Events

Planning for the path forward for the Chapter

Including native plants in your garden is an important way to provide food and habitat for pollinators.  You can expand your native plantings inexpensively by growing them yourself from seed.  In this workshop, we’ll discuss the germination requirements for different species and get you fully prepared for next season. You will be able to take home a plastic milk jug planter filled with a native seed selection to stratify over the winter and germinate in the spring. Proper after care of young seedlings will also be shared. Bring a one-gallon plastic milk jug if you have one.

Your instructor will be Jim Sirch, a trained Naturalist and President of the Connecticut Horticultural Society.  He recently retired from the Yale Peabody Museum. Jim is a UConn Master Gardener and board member of his local land trust and the Mountain Laurel chapter of Wild Ones. As a naturalist, he brings a deep understanding of geology, plants and wildlife and how they interact within a particular ecosystem. Jim is passionate about helping others decrease their lawn and re-wild their yard. He co-founded a native plant seed library at his local public library. Jim also authors a nature blog called Beyond Your Back Door at www.beyondyourbackdoor.com.

The program will be held in the Farmhouse.  Registration is required since space is limited.

In this special collaboration, Robin Wall Kimmerer, author, botanist, and founder of Plant Baby Plant, joins youth leader and Nurture Natives founder Esther Bonney for an intergenerational conversation about belonging, reciprocity, and native plant action. 

Together, they will explore questions such as:

How do we create opportunities for young people to have a voice and feel empowered, even when they are not homeowners or decision makers?What kinds of relationships and mentorships help people stay engaged in native plant work over decades?Why do stories, shared practices, and community invitations matter just as much as plant lists?

Robin and Esther will reflect on what invites people into this work, what keeps them here, and what elders and youth have to teach each other.

Winter is the best season for native seed starting so we are sharing seeds to encourage the planting of seed-grown native species that strengthen local ecosystems and create climate-resilient landscapes. Bring native plant seeds to swap for different species to diversify your habitat plantings.  It is not necessary to bring seeds to take seeds, but for those not contributing seeds, we may limit the number of packets you can take.   There will be informational displays and demonstrations of winter seed sowing in milk jugs or pots.  Experienced native gardeners can help you select species that are suited to your growing conditions.  

This event is free and open to all.  Registration is not required.  If you are bringing seeds to share, we encourage you to come early to put them out.  In case of bad weather or hazardous driving conditions, cancellation will be posted to Dudley Farm and Mountain Laurel chapter websites by 12 PM the day prior (January 23rd).  

Unless you have large amounts of bulk seed, we prefer you prepackage your seeds, particularly small and tiny seeds.  Please see our seed sharing guidelines for how to package and label different seeds.  

DIRECTIONS:  Dudley Farm, 2351 Durham Rd, Guilford, is on the northbound (east) side of Rte 77 (Durham Rd) just north of the junction with Rte 80.  Our event will be held on the main floor of the Munger Barn, #17 on the Farm Map. 

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

Our upcoming webinar with Basil Camu explores practical, evidence based ways to heal suburban and urban landscapes by working with trees, soil, and natural systems, drawing on real world practices from Leaf & Limb and community centered models for restoring life where we live, work, and play.!  

Master Arborists will do a brief discussion on tree health, followed by a moderated question and answer session. 

Chris Teter is a Board Certified Master Arborist providing education for tree longevity including advice on ornamental and structural pruning, tree recommendations, and native plant education. He is an Arborist with Bartlett Tree Experts.

Dan Dalton is a Board Certified Master Arborist with 40 years of experience and a professor of horticulture who lectures on tree-related topics throughout the Northeast. He is a Senior Arborist at Northeast Horticultural Services. He offers advice on organic lawn care, tree disease treatment, and reminds you to look up!

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

Dr. Doug Tallamy is an entomologist, conservationist, and professor at the University of Delaware, whose work has transformed our understanding of the relationship between native plants and wildlife. His research and books, including Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s Best Hope, have inspired millions to see their own yards as part of the solution to the biodiversity crisis. Driven by the belief that everyone can play a role, Doug co-founded Homegrown National Park to encourage people to plant natives in the spaces they care for. His vision is simple: when we all take part, we create the connected habitats that life depends on.

Our parks, preserves, and remaining wildlands – no matter how grand in scale – are too small and separated from one another to sustain the native trees, plants, insects, and animals on which our ecosystems depend. We can fix this problem by practicing conservation outside of wildlands, where we live, work, shop, farm, and ranch. Thus, the concept for Homegrown National Park: a national challenge to create diverse ecosystems in our yards, communities, farms, and surrounding lands by reducing lawn, planting native, and removing invasives. If many people make small changes, we can restore healthy ecological networks and weather the changes ahead.

This program is free but registration is required.  

Join Joey Santore, creator of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t, for a candid Wild Ones National Webinar examining how inherited garden aesthetics shape native plant landscapes. Drawing on field experience and real ecology, Joey challenges tidy design norms and explores why dense, irregular plant communities are often the most resilient and ecologically sound.

Foundation gardens became popular about a century ago, but times have changed. Let’s re-imagine this planting area, a place residents see every day. We'll examine the design challenges posed by the foundation areas around homes and other buildings and review native plants that fit into that highly visible setting. In addition, we'll consider the surprising, hidden benefits of updated foundation gardens.

Kathy Connolly is a landscape designer who specializes in naturalized designs, low-impact landscape techniques, and native plants. In addition to her design projects, she gives talks, tours, and workshops. She has received several awards for her communications efforts on landscapes, plants, and land care. Kathy has a master’s degree from the Conway Graduate Program in Sustainable Landscape Planning and Design.  Kathy has  completed the Advanced Master Gardener Program and is an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional.

This program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.  

You must REGISTER to receive the Zoom link.

Click READ MORE for Kathy's website.  

Adding native plants to your yard supports pollinators and other wildlife and starting from seed is an economical way to diversify your garden.  While many native seeds need to experience weeks to months of winter conditions before germinating,  a subset of native seeds do not require any special pretreatment to sprout this spring, including such favorites as buttonbush, shrubby St. John's-wort, bee balms, mountain mints and native bluestem grasses.  Bring planting containers like 1-gallon milk jugs or pots that are approximately 4 -6 inches wide and deep.  Seeds, potting medium and labels will be provided.  Participants will take home multiple pots of seeds with instructions for aftercare and planting into the garden.  

Instructor: Lydia Pan, Wild Ones Mountain Laurel Chapter.

This program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.  Offered in partnership with the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center.  

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

For the love of trees!  

Arboretum tours and educational programs for the whole family.

Tree seedling giveaway (while supplies last).  

Free and open to the public (no registration required).

Wild Ones will be there!

This session is for member Q&A about native plants, habitat gardening, and issues you have encountered with specific garden projects.   Novice and veteran native gardeners are welcome.  While not required, you may submit questions in advance to [email protected].  A short discussion of seasonal topics will be moderated by Gail Reynolds, assisted by Lydia Pan and Jim Sirch, who will then do their best to answer all your questions – and if they can’t, perhaps another attendee can!  This program is for members only. 

The mission of this event is to provide community members the education and resources to live more sustainably.  The Mountain Laurel Chapter will have an educational table to help connect people and native plants for a healthier planet and encourage landscaping with   native plants to support biodiversity.

This is a family-friendly event that gets a lot of traffic!   We will have an interactive activity at our table to promote interest and engagement,

VOLUNTEERS  ARE NEEDED.  Contact Lydia [email protected] if interested in helping.

Join award-winning author, photographer, and educator Rick Darke for What Is Wild and Why It Matters, a free national webinar on Tuesday, April 28th at 10 am CT. Discover how inviting a bit of authentic wildness can create a vibrant landscape that sustains you and local biodiversity. This national event is presented in collaboration between Wild Ones and Homegrown National Park.

Join DPNC to find and identify as many species as possible throughout our trails with the help of iNaturalist! We’ll walk our trails with experts on birds, fungi, reptiiles and amphibians, and plants. See the schedule below and come for one, some, or all!

Birds: 8 AM–10 AM 

Fungi: 10 AM–12 PM 

Reptiles & Amphibians: 12 pm - 2 pm 

Plants: 2 PM–4 PM

Meet at DPNC. Free to attend.

The town of Weston and the Lachat Town Farm are hosting an Earth Day  event called Eco Fest.

This is a family friendly event with live music, food trucks, farm animals and environmental organizations and businesses display information and products.

Wild Ones, Aspetuck Land Trust, Fairfield Audobon and others will be there.

No registration or fee, just stop by.

How can our own yards become part of the solution to restoring natural systems? In this engaging evening talk, Lydia Pan (President, Wild Ones Mountain Laurel Chapter) will explore how incorporating native plants into our landscapes can support biodiversity and provide essential food and shelter for wildlife.

Beyond simply choosing native species, this presentation will offer guidance on selecting the right plants for the right place, along with key landscape features and management practices that help create a thriving, ecologically rich habitat garden.  

Join us for an inspiring and practical look at how your garden can become a meaningful part of a healthier ecosystem.  

Open to the public:  $0 Bartlett Arboretum members | $10 non-members.

Click “Read More" for additional information and registration links.

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

Invasive plants threaten biodiversity and degrade habitats for native wildlife.  Learn what makes invasives harmful, how to recognize species common to our area, and what strategies homeowners can use to control or eliminate these noxious weeds on their own property.  After a short introductory talk, we will walk around Coogan Farm to see and discuss how selected sites are being managed to replace invasive-dominated landscapes with diverse native plant communities to improve habitat for wildlife and humans alike.

Your instructor is Lydia Pan, who leads a team of habitat restoration volunteers at Coogan Farm.  Meet outside the Avery Farmhouse, lower level.

This program is free and open to the public.  Registration is requested since group size will be limited.  Offered in partnership with the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center.  

The Mountain Laurel was the first Wild Ones chapter in New England, chartered in May 2006.  Join us to celebrate our 20th anniversary and reflect upon how Wild Ones and the ecological gardening movement have evolved over the past two decades.  We hope that many of the founding members will attend and share their memories and stories of the early days of Wild Ones in Connecticut.  In addition to socializing and light refreshments, we’ll enjoy viewing “The Extraordinary Caterpillar,”  a new documentary film about these amazing creatures, their vital role in nature and what is needed to ensure their survival. 

At the “READ MORE” link, you can find an article by chapter co-founder Kathy Dame, discussing the connections between the late Professor William Niering's S.A.L.T. (Smaller American Lawns Today) initiative and the founding of the Mountain Laurel Chapter. 

The public is invited to this free event.  Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

Joe Bear was determined to turn a one acre plot on town community fields from mugwort to a pollinator meadow.  He had been birding in the area for 20 years and noticed the rapid decline of bird species. He is over four years into the conversion and we will get to hear how he did it, and see the life he has brought back to a neglected area.

The meadow won an award last year for most bird species seen. Link to article here

https://goodmorningwilton.com/connecticut-birding-community-gardens-challenge-wilton-allens-meadow/

Member Ellen Rockett is welcoming members to see her beautiful property and discuss the issues and successes of her transitioning her property to native plants. 

Don't miss this opportunity to get inspired, to ask questions and learn from someone who has been doing this work for years.

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

Stefan Martin, Conservation Manager of CT Audubon, will lead us on a tour of this incredible restoration effort of 36 acres of invasives being transformed into a wildlife oasis. Larry Weaner is consulting on management practice of such a large parcel restoration.

Until roughly 2016, the section was a thicket of weeds and invasive shrubs and vines, including barberry, porcelain berry, bittersweet, and multiflora rose. They have installed over 3,000 native trees, shrubs and plants. Four acres are converting to meadows.

Dont miss this opportunity to learn from Stefan.

This should be an informative walk and talk on how to use the plants in our yards to boost our health and to feed us as humans have done for millenia. 

 Amelia South, owner,  NO-BS Herbalist, will lead us on a Foraging Walk looking for both edible and medicinal plants.  She has over 15 years of experience identifying and using the plants on our property for overall health.

 Depending on what she finds, we will come into the kitchen and she will show us how to make something to eat and taste, and/or make medicine following the walk.  Nibbles and beverages to be served.

This program has been CANCELLED by the speaker due to a family emergency.  
CT Horticultural Society will try to reschedule Uli's webinar for this fall.

***********************************************************************************************

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 on or around June 1.   DO NOT REGISTER at the CT Hort website or you will have to pay the non-member fee!

A collaboration of Wakeman Town Farm, Sustainable Westport, Wild Ones, & Pollinator Pathway

Discover how to create beauty and comfort in your yard without relying on poisonous pesticides. There is a simpler, safer way than battling against nature and spraying harsh chemicals. We will equip you with natural strategies to deter pests, support local pollinators, and build resilient, healthy soil. Participants will leave with their very own Mosquito Bucket — a safe, affordable and targeted approach to control mosquitoes at the source.  

PLEASE NOTE:  Click on the registration link to purchase event tickets AND pre-order Mosquito Bucket Kits by June 23rd.  

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

Join us to chat informally about seasonal issues and other questions you have about growing native plants, habitat gardening, and any problems you have encountered.   All native gardeners – novice or veteran - are welcome.  While not required, questions or topics of interest may be submitted in advance via email to [email protected] to give us time to research the answers.   Q&A will be moderated by one or more chapter leaders, focusing on seasonally relevant topics, but any native gardening question is fair game.  We will do our best to answer  your questions – and if we can’t, perhaps another attendee can!  

This program is for members only.   Register to receive the zoom link.  

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.

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 that that, 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 for you. 

It should be an informative and lively evening. 

This annual open house by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station showcases the ongoing work by their scientists,  providing an opportunity for the public to engage directly with CAES scientists and get their plant and pest questions answered by technical experts. For details  about  this year's Plant Science Day program, click READ MORE.  

Wild Ones Mountain Laurel Chapter will have an educational display together with other plant-related organizations under the big tent. Members are needed to help staff our display.  No prior experience needed.   Sign up for a 2-hour shift, using the REGISTER link.

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

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.

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.

SAVE THE DATE - 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.

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

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.

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

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. 
 

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