damerow, Ann Arbor Wild Ones Vice President, will illustrate examples of native forbs and grasses often used in home and community landscapes. These plant selections provide ecosystem service as well as beauty and visual interest.

Loris will share information for native plant newcomers, as well as inspiration for experienced native planters. Join us to expand your capacity to enjoy co-creating with nature for environmental benefit and home landscape satisfaction. 

We will also explore native plant favorites in small group discussions. What are yours? 

Registration for this event is now closed, and registrants have been emailed about attending. Please contact [email protected] if you have any issues getting in.

This will be a paid event for both in-person and remote viewing. Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch Dr. Kimmerer's talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Ecological restoration can be understood as an act of reciprocity, in return for the gifts of the earth. This talk explores the ecological and ethical imperatives of healing the damage we have inflicted on our land and waters. We trace the evolution of restoration philosophy and practice and consider how integration of indigenous knowledge can expand our understanding of restoration from the biophysical to the biocultural. Reciprocal restoration includes not only healing the land but our relationship to land. In healing the land, we are healing ourselves.

Wild Ones is excited to cohost this event with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh's Earth Week 2024 and the Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter. 

Please note the location and 6 p.m. start time.  

SPRING GLORY: A GUIDED TOUR OF EPHEMERALS IN THE REDBUD NATURE AREA

Tour Guide: Eleva Potter, Environmental Education and Engagement Coordinator

MEETING POINT: Let's gather at the Parkwood Avenue entrance to Redbud Nature Area; there is a large wooden "REDBUD NATURE AREA" sign.

Eleva Potter from Natural Area Preservation, which protects and restores Ann Arbor's natural areas, will be our guide to the special features and plant communities in the Redbud Nature Area, a five-acre preserve nestled in southeast Ann Arbor. We anticipate an evening rich in spring beauty, with trout lily, bloodroot, skunk cabbage, and wild ginger among the ephemerals we hope to see. 

Aptly named, the Redbud Nature Area includes the largest stand of redbud trees in the Ann Arbor Park system. We never tire of rejoicing in these life-giving native trees�"butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees all come to them for both pollen and nectar�"and their spring beauty, when lavender-pink blooms run up and down their limbs, is unsurpassed. Cercis canadensis usually blooms later in April, but it has already been so warm this year we may see some emerging blooms. 

The Redbud Nature Area is a vital protected area within the Malletts Creek watershed. The stream, a tributary of the Huron River, is severely impaired, with about 40% of the watershed surface land being topped with impermeable surfaces. The native forbs and trees in the preserve allow us to visualize what the watershed was historically home to, and we will hear about restoration efforts.  

Redbud Nature Area Access and Parking

There is street parking along Parkwood Avenue, which forms the eastern edge of the park, and on other nearby side streets.

The park entrance can be reached on foot by walking through the neighborhood and on bike by riding through the neighborhood streets.

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE: MATTHAEI IN MAY

Guide: Calla Butler, Native Plant Horticulturist, Matthaei Botanical Gardens

The Great Lakes Gardens at Matthaei re-create our region's natural habitats with woodlands, open dunes, alvar, and prairies. Calla Butler, Native Plant Horticulturist at Matthaei, will lead us through the early season of these native plant communities providing cues for the conditions they require to thrive. This is an opportunity to learn about both rare and familiar natives in emergent phases, to identify the cycles of their growth, and to know what plants might be suited to thriving in your own home environment. The tour ends with a visit to the beaver's handiwork on Fleming Creek. 

MEETING POINT: We'll gather in the Gateway Garden, directly east of the entrance to the Visitor Center (to the left if you are facing the Visitor Center entrance), before proceeding to the adjacent Great Lakes Gardens.

Here is a welcome message from Calla, with some of the highlights of her journey with plants!

Hi Wild Ones! My name is Calla Butler and I am the Native Plant Gardens Horticulturist at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. I started this role in March, but I previously worked at Matthaei for two years as a seasonal horticulture technician. Before Matthaei I was a Head Gardener at a landscape design and maintenance company, and I also worked as a floriculturist at the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle.

I have been working with and interested in native plants for most of my life. My mom started a native plant nursery outside of Philadelphia, so I grew up working and learning there. I feel very lucky to have had that experience, because I believe growing plants is one of the best ways to really learn, understand, and appreciate them. 

As the Native Plant Gardens Horticulturist I maintain the Great Lakes Gardens (alongside wonderful volunteers!), collect and process native seed, and propagate plants for both restoration and our native plant sale. Maintaining the Great Lakes Gardens has been a wonderful learning experience. I can't think of many gardens with such a variety of native plants�"a little over 300 species! My current favorite plant in the gardens is Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica). The blue flower is a striking color, and the fact that hummingbirds like it makes it even better!  

I hope to see many of you on the walk through the Great Lakes Gardens, where we can visit our prairie, alvar, woodland, and dune! I will discuss some of our maintenance techniques in these spaces, and we will see what's in bloom, before ending with a walk to the newly established beaver dam on Fleming Creek. See you there! 

Seed To Community May Up-Potting: Matthaei Back Hallway - Loading Dock Entrance

Join us for a fun community event where you can learn how to up-pot or plant your seedlings like a pro! Bring your seedlings or learn with a few from the community - either way, you'll leave with the knowledge and skills to keep your green friends happy and healthy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow nature lovers and grow your native gardening skills!

Don't dispair if your container looks barren, just smile and bring them anyway. Our community will happily share our bounty and send everyone home with little Seedlings.

Remember that this series is intended as a big experiment in community scaling, we are care-takers, not really owners. The organizers hope you can practice flexibility as we work through the excitement and unpredictability of nature. We will have trays and soil, water and space to work.

This is a donation supported event and we encourage all to support the cause as they can.

Take stock: Participants come together and review our available species and quantities. Train on up-potting techniques and practices. Discuss and consider equitable distribution, taking only what you need and considering others as you select.

Up-Potting: Everyone deserves nature, no matter how green their thumb currently is. Our hope is that everyone will be able to match their interest and site conditions.

Community up-potting: Unlike earlier events, we will not be up-potting everything by the end of the event. Winter Sowing containers enable seedlings to be placed directly in the ground. Up-Potting is only necessary if you or your project are trying to grow more final plants. We will help you judge. This juggling is new to us, but so exciting.

Seed To Community May Up-Potting: Matthaei Back Hallway - Loading Dock Entrance

Join us for a fun community event where you can learn how to up-pot or plant your seedlings like a pro! Bring your seedlings or learn with a few from the community - either way, you'll leave with the knowledge and skills to keep your green friends happy and healthy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow nature lovers and grow your native gardening skills!

Don't dispair if your container looks barren, just smile and bring them anyway. Our community will happily share our bounty and send everyone home with little Seedlings.

Remember that this series is intended as a big experiment in community scaling, we are care-takers, not really owners. The organizers hope you can practice flexibility as we work through the excitement and unpredictability of nature. We will have trays and soil, water and space to work.

This is a donation supported event and we encourage all to support the cause as they can.

Take stock: Participants come together and review our available species and quantities. Train on up-potting techniques and practices. Discuss and consider equitable distribution, taking only what you need and considering others as you select.

Up-Potting: Everyone deserves nature, no matter how green their thumb currently is. Our hope is that everyone will be able to match their interest and site conditions.

Community up-potting: Unlike earlier events, we will not be up-potting everything by the end of the event. Winter Sowing containers enable seedlings to be placed directly in the ground. Up-Potting is only necessary if you or your project are trying to grow more final plants. We will help you judge. This juggling is new to us, but so exciting.

Seed To Community May Up-Potting: Barn Adjacent to the Meri Lou Recreation Center

Join us for a fun community event where you can learn how to up-pot or plant your seedlings like a pro! Bring your seedlings or learn with a few from the community - either way, you'll leave with the knowledge and skills to keep your green friends happy and healthy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow nature lovers and grow your native gardening skills!

Don't despair if your container looks barren, just smile and bring them anyway. Our community will happily share our bounty and send everyone home with little Seedlings.

Remember that this series is intended as a big experiment in community scaling, we are caretakers, not really owners. The organizers hope you can practice flexibility as we work through the excitement and unpredictability of nature. We will have trays and soil, water and space to work.

This is a donation-supported event and we encourage all to support the cause as they can.

Take stock: Participants come together and review our available species and quantities. Train on up-potting techniques and practices. Discuss and consider equitable distribution, taking only what you need and considering others as you select.

Up-Potting: Everyone deserves nature, no matter how green their thumb currently is. Our hope is that everyone will be able to match their interest and site conditions.

Community up-potting: Unlike earlier events, we will not be up-potting everything by the end of the event. Winter Sowing containers enable seedlings to be placed directly in the ground. Up-Potting is only necessary if you or your project are trying to grow more final plants. We will help you judge. This juggling is new to us, but so exciting.

Seed To Community May Up-Potting: Barn Adjacent to the Meri Lou Recreation Center

Join us for a fun community event where you can learn how to up-pot or plant your seedlings like a pro! Bring your seedlings or learn with a few from the community - either way, you'll leave with the knowledge and skills to keep your green friends happy and healthy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow nature lovers and grow your native gardening skills!

Don't despair if your container looks barren, just smile and bring them anyway. Our community will happily share our bounty and send everyone home with little Seedlings.

Remember that this series is intended as a big experiment in community scaling, we are caretakers, not really owners. The organizers hope you can practice flexibility as we work through the excitement and unpredictability of nature. We will have trays and soil, water and space to work.

This is a donation-supported event and we encourage all to support the cause as they can.

Take stock: Participants come together and review our available species and quantities. Train on up-potting techniques and practices. Discuss and consider equitable distribution, taking only what you need and considering others as you select.

Up-Potting: Everyone deserves nature, no matter how green their thumb currently is. Our hope is that everyone will be able to match their interest and site conditions.

Community up-potting: Unlike earlier events, we will not be up-potting everything by the end of the event. Winter Sowing containers enable seedlings to be placed directly in the ground. Up-Potting is only necessary if you or your project are trying to grow more final plants. We will help you judge. This juggling is new to us, but so exciting.

Seed To Community May Up-Potting: Barn Adjacent to the Meri Lou Recreation Center

Join us for a fun community event where you can learn how to up-pot or plant your seedlings like a pro! Bring your seedlings or learn with a few from the community - either way, you'll leave with the knowledge and skills to keep your green friends happy and healthy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow nature lovers and grow your native gardening skills!

Don't despair if your container looks barren, just smile and bring them anyway. Our community will happily share our bounty and send everyone home with little Seedlings.

Remember that this series is intended as a big experiment in community scaling, we are caretakers, not really owners. The organizers hope you can practice flexibility as we work through the excitement and unpredictability of nature. We will have trays and soil, water and space to work.

This is a donation-supported event and we encourage all to support the cause as they can.

Take stock: Participants come together and review our available species and quantities. Train on up-potting techniques and practices. Discuss and consider equitable distribution, taking only what you need and considering others as you select.

Up-Potting: Everyone deserves nature, no matter how green their thumb currently is. Our hope is that everyone will be able to match their interest and site conditions.

Community up-potting: Unlike earlier events, we will not be up-potting everything by the end of the event. Winter Sowing containers enable seedlings to be placed directly in the ground. Up-Potting is only necessary if you or your project are trying to grow more final plants. We will help you judge. This juggling is new to us, but so exciting.

Seed To Community May Up-Potting: Barn Adjacent to the Meri Lou Recreation Center

Join us for a fun community event where you can learn how to up-pot or plant your seedlings like a pro! Bring your seedlings or learn with a few from the community - either way, you'll leave with the knowledge and skills to keep your green friends happy and healthy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow nature lovers and grow your native gardening skills!

Don't despair if your container looks barren, just smile and bring them anyway. Our community will happily share our bounty and send everyone home with little Seedlings.

Remember that this series is intended as a big experiment in community scaling, we are caretakers, not really owners. The organizers hope you can practice flexibility as we work through the excitement and unpredictability of nature. We will have trays and soil, water and space to work.

This is a donation-supported event and we encourage all to support the cause as they can.

Take stock: Participants come together and review our available species and quantities. Train on up-potting techniques and practices. Discuss and consider equitable distribution, taking only what you need and considering others as you select.

Up-Potting: Everyone deserves nature, no matter how green their thumb currently is. Our hope is that everyone will be able to match their interest and site conditions.

Community up-potting: Unlike earlier events, we will not be up-potting everything by the end of the event. Winter Sowing containers enable seedlings to be placed directly in the ground. Up-Potting is only necessary if you or your project are trying to grow more final plants. We will help you judge. This juggling is new to us, but so exciting.

Thurston Nature Center (TNC) is mostly owned by the Ann Arbor Public Schools and is used for their Science and Outdoor Education curriculum.  It is 18 acres in size, including an 7-acre pond, on the north end of Thurston Elementary School grounds.  It has several ecosystems, including a mature oak/hickory forest remnant, a tall-grass prairie, five rain gardens, and a young oak savanna/short-grass prairie.  A long-time goal was to include every significant Michigan-native tree, which has been nearly met.  More recently, we have concentrated on returning native forbs and grasses to areas we have cleared of buckthorn, honeysuckle, phragmites and many other invasives.

Jim Vallem, TNC Land Steward, will be giving us a guided tour pointing out the various ecosystems, using the route shown on the flier (bring your own copy if you wish).

Some portions of the route may be a bit muddy, so hiking boots may be appropriate.

People should park on Prairie Street near the eastern end of Renfrew Street.  We will start the tour there (Point of Interest #1 on the tour map).

Finding good sources for native plants can be a challenge, but our June member meeting will be an open house and tour at a wonderful local retail outlet.

MICHIGANENSE NATIVES: OPEN HOUSE FOR WILD ONES 

Michiganense Natives in Plymouth Township is hosting an exclusive evening open house for Wild Ones members and their guests. Visitors will have the opportunity to hear about the development of this new business, tour their new location at Greye’s Greenhouse, and purchase plants. 

Michiganense Natives is a retail store and growing yard for over 160 native species of forbs, grasses, shrubs, small trees, and aquatic plants. Adam Huttenstine, a graduate of MSU with fifteen years experience in supply chain management, brings his extensive native plant knowledge to expanding the availability of Michigan's native plants to gardeners. The Michiganense Natives website offers species lists and information about seeds, plants, and garden kits as well as installation and maintenance services.  

MEETING POINT: We’ll gather near the Michiganense Natives sign shown in the banner image on the home page of the Michiganense Natives website.

Free, but registration is required

SMALL FORESTS, BIG BENEFITS: ONLINE DISCUSSION FEATURING KEYNOTE DOUGLAS TALLAMY

This free online forum will explore the planting of dense pockets of native trees and shrubs to address biodiversity loss, tree inequity, and climate change.

Professor Douglas Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, Nature’s Best Hope, and other books and writings; Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Delaware Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology; and an honorary lifelong member of Wild Ones, will be accompanied by four panelists:

Giuliana Casimirri, Green Venture

Christine Dannhausen-Brun, Norsdon Green Earth Foundation

Maya Dutta, Biodiversity for a Livable Climate

Neelan Patil, Green Pocket Forests 

This event is co-sponsored by Wild Ones Ann Arbor and Citizens’ Climate Lobby Ann Arbor.

Roger Mourad shared his experiences developing and caring for his native plants garden, which covers his entire front yard. 

The goal of Member-to-Member garden visits (aka Show Me-Tell Me), is to allow members to share experiences, ideas, and challenges with maintaining native plants in our landscapes. 

NOTE: This event is for Ann Arbor Wild Ones members and their guests, but if you are not a member and would like to attend, please email program chairperson Loris Damerow at [email protected] with a request to join us.

This comprehensive tour of the propagation facilities at Feral Flora, a nursery and urban design company, will include its greenhouse and outdoor plant holding areas based at the co-located Green Things Farm Collective. Matt Demmon, head of landscape design and installation, will walk us through from seed collection, cleaning, stratification and sowing, to potting, and then to weeding, watering, and fertilizing. There will also be the opportunity to purchase plants.   

From the Feral Flora website

Feral Flora is a nursery and urban garden design company based in Ann Arbor serving Washtenaw County and adjacent areas. Using our understanding of natural systems, we create and steward living landscapes with a sense of place using native and nearly native plants in a naturalistic style.

Our Plant Nursery offers 180+ species of principally Michigan-genotype native perennials, grasses and sedges to retail and wholesale customers alike!

PARKING: Available near the Green Things Farm Collective Farmstand.

MEETING POINT: Please gather in the picnic area near the fence.

The goal of Member-to-Member garden visits (aka Show Me-Tell Me), is to allow members to share experiences, ideas, and challenges with maintaining native plants in our landscapes. The location of the member hosting these visits will be shared privately with the A2WO members and invited guests.

Ruth Ann Logue on Her Experiences Gardening and Nurturing Native Plants  

Our family of four moved to our little farm northeast of Ann Arbor twenty-eight years ago when we were soon to become a family of five. Our oldest daughter, then six, was horse crazy, and we took the leap to buy a place where we could keep horses, which we did for twelve years.

At one point, maybe 100 years ago, this farm had been the largest dairy farm in Washtenaw County, but it has since been subdivided many times so that now the original house and barn sit on fifteen acres. We have a photo of the “front yard” from about 1924 that shows the line of peonies the owners planted next to what was then a potato field; four of those original peonies remain.

I have been a gardener my whole adult life, and it’s been wonderful to garden in Michigan after growing up in the Deep South. Many of my beds are fairly traditional plantings where you’ll see more peonies, plus other typical perennials, interspersed with native flowers.

Our start down the native trail began in 2018 when we decided to convert an acre of lawn in front of the house into a native meadow/ prairie. Because of the size of the job and our lack of experience with this largescale project, we hired Feral Flora to do the work. We chose twenty native flowers and six native grasses to seed the acre with, and it has been a wonderful addition to our property. We did our first controlled burn in 2023.

A few years ago a friend gave me Doug Tallamy’s book, Nature’s Best Hope, and this jumpstarted our work on what we call our big pasture, approximately six acres of what had originally been cow/horse pasture but had turned into a thicket of buckthorn. Starting in 2021, we began the arduous process of trying to “cut and treat” buckthorn, quickly realizing we were outmatched!

Hiring a company with a forestry mulcher was the best solution we could come up with, so we mulched a little more than half the field—twice, with six-nine months in between. We also seeded several big sections with native mixes. Some have been more successful than others, but we keep working on it. And we’ve added at least 100 native trees, some small and some more substantial. We see this as a long-term project.

This is a joint tour with the North Oakland and Wayne County Wild Ones chapters. In addition to nurturing a beautiful butterfly/pollinator garden using native and non-native plants, John Blair has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore a prairie on a large portion of this once agricultural property. 

Enjoy Wonderful Photos of John Blair's Property 

2023 feature in Fine Gardening 

Prairie 2024, an album on flickr

John Blair on the Gardens, Prairie, and Savanna We Will Tour

I will provide a guided tour of the gardens, prairie, and savanna. There is about a half-mile trail system we can walk to view the prairie/savanna habitat. There are also three ponds that have been restored as well. You will find these teeming with life. Please be prepared for uneven ground on the trails. Hats are also recommended. The tour normally takes 1.5 hours. Folks are free to wander about and explore the property after the tour. 

For those who are not able to make the longer trail walk - You are welcome to enjoy the three very accessible pollinator gardens and relax on the provided benches. I had over 500 folks visit last summer from various Master Gardener groups, garden clubs, and nature organizations, but this will be my first visit from Wild Ones. I am looking forward to your visit!

More About the Property and Its History

After retiring and then moving to our nine-acre rural site outside Brooklyn in 2019, I got busy continuing my dream of creating large pollinator gardens and doing a restoration of a prairie and savanna area. 

We currently have three separate gardens which I like to call “Blended Gardens.” These are roughly 50% native and 50% non-native (and noninvasive) nectar sources. The purpose of these gardens is to demonstrate how folks can start their native plant journey by incorporating natives into their existing landscape alongside nectar plants they are already familiar with. The hope is that these demonstration gardens can be an inspirational gateway for those interested in learning about native plants and creating useful habitat in their own spaces. 

The prairie and savanna is a joint project through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. Basically, for landowners interested in returning their property back to native habitat, they will cover half the cost of the project. They will also partner you with an experienced biologist to guide the process and to access the necessary equipment and resources needed for the project. We entered the program in 2020, and after two years of site prep, seeded the five-acre prairie and savanna in June 2022. Since this is the third summer since it was seeded, we are expecting a spectacular year!

About the Tour

In the native plant groups on Facebook and in the Master Rain Garden group, I find that people often show photos of their new gardens, but they rarely talk about how they revise or redo older gardens. This tour will be about the whys and hows of the revisions I've done in my own garden. Members' thoughts and sharing will be welcome!

Background

Gardeners know that any garden eventually need revising. Some plants die or never do well, while others get so aggressive that they crowd out other plants. Nature has ideas about what should grow there as well, whether it be weeds or even natives that you just don't want in that garden.

I started working last year on revising five of my gardens. Two were a mix of non-native perennials that had either been there for years or that I had moved from other places and some natives. Another garden was a mostly native bed that was weedy, and the natives I had planted there hadn't done well. I also had a shady bed that had become overrun by big-leaved aster and bluestem goldenrod, both native, but the effect was not pleasant. And this year, I had to do somewhat extensive culling and weeding of my biggest rain garden. All of these revisions required some new plants, of course!

LOCATION: The address will be shared with members via email.

Explore how native plants can enhance biodiversity and support ecosystems in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “Combating the Biodiversity Crisis with Native Plants” featuring Sarah Gray and Coralie Palmer from the Indiana Native Plant Society.

Native plants are essential for maintaining biodiversity as they provide food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife, including pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects. By incorporating native plants into your landscape, you can create a thriving ecosystem that supports local fauna and flora. These plants are well-adapted to local environmental conditions, making them more resilient to climate change and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Attendees will learn how native plants can improve soil health, enhance water retention, and contribute to a more sustainable and vibrant ecosystem.

Sara and Coralie are part of the Indiana Native Plant Society (INPS) Landscaping team, and they have collaborated on diverse projects across Indiana, including native planting schemes for schools, community gardens, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the Humane Society. Their new design for Indianapolis reflects typical sub-divisions in Indiana and considers future climate challenges, such as increased flooding and hotter, drier summers. The design features resilient, native Indiana plants that thrive in local soil conditions and contribute to the ecosystem.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from leading experts in native plants! Participants will gain practical insights into native garden designs and learn how tailored landscaping can support wildlife, promote ecological balance, and help restore natural habitats. 

This is a Wild Ones Member Only - FREE private tour of the Oudolf Garden. Please arrive early. Parking is limited so please carpool. The walk will occur Rain or Shine, so please come prepared for the weather, including sunscreen/bug spray.

NOTE: You will need a State Recreation Pass for the visit to Belle Isle, this can be obtained at the entrance kiosk - Oudolf garden is included in the pass www.michigannr.com

Meredith Simpson, a volunteer with Oudolf Garden Detroit has very graciously agreed to lead Wild Ones chapters, Wayne County, North Oakland, and Ann Arbor on a tour of Ouldolf Garden Detroit.

The Ouldolf Garden project started back in 2015 as new idea by the Garden Club of Michigan, in an effort to create a significant impact in the city. Garden club members Maura Campbell, Jean Hudson and Richard Thomas then sent a “love letter from Detroit” to Piet Oudolf, and he ultimately accepted the commission. Fundraising began immediately, and fast forward several years…the Belle Isle garden was designed, installed and planted by the fall of 2020. This year, 2024, will be the fourth full growing season for Oudolf Garden Detroit.

All 3 local Wild Ones Chapters are hosting this event jointly - North Oakland, Ann Arbor, & Wayne County please contact your local chapter for carpool info

This tour features gardens at two residences a short walking distance from each other. Our hosts share a bit about their gardening journey and what we can expect to see. 

From Brooks Curtis

I live on the Old West Side of Ann Arbor on W. Washington St. Like most properties on the Old West Side, my lot is small. I started converting the front yard six years ago to native plants, and it is still a work in progress. Instead of starting in the backyard�"which is frequently recommended when transitioning to native plants�"I started in the front yard because I didn't want to hide the transformation, and I wanted people to see what can be done. Also, my wife and I spend time on our front porch (as do our neighbors), and we wanted to enjoy the flowers. 

My front yard is gets full sun and has sandy soil, and I have mostly planted plugs with some seeds thrown in for good measure. My approach is to plant random things knowing that I can always move, cut down, or dig up anything that doesn't behave. 

My yard starts blooming in late April and continues blooming until the fall. We get a decent amount of wildlife (butterflies, moths, and birds), including, unfortunately, rabbits. Our biggest joy is hearing compliments about the yard from people walking down the street. I can happily share the journey of the initial planting, which typically requires maintenance.

From Christine Golus

We've lived at our home on Dexter Ave in Ann Arbor for 40 years and have slowly transformed our property into a native garden. I inherited peonies, phlox, hostas, lily of the valley, and daylilies from the previous owners, but began incorporating native plants at least 30 years ago. 

Our neighborhood has towering black, red, and white oaks and black walnuts. A few years ago we lost three massive trees, and that gave me more opportunity to go native (more sun!). 

In addition to our backyard, we own a small landlocked triangle of land behind our house. This former grape vineyard was completely overgrown. We removed metal posts, trellis wires, an old shed, sidewalks (yes, concrete sidewalks), and invasive plants, and we work to keep this area as natural as possible. We've enjoyed seeing what will come up on its own, which includes a lovely stand of alternate leaf dogwood. 

I also volunteer for the City of Ann Arbor's Adopt-a-Median program and together with a few other volunteers planted and tend the garden at the split of Huron/Dexter (by the former Mallek Service gas station).

LOCATION: The address will be shared with members via email.

Growing native plants from seed is a rewarding experience and one of the best ways to learn about native plants. Many native plants start to produce seed in abundance come late summer. Please join us for an introduction to native seeds. Calla Butler, Native Plant Horticulturist at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, will present on the importance of seed collection, the ethics of collecting, cleaning practices, useful tools, and more. Following the presentation, we will step into the Great Lakes Gardens for a hands-on experience of harvesting seed!

Portions of the workshop's seed harvest will go to the Seeds to Community project, a collaborative program of A2WO. https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedstocommunitywashtenaw/ 

 Supplies for the workshop will be provided.

About Calla Butler

Calla Butler became the Native Plant Gardens Horticulturist at Matthaei Botanical Gardens in March 2024, after two years as a seasonal horticulture technician. She also has experience as Head Gardener at a landscape design and maintenance company and as a floriculturist at the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle. She is a lifelong native plant enthusiast.

As the Native Plant Gardens Horticulturist, Calla maintains the Great Lakes Gardens (alongside Matthaei's wonderful volunteers!), collects and processes native seed, and propagates plants for both restoration and Matthaei's native plant sale. 

Explore the ecological and aesthetic advantages of hedges and hedgerows in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “The Beauty and Benefits of Hedgerows” with Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project.

Native hedgerows are diverse plantings of woody plants from shrubs to small trees along with herbaceous groundcovers at their base.  Learn how these low-maintenance and sustainable plantings of shrubs, trees, and groundcovers can enhance biodiversity, provide critical habitats for wildlife, and contribute to climate resilience. Discover practical tips for designing and implementing hedgerows in various landscapes, from farms to urban settings, and understand their role in supporting pollinators, birds, and soil health. 

 You will also learn about Heather McCargo and the Wild Seed Project's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Portland, ME. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading expert in native plant restoration and take your landscaping skills to the next level. 

Linda Verardi on Her Property and the Tour

In October 2020, my husband and I purchased a small ranch house on 8.33 acres, primarily because I fell in love with the forest that covers about 90% of the property. In 2022, I suspected oak wilt* (Ceratocystis fagacearum), and that is when my desire to allow the land to return to nature started me on the path of forest restoration and conservation and native plants. I am still in the early stage of this journey, but some of the property has been seeded and planted up with native flora plugs and trees and shrubs. 

I am working with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) on this project, and an NRCS grant I received allowed me to hire a forester to survey plants, soil, etc. I hope to have received the several-hundred-page Forestry Plan he is crafting before this A2WO tour. I already know I have a lot of invasives, and I need help with oriental bittersweet�"it is forming a canopy and needs to come down�"and I can apply for grant money to hire a company to remediate it. 

I am eager to share my journey and my learning (although I still have a lot to learn!). Please come and spend some time with me. 

*Oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum) is a fungal disease that grows on the outer sapwood of oak trees, restricting the flow of water and nutrients.

Linda Verardi on Instagram @minativegarden

LOCATION: The address will be shared with members via email. 

LOCATION NOTE: The presentation is about Fair Lane, but is in our usual indoor meeting spot at Matthaei Botanical Gardens!

Presenter: Karen Marzonie, Director of Gardens and Grounds at Fair Lane: Home of Henry & Clara Ford

Join us for a presentation on the gardens and grounds at Fair Lane, the home of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford and his wife, Clara. The property was established in 1915 on 1,300 acres of farmland, and the 31,000-square-foot main house, completed in 1938, is a National Historic Landmark.

Part 1: An overview of the site's history and discussion of the people who shaped its once-private landscape. 

Part 2: This section will highlight current efforts to restore the buildings, gardens, and grounds for public enjoyment. 

Part 3: A description of Fair Lane's Garden Volunteer Program and opportunities for community involvement.

About Karen Marzonie

Karen Marzonie is the Director of Gardens and Grounds at Fair Lane: Home of Clara & Henry Ford. Over the past twenty years, Karen has been at the front of a broad scope of initiatives such as leading planning and restoration projects, managing service contracts, preparing and administering grants, organizing symposiums, and guiding staff, interns, and volunteers. Karen earned her Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Master's in Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan. Karen's community volunteer activity includes serving as Awards Chair for the Garden Club of Dearborn and leading the planting and maintenance of a Pollinator Garden as an advanced MSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

PARKING: Metered parking is available at Matthaei Botanical Gardens; members park for free.

Fair Lane website 

Fair Lane on Instagram  

Learn how to use high-density plantings that replicate natural ecosystems in aesthetically pleasing designs, enhancing ecological functions while reducing maintenance efforts in our upcoming Wild One's national webinar, "Matrix Landscape Design" with author, landscape designer, activist, and educator Benjamin Vogt.

Matrix planting is a landscape design approach that mimics natural ecosystems by closely planting and layering compatible perennials and grasses to cover the soil, provide more ecosystem services, and eliminate the need for wood mulch or aggressive weeding.  Join Wild Ones for a webinar to learn how author, educator, and landscape designer Benjamin Vogt applies this approach to create stunning native gardens. Learn the principles behind this method, its ecological benefits, and practical steps to implement matrix planting in your own garden. 

You will also learn about Benjamin's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Lincoln, NE. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading voice in natural garden design and take your gardening skills to the next level. Register now to secure your spot! 

Native plant gardens are representative of our relationship to the whole household of Nature. - Dan Gannon

Presenter: Dan Gannon, Park Horticulturist, Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation 

Dan Gannon will share a fresh perspective on working with the cycles of nature to maintain natural landscapes. Dan takes an approach that is economical as well as ecological, integrating creative thinking with diverse expressions of beauty. Dan will share tools tips and practices from his many years of experience working in natural landscapes.

Dan Gannon, Park Horticulturist for Washtenaw County Parks & Rec, has owned and operated farms and a native plant design/build/maintain landscape company, drawing on his education in microbial ecology. He appreciates the resilience of both Humans and Nature.

PARKING: Metered parking is available at Matthaei Botanical Gardens; members park for free.

Native plants have an incredible ability to adapt to climate extremes, offering sustainable solutions for resilient landscapes. Join Wild Ones and the Native Plant Society of Texas to explore the power of native plants to thrive in challenging conditions.

This event features Christy Ten Eyck, founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Drawing from her latest Dallas-Fort Worth native garden design, Christy will share insights into designing low-maintenance, ecologically rich spaces that withstand intense climate fluctuations.

Presenter: Nature Photographer John Metzler 

In this photo show, nature photographer John Metzer will present a sequence of the changing wildflower presence in southeast Michigan as the seasons progress from January to December.

About John Metzler 

John Metzler is a partner at applEcon, LLC, an antitrust economics firm in Ann Arbor. He got his start in photography 60 years ago with a sister's Kodak Brownie, learned to shoot 35mm on his Dad's fully-manual Minolta Rangefinder 10 years later, and switched to digital in 2004. An avid explorer of regional natural areas, John shares his pictures of various natural areas with their stewards to use as they chose. He began learning botany and native plants on Ellen Elliott Weatherbee's WedAm walking botany lectures in 2018, and he then joined the Michigan Botanical Society in 2022.

All of John's pictures are on his website, https://johnmetzler.smugmug.com/.  All are available as full resolution downloads free of charge for non-commercial use.

PARKING: Metered parking is available at Matthaei Botanical Gardens; members park for free.

Neonicotinoid insecticides, commonly known as “neonics,” have become the most widely used insecticides in the U.S., leading to drastic declines in bees, pollinators, birds, and aquatic ecosystems. In this webinar, Lucas Rhoads, Senior Attorney with NRDC’s Pesticides & Pollinators Team, will share expert insights on how neonics impact our environment and pose serious risks to human health. He’ll delve into the harms associated with neonic-treated seeds, which are a major source of contamination, and explore effective policy advocacy strategies to rein in their widespread use without disrupting farmers or landscapers.