Events

All members are welcome.  Please email us if you are interested in attending.

Greetings Wild Ones Native Plant Enthusiasts!

Are you looking forward to a new year of Coloradoscaping with native plants, shrubs and trees?

Bring your ideas and energy as you join us for our 2024 Planning Meeting for the Pikes Peak Region!

We will work on developing the details, logistics, volunteers, adjustments, dates, times, and anything else that may come up as we plan for our year of Wild Ones events and activities.

Please let us know that you are joining us by registering below. We'll send you a reminder with location a couple of days before the meeting.

Did you know?... Even though it's winter, some microbes can be active underground. This is a great time to learn more about them to prepare for the next growing season!

You’ve probably heard about microbes, but who are they and what do they do?

Christine will introduce you to the amazing microscopic beings critical to the health and productivity of plants (and therefore us!). Learn what microbes do, what they need, and what you can do to have a flourishing soil community in your own garden.

Christine Gust, active Wild Ones member, is a certified lab technician through Dr. Elaine's™ Soil Food Web school and works with local gardeners, farmers, and compost makers to build healthy soil. She worked at Harlequin's Gardens wholesale for several seasons and co-led the installation of the Greenverein Garden, a native plant demonstration garden and former parkway strip at the Denver Turnverein in downtown Denver.

Member Price $5 (promo code: MEMBER), Non-Member Price $25

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. 

Please join Wild Ones Front Range, in partnership with Cool Boulder, for a fun and cost-free winter workshop! Come start native seeds with us!

The sow-bag method for winter planting will be explained and demonstrated, with supplies provided to make your own & take home. This is a beginner-friendly way to get your hands dirty and grow your own native plants!

Read More About Cool Boulder!

Greetings Wild Ones Native Plant Enthusiasts!

Do you live in the mountains? Have you been wanting a regional Wild Ones Front Range group for people who live at altitude? If so, please join us online to the first organizational meeting of the WOFR Mountain Group.  

THIS GROUP IS FOR CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE WOFR MOUNTAIN DWELLERS, but everyone with a curiosity about native mountain plants, ecology, and mountain re-wilding is welcome. We'll focus on meeting each other, what we want our group to do, and creating a structure to start doing it.

Please let us know that you are joining us by registering below. Again, members and non-members are invited. 

We'll send you a reminder and Zoom link a couple of days before the meeting.

All members are welcome.  Please email us if you are interested in attending.

Registration is now open for the 9th Annual Landscaping with Colorado Native Plants Conference! Experts in horticulture, ecology, and landscape design share how to plan, plant, and maintain beautiful and biodiverse native landscapes from the ground up. This year’s conference offers inspiration and insight to both novice and experienced gardeners.

Featured speakers include:

KEYNOTE - David Newsom and Sian Heder, Wild Yards Project

PLUS OUR OWN Wild Ones Front Range Members:

Ayn Schmit, Danna Liebert, Lisa Olsen and Andrea Montoya panel presentation: “Native Plant Demonstration Gardens”

Felicia Brower with Denver Garden Designs, who is co-presenting - “Garden Design 101 Workshop”

READ MORE below for more conference information. 

REGISTER NOW - We hope to see you there!

Louisville Public Library is hosting a free community seed swap and invited Wild Ones Front Range to join to educate on the benefits of planting natives, the ease of propagating seeds appropriate for Spring and distribute regionally native seeds to participants.  Louisville Public Library Free Seed Swap Event

The NOCO plant swap planning committee is once again undertaking an ambitious goal of propagating thousands of native plants for the June 1 NOCO Plant Swap, which will be part of the City of Fort Collins Xeriscape Garden Party again this year.

No experience needed but they need lots of helping hands.  Please, if you are in the northern region of CO, consider spending the morning with this amazing group of knowledgeable and experienced people leading a great effort to spread more native plants in our landscapes!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E48AEAF2CA0F5C07-47810800-planting

All 30 volunteer slots have been filled!  Stay tuned for more volunteer opportunities in preparation for the swap.

NOW IS THE TIME to be thinking about starting your native seeds inside. We’ll provide the seeds, you provide the enthusiasm! Join the WOFR Pikes Peak Region for an educational and hands-on workshop on native seed stratification using the refrigerator method.

JOIN US as Allisa Linfield, El Paso County Extension Horticulture Coordinator,
will give us a brief introduction to seed propagation.

THEN we’ll roll up our sleeves and start the fun! Participants will go home with seeds, soil and the confidence to use the refrigerator method for stratification.

LIMITED SPOTS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO WILD ONES PIKES PEAK REGION SUBSCRIBERS. Specific location will be sent to registrants in the reminder email.

Join us as we talk native plant garden planning. This is an informal social event where you can talk about your ideas and hopes for this growing season. We will provide graph paper and colored pencils. Please bring your favorite (gardening) books for inspiration and reference or pick some up from the library. If you have garden beds or sketches already drawn out, please bring those too. Remember, even just a little bit of habitat makes a difference for insects, birds, and other small wildlife!

We will also be talking about the calendar of events for the Boulder Regional Group for 2024. 

See you soon!

Join us for our annual Member Meeting to celebrate our accomplishments, review our 2024 priorities, and discuss ways to get more involved with our chapter!

Register Here to Join Us!

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. 

All members are welcome.  Please email us if you are interested in attending.

Join us at the Woods Boss Brewing Company Seed Swap in the Five-Points Community in downtown Denver.  No need to bring seeds to take seeds. 

Wild Ones Front Range will have native spring sow seeds available and folks available to answer questions.

Denver Urban Gardens will be present with summer produce seeds too!

Join us for our next webinar as local plant landscaper, Eryn Murphy, owner of Restorative Landscape Design, covers the practical side of low-maintenance, habitat-friendly native plant xeriscaping. Learn the fundamentals of planning, installation, and maintenance.

Eryn will cover eradicating weeds or sod; low-water and low-maintenance strategies; plant selection, sourcing, and arrangement; mulches and bio-weed-barriers; irrigation and paths; tips and tools for the labor, and long-term expectations.

Eryn runs the native plant landscaping business Restorative Landscape Design, which manages 20-to-50 yard and park conversions in the Denver area every year. Eryn also volunteers for WOFR and is passionate about making native plant landscaping affordable and accessible. RLD manages a low-cost community install program called "DIY with Help;" maintains a public master spreadsheet of CO native plants; and recently published "The DIY Coloradoscape Guide" with a Native Garden-In-A-Truck service. 

Register here to learn more fresh ideas on native plant gardening!

We will share our garden projects (past, present, and future).

We will celebrate successes and brainstorm solutions to problems.

We will support each other, no matter how far along the path of gardening with natives we have come.

We will seek suggestions for chapter activities in the upcoming growing season.

We will have light snacks and enjoy each others company!

Join Us and Register Here!

Come help the NOCO Plant Swap Planning Committee prepare and grow native, ecotypic plants grown free from pesticides and synthetic chemicals for the upcoming plant exchange at the Fort Collins Xeriscape Garden Party (June 1st, 2024).  

This is a collaborative effort involving multiple mission-aligned organizations including Wild Ones Front Range Chapter.

2024 Meet Up, Spring Sowing Demo, Discuss Goals, Eat Soup!

RSVP please [email protected] by April 12, 2024

Join us for introductions, refreshments, and a presentation about Northern Water!

Agenda:
• Listen to a brief presentation by guest speaker Lindsay Nerad of Northern Water
• Introduce yourself and share your gardening projects—including any questions or problems you’d like help with
• Enjoy light snacks and conversation with other native plant enthusiasts
• Optionally, explore the on-site water conservation demonstration garden

If you have any extra seeds you’d like to share, please bring them for an informal mini-seed swap.

Register here to join us and find out we've got planned for the upcoming season! The Berthoud meeting location will be provided after you register. You will also receive information about carpooling.

We hope to see you soon!

Alora and Karen, Northern Colorado Regional Coordinators

All members are welcome.  Please email us if you are interested in attending.

Tour the native perennial gardens and vegetable gardens with Douglas County Master Gardeners, and walk the trail to Cherry Creek looking for native plants.   Share a picnic lunch or snacks afterwards and talk about landscaping with native plants.

Question? Contact Fran Tate, Regional Coordinator    [email protected]

All members are welcome.  Please email us if you are interested in attending.

This event at capacity and now closed to registration.  Volunteers needed for native plant Dig & Donate!  We will be collecting seedlings from a northeast Colorado Springs garden for our June 1st Plant Swap & Social.  Learn about a variety of seedlings such as Apache plume, Rabbitbrush, Mexican hat, Woods rose, grasses, and more!  Bring your own digging tools, gloves, and knee pads.  We will provide the containers.  Registration limited to 6 to minimize traffic/compaction in garden.

Coming Soon! A Few Spots Left!

Roy Wardell has graciously invited us to a potluck lunch at his home on the rolling sand hills outside of Platteville. Situated amid original prairie, and timed for the Tradescantia occidentalis bloom, this is a wonderful opportunity to see this unique native plant community and grow our friendships by sharing a meal of crockpot soups and salads.  A Sign-Up Genius link for potluck dishes will be provided in the registration confirmation email.

Registration is required. Spouses, partners and significant others are encouraged to attend.  To register them, do an additional registration with their name and your member #.

The event location will be provided once you register.  Parking is limited, so a carpool link will be provided in the registration confirmation email.

Wild Ones members, join us in this summer's Denver Garden Crawl! All of these gardens are at different stages - some new to natives, some established. We will not only explore the early-summer stage of the gardens, but also celebrate our hosts' successes, ask questions and possibly offer advice to help them overcome any challenges they are encountering.

In the interest of showing how native plants directly support birds, we are partnering with Denver Field Ornithologists (DFO), and will have a DFO representative at one of the homes explaining the connection between birds and native plants.

On this crawl, we will move as a group to the homes of four WOFR gardens in a pre-determined order, spending about a half hour at each property.

The garden crawl is kid friendly (please supervise), members and friends are welcome (limited spots, so all need to register!) and street parking is available. Carpooling is encouraged from the first garden address. 

Questions? Please contact Zoe, Denver Co-Regional Coordinator @ [email protected]

THE CRAWL IS FULL - keep an eye out for another Denver Garden Crawl later this season!

Volunteer Sign Up

Join the NOCO Plant Swap Planning Committee at WRV headquarters in Fort Collins to label 2000+ native plants grown by volunteers to be donated and given away for free at the NOCO Plant Swap the next morning.  We'll load them onto trucks and trailers for transporting to the FoCo Xeriscape Garden Party - happening the next morning (June 1st). 

We'll have tags and plant ID covered. We're working outside, so bring gear for rain or shine and shoes and clothes that can get dirty. We have covered open air sheds if it's rainy, but we will work rain or shine.

This is a collaboration between several mission-aligned entities.

This volunteer opportunity does require physically able bodies.

Join us for the first FRWO Native Plant Swap Social in the Pikes Peak Region!  Registration Required.

Bring a native plant to share or just bring yourself.  Mingle with fellow members over coffee and conversation.  Share your "successes" and "challenges" with growing native plants in your landscape.

New to native plants?  Welcome!  You'll be glad you came!

Together we're building a vibrant community of "Coloradoscaping" in the Pikes Peak Region!

NOTE: You do not need to bring a plant to receive a plant.

Registration here! The meeting location will be provided when you register.    

For more information contact:  Sue Wright - [email protected]

NOCO 2024 Plant Exchange Details

Link to web page with all important details on participating:

Bringing plants?  Make sure they are regionally native and pesticide-free.  See labeling requirements, drop off options, etc.

Have plastic 2-3" pots and plastic trays to donate?

Taking home plants? - Bring your own box, basket or bag to take them home.

Wild Ones Front Range is hosting their inaugural Boulder Regional Plant Swap!  All plants are grown by volunteers and community members; plant stock isn't commercially grown.

Participation: no need to bring plants to receive plants.

Plant donations:

No plants grown with pesticides nor neonicotinoids. No noxious weeds as defined by the CDA Labelling specifications.

Please label all donations with the following information:  Botanical name, Common name, surname of donor.

Volunteer for a shift at this event, signup at:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4FA5AD2EA3F5CE9-49726045-volunteer

Please review & register for a volunteer shifts at the link below to sign up for a 3 hour shift that works for you. Knowledge about native and pollinator plants is a plus, but not required.   In fact, volunteering will help you learn more about them if you're interested!

Join us for the Northern Region Loveland Garden Crawl! We'll visit the homes of several Wild Ones members to learn from their experience with incorporating native plants into their gardens. We will move as a group in a predetermined order, spending 20-30 minutes at each location.

One of the best ways we learn how to landscape with native plants is to see them in each other's gardens. Garden crawls are casual tours of members’ in-progress native landscapes. During these visits, attendees learn from the host's successes and challenges and may offer suggestions and ask questions based on their experience.  It’s a great way to exchange ideas and bond.

Space is limited, so if you plan to bring a family member please register them using your own member number.

Register Here!

Come and stroll the undulating short grass prairie with us, featuring unique flowering native shrubs and forbs in Douglas County.  This is a gentle 2-3 mile hike just east of Sagewood Middle School near Franktown. Sturdy footwear, water, hat and sunscreen are recommended.

Hope you can join us on what might be an impressive hike filled with native plants in full bloom!

Please contact Pam at: [email protected] to RSVP to attend the hike and if you have any questions.

Tour Jack's Solar Garden the premier agrivoltaic farm in the U.S. This includes visiting Sprout City Farm's cultivation of crops under almost 3,000 single axis tracking solar panels and over an acre of pollinator habitat, native plants and trees.

This is a very important site for everyone who is interested in the future health of our agriculture and natives of all stripes... plants, insects, birds!

Registration Required for every attendee (even youth). Tour fee paid at time of event - $9.

To learn more about Jack's Solar Farm, check out READ MORE!

Question? Contact: Donna Baker-Breningstall, Co-Regional Coordinator: [email protected]

Members Only Monthly Board Meeting

Wild Ones Front Range is partnering with People and Pollinators Action Network and EarthLinks to host the annual Denver Pollinator/Native Plant Swap.  

All plants are grown by volunteers and community members; plant stock is not commercially grown.  

A link to more information is coming soon including:

Participation:  No need to bring plants to receive plants.

Plant Donations:  

   -  No plants grown with pesticide nor neonicotinoids

   -  No noxious weeds as defined by the CDA

   -  Labeling specifications

Bring your own container to take plants home.

We will visit 3-4 member's gardens in Lakewood and Westminster.  These gardens are "works in progress" on the path of native conversion. 

As a group, we will hear the garden's creation story, what their creators learned in the process, and hopefully be able to offer potential solutions to challenges currently being faced.

Register here to join in on the Garden Crawl!

We will meet and share propagated plants, and volunteers in our gardens.  We will also discuss how to plant young seedlings and protect from the sun.  Diane will discuss native plant gardening strategy at her ranch for our large property owners.

Join fellow Wild One members for a four garden native plant tour in centrally located Colorado Springs!  Members and friends (all need to register) are welcome and street parking is available. 

We will visit three private and one public garden.  See a variety of native plants and garden designs in various stages of development.  This is a great opportunity to learn about successes and challenges, ask questions, and connect with fellow native plant enthusiasts in the Pikes Peak area.  

On this crawl, we will move as a group in a predetermined order, spending 15-20 minutes at each location, ending the event with light refreshments and great conversation at the last garden.  Carpooling is encouraged from the first garden address. (Location provided a few days before the event.)

"Together we’re building a vibrant community of “Coloradoscaping” in the Pikes Peak Region!" 

Questions?  Please contact Sue, Pikes Peak Regional Coordinator [email protected]

Join us and Register Here!

Wild Ones Boulder Region members, join us on this energetic early morning summer exploration as we partake in the Boulder County Open Space Rabbit Mountain Native Plant Hike.

We will meet at the trailhead at 7ish and leave at 7:30 am sharp!  This venue gets busy on the weekends and gets  crowded, so earlier and with carpools is better.  There are numerous sources of plant lists with phenology for this site.  Registrants will be sent further information before the hike.  Bring a snack and plenty of water; there are bathrooms but not water at the trailhead.

Questions? Contact: Kristine Johnson, Boulder Region Co-Coordinator @ [email protected]

Register here!

Join us on the 2nd Sunday of each month to chat about our Coloradoscaping progress. We'll celebrate our successes and get advice on our challenges. Feel free to bring extra seedlings and/or seeds to share with other members.

While this is a free event, registration is required. This helps us keep the group to a manageable size and allows us to communicate changes if needed.

You will receive the location's address after registering for this event. We will meet in the upstairs area of the coffeeshop.

Questions? Contact Jen Smith at [email protected].

Register Here!

All members are welcome.  Please email us if you are interested in attending.

Join us as we gather at the 1951 brick ranch house and large yard/habitat garden of Candace Tomlinson in recovery from grass, junipers, too many trees and a misguided phase of non-native xeriscape favorites (think Russian sage, cushion spurge, variegated vinca major, Jupiter’s beard). After 23 years, inching toward the final goal of a mostly prairie cottage garden with 75 percent natives, a few mostly old trees, some traditional garden perennials (hardy roses, peonies, Carol Mackie daphnes), a few xeriscape holdovers (catmint, plumbago), a catnip forest for the cats, and room for a few edibles like strawberries and raspberries. So an eclectic, mishmash, multi-purpose, jack-of-all-trades garden for people, pets, birds, pollinators. 

Come together with other Wild Ones members for this Jeffco Region Meet-Up!

Join us to explore what's growing in a Wild Ones demo garden and share what we've learned about native gardening with each other.

Join us on the 2nd Sunday of each month to chat about our Coloradoscaping progress. We'll celebrate our successes and get advice on our challenges. Feel free to bring extra seedlings and/or pictures of your garden to share with other members.

You will receive the location's address in a separate email after registering for this event. 

Questions? Contact Jen Smith at [email protected].

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. 

Join us  to chat about our Coloradoscaping progress.  We'll celebrate our successes and get advice on our challenges. Feel free to bring extra seedlings and/or pictures of your garden to share with other members.

This will also be a time for us to discuss our future plans, volunteer scheduling, events calendar, and overall direction for our region.  Many of our members have expressed interest in helping.  This is your opportunity to get involved!

You will receive the location's address in a separate email after registering for this event. 

Questions? Contact Sue Wright at [email protected]

Registration opens soon!

Join us on the 2nd Sunday of each month to chat about our Coloradoscaping progress. We'll celebrate our successes and get advice on our challenges. Feel free to bring extra seedlings and/or pictures of your garden to share with other members.

You will receive the location's address in a separate email after registering for this event. 

Questions? Contact Jen Smith at [email protected].

Registration will open about one month prior to the social.

An opportunity to grow our Wild Ones relationships!

Members and their families are invited to a free gathering and potluck lunch.

The event address and potluck sign up link will be sent with your registration confirmation.

Door prizes will include must-have Wild Ones swag, gardening gadgets and books.

Questions? Contact: Sue Parilla, Organizer at  [email protected]

Registration coming soon!

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. 

Join us on the 2nd Sunday of each month to chat about our Coloradoscaping progress. We'll celebrate our successes and get advice on our challenges. Feel free to bring extra seedlings and/or pictures of your garden to share with other members.

You will receive the location's address in a separate email after registering for this event. 

Questions? Contact Jen Smith at [email protected].

Registration will open about one month prior to the social.

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! 

Join us on the 2nd Sunday of each month to chat about our Coloradoscaping progress. We'll celebrate our successes and get advice on our challenges. Feel free to bring extra seedlings and/or pictures of your garden to share with other members.

You will receive the location's address in a separate email after registering for this event. 

Questions? Contact Jen Smith at [email protected].

Registration will open about one month prior to the social.

Join us on the 2nd Sunday of each month to chat about our Coloradoscaping progress. We'll celebrate our successes and get advice on our challenges. Feel free to bring extra seedlings and/or pictures of your garden to share with other members.

You will receive the location's address in a separate email after registering for this event. 

Questions? Contact Jen Smith at [email protected].

Registration will open about one month prior to the social.