Events Calendar

Saturday, Jan 4th  10:00am - 12:30pm @ Bethlehem Public Library 451 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054 join us for Native Seed Packaging.  Come and help package surplus from the Seed Swap. Seeds will be donated to libraries across counties served by WOCRNY.  If you have time, join for lunch afterwards (pay your own).

 Grab a soothing beverage and maybe lunch, and join fellow Wild Ones Members and potential members for relaxed chat about Native Plants, and Healthy Ecosystems. Professor Java makes glorious coffee.  

Wednesday, January 8th 6:30-8:00pm join us for a zoom Quarterly Membership Meeting.  2025 is the “year of the membership” Join members and discuss the direction of the chapter.  Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

It’s easy and far less expensive to grow a pollinator garden from seed! This workshop will show you a simple way to start growing your own native plants. You will leave with a few seed plugs you can overwinter and plant after germination next year. Potting soil and seeds will be provided. Prepare to get a little messy!

Suggested items to bring:
3 or 4 toilet paper tubes (just the cardboard inserts)
Gloves

Class size is limited to 10 people. Please register online.

Location:
Dutcher Community Room

Saturday, 11th 1-3pm (inclement weather date Sunday 12th). Join Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center, Friends of Thacher, and Wild Ones as we host the first Native Plant Sale Kick-Off Social to be held at the Nature Center (87 Nature Center Way, Voorheesville, NY 12186 (518) 872-0800 ).  Come join us if you have volunteered to or are thinking of volunteering for the Annual Native Plant Sale to be held May 17, 2025.  There are so many ways to become involved, come and join this dedicated group of volunteers and see what’s right for you! Please register here, to be notified in case of a weather event.

Tuesday Jan 14 6:30 - 8:00pm Flower & Garden Expo planning meeting via zoom.  All interested members are welcome to share their planning ideas re: developing a display about host plants for pollinators at the HVCC Flower & Garden Expo (3/28-3/30).  Also, we can definitely use your help with greeting the public at our information table, where we will have a display about host plants for pollinators to attract people and information on Wild Ones membership to share. Please email [email protected] for zoom invite or to express interest in sitting a shift (free admission).

All interested members are welcome to share their ideas on how to raise awareness and make cultural changes to increase native plants in our communities. This is a new committee and we're eager to hear your thoughts! 

Saturday, 18 10am -11:30am (inclement weather 1/19/2025). Join presenter Martie Teumim for It’s All Greek to Me - Understanding Latin Botanical Names at The Kelly Adirondack Center (897 St. David’s Lane Niskayuna, NY 12309).  In this fun presentation with powerpoint, you will learn the parts of a botanical name and how to pronounce them, as well as why it is much better to use a botanical name rather than the common or vernacular name. Please register here in case of inclement weather.

We welcome our members, their guests, and anyone who likes to discuss and share their stories of native plants and ecological landscaping. Jennifer Michelle of GreenTown Consulting will lead our group in delightful conversations about current and relevant topics. Please use the registration link to sign up for the Zoom link and submit any topics/questions that you might have. Then share this event with others so we always have a lively group!

***Comments and statements made during the forum are not a reflection of Wild Ones, our chapter, or our partners. Please note all in attendance have varying skill sets and levels. Additional research should be done outside of our forum from industry leaders. We also encourage you to bring your findings back to the group at the next event.***

Winter Sowing is an easy 30-year-old method that's revolutionized gardening in cold regions. Learn how to make mini-greenhouses out of recycled containers to grow seeds that require cold stratification. Take a fully prepared and seeded container home!

Saturday February 1st, 10am - 12:30 pm (inclement weather date Sat 2/8). Join SUNY Cobleskill Associate Professor Timothy Marten LEED AP, ASM, for Production Scale Seed Sowing and Propagation instruction utilizing the techniques, materials, and procedures for small-scale production. Learn the scarification and stratification techniques taught at the college.  If time allows, we will be transplanting grasses used for advanced level parasitic (known as holoparasites, cannot photosynthesize and depend on their hosts for food) plant production. Plants will stay to grow on in the greenhouse and part of what we do will come back to the Thacher Native Plant sale on May 17th.  Please register here in case of a weather event.

Saturday 1st, 1:00pm - 2:30 pm.  Join Forest Technician Erik Heidenfelder on the SUNY Cobleskill Campus for Seed harvesting of the Eastern Redbud trees.  This program will include an educational talk on the native members of the legume family of trees (Fabaceae) in NY and the importance of their propagation moving into New York’s Climate-Resilient Future, and a brief demonstration of harvesting technique. We will then aid in the collection of seeds for propagation at DEC Saratoga Nursery.  We will be working on small step ladders in order to reach the seeds higher in the trees.  The DEC Saratoga Tree Nursery has been tasked to multiply the production of tree seedlings by eight by the year 2030 to fulfill the Governor’s Climate Initiative. Join Wild Ones in helping them accomplish this task.    Please register here  for  meet-up location & weather updates. 

Grab a soothing beverage and maybe lunch, and join fellow WildOnes members/potential members for relaxed chat about native plants and healthy ecosystems. Olde Bryan Inn is one of the oldest buildings in Saratoga and has a warm, cozy feel in winter. We'll meet in the room for large groups - ask for WildOnes when you come in. PARKING: on street or in the adjacent Hilton Inn parking lot. Enter the lot at the sign on Maple Ave for Hilton Inn, then turn right in the lot and drive to the end of the lot closest to the Olde Bryan Inn. (Parking for easier wheelchair accessibility is different - call the Olde Bryan Inn for details, 518-587-2990.)

If you have ever wondered how to accurately identify invasive species and safely remove them to create space for native plants to thrive, join us for this informative presentation.

 Addison Kubik, Invasive Species Education, Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator with Capital Region Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) will address how to clear your own property using the most current techniques, whether you have a suburban plot or a dozen acres. Please register to receive a Zoom link. This presentation will be recorded for future sharing 

All are welcome to join this free virtual panel discussion exploring the vital roles of native, solitary, and honeybees in pollination and biodiversity. Featuring experts Sam Droege (USGS), Dave Hunter (Crown Bees), and Dr. Lora Morandin (Pollinator Partnership), this event will discuss into the challenges pollinators face, the balance between managed and wild bees, and actionable ways to support all pollinators.

Gain insights from over 90 years of combined experience and learn how to advocate for pollinator habitats through planting native species, participating in community science, and adopting responsible management practices.

Join us for a coffee and chat with fellow gardeners who love pollinators! Share pictures of your garden and gardening goals. And learn tips from the book, Nature's Best Hope , about gardening for habitat.

Informal chat for native plant enthusiasts. Grab a beverage or lunch at the market and join the chat. Arthur's Market is a treasured landmark in the historic Stockade Area of Schenectady.  Plan to arrive early with about 10 minutes to spare to find parking and walk in.  There are a few steps up to enter the building. 

MEET-AND-HIKE CANCELLED

UPDATE: Old Maids Woods has too many downed trees blocking the path, and the backup location has large sheets of bumpy ice. The weather has not left us many places to walk this March!

ORIGINAL EVENT: Expect to see many old, large trees and practice your tree ID! Take the Campbell Road exit from I-890, Rice Road west past the pump station to Schermerhorn Road, turn left onto Schermerhorn, and cross under I-890. Park outside the National Grid gate. The preserve is slightly uphill and to the left. Bring appropriate attire for a hike and weather, and expect some hills, although we will not walk far. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667. Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation. If there is deep snow, the backup location is the nearby Great Flats Nature Trail; check here in the morning for updates.

Join us for our monthly  Leadership Team & Business Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

Public gardens hold tremendous power to influence landscaping norms and inspire change. By showcasing the beauty, functionality, and ecological value of native plants, these spaces help foster biodiversity, advocate for sustainable practices, and engage communities in environmental stewardship. 

This webinar will explore how public and demonstration gardens serve as powerful tools for native plant advocacy. Attendees will learn how gardens move beyond aesthetics to spark action—turning appreciation into engagement and inspiring participants to replicate these practices in their own communities.

We will hear insights from Nicole Machuca, Environmental Social Scientist at the Field Museum, on how public gardens influence behaviors, foster stewardship, and connect people to conservation efforts through research and community engagement. The Wild Ones Capital Region NY and the Wild Ones San Diego (CA) Chapters will share their experiences building native plant demonstration gardens and how these spaces drive community engagement, education, and advocacy. And We'll finish with a conversation exploring how public gardens create a lasting impact beyond planting day moderated by Kelly Kapuzzi, Demonstration Garden Char with the Wild Ones Hocking Hills (OH) Chapter.

Our chapter had a  display table at the Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo, held at the McDonough Sports Complex at Hudson Valley Community College, Troy.  Our table  had a colorful display about native host plants and butterflies, along with membership information. Wild Ones offered a several workshops in their listing of over fifty presentations.   16,300 people attended this Expo in 2025!

This annual Expo event includes large-scale gardens and floral-themed exhibits, and a Marketplace filled with over 190 flower and garden-themed retail exhibits, an indoor farmers market, and NYS wine tastings.  Public is charged an entry fee of $14/day if paid in advance.

All interested members are welcome to share their ideas on who to ensure native gardening is a culture change, not a fad.  Currently, this committee is focused on how to modernize town ordinances to make native gardens easier to start in communities that have strict lawn height requirements.  Register to receive a zoom link.

Grab a cuppa (or lunch) and join informal chat about native plants and related topics.  We meet in one of the rooms toward the back of Professor Java. Some chatters have asked for chat time dedicated to removing invasive plants - we'll do that, if people are interested. This is the last Cozy Chat until next fall; in summer, we connect at our Wild Ones garden tours. 

Join us for our quarterly  Membership Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

Spring wildflowers beneath beech, oak, hickory, and hemlock. We will follow the one-mile orange loop beginning and ending at the parking area. Bring appropriate attire for a hike and weather. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667. Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.

We will take the blue trail loop with a side-trip to the falls, a bit over 1mi, looking for spring ephemerals like bloodroot, wild ginger, trout lily, and hepatica. Bring appropriate attire for a hike and the weather. This is a rocky trail with some hills, so be prepared. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667. Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.

Thursday, May 8,  7pm via zoom. Join Adrian Fisher of the West Cook  Wild Ones chapter for an Advocacy Discussion.  Adrian is the chair of their advocacy committee and has a long history of advocating for native plants and other sustainability measures in her previous role as Sustainability Manager at the local community college and as a Wild Ones representative and also as a private citizen.  Register here for zoom link:  https://forms.gle/Q8m25o2MMpxMVJfe9 

Come join us for an informal discussion and information-sharing session about native plants and pollinators. It's the perfect opportunity to ask questions, get advice, and share your love of native plants and pollinators with others who totally get it! 

Saturday, May 17th from 10am - sold out @ Thacher State Park Pear Pavillion Annual Thacher Native Plant Sale join Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center, Friends of Thacher, and Wild Ones as we feature native plants that support our native bird populations by providing food, shelter, and habitat they so desperately need.

Join Wild Ones National Board President Loris Damerow for a special presentation as part of Week 3 of the 2025 Less Lawn More Life Challenge, “Native Plants Planted Right.” Loris will walk us through the basics of native plant gardening- from choosing the right plants to planting and maintaining them with confidence.

Join us on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 5 p.m. CT for the YouTube Live premiere of this 30-minute webinar. Native plant experts from  Wild Ones, Plan it Wild, Homegrown National Park, ReWild Your Campus, and others will be active in the live chat throughout the presentation and for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage! 

This event is designed for newcomers to native gardening and is part of the national Less Lawn More Life Challenge, hosted by Plan It Wild in collaboration with Wild Ones, iNaturalist, Homegrown National Park, Pollinator Partnership  and many others! 

See more about the Less Lawn More Life Challenge:  https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

Join us for our monthly  Leadership Team & Business Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

Saturday, May 24th 10:30-11:30 tabling event at Ten Broeck Mansion Family Garden and Planting Day.  Stop by and join Laura as she advocates for native garden plants. 

Camp Saratoga is a Karner Blue butterfly preserve. With any luck, we will see lots of these tiny but lovely butterflies! Lots of native plants, too - Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), and Horsemint (Monada punctata). Maybe a few native lupine (Lupinus perennis) still in bloom, too!

Saturday, May 31st 10-4pm Demonstration Garden Tabling Event @ Unity Lutheran of Albany. Join volunteers as we share our passion about native plants, Wild Ones, and the Unity Demonstration Garden.  Can you spare 2 hours?  Volunteer to sit a shift and/or come out to support our friends at Unity Lutheran for their first annual craft, vendor, and rummage sale.  1500 Western Ave, Albany NY 12203.  To volunteer for a two hour shift please register here:  https://forms.gle/zJtaAH6J4RdzJ9jR7 

We will set out from the Uncle Sam gravesite and follow the man-made lake and creek downstream, observing the John C. Sidney’s landscape design and its evolution over 175 years. Bring appropriate attire for an easy walk and the weather. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667. Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.

Join us for our monthly  Leadership Team & Business Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

Join Mid Atlantic Regional Seed Bank (MARSB) Seed Collection Coordinator John Price for a virtual training. He will cover critical topics, including the importance of native seed, wild genetics, where and how to scout, and data collection technology. The training will be recorded.

If you're interested in the training, please sign up via the MARSB volunteer sign-up page.  You'll just need to click on the heading “Seed Scouting Signups.” 

Join the meeting via this Microsoft Teams link: MARSB Volunteer Scout Training

If you have questions about the training or the program? Contact [email protected].

Come and help pot up Wild Ones Grown seedlings germinated from the Native Plant Celebration & Seed Swap.  Seedlings will be used to support various projects around the Capital Region.  If you are interested in learning transplanting and growing techniques, or would just like to help out, please email Rosemary [email protected] for details.

Limestone means alkaline soil, selecting for plants that thrive in that condition, including a healthy selection of ferns. Park along the pull-off. Bring appropriate attire for a hike and the weather. The walk will be shady. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667.  Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.

Visit Three Public Gardens Utilizing Native Plants. This tour is open to all. Wild Ones member Jennifer Michelle is serving as greeter for the tours.

10:00 AM: SoBro Conservancy of Saratoga. A docent will be on site all day. 209 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY. Please do not park in the Dunkin' lot or any of the neighboring businesses. There is street parking on Hamilton. Strike Zone (the bowling alley between Hamilton and Ballston Ave) has generously agreed to allow garden tour visitors to park there. Both options are just a short block away from SoBro, with a crosswalk signal to help you cross the Hamilton-Ballston intersection.

11:30 AM: Saratoga YMCA Pollinator Garden tour with Joy Keith. 290 West Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY. For parking, the best entrance is from West St (you may not see this on Google Maps, but it is there). Follow the perimeter of the property until you get to the furthest parking lot and park there. Walk to the pavilion (or park alongside it, if space allows) to meet for our tour.  

1:00 PM: Hudson Crossing Park at Lock C5, Schuylerville, NY. Tour with Mary Roberts  - Directions:  From Saratoga, take Route 29 to Schuylerville. Turn left at a lighted intersection onto routes 4 and 32 North. In about 1/2 mile, turn right at the Champlain Canal Lock C5 and the Hudson Crossing Park signs. Cross over the lock and continue to the parking area at the big iron gate.

No registration required, but check the website (https://capitalregionny.wildones.org/) before heading out in case of cancellation due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.

We will be installing drip irrigation into our demonstration garden.  Come use your expertise on installing drip irrigation or come to learn.  All are welcomed! Email [email protected] if you are interested in attending this evening or attending future volunteering opportunities at our Demonstration Garden. 

 The elm saplings have sprung up and the grass is creeping in.   Come join us for a fun evening of weeding.  Feel free to bring something to kneel on and gardening gloves.  Please fill out this form to let us know if you plan to join. 

Hope to see you there!

Come enjoy a walk through this lovely nature preserve filled with native plants! There will be lots to see in this small but lovely forest walk. For more info on the Orra Phelps Preserve, see:
https://saratogaplan.org/explore-parks-and-trails/orra-phelps-nature-preserve/

Sunday 13th 1-3:30 pm  join us for a brief membership meeting followed by an afternoon of creating an art collage together.  The large collages will become a traveling display (“Cultivate a Hopeful Community”).  You can also make a smaller collage to take home.  We will receive instruction from artist Kathy Zazarine on how to collage and make it appear 3D.  If you are able, please save and bring items such as empty seed packets, prints of native plants, butterflies, caterpillars, birds, pollinators, trees and some actual leaves or copies of leaves, in addition to small printed words with a conservation theme. Location is Pine Hollow Arboretum 34 Pine Hollow Rd, Slingerlands, NY 12159.  If you have time, come early or stay late to explore the beautiful grounds. 

Starting at the visitor center in the parking lot, we will walk the Native Plant Collection trail, approximately 1mi. Parking and visit are free, although Landis suggests a $5 donation per visitor. Bring appropriate attire for a hike and the weather. Parts of the walk will be sunny, although by 5:30 the shadows are long. There are minor hills, and the trails can be slippery when wet. It can be a bit buggy, but we'll have spray available. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667. Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.

What better way than to spend a Monday evening hobnobbing with fellow gardeners and adding lovely wood chips and brick edging to our lovely demonstration garden.  Jobs included are: Shoveling woodchips and transporting wheelbarrels of chips, laying newspaper/cardboard, transporting bricks and laying them on the edge.   Many hands make the work light.  Please fill out the form below to let us know that you plan to attend.  Hope to see you all there!

The closing event of this year’s Less Lawn More Life Challenge, will be led by Lisa Olsen, Chapter Liaison at Wild Ones. In this webinar, you’ll learn how small, personal actions like planting native species and removing invasives, can ripple outward to inspire neighbors, change policies, and reshape communities. 

During the premiere, native plant experts from Wild Ones and collaborating organizations will be active in the live chat. They’ll be ready to answer questions, share tips, and connect viewers with resources. The live chat will remain open for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage. Please note: You must be logged into a YouTube account to participate in the chat. 

The Less Lawn More Life Challenge is a free, 12-week action series designed to help people transform traditional lawns into vibrant, life-supporting native plant habitat. Each week, participants complete a simple challenge like planting a native shrub, removing invasives, or observing pollinators to reimagine their outdoor space and take meaningful steps toward restoring biodiversity at home. 

It’s not too late to get involved. Catch up on the weekly videos and start your rewilding journey today at https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

Three Gardens to visit in Schenectady County - registration required https://forms.gle/XhzvKq4UT65sQbtp6 , open to members + guest. 

 1. Dustin M. 10:00am - 2:00pm:   This suburban garden has a bit of everything: a professionally designed and installed native garden; "plantsman's" beds with unique specimens; perennial vegetables; a few failed attempts; weeds; and a pitched battle with invasives from the schoolyard in the back.  Thirteen years ago this was an overgrown "big box store garden", and Dustin is learning as he goes how to make it a beautiful, ecologically positive place. Come by to learn and to share your knowledge, swap gardening stories, or just see some happy ferns.

   2.  Betsy H. 11:00am - 1:00pm:   Betsy has been re-wilding the vacant lot next door to her Schenectady home.  In addition to lots of native trees, shrubs, and perennials, she's made two 9 x40 ft founder plots to grow seeds from plants in our ecoregion, collected from the Woodlawn Preserve and has planned to grow plugs to plant this year. 

    3.  Schenectady County Cornell Cooperative Extension 11:30am - 1:30pm:  Schenetady CCE opens their gardens to Wild Ones and will have several master gardeners on hand to talk about the development of their native gardens. 

On this lovely evening we will be planting more native plants into our demonstration garden.  Feel free to bring work gloves, shovels, trowels, and kneeling pads.  We can show you how to plant native plants and what to look for when deciding where to plant them.  Please register for this evening so we can plan accordingly.  Hope to see you all there!

We will be installing edging outside of the demonstration garden fence.  We have big plans to add a bush and low growing treeline to add some privacy and sound barrier to the playground-- and what better way than to do so with native plants!  But first we must prepare the ground so it is more hospitable for our long lived friends.  We will be laying newspaper and transporting woodchips to a long stretch.   We welcome more wheelbarrels,  shovels and/or pitch forks,  and newspapers or paper grocery bags.  Any and all help is welcomed and many hands will make this job go quick.  Please make sure to fill out our registration form so we can plan accordingly.  Hope to see you there!

Thursday, August 7th, 7:30 pm. WOCRNY Advocacy Committee - all members who are interested in helping change policies that impact native gardening are welcome to attend. Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88992870378  Meeting ID: 889 9287 0378
 

Gathering near the historic Whipple Bridge at River View and Van Vranken Roads, we will walk out to Fort’s Ferry and make a short loop.   We will use David H. Behm’s list of observed invasive plants as a checklist to practice identifying invasives, but we will also check out the native plants that thrive here as well.  Bring appropriate attire for a hike, the weather, and flying insects. Parts of the walk will be sunny.  Host: Connie Tedesco, 607-434-1026.  Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.

The owners of a private residence in Altamont (Albany County) have been adding only native plants to their landscape since 2018.  Members are welcome to join us with a guest to visit this extensive garden which also hosts bluebirds, a vegetable garden, blueberries and raspberries, flower gardens, native plants and shrubs.  There is a wild area where they have created paths and have been eliminating buckthorns, multiflora roses, honeysuckles, and bittersweet.  

Cornell Cooperative Extension Demonstration Gardens-  11:00am-1:00pm. Open to the public

Demonstration gardens are designed to educate the community in horticulture and science.  At the Cornell Cooperative Extension site in Voorheesville, there are 20 distinctly designed gardens, including a native and pollinator garden, a shade garden, a shrub garden, a grass garden, a children’s garden, vegetable gardens and herb gardens. Master gardeners, several of whom are Wild Ones members, will be available to guide tours and answer questions.  Registration is not required as this tour is open to the public.  

Unity Demonstration Garden Tree-line Bed Preparation 8/25 (6-8 pm).  We have big plans to add a bush and low growing tree-line to add some privacy and sound barrier to the playground-- and what better way than to do so with native plants!  But first we must prepare the ground so it is more hospitable for our long lived friends.  We will be laying newspaper and transporting woodchips to a long stretch. We welcome more wheelbarrows, shovels and/or pitch forks, and newspapers or paper grocery bags.  Any and all help is welcomed and many hands will make this job go quick.  Please register so we can plan accordingly.  

In search of asters, we will explore all of the early-fall blooms we find. We will walk both the blue and red trails, totaling about 1.5mi. Bring appropriate attire for a hike and the weather. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667. Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.
 

Please stop by our information table at Community Conservation Day as part of the 2025 Invasive Species Expo!  Wild Ones has been invited to have a table display. Community Conservation Day is happening next to the Spa City Farmers Market.  Stop by and visit with fellow members or volunteer to engage with visitors for a shift or two, then head off to enjoy the day.  Reach out to Rosemary at [email protected] for more information.  

Janet N. 10:00am- 11:30 am: Since 1983, Janet has lived in this single family home, on a quiet Albany Street. Over the years, she has experimented with different types of gardens, but after being introduced to Doug Tallemy’s writings in 2019, she immediately became hooked on native plants. Wanting to make a big impact quickly but knowing little about native plants, she engaged Jessie Peters of Jessecology, in 2020, to design and install two phases of her backyard garden transformation.  The front garden demonstrates the hardiness of plants that resisted bunny nibbles in their tender phases. Other issues are managing Bishops Weed, Rose of Sharon's seedlings from my neighbor’s shrubs, and her continued learning curve in identifying rogues when they insert themselves. She welcomes your thoughts and suggestions as you visit.

2. A Show Me Tell Me Tour- 11:00am-1:00pm Emily M. recently moved into her first house with a yard, in an urban neighborhood, built around the 1930's.  Although she has had some experience and skill with containers, hanging baskets, and indoor potted plants, she is now beginning her journey in outdoor gardening. Initially, the garden beds were overrun with weeds, invasive plants, and a poisonous vine that covered a chain linked fence that ran along the back of the property, and stumps and un-mown grass. After cleaning all that out, what remained was lawn, bare dirt, and a handful of shrubs. I have been trying to keep the weeds at bay for the past couple of months. There are some nice established trees in the area which provides shade in the front yard. The backyard is sunny with a newly planted row of native shrubs and a brand new American Dogwood.  Emily is looking for advice on how to properly care for her new plantings, and suggestions about what to plant in her front yard and around an air conditioning unit, as well as advice on how to keep the invasive at bay. 

3.Unity  Demonstration Garden 12:00 pm-1:30 pm  (This garden will be open to the general public, but please try not to arrive prior to 12 as parking may be limited due to church service hours.)

@ Unity Lutheran Church Albany, 1500 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12203. (Across from Stuyvesant Plaza)

Join Wild Ones Members to tour and discuss the Native Demonstration Garden designed by ecological landscape designer, Kate Brittenham of Front Stoop Gardens.  The garden was installed in 2024 by Wild Ones Members and community volunteers with the generous use of land by the Unity Lutheran Church.  

This is a great example of what the first two years of a native garden may look like.  If you are interested in discussing and observing options for turning your sod into a native paradise, this is a great place to start.  You might also be interested in seeing our drip irrigation design, critter deterrents, edging, and the lovely native plants that are sleeping and creeping in their first years.  Wild Ones members will be available to discuss options that might work for you.  Looking forward to seeing you there!

Unity  Demonstration Garden 12:00am-2:00pm  

@ Unity Lutheran Church Albany, 1500 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12203. (Across from Stuyvesant Plaza)

Join Wild Ones Members to tourand discuss the Native Demonstration Garden designed by ecological landscape designer, Kate Brittenham of Front Stoop Gardens.  The garden was installed in 2024 by Wild Ones Members and community volunteers with the generous use of land by the Unity Lutheran Church.  

This is a great example of what the first two years of a native garden may look like.  If you are interested in discussing and observing options for turning your sod into a native paradise, this is a great place to start.  You might also be interested in seeing our drip irrigation design, critter deterrents, edging, and the lovely native plants that are sleeping and creeping in their first years.  Wild Ones members will be available to discuss options that might work for you.  Looking forward to seeing you there!

Discover how ecological landscaping with native plants can make your landscape more resilient and help address the climate crisis. This webinar will highlight practical, evidence-based approaches to designing and maintaining landscapes that build resilience to climate change and support native biodiversity. Join Wild Ones for a free webinar, “EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis,” featuring environmental horticulturalist and ecological landscape designer Kim Eierman.

Sunday Sept. 21, 2025. 1:30pm- 4pm  Our annual Membership Appreciation Garden Party!  at the Kelly Adirondack Center. What a great 4th year our Wild Ones chapter has had! Come celebrate our successful growth and projects at our Garden Party!  We will also briefly  highlight  our achievements of the past year, and elect new officers.  It will be a wonderful opportunity to mingle with members (both new and renewed) and fellow garden enthusiasts, maybe win a prize, and enjoy the beautiful setting. We will have refreshments.  Bring an interested friend(s): registration required to plan for appetizers.  Address:  897 St David's Ln, Niskayuna, NY, 12309   https://forms.gle/LxALUJ6cBCRgsN959 

Join us for our monthly  Leadership Team & Business Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

Save the Pine Bush - Decades of Experience 

 Thursday, October 9, 2025, 7:00- 8:30 pm.  Join members of WOCRNY Advocacy Committee to hear from Lynne Jackson, a founder of the advocacy group Save the Pine Bush, which has worked tirelessly to protect the unique ecosystem in our region for decades. Let’s learn from their experiences about how we can succeed at raising awareness of the importance of protecting natives in our ecosystems.  During our Zoom meeting you will have the opportunity to ask your own questions.  This presentation will be recorded.

Beginning at the smaller Falstaff’s parking lot near Broadway, we will take the red loop trail, about 1.1mi, seeking late wildflowers, enjoying the fall foliage, and thinking about the soil structure all this falling plant matter supports. Bring appropriate attire for a hike and the weather. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667. Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.

Even after reading books and attending talks, many still have pressing questions about ecological landscaping. In this talk, Tallamy addresses common concerns on biodiversity, invasive species, native plants, and conservation strategies, providing practical guidance and motivation to restore nature in everyday spaces. 

Friday 7th, 8:30am. Henry Gerber Reist Bird Sanctuary, 897 St David's Ln, Niskayuna, NY. Park at the Kelly Adirondack Center. From there we will follow the Paul Schaefer Yellow Trail, about 1.3 mi, looking out for birds, late-fall flora, and the remnants of dry vernal pools. Bring appropriate attire for a hike and the weather; note that this area can get wet and muddy. Host: Dustin Mitchell, 314-616-2667. Always check the Events Calendar for any cancellation.

Join us for our monthly  Leadership Team & Business Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

We will be returning with our highly requested seed swap!  Enjoy a family-friendly event celebrating our New York native plants with a seed swap!  Please pre-register any seeds you wish to bring so we can have plant care signs made. This is a public event and even if you do not have seeds you are welcome to take home seeds. Emma Treadwell Nature Center staff will be providing related education.  There will be craft stations,  informative tables featuring like-minded organizations, winter seed sowing station, and more!  Help us have a fantastic event and  invite your friends and family to join.  Please pre- register your seeds here:  https://forms.gle/TgkA7svJiPpcfvGE6 .  

Details coming soon!