Events

This homeowner is looking for suggestions for her large, open lot bordered by woods, in Utica. She has heavy deer pressure, has removed buckthorn but needs to fill the area to keep the buckthorn from returning. She would also like suggestions for native groundcovers for the bare area under a maple, and would like advice about when she can remove fences from deer resistant plants like shrubby St. John’s wort, and ideas for native bushes to replace burning bushes that she has removed around her foundation. RSVP to [email protected] for exact address.

We are delighted to invite you to a Garden Tour featuring a popular Wild Ones Mohawk Valley native garden. The homeowner is a long-time gardener who started transitioning her lovely and traditional cottage gardens to include predominantly native plants in 2021. The gardens are extensive, featuring a large variety of native plants, shrubs, and trees. Big changes have taken place each year, and this year is no different. The removal of non-natives has made room for the planting of many new natives, including transforming one area into  a small forest of trees and bushes underplanted with a living mulch of  hundreds of plugs of multiple ground covers. Come and see how the native plants have matured in the last five years, while viewing the newest garden area and gardens still in transition!

This landscape still has hints of cottage gardens, along with “formalish” native front gardens, a woodland garden, and winding paths and hardscape that define "rooms," all of which foster a sense of peace and tranquility and an immersion in nature. Come visit and enjoy resting in one of the many sitting areas to view the functional and ecologically beneficial native gardens of this typical suburban lot, now transformed into a restorative sanctuary. RSVP to [email protected] for exact address.

You planted native. Your neighbor has opinions. Maybe your HOA does too. If you’ve ever felt like the hardest part of native plant gardening is the conversations, not the gardening, you’re not alone.

Wild Ones is thrilled to share this upcoming free webinar as part of the 2026 Less Lawn More Life Challenge. Join Lorraine Johnson for a practical conversation on navigating HOA rules, addressing neighbor concerns, and fostering community conversations about native plant gardening and ecological landscapes.

Native plants are the foundation of habitat, but wildlife need more than food to thrive. Join ecologist and Certified Wildlife Biologist Shaun McCoshum, PhD, to explore how nesting sites, shelter, water, soil conditions, and other often-overlooked resources can transform a yard into a functioning ecosystem that supports biodiversity year-round.

Registration link coming soon.

What does it really take to turn a conventional lawn into a thriving native meadow? Join Owner & Principal, New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL), Sara Weaner Cooper for a candid look at her family's ongoing lawn-to-meadow transformation featured in The New York Times and BBC. Drawing from three years of hands-on experience, Sara will share the methods, lessons learned, successes, and challenges of converting turfgrass into a dynamic native plant community. Participants will gain practical insights into site preparation, planting, management, and the ecological principles that guide successful meadow establishment, along with realistic expectations for how these landscapes evolve over time.

Registration link coming soon.

Bats are among the most important and misunderstood wildlife in our communities. Join experts from Bat Conservation International to explore how native plants, healthy insect populations, and thoughtful landscape design can help support bats. Learn about the ecological role of bats and discover practical ways to create habitat for North America's night flyers right in your own backyard.

Registration link coming soon.

Monarch butterflies depend on a network of habitats stretching across North America, and home landscapes can play an important role in their survival. Join experts from Monarch Joint Venture to explore the science behind monarch conservation, including the importance of milkweed, nectar resources, and regionally appropriate habitat. Learn practical ways to support monarchs through native landscaping and help sustain one of the world's most remarkable migrations.
 

Registration link coming soon.