Events

Take a close-up look at a yard that is for both people and wildlife.  Lydia and Mark have been gradually replacing lawn areas with a diverse array of plants since the mid-1990's.  We became committed to adding natives after joining Wild Ones, many grown from seed by Lydia.   Small trees, native shrub borders, rain gardens, “soft landings” and other perennial beds have been planted a little at a time.  Last fall we had a small rain-fed pond installed as the centerpiece of a miniature wetland.  Hear about our successes, failures and ongoing challenges (mostly 4-legged). We welcome your ideas for what to do with areas still “in progress”!  

Register for directions.  Group size will be limited.  
Rain date is Sunday, August 16.

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.

In 1962, Spicebush Swamp Park was West Hartford’s first park to be set aside as a natural area for nature study and walking, and as a 33-acre outdoor classroom for schools to use. Later, in 1968, McGovern Pond was created in the park by excavating an area of approximately one acre.  The West Hartford Garden Club's Civic Project Committee has made the restoration and preservation of Spicebush Swamp Park its key long-term ecological project. In 2020, the garden club upgraded a rundown garden near the park sign with native pollinator plantings. During 2020 and 2021, that work continued. Beginning in 2022, an area further inside the property was restored through the removal of invasive plants and installation of a bird sanctuary garden designed with native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials, all with the help of Master Gardeners and volunteers from local Sierra Club and other community and municipal groups. A group has continued to meet for about 2 hours most weeks throughout the year at Spicebush, and periodically on weekend dates, to identify and tag remnant native plants, remove invasive plants, manage the pollinator and bird sanctuary gardens, install new native plantings, and set priorities for the future. A new wet meadow, funded in part by a Hartford Audubon Society grant, will be installed this fall. We hope to install interpretive educational signage and to improve plant labeling. The terrain is uneven in places, the area is subject to flooding, the invasives are formidable, and it is heavy work. However, we enjoy the birds, the insects, the native flora, and the beauty of this natural setting.  The walk will be led by Beth Ann Loveland Sennett.  

A small parking lot is located just north of the intersection of Mountain Road with Farmington Avenue.  

Free and open to the public.  Registration is requested to aid planning.

Questions?  Contact Beth Ann Loveland Sennett by text (860-729-4150) or email ([email protected])

One in a series of talks sponsored by the City of West Haven and the West Haven and Trust at the newly-created “Eco Park.”  This talk, with Juliana Barrett and Maggie Cozens, from Connecticut Sea Grant, will focus on pollinators .

Please note that, although this is a free event open to the public, non-residents of West Haven have to pay to park in the beach parking lots.

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

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.

Kim Eierman is the founder of EcoBeneficial LLC, an eco landscape design company. She is also a teacher at the New York Botanical Garden, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Native Plant Center, and the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

In addition, she is the author of the book “The Pollinator Victory Garden-Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening; Attract and Support Bees, Beetles, Butterflies, Bats and Other Pollinators”

Ms. Eierman is an engaging and knowledgeable speaker. She loves questions, so bring them on!

She will have her book for sale and is happy to sign it for you. 

It is sure to be an informative and lively evening. 

This is DAY 1 of our annual plant sale pre-order pickup and walk-in sale.   Pickup times are tentative and subject to change.  More information coming soon.  

Contact [email protected] if there are specific native plants you are interested in purchasing this year. 

SAVE THE DATE - DAY 2 of our annual plant sale pre-order pickup and walk-in sale.  Pickup times are tentative and subject to change.  More information coming soon.  

Contact [email protected] if there are specific native plants you are interested in purchasing this year.

SAVE THE DATE for our annual meeting with potluck lunch, year in review and speaker program.  More info to come.  Start/end times are tentative and subject to change.

The last in a series of presentations sponsored by the City of West Haven and the West Haven Land Trust, this talk with Laura Schwanof, Landscape Architect & Ecological Practice Leader, will focus on building your own garden with native plants.

Please note that, although the event is free and open to the public, non-residents of West Haven will have to pay to park in the beach parking lots.

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

CT Horticultural Society has rescheduled Uli's webinar that had originally been planned for last June.

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This CT Horticultural Society Speaker Event was made possible through the generosity of the Lois and Herb Isaacson Endowed Lecture fund and the Mountain Laurel Chapter of Wild Ones.

What is Ecological Horticulture? What distinguishes it from mainstream horticulture? Why is genetic diversity important?  Ecological Horticulture takes a different approach from traditional gardening by focusing on nature-friendly principles. This talk will dive into key ideas and challenge common gardening practices. For example: Why is genetic diversity essential? Can I use cultivated versions of native plants? How should climate change influence my gardening choices? These questions and more will guide a discussion on creating and caring for gardens in harmony with the environment.

Uli Lorimer serves as the Director of Horticulture for the Native Plant Trust, a leading non-profit dedicated to preserving the native flora of the Northeastern United States. In this role, he oversees the acclaimed Garden in the Woods in Framingham and Nasami Farm in Western Massachusetts, which focuses on native plant propagation and research. Uli’s impressive career includes positions at the National Arboretum, Wave Hill, and as the Curator of Native Plants at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A lifelong enthusiast of plants and biodiversity, Uli continues to study the region’s ecosystems, collect seeds from the wild, and introduce new plants to collections.

He is also a prolific author and speaker, well-known to audiences across the horticultural community. His publications include Tough Natives for Tough Places and A Native Plant Reader. His latest work, The Northeast Native Plant Primer, reflects his deep commitment to native plants and their ecological value. With a science-based approach and a passion for biodiversity, Uli offers invaluable insights into selecting plants that maximize the ecological impact of our gardens while celebrating the beauty of native flora.

This event is free for CT Horticultural Society and Wild Ones Mountain Laurel Chapter members, $10 for non-members.  CT Hort members and the general public should register at  CT Hort Events:  Digging Deeper.  Mountain Laurel Chapter members SAVE THE DATE – you will receive the Zoom link for free a week ahead of the meeting.   DO NOT TRY TO REGISTER at the CT Hort website or you will have to pay the non-member fee!

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.

This biennial symposium is held by the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG)

**Attend in person or purchase the recording** 
The symposium will be recorded and made available after the event. 

Choose one of the following registration options: 
Attend in person on October 28 and receive the full symposium recording after the event. 
Recording only, not attending in person on Oct. 28. 

Registration, agenda and more information at link below.

This conference is hosted by Connecticut College Arboretum and co-sponsored by Wild Ones Mountain Laurel Chapter.  More information and registration link coming soon.

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

Zoe Evans, rewilding coach and VP of Partnerships & Programs at Wildr shares a practical, science-informed framework for evaluating a home landscape, identifying its greatest habitat opportunities, and choosing actions that support more plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife.

Registration link coming soon.

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

No yard required. Learn how native plants can turn patios, balconies, containers, and other small spaces into meaningful habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. This practical panel will cover plant selection, container design, seasonal care, and realistic ways to support biodiversity in limited spaces.

Registration link coming soon.

Birds depend on healthy, connected habitats for food, shelter, nesting, and migration support. Join experts from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to explore how native plants and thoughtful landscape choices can support birdlife at home. Learn how gardens, yards, and community spaces can provide the insects, seeds, berries, cover, and habitat structure birds need throughout the year.

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.