Events

From member Sharon O'Brien:  

If anyone is up for one more event before the season winds down I am moving around the block and would love some help transporting outdoor things from one house to the other. We’re talking garden ornaments, tools, containers, and patio furniture. 

Alas, I have to leave most of my garden behind but you can come collect seeds (mentzelia, gallardia, asters, solidago) and maybe even still dig up a few plants. I have loads of volunteer geum, blackberry canes, and a handful of opuntia varieties you can take pads from to transplant. If you’d rather not lift or dig, please just come to sit and  socialize! 

For your troubles, I will provide lunch on my new back deck with open space views. 

If you’re available, stop by to say hi any time. 1111 and 990 Utica Circle plus the sidewalk inbetween! 

I hope to see you! Halloween costumes optional. But bring gloves and containers if you plan on digging.

To get in touch with Sharon, call or texts 703-963-6472 or email [email protected] 
 

Come explore one of Aurora's natural open spaces and collect native riparian seed species! Park staff will also provide a guided tour of the area - it's famous for seeing pronghorn antelopes!

Bring your own water, hat and good walking shoes and we'll provide the rest of the supplies and show you how to collect the seeds.

The Pikes Peak Region will be adding a modern twist to  the centuries old tradition of community gatherings such as quilting bees, threshings, and barn raising!

Members will build relationships, make friends, and have fun while collaboratively completing the worthwhile task of cleaning “the seed from the chaff!”

Learn the “how to”  of cleaning native seeds in preparation for our Native Seed Share on November 8, 2025.  

Registration required.

Getting Close!

Direct seeding with custom seed mixes offers an affordable, efficient and sustainable way to establish vegetation in urban and residential landscapes. Yet, in semi-arid climates, this approach is often dismissed as impractical due to perceived aesthetic limitations, difficulties supporting high germination rates and ongoing management challenges. At the same time, seeds provide unparalleled access to a wide range of plant species, creating opportunities to build high-diversity, ecologically valuable communities that would be far more costly or logistically difficult to establish with container-grown plants.

Join Michael Guidi, Manager of Horticulture Research Programs at Denver Botanic Gardens, as he shares experiments and case studies testing the feasibility of direct seeding in urban contexts, with a focus on the semi-arid Front Range of Colorado.  Additionally, he will present seed mix design, site preparation and soil conditions that influence both ecological outcomes and aesthetic performance in urban and residential ecosystems.

Members $5,  Nonmembers $25

All registrants will receive the webinar recording within a week after the webinar. 

Registration will close on Monday, November 3rd at midnight.

Free Seed Swap! No matter your gardening experience, you’ll find something of interest at the WOFR Pikes Peak Region 2025 Native Plant Seed Share. This is a free event. There will be a variety of Pikes Peak regional native seeds including annuals, perennials, shrubs, and grasses ranging from easy-to-difficult to propagate.  Find seeds of native plants to add to your garden—for free!  You do not need to bring seeds to participate.

Want to contribute?  Donate your seeds prior to the event by contacting Sue at [email protected]  OR bring your seeds to the share and volunteers will catalogue and stock them for future seed shares.

Remember… please collect your native seeds responsibly!  For more information on collecting seeds responsibly go to https://nanps.org/seed-collecting/

Participating Organizations:

Front Range Wild Ones: https://frontrange.wildones.org/pikes-peak-seed-swap/

Manitou Seed Library: https://www.facebook.com/ManitouSeedLibrary/

El Paso County Extension: https://elpaso.extension.colostate.edu/native-plants-for-el-paso-county/

People & Pollinators Action Network: https://www.peopleandpollinators.org

Colorado Native Plant Society: https://conps.org

Questions?  Contact [email protected]

Save the Date! More information and registration link coming soon.

Join us for a seed cleaning event to prepare for the Denver-Jeffco seed swap on November 16. Come help us clean, package, and label our seed inventory! Members will make friends and have fun while collaboratively completing the worthwhile task of cleaning “the seed from the chaff!”

Address will be sent upon registration.

Join us to clean seeds for our seed swap in December.  Information will be added in September about seed donations and a volunteer signup will be included.

Save the date for our seed swap on November 16 - more information coming soon!

This seed swap will be available only to members.

There will be opportunities to volunteer (emails about volunteering will be sent separately).

We hope you can join us! We’ll have a variety of seed including annuals, perennials,  grasses, shrubs, and trees. We will also have information about how to grow native seed. You don't need to bring seed to attend the event or bring home seed.

If you do have native seed to share, please label each species with this information:
* Botanical Name
* Common Name
* Collection City or County, Elevation, and Year 
* Your First Initial and Last Name
* If your seed is from a wild population rather than a garden site, add “WILD”

We happily accept seed from species native to Colorado and adjacent states. Please avoid cultivars, which might not support native pollinators and wildlife. We do NOT accept seeds from plants designated as noxious weeds.

You can drop off seed before the event in Fort Collins or Longmont. Email [email protected] to coordinate. If you plan to bring seed the day of the event, email the species name(s) to [email protected] ahead of time so that we can prepare information for attendees about your seed.

If you would like to volunteer to help the NoCO Native Plant Exchange Committee at the swap, go to this page and then select Sign up: https://wrv.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/noconativeplantexchange/event/6a45cee6-9e15-414c-b2f1-9774fb0d9e85.

Monthly meeting of the Front Range Chapter's Board of Directors. All members are welcome to attend. Email us at [email protected] if you're interested in joining the call.

Discover the power of ecological garden design in this free national webinar, Living in the Liberated Landscape: My Yard, with award-winning landscape designer Larry Weaner. Join us for a personal look at how dynamic, self-sustaining landscapes can emerge when we partner with nature instead of controlling it. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience, Larry will share practical strategies for designing dynamic gardens that evolve naturally, support biodiversity, and bring lasting beauty to your yard.

Join us for Aurora’s Native Plant Seed Swap—a free community event celebrating the beauty and benefits of native plants! Bring seeds to share or just your curiosity and take home free native seeds for your garden. We will be hosting a swap with fellow gardeners, naturalists and plant enthusiasts.

Discover new species for your garden, learn about winter sowing and connect with others who share a passion for water-wise and pollinator-friendly landscapes. Whether you’re a seasoned seed saver or just starting out, there’s something for everyone.

Please consider contributing regionally native seeds, labeled according to our guidelines:
- Required label information: Botanical Name, Common Name, Date of Collection, Location/Elevation of Collection, and Donor’s First Initial and Last Name.
- Seeds may be brought in small paper/coin envelopes or plastic/glass lidded jars.
- Please do not bring large envelopes of seeds—these make it difficult for participants to take a portion.
- All seeds will be inspected before being accepted. Only regionally native, properly labeled seeds will be allowed.

Join us to clean seeds for our seed swap in December. Text, call, or email Kristine for the address.  a303-885-7567 or [email protected]

Bring seeds (or don't!), bring colanders, cookie sheets, bowls, and strainers to clean seeds (or don't--we have extra!).  

We will chat, clean, and package seeds for our seed swap in December.  Get in contact if you have any questions.  Clean, empty, wide-mouth plastic containers for reuse welcomed.  Empty plant pots and trays for propagation welcom.

Designing with native plants isn’t just about what you grow, it’s about how you shape your space. In this hands-on workshop, Zoe Evans (Plan it Wild) and Heather Evans (Design Your Wild) guide you through the process of creating a cohesive yard plan that supports both your lifestyle and biodiversity.

Save the date for the Boulder County Regional Seed Swap.  This description will be updated with volunteer and seed donation information.

Monthly meeting of the Front Range Chapter's Board of Directors. All members are welcome to attend. Email us at [email protected] if you're interested in joining the call.

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! This will be a paid webinar with all proceeds supporting the Seeds for Education Program. 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon!