The Native Plant Sales & Events calendar is updated regularly so check back often. Contact us to add an event.
EVERYWHERE: Look for your county’s upcoming spring native shrub and tree seedling sales. These young plants are offered to homeowners at an irresistible price.
EVERYWHERE: Doug Tallamy’s Homegrown National Park: A GRASSROOTS CALL-TO-ACTION TO RESTORE BIODIVERSITY – NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY – GET DIGGING AND GET ON THE MAP!
MARYLAND: Marylanders Plant Trees was launched in 2009 to encourage citizens and organizations to partner with the State to plant new trees. Today, citizens can still take advantage of our coupon program to receive $25 off the purchase of a native tree at 86 participating nurseries across the State.
NEW JERSEY: The South Jersey Landscape Makeover Program is a unique program to provide homeowners, municipalities, and farmers with expert advice and financial assistance to create rain gardens and other “green infrastructure” projects that capture polluted stormwater and prevent it from entering our lakes, rivers, and bays. We’ll host a series of rain garden design workshops and offer free technical advice and funding for homeowners and municipalities. Farm owners will also be eligible for grants to implement stormwater best management practices. This program is for select municipalities in the Rancocas River, Hammonton, Salem, and Maurice-Cohansey River watersheds, but there may be opportunities in other municipalities depending on the project and location.
PENNSYLVANIA: Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Howard Nursery produces bare-root seedlings for wildlife food and cover on State Game Lands. The nursery has been producing and distributing 2 to 8 million seedlings annually for wildlife food and cover since 1954. All Pennsylvania landowners may purchase seedlings for wildlife food and cover, watershed protection, soil erosion control, and for reclamation of disturbed areas, such as surface mine site and utility right-of-ways.
PENNSYLVANIA: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources Lawn Conversion Program. In Pennsylvania, there are two million acres of lawn. One way to reduce your environmental footprint, help provide clean water, and welcome birds and beneficial insects is to let go of all that grass!
Converting some or all of your lawn to woods or meadow shows you are a good steward of the land, adds natural diversity and interest to your backyard, and reduces the time you spend mowing. A diverse array of native trees, shrubs, perennial flowers, and warm season grasses are much better than turf grass for keeping soil and nutrients in place.
If you’re ready to do your part by converting turf grass to trees or meadow, DCNR offers technical assistance throughout the state. If you (or you and your neighbors collectively) have more than a quarter acre of lawn, you might also be eligible for funding that can pay for some of all of the costs of tree planting and meadow establishment, from planning to planting to maintenance.
Contact the lawn conversion team to learn more about how DCNR can help you care for your land.
VIRGINIA: Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District’s Native Seedling Sale. The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual seedling sale makes low-cost bare-root native shrub and tree seedlings available to Northern Virginia residents. The 2021 bare-root seedling sale features small shrubs and trees which are hardy in small spaces and bear gorgeous flowers and fruits, and display beautiful colors. The fruits and flowers that these plants grow are important food sources to birds and pollinators! By planting these native species, you are directly contributing to the betterment of our environment. The plants in each package clean our water and air, prevent soil erosion, provide valuable habitat, and add beauty to your property. View the seedlings available in each package below, and be sure to order early! In 2020, our packages sold out within a week! Orders open on Tuesday, February 2, 2021. You must purchase your seedlings in advance, no day of sales or extras will be offered.
VIRGINIA: Grants and Discounts: list courtesy Plant NOVA Natives.
VIRGINIA: My Tree Counts – Help the VDOF. Every tree planted makes a difference to the health of our communities and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) and partners want to highlight tree planting projects from across the state. This year (October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021) the goal for Northern Virginia is 28,500 trees and shrubs. Submit your tree planting to show that your tree counts towards Virginia’s efforts to #ProtectOurBay! We’ll share these stories on the Community Tree Map and social media with #MyTreeCounts.
Your regional Native Plant Society is the perfect resource for not only native plant sales but also information, field trips and other events:
Delaware Native Plant Society
Maryland Native Plant Society
The Native Plant Society of New Jersey
The Finger Lakes Native Plant Society of Ithaca, New York
Native Plant Society of Staten Island, New York
New York Flora Association
Pennsylvania Native Plant Society
Delaware Valley Fern & Wildflower Society, Pennsylvania
Virginia Native Plant Society
West Virginia Native Plant Society
PENNSYLVANIA/Virtual Event
January 10
The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College: Doug Tallamy: A Guide to Restoring the Little Things That Run the World
A recent UN report predicts that as many as 1 million species will soon disappear because of human activities. Many of these are insects and nearly all species at risk, including humans, rely on insects. So how do we create beautiful landscapes brimming with the life that runs the ecosystems we depend on? Tallamy will remind us of the essential roles insects play, and describe the simple changes we must make in our landscapes and our attitudes to keep insects on the ground, in the air and yes, on our plants. Registration is free but required.
CONNECTICUT/Virtual Event
January 14
Interreligious Eco-Justice Network: Doug Tallamy: Nature’s Best Hope
Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Doug Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can- and must- take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. Registration is free but required.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
January 14
Virginia Native Plant Society Potowmack Chapter: Climate Change and the Need to Make Space for Nature with Charles Smith [via Zoom]
Current shifts in the natural world differ from past changes because they are occurring so rapidly and so much of the Earth’s surface has been altered, reducing both the available habitat and the seed source for plant communities to move. There is a need to act on a large and small scale to counteract the impacts and preserve biodiversity. All of us have a role in preserving species and natural communities. We will discuss what we can do to make room for nature. We will look at current data on the state of the earth, the importance of plant communities to include keystone species, and concepts from restoration science and efforts described by Doug Tallamy and others that can be taken.
EVERYWHERE
January 18
MLK Day of Service
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 18, 2021, is the 26th anniversary of the day of service that celebrates the Civil Rights leader’s life and legacy. Observed each year on the third Monday in January as “a day on, not a day off,” MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. AmeriCorps has been charged to lead this effort for the last quarter century. We look forward to your engagement and accomplishments in Dr. King’s memory.
PENNSYLVANIA/Virtual Event
January 21 & 22, 28 & 29
Morris Arboretum Landscape Design Symposium 2021
The 2021 Ecological Landscape Design Symposium, going virtual this year, explores how ecology, culture, and design can be incorporated into real-world contemporary practice. This program is geared to landscape practitioners in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the US. Featured topics: Examples of collaboration between horticulture, restoration, and landscape architecture; Ideas to incorporate plant community analysis into design; Embracing cultures in landscape design. Fee.
NEW HAMPSHIRE/Virtual Event
January 22
Ecological Landscape Alliance: Grassroot Seed Propagation of Native Plants
Growing native plants from seed is a different way to interact with our native flora and an inexpensive way to produce a lot of plants. The seeds of wild plants have a very different set of needs than those of garden and vegetable species. Timing is crucial and fall and winter are ideal times to sow the seeds of many species. In this webinar, Heather McCargo will describe the reproductive life cycle of many different types of native plants and explain how we can change our landscape practices to help support wild plant reproduction and survival. Then she will describe simple outdoor seed sowing methods that anyone can use to grow their own seedlings. Fee.
NEW HAMPSHIRE/Virtual Event
January 27
Ecological Landscape Alliance: Expanding Biodiversity – Attracting Birds to Your Yard
Witness winter wildlife all around Virginia Beach; whether it’s following fascinating bird activity, exploring the natural areas of our community or the musings of harbor seals . Learn what it takes to properly observe and identify wildlife in their natural settings. Registration now open. Fee.
PENNSYLVANIA/Virtual Event
January 21 & 22, 28 & 29
Morris Arboretum Landscape Design Symposium 2021
The 2021 Ecological Landscape Design Symposium, going virtual this year, explores how ecology, culture, and design can be incorporated into real-world contemporary practice. This program is geared to landscape practitioners in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the US. Featured topics: Examples of collaboration between horticulture, restoration, and landscape architecture; Ideas to incorporate plant community analysis into design; Embracing cultures in landscape design. Fee.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
January 28
Blue Ridge PRISM: Invasive Plant Control in Winter
Winter is for hot chocolate, warm fires, and controlling invasive plants. Yes! It is a great time of year to tackle some of the invasive plants found in our area. Find out which plants you can treat, which you need to wait to treat, and how to do winter control safely and effectively. You will have the opportunity to ask your questions live to our panel of experts. No fee.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
January 29
NVRC: Beautifying Your Yard for Healthy Streams – Residential Rain Gardens
Rain gardens, also known as bioretention areas, are attractive landscape features that allow rain water and snow melt to infiltrate into the ground. A layer of mulch and plants intercept water running off streets, driveways, and rooftops, slowing its flow and removing pollutants before the water reaches local streams, the Occoquan River and the Potomac River, drinking water supplies for the region. No fee.
PENNSYLVANIA/Online Plant Sale
February 1
Manada Conservancy’s 21st Online Native Plant Sale Starts Today, Hummelstown
Create a natural community on your property by incorporating a diversity of native plant structures and types! These two elements provide food, shelter, and nesting sites and are key to attracting birds, insects, and other wildlife all year long. Create structure by planting in layers: Canopy (trees), Understory (trees), Shrubs, Herbaceous (perennials), and Groundcover (perennials and grasses). Birds have especially strong preferences for the heights at which they feed and nest, and providing multiple, step-like layers will enhance both the number and types of birds that call your property home. Let’s all do our part to sustain our local ecosystem! Shop early for the best selection. Sale ends April 20th. Orders will be available for pickup on May 1.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
February 6
3rd Annual Stop Mowing, Start Growing: Native Plants for Beginners!
Whether you are new native plants and what they can do for your property or looking for alternative landscaping ideas this event is for you! Native plants can: create a beautiful yard; save time so you can enjoy other activities; create habitat for birds & pollinators; save money on fertilizer & pesticides; improve water quality; curb erosion. Let us help you to stop mowing and get going on your dream landscape! Registration Fee: $5.00
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
February 11
Virginia Native Plant Society Potowmack Chapter: Life in Your Wild Garden with Laura Beaty (via Zoom)
Growing numbers of gardeners are incorporating native plants into their landscapes in an effort to mitigate the growing loss of pollinators and leafeaters. This loss is global and compromises interactions in a natural habitats worldwide. Here at home, many gardeners have been surprised by what they are observing in their wild gardens. Join us to see inside a wild garden — then look deeper into yours.
NEW JERSEY/Virtual Event
February 11 – 13
Northeast Earth Coalition 6th Acting Locally for a More Sustainable World Conference
The Northeast Earth Coalition is honored to have Dr. Douglas Tallamy as our keynote speaker. This event is one of the largest environmental and community activist gatherings in northern New Jersey. At the conference, you will have the opportunity to meet community leaders and groups from northern and central New Jersey to network about environmental issues, including local food, sustainable communities, alternative transportation, renewable energy, clean air and water, and climate change activism. Stay tuned for more details. Location: The 2021 Conference will be a virtual event due to the ongoing COVID crisis. Participants can join from anywhere in the country – or the world! Fee.
DELAWARE/Virtual Event
February 13
Mt. Cuba Center presents The Humane Gardener: Nurturing Habitats for Wildlife
Why do we call some insects “beneficial” while others are “pests”? Why do we welcome some larger animals to our garden while calling others “nuisances”? Why are some plants considered “desirable” while others are “weeds”? In this myth-busting talk, learn how common gardening methods perpetuate misperceptions about the wild species living among us. Discover practical ways to put humane gardening philosophies into action by protecting nesting sites, eliminating unintended hazards, identifying and nurturing plants that provide food and shelter, and humanely resolving conflicts with mammals and other commonly misunderstood creatures. Fee.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
February 16
Sustainability Matters: Greener than Grass: a Sustainable Landscaping Virtual Workshop
Turfgrass is America’s #1 crop…yet has no ecological value whatsoever. Learn to landscape more sustainably, replacing your lawn with no-mow alternatives that offer food and beauty to pollinators, wildlife, you, and your family. This will be a virtual workshop, with time for Q & A. $10 fee.
PENNSYLVANIA/Virtual Event
February 18
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve’s 21st Annual Land Ethics Symposium: Creative Approaches for Ecological Landscaping
Come celebrate the 21st year of this not-to-be-missed symposium geared towards landscape architects, designers, contractors, land planners, municipal officials and homeowners. The symposium’s focus: how to create ecologically sound and economically viable landscapes through the use of native plants and sustainable practices. This year, expect lively dialog on topics ranging the restoration of the American chestnut to the future of urban park design. Fee.
MARYLAND/Virtual Event
February 19
Montgomery County GreenScapes Symposium: Back to Our Roots: Leveraging Native Plants to Restore the Environment
Years of rapid urbanization have fragmented natural habitats with manicured lawns and barren over-development leading to significant declines in biodiversity. How can you reverse this alarming trend? Join us for a fascinating day of innovative presentations that dig deep into how native plants can restore natural ecosystems in a range of landscapes, from backyards and public gardens to urban and commercial projects. Experts will tackle the native vs. non-native plant debate: Is a native plant-only prescription necessary? Under what conditions should non-native plants be incorporated, and what are the risks of using cultivars? Join the conversation as experts assess the scope of environmental benefits that native ecosystems create, such as decreasing pollution and fighting climate change. We’ll explore the latest strategies to combat pollinator population collapse, considering key factors like pollination syndromes, specialist pollinators, plant genetics and floral balance. Speakers will demonstrate the latest tools to assess the sustainability of sites, including best practices for evidence-based designs that maximize the ecological, social and economic benefits of native landscapes. Key note: Nature’s Best Hope, Doug Tallamy, Professor & Chair, Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware. Fee.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
February 20
The 17th Annual EcoSavvy Symposium: Integrating Storm Water Management in Landscape Design
Join us for the 17th annual and first virtual EcoSavvy Symposium on stormwater management. Are you experiencing landscape issues due to water runoff from powerful rainstorms and overflowing gutters? Do you have patches of standing water in corners of your yard? This year’s symposium, “Integrating Stormwater Management in Landscape Design,” will show you innovative techniques to capture, store and redirect rainwater. Experts in stormwater management will provide answers to your questions and resources for managing the water on your property. Cost: $26 in-county/$28 out-of-county; Registration (703) 642-5173 or online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes; Code ITG.QARB.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
February 21
Green Spring Gardens Winter Lecture Series: Doug Tallamy & Nature’s Best Hope
Recent headlines about global insect declines and 3 billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Doug Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can and must take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. This program will be offered virtually with an emailed link. $10 Fee.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
February 21
Prince William Wildflower Society: The Pollinator Victory Garden with Kim Eierman
Kim Eierman, author of The Pollinator Victory Garden, will be our guest speaker on Sunday, February 21 at 2:00 PM through Zoom. As Kim says, “You don’t have to be an entomologist to realize that pollinators are in trouble, and you don’t have to be a professional landscaper or horticulturist to do something about it.” Kim asserts that the passion and urgency that inspired WWI and WWII Victory Gardens are needed today to meet another threat to our food supply and our environment—the steep decline of pollinators. The Pollinator Victory Garden offers practical solutions for winning the war against the demise of these essential animals. Registration required. No fee.
NEW JERSEY/Virtual Event
February 26
Lenses on the Pinelands: A Journey of Discovery
At approximately 1.1 million acres, the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve is the largest forested area on the Eastern Seaboard between Maine and the Florida Everglades. It encompasses 22% of this crowded state. Established in 1978 as our nation’s first National Reserve, it was also designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Despite being located in the most densely populated state in the nation, most people know little about this natural treasure. Please join us for a very special Zoom event, “Lenses on the Pinelands – A Journey of Discovery” which will be held on Friday, February 26, 2021 (7pm – 8pm). See the beauty of the Pinelands through the eyes of talented photographers. No fee.
PENNSYLVANIA/Online Plant Sale
Continuing…
Manada Conservancy’s 21st Online Native Plant Sale, Hummelstown
Create a natural community on your property by incorporating a diversity of native plant structures and types! These two elements provide food, shelter, and nesting sites and are key to attracting birds, insects, and other wildlife all year long. Create structure by planting in layers: Canopy (trees), Understory (trees), Shrubs, Herbaceous (perennials), and Groundcover (perennials and grasses). Birds have especially strong preferences for the heights at which they feed and nest, and providing multiple, step-like layers will enhance both the number and types of birds that call your property home. Let’s all do our part to sustain our local ecosystem! Shop early for the best selection. Sale ends April 20th. Orders will be available for pickup on May 1.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Sales & Pickup
Continuing…
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery, Springfield
Curbside Pickup or Self-Service Sundays are now in full swing! Support this non-profit organization that collects wild plant seeds and propagates them for homeowners and for local restoration efforts. If you live in the Northern Virginia region, this is THE nursery to purchase your native plants from.
MASSACHUSETTS/Virtual Event
March 3 – 4
Ecological Landscape Alliance Conference & Eco-Marketplace 2021
Looking for Innovative Landscape Solutions and Inspiration? Join ELA on March 3 & 4, 2021 for the 27th Conference & Eco-Marketplace – all online. We’ll energize your practice and prepare you for spring with two full days of research and field-tested expertise, as well as innovative case studies on a wide range of topics. Fee.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
March 5
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Grow Native Series Keynote: Nature’s Best Hope with Doug Tallamy
Learn about why and how to use native Virginia plants in your landscape. If you’ve heard that using native plants in your yard helps improve the environment for everyone, but are not sure why or how to do that, this series of webinars brings you up to speed on ways to turn your home garden into a native-friendly, sustainable and resilient habitat for birds and other wildlife. Start with the big picture, presented by Dr. Douglas Tallamy, the scientist who has made the case for enhancing the environment with natives, then follow up with a series of webinars that delves deeper into the “how.” This virtual series is presented via Zoom. Attend each program or pick and choose your topics. Another series will be offered this fall to help you continue your efforts and prepare for the winter. $10 covers the entire series.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
March 6
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia: Attracting Bees and Beneficial Insects with Native Plants
Join us as we welcome Heather Holm, biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author. In addition to assisting with native bee research projects, she informs and educates audiences nationwide, through her writing and many presentations, about the fascinating world of native pollinators and beneficial insects, and the native plant communities that support them. Most insects have a positive impact in our landscapes. Native plants can be selected to attract specific bees and beneficial insects including predatory and parasitic wasps, beetles, flies, true bugs, and lacewings. Learn about the predator-prey relationships of these flower-visiting beneficial insects and how they help keep problem insect populations in balance. The life cycles, diversity, and nesting habitat of native bees will also be covered along with examples of native plants for different site conditions. $10 fee.
CONNECTICUT/Virtual Event
March 10
Samford Museum & Nature Center: Doug Tallamy & Nature’s Best Hope
Join us for a live, interactive event with award winning author, Douglas Tallamy, Ph.D., Professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. Author of 2008’s “Bringing Nature Home,” which was awarded the Silver Medal by the Garden Writer’s Association, Tallamy has followed up with his latest book “Nature’s Best Hope.” Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can, and must, take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. Signed book will be available for purchase through Barrett Bookstore. Fee.
MARYLAND/Virtual Event
March 15
Pickering Creek Audubon Center: Nature’s Best Hope with Entomologist Doug Tallamy
Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Join Pickering Creek as Dr. Doug Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can- and must- take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. $7 fee.
PENNSYLVANIA/Virtual Event
March 18
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay: Native Bees 101
Did you know there are over 400 different native bee species within Pennsylvania that help pollinate all of our flowering plants? Join Rebecca Lauver, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member, on March 18, 2021 at 6:30PM to learn more native bee facts like this! Rebecca is hosting a FREE interactive webinar all about native bees! Consider joining her to learn about the diversity of native bee genera within Pennsylvania – although this knowledge can be applied across the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. Rebecca will also provide introductory information on native bee lifestyles, nutrient needs, and morphology. There will be an emphasis on the current pressures facing native bees and how we can best help them. No fee but registration is required.
NEW YORK/Virtual Event
March 19 & 20
Ithaca Native Landscape Symposium
INLS 2021 will be held virtually on Friday, March 19th and Saturday, March 20th in the comfort of your own home or office. All of the 2020 speakers have agreed to return to the 2021 conference. We are working with Flair Communications to make the conference as fun and engaging as Zoom possible. We look forward to all being together in 2022 at Cinemapolis. Fee.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
March 20
Loudoun County Master Gardeners Annual Gardening Symposium
Due to COVID-19, we will be holding a virtual Symposium. Join us for a full day of online inspiration, information and insight! Topics include Woody Natives, Vegetable Gardening and an Introduction to Native Bees. This webinar will be recorded so you can watch all of it, some of it, or none of it on Saturday, March 20 and then access the recording for a 10 day period after the event. Fee.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
March 20
Gardening in the Northern Neck: Be Intentional: Create Livable, Edible, Sustainable Garden Spaces
The Northern Neck Master Gardeners (NNMG) Association is pleased to announce that the Gardening in the Northern Neck seminar (GNN) will return on Saturday, March 20, 2021, after a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19. This will be the 27th Gardening in the Northern Neck Seminar. The theme of the seminar is “Be Intentional: Create Livable, Edible, Sustainable Garden Spaces.” The 2021 seminar speakers are nationally recognized for their innovative approaches to gardening. Speakers will be Brie Arthur, a celebrated speaker, bestselling author, and known for her leadership with the Foodscape movement; Nancy Lawson, a habitat consultant and national speaker on garden ecology; and Vincent Simeone, horticulturist, lecturer, and garden writer. The fee for the virtual seminar is $25.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
March 21
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia: Native Landscape Design with John Magee
Join us as we welcome John Magee, award winning landscape designer and host of The Native Plant Podcast. John Magee has been designing and building landscapes in the Washington DC Metro area and beyond for the past 25 years. After receiving his B.S. degree in Agriculture from the Ohio State University and spending a few years training and showing horses, he settled into the industry as the General Foreman of Pennsylvania’s highest award-winning landscape firm. While in Pennsylvania, he became a volunteer at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and not only did he meet his wife there, but he was introduced to habitat gardening and the use of native plants in the landscape. This event is free, but registration is required.
CONNECTICUT/Virtual Event
March 23
Fairfield University Art Museum: Doug Tallamy’s Nature’s Best Hope
On Tuesday, March 23rd, at 5 p.m. Douglas Tallamy, Professor of Entomology at University of Delaware, will give a virtual lecture titled “Nature’s Best Hope.” Tallamy shows how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats. This event is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Birds of the Northeast: Gulls to Great Auks. Learn more about the exhibition here. No registration required.
MARYLAND/Online & In-Person Plant Sale
Continuing…
Herring Run Nursery Native Plant Sale, Baltimore
Our Online Shop is open! We will call you to schedule your pick up appointment within 3 days of purchase. Pick up appointments are scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday following purchase. Most items Listed as ‘Sold Out’ are expected to arrive by the end of the month. We will be open for in-person shopping appointments beginning Thursday, March 18. Please visit our events calendar to schedule your appointment.
PENNSYLVANIA/Online Plant Sale
Continuing…
Manada Conservancy’s 21st Online Native Plant Sale, Hummelstown
Create a natural community on your property by incorporating a diversity of native plant structures and types! These two elements provide food, shelter, and nesting sites and are key to attracting birds, insects, and other wildlife all year long. Create structure by planting in layers: Canopy (trees), Understory (trees), Shrubs, Herbaceous (perennials), and Groundcover (perennials and grasses). Birds have especially strong preferences for the heights at which they feed and nest, and providing multiple, step-like layers will enhance both the number and types of birds that call your property home. Let’s all do our part to sustain our local ecosystem! Shop early for the best selection. Sale ends April 20th. Orders will be available for pickup on May 1.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Sales & Pickup
Continuing…
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery, Springfield
Curbside Pickup or Self-Service Sundays are now in full swing! Support this non-profit organization that collects wild plant seeds and propagates them for homeowners and for local restoration efforts. If you live in the Northern Virginia region, this is THE nursery to purchase your native plants from.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
April 1
Audubon Naturalist Society presents A Milkweed Safari
Join Capital Naturalist Founder Alonso Abugattas for a safari to explore milkweeds, their history, uses, folklore and some of the many animals who benefit from them. People may plant them for monarchs, but many other wildlife benefit from this family of plants. Fee. Note: Scroll down linked page to register and to view other interesting offerings.
NEW HAMPSHIRE/Virtual Event
April 7
Ecological Landscape Alliance: Proper Planting Practices: Are We Landscaping in a Deficit Model?
In the Nursery and Landscape Industry, there is an overabundance of clouded misinformation that is passed down to the general public on how to design and maintain their landscape. From every direction, inaccurate or antiquated information flows. From big box stores and local Mom and Pop nurseries to examples, images, and text on the internet. There are visual examples that exist everywhere of ill-managed landscapes in both commercial properties and private residences. There are significant differences in training and quality between companies that offer services based on best practices. So how do we improve our company standards or how do you, as a consumer, know if you’re getting the best quality for your money? In this presentation, Richard McCoy will provide information on current techniques of proper planting, how to correct unseen issues that are borne in the landscape nursery, the importance of the plant root collar, plant placement by matching site conditions to a plant’s cultural needs, and how these efforts add value vs. “cheap’ alternatives. Free to the public.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Plant Sale
April 10
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Spring Native Plant Sale, Leesburg
Beautiful spring blooming flowers, shrubs, trees, vines, and ferns along with native plant experts to help you choose the right plants for your garden — that hasn’t changed at this year’s spring sale. What has changed is that we have scaled back the size of the sale due to ongoing COVID concerns. Both Hill House Farm and Nursery and Watermark Woods Nursery will be there, but our community partners will not be participating. However, The Wild Shop (which has been closed during the pandemic) will be there with books, T shirts, mugs and other merchandise for sale.
MARYLAND/Virtual Event
April 21
Forever Maryland presents Pollinators, Backyard Habitat, and Why It Matters
Your backyard and neighborhood shared space can be a place of positive change. It’s time we start to fully realize the ecosystem services that can come from these often neglected or overlooked spaces. Join us as Heather Holm, a biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author, helps you evolve your understanding of native pollinators, beneficial insects, and the native plant communities that can thrive in your own back yard. Free to the public.
EVERYWHERE!
April 22
Earth Day 2021
When life around the globe returns to normal, our world cannot return to business-as-usual. Our global community has been shocked by the largest global crisis in a generation. COVID-19 has shown us the necessity of thinking ahead, but the next crises are already on their way. Climate change, species loss, pandemics and massive natural disasters might define the future — unless we do something now. We have the solutions, both natural and technological… we just need the will. Join EARTHDAY.ORG and over 1 billion participants around the world and take action on April 22nd. TOGETHER, WE WILL RESTORE OUR EARTH.
NEW JERSEY/Online Plant Sale
April 22-23
Pinelands Preservation Alliance: Spring Native Plant Sale, Columbus
Pinelands Direct, the retail operation for Pinelands Nursery, generously offered to run a virtual plant sale for the Pinelands Preservation Alliance in place of the annual native plant sale that takes place at our offices! You will place your order and pay online with Pinelands Direct. Your order will be shipped to you or you can schedule a curbside pick-up at their facility. Please note that some larger plants are only available for pickup at their headquarters.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
April 22-25
Colonial Williamsburg’s Annual Garden Symposium: Celebrate Planet Earth: Giving Back With Our Gardens
In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, we invite you to join us from your home or garden, as we examine garden designs, gardening practices, and plant choices that embrace nature yet beautify the landscape. Guest speakers and Colonial Williamsburg horticultural staff will share some of their best practices for creating gardens that are sustainable and earth-friendly. While we may not be able to gather together in a large group to enjoy this conference, each registrant will receive a multi-day ticket voucher to redeem for a future visit to enjoy our historic and iconic gardens at a time most convenient to you! After a year where many dove headlong into the art of gardening—many perhaps for the first time—now seems perfect to address the relationship between gardeners and the environments in which they practice their skills. Opening Keynote Speaker, national gardening television host, Joe Lamp’l, will provide practical information to help us all become better, smarter gardeners. Professor and researcher, Doug Tallamy, will share how we are nature’s best hope for biodiversity, and David Mizejewski, spokesperson for the National Wildlife Federation, will share a whole new perspective on gardening. Award winning authors Anne Spafford and Nancy Lawson will discuss creating successful gardens for pollinators and other wildlife. Registration expected to launch by January 4, 2021.
NEW JERSEY/Virtual Event
April 24
Stockton University’s 32nd Annual Pinelands Short Course
Join Paul Leakan and Joel Mott from the Pinelands Commission for an entertaining morning as they speak with fellow Pinelands enthusiasts! During this FREE virtual ZOOM event hear from: Ted Gordon, Botanist and Historian; Terry O’Leary, Retired NJ Park and Forest Service Educator; John Volpa, Pinelands Outdoor Guide and Retired Teacher; Becky Laboy, Education Outreach Specialist, Ocean County Soil Conservation District; Samuel Moore, Cranberry Farmer and Retired NJ Forest Fire Service Warden. Registration required.
MARYLAND/Virtual Event
April 29
Irvine Nature Center: Native Bees in Maryland – Some Good Stories with Sam Droege
There are 450 or so known (and counting) bee species in Maryland. Like birds and flowers, they range in how they look, when they are out, what they do, and whether they are common or rare. But even more so! Let us tell you some new stories, show you some new pictures, and share what new things we are learning about bees in the state of Maryland. Fee. To register, scroll to end of page in the above link.
MARYLAND/Online & In-Person Plant Sale
Continuing…
Herring Run Nursery Native Plant Sale, Baltimore
Our Online Shop is open! We will call you to schedule your pick up appointment within 3 days of purchase. Pick up appointments are scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday following purchase. Most items Listed as ‘Sold Out’ are expected to arrive by the end of the month. We will be open for in-person shopping appointments beginning Thursday, March 18. Please visit our events calendar to schedule your appointment.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Sales & Pickup
Continuing…
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery, Springfield
Curbside Pickup or Self-Service Sundays are now in full swing! Support this non-profit organization that collects wild plant seeds and propagates them for homeowners and for local restoration efforts. If you live in the Northern Virginia region, this is THE nursery to purchase your native plants from.
NEW YORK/In-Person Plant Sale
May 1 & 2
Wild Gardens Nursery Native Plant Sale, Cortlandt Manor
We are thrilled to announce our first sales event of the year! Mark your calendar for May 1 & 2 from 10 am to 4 pm for Opening Weekend at our growing site, Dragonfly Farm, in Cortlandt Manor. At Wild Gardens Nursery, our goal is to be environmentally responsible at every level. That means not only selling plants that are good for the ecosystem, but also growing and packaging them in ways that are sustainable.
MARYLAND/In-Person Plant Sale
May 2
Robinson Nature Center’s 2021 Native Plant Palooza, Ellicott City
Come shop our 8th annual native plant sale! By planting native and properly caring for your plants, you can save on the cost of water, fertilizer and pesticides while providing a habitat for butterflies, insects and other local wildlife. This year, our sale will adhere to all COVID Safety Guidelines. In order to participate, you must call ahead to reserve a timed ticket to ensure we can keep the event to the required COVID outdoor gathering limits. All participants and vendors must wear a facial mask for the duration of the event and maintain social distancing from other participants during the event. Please call 410-313-0400 to reserve your timed ticket starting March 5th. Limited tickets will be available for 1-hour time slots starting at Noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.
DELAWARE/Online Plant Sale
May 2 – 3
Delaware Nature Society: Spring Native Plant Sale 2021, Hockessin
Hope Blooms this Spring at our annual Spring Native Plant Sale. Enjoy a wide variety of beautiful native species for all growing conditions. Online Sale Days: May 2 – 3; Plant Pick Up: May 13 – 15 (Upstate and Downstate Options).
VIRGINIA/In-Person Event
May 5
The Potowmack Chapter monthly Native Plant Sale at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria
Visit on the first Wednesday of each month from 10am to 1pm at our propagation beds across the driveway behind the Horticulture Center. Our knowledgeable Propagation Bed Volunteers are looking forward to visiting with you and helping you select the right plants for your environment. Please follow all current COVID-19 guidelines. VNPS Potowmac Chapter: https://vnps.org/potowmack/.
NEW YORK/Virtual Event
May 6
The Garden Conservancy’s Virtual Program: Doug Tallamy’s The Nature of Oaks
In his latest book, The Nature of Oaks (Timber Press, March 2021), Doug Tallamy pays homage to a giant of the plant kingdom: the mighty oak tree. Oaks sustain a crucial and complex web of wildlife above ground, but are just as impressive underground, producing enormous root systems that make them champions of carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, and watershed management. Join us for this webinar, as Doug shares is signature how-to advice, including practical tips on how to plant and care for an oak, as well as information about the best oak species for your area. Fee.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Plant Sale
May 8
Prince William Wildflower Society Annual Plant Sale, Manassas
We are planning to hold our chapter plant sale on the customary Saturday before Mother’s Day, May 8 this year. As in the past, the sale will be held on the grounds of Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas. Obviously, some adjustments will have to be made in order to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines. Current plans include assigned time slots for customers to shop and a limit on the number of individual species that each customer can purchase. Additional details will be announced as we get closer to the sale date.
PENNSYLVANIA/In-Person Plant Sale
May 15 & 16
Hawk Mountain 2021 Spring Native Plant Sale, Kempton
Saturday, May 15th begins Hawk Mountain’s Native Plant Sale weekend, featuring over 100 species of Pennsylvania native wildflowers, perennials, vines, grasses, ferns, shrubs, and trees. These native plants can help attract birds, butterflies, and wildlife and create a more natural environment in the local landscape. “We consistently offer a wide selection of natives for a wide range of growing conditions, including many that are not commonly found in the nursery trade,” says garden volunteer Rudy Keller, who encourages visitors with specific plants in mind to arrive early. Plants that attract birds and butterflies, as well as plants in bloom, sell quickly…” The sale runs from 10 am – 4 pm on Saturday and 10 am – 3 pm on Sunday, May 16th.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Plant Sale
May 15
Blue Ridge Wildflower Society Annual Plant Sale, Roanoke
The Blue Ridge Wildflower Society’s annual plant sale will bloom this year on Saturday, May 15, at the Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs, 3640 Colonial Avenue on the grass behind back parking lot. The sale will be open to the public from 9 a.m. until noon. Because of the pandemic, we ordered larger plants that won’t need repotting, so we will not have a potting party this year. Again, because of the pandemic restrictions, we chose to have it at the Garden Club instead of the usual location above the arboretum at Virginia Western Community College. Check above link for more information on what plants are being offered.
MARYLAND/Virtual Event
May 20
Irvine Nature Center: The Humane Gardener: Nurturing Habitat for Wildlife with Nancy Lawson
Why do we call some insects “beneficial” while others are “pests”? Why do we welcome some larger animals to our garden while calling others “nuisances”? Why are some plants considered “desirable” while others are “weeds”? In this myth-busting talk, learn how common growing methods divide the natural world into false dichotomies and perpetuate misperceptions about the wild species living among us. Discover practical ways to put humane gardening philosophies into action by protecting wildlife nurseries, eliminating unintended hazards, identifying and nurturing plants that provide food and shelter, controlling invasives with minimal disturbance to wildlife, and humanely resolving conflicts with mammals and other commonly misunderstood creatures. Fee. To register, scroll to end of page in the above link.
MARYLAND/Online & In-Person Plant Sale
Continuing…
Herring Run Nursery Native Plant Sale, Baltimore
Our Online Shop is open! We will call you to schedule your pick up appointment within 3 days of purchase. Pick up appointments are scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday following purchase. Most items Listed as ‘Sold Out’ are expected to arrive by the end of the month. We will be open for in-person shopping appointments beginning Thursday, March 18. Please visit our events calendar to schedule your appointment.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Sales & Pickup
Continuing…
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery, Springfield
Curbside Pickup or Self-Service Sundays are now in full swing! Support this non-profit organization that collects wild plant seeds and propagates them for homeowners and for local restoration efforts. If you live in the Northern Virginia region, this is THE nursery to purchase your native plants.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Event
June 2
The Potowmack Chapter monthly Native Plant Sale at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria
Visit on the first Wednesday of each month from 10am to 1pm at our propagation beds across the driveway behind the Horticulture Center. Our knowledgeable Propagation Bed Volunteers are looking forward to visiting with you and helping you select the right plants for your environment. Please follow all current COVID-19 guidelines. VNPS Potowmac Chapter: https://vnps.org/potowmack/.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
June 3
Piedmont Master Gardeners presents “The Nature of Oaks” with Doug Tallamy
With books like Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s Best Hope, Doug Tallamy has reshaped how we think about our lawns and gardens and has inspired a movement to sustain nature’s ecological riches in our backyards. In his latest book, The Nature of Oaks, he pays homage to native trees that “shine brighter than other plants in their contributions to biodiversity.” Fee.
WASHINGTON DC/Virtual Event
June 15
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay presents Breakfast on the Bay: Native Plants
Rain washes chemicals and fertilizers into our streams, rivers, and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Once in our waterways, these pollutants fuel the growth of excess algae, which clouds the water and threatens the health of fish, crabs, and the entire Chesapeake Bay. One of the easiest ways for us to reduce our pollution contribution to the Chesapeake Bay is to replace some of our lawn and typical landscapes with native plants. Join our DC Green Infrastructure Projects Associate, Jordan Gochenaur, and our partner at Chesapeake Bay Landscape Pro, Beth Ginter, on Tuesday, June 15 to learn how you can utilize native plants. No fee.
MASSACHUSETTS/Virtual Event
June 16
Ecological Landscape Alliance: A Wednesday Walk in the Garden with Benjamin Vogt: Fundamentals of Garden Layers
When designing any garden, there is an opportunity to eschew the norms of beauty as the only priority. With careful planning, we can create a space that works in harmony with nature, expands biodiversity, builds healthy soil, and nurtures pollinators and other wildlife. Let’s learn from natural plant communities to increase ecosystem function and climate resilience at home in our designed gardens. From the fundamentals of seasonal and yearly plant succession, to using plant reproduction and sociability to fill ecological niches, the right native plant communities make all the difference for beautiful gardens both wildlife and people crave. No fee.
EVERYWHERE!
June 21 – 27
It’s Pollinator Week!
Pollinator Week is an annual event celebrated internationally in support of pollinator health. It’s a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. The great thing about Pollinator Week is that you can celebrate and get involved any way you like! Popular events include planting for pollinators, hosting socially distant garden tours, participating in online bee and butterfly ID workshops, and so much more. However you choose to celebrate this year, be sure to register your event on the map below, and share your story with us by tagging us on social media using the hashtag #PollinatorWeek.
OREGON/Virtual Event
June 23
Xerces Society presents: Pollinator Week Panel & Happy Hour: Ask Us Anything about Pollinators
Celebrate Pollinator Week by joining in a fun and informative happy hour Q&A with a panel of Xerces Society pollinator conservation experts! For 50 years, the Xerces Society has worked to protect and conserve pollinators and their habitats. Our amazing staff are national leaders getting science-based guidance for pollinator conservation into the hands of farmers, ranchers, gardeners, and other land managers. During this Q&A, participants will have the opportunity to directly ask Xerces staff about anything and everything related to pollinator conservation, native habitat restoration, pesticide use and impacts, climate change resilience, grazing management, and more. We’ll also be distributing door prizes such as Xerces Society books, habitat signs, and more to attendees throughout the hour! Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Sales & Pickup
Continuing…
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery, Springfield
Curbside Pickup or Self-Service Sundays are now in full swing! Support this non-profit organization that collects wild plant seeds and propagates them for homeowners and for local restoration efforts. If you live in the Northern Virginia region, this is THE nursery to purchase your native plants.
OREGON/Virtual Event
July 1
Xerces Society presents: The Wondrous World of Fireflies
Fireflies are surely among the greatest ambassadors for Earth’s natural magic. For centuries their ethereal beauty has sparked wonder and inspired poets, artists, and children of all ages. Yet they also hold so many mysteries! Join guest speaker Sara Lewis, an expert on fireflies, to learn how they got their bright lights, explore their remarkable lifestyles, hear how human activities put fireflies at risk, and learn what you can do to help protect these charismatic insects.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Event
July 7
The Potowmack Chapter monthly Native Plant Sale at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria
Visit on the first Wednesday of each month from 10am to 1pm at our propagation beds across the driveway behind the Horticulture Center. Our knowledgeable Propagation Bed Volunteers are looking forward to visiting with you and helping you select the right plants for your environment. Please follow all current COVID-19 guidelines. VNPS Potowmac Chapter: https://vnps.org/potowmack/.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Sales & Pickup
Continuing…
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery, Springfield
Curbside Pickup or Self-Service Sundays are now in full swing! Support this non-profit organization that collects wild plant seeds and propagates them for homeowners and for local restoration efforts. If you live in the Northern Virginia region, this is THE nursery to purchase your native plants.
MARYLAND/In-Person Event
August 1
Chesapeake Natives Nursery Open House Sale, Upper Marlboro
We’re back! Come out to Chesapeake Natives Nursery (http://chesapeakenatives.org/) in Rosaryville State Park on Sunday August 1st from 10AM-2PM for our first Open House Sale since 2019! Shop high quality native plants, grown on site from locally gathered native seed. Our volunteers will be available to help you find the right native plants for your space. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the nursery! Please note, the entrance to the nursery is at 9640 Rosaryville Road Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. You can not reach the nursery through the Rosaryville State Park entrance on RT. 301.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Event
August 4
The Potowmack Chapter monthly Native Plant Sale at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria
Visit on the first Wednesday of each month from 10am to 1pm at our propagation beds across the driveway behind the Horticulture Center. Our knowledgeable Propagation Bed Volunteers are looking forward to visiting with you and helping you select the right plants for your environment. Please follow all current COVID-19 guidelines. VNPS Potowmac Chapter: https://vnps.org/potowmack/.
PENNSYLVANIA/In-Person Event
August 17
Manada Conservancy’s Summer Native Plant Sale, Grantville
Now that our native plant nursery is up and running, we are ready to host two summer plant sales! Stop by to shop summer-blooming and keystone perennials as well as trees, ferns, and grasses. See the complete list of available plants on our website.
MARYLAND/In-Person Event
August 29
Chesapeake Natives Nursery Open House Sale, Upper Marlboro
We’re back! Shop high quality native plants, grown on site from locally gathered native seed. Our volunteers will be available to help you find the right native plants for your space. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the nursery! Please note, the entrance to the nursery is at 9640 Rosaryville Road Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. You can not reach the nursery through the Rosaryville State Park entrance on RT. 301.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Sales & Pickup
Continuing…
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery, Springfield
Curbside Pickup or Self-Service Sundays are now in full swing! Support this non-profit organization that collects wild plant seeds and propagates them for homeowners and for local restoration efforts. If you live in the Northern Virginia region, this is THE nursery to purchase your native plants.
VIRGINIA/Virtual Event
September 1 through November 9
Grow Native: Landscaping with Virginia Natives Webinar Series
Learn about why and how to use native Virginia plants in your landscape in this series offered by the Plant Virginia Natives partnership. If you’ve heard that using native plants in your yard helps improve the environment for everyone, but are not sure why or how to do that, this series of webinars bring you up to speed on ways to turn your home garden into a native-friendly, sustainable and resilient habitat for birds and other wildlife. This virtual series is presented via Zoom. $10 covers the entire series. Attend each program or pick and choose your topics. Fall Sessions: September 1, September 14, September 28, October 12, October 26, November 9, 6:30-8pm.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Event
September 1 — moved to Sept 8 due to weather
The Potowmack Chapter monthly Native Plant Sale at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria
Visit on the first Wednesday of each month from 10am to 1pm at our propagation beds across the driveway behind the Horticulture Center. Our knowledgeable Propagation Bed Volunteers are looking forward to visiting with you and helping you select the right plants for your environment. Please follow all current COVID-19 guidelines. VNPS Potowmac Chapter: https://vnps.org/potowmack/.
NEW YORK/In-Person Event — Stay tuned!
September 3 & 4
Wild Garden’s Fall Native Plant Sale, Cortlandt Manor
We are pleased to announce that we will resume plant sales with an opening event on September 3rd & 4th at Dragonfly Farm in Cortlandt Manor. Stay tuned for more details!
VIRGINIA/In-Person Event
September 8 – rescheduled from Sept 1
The Potowmack Chapter monthly Native Plant Sale at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria
Visit on the first Wednesday of each month from 10am to 1pm at our propagation beds across the driveway behind the Horticulture Center. Our knowledgeable Propagation Bed Volunteers are looking forward to visiting with you and helping you select the right plants for your environment. Please follow all current COVID-19 guidelines. VNPS Potowmac Chapter: https://vnps.org/potowmack/.
PENNSYLVANIA/In-Person Event
September 11
Manada Conservancy’s Summer Native Plant Sale, Grantville
Now that our native plant nursery is up and running, we are ready to host two summer plant sales! Stop by to shop summer-blooming and keystone perennials as well as trees, ferns, and grasses. See the complete list of available plants on our website.
PENNSYLVANIA/In-Person Event
September 11
Friends of Gifford Pinchot State Park’s Native Plant Sale, York County
The Friends of Pinchot are hosting a fall Pennsylvania-native wildflower sale at Gifford Pinchot State Park in York County, from 9 AM to 12 PM on September 11 and 18. Get a jump start on next year’s gardens – Fall is a great time to plant perennials and shrubs! We are featuring twelve wildflowers for pollinators plus a grass and four kinds of shrubs to add visual interest and wildlife value to your gardens. Link to Google Maps for the entrance to the Conewago Day Use Area (the sale will be held at the Sunnyside Pavilion) https://goo.gl/maps/Ld4Nncxf6bsc8jm89.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Event
September 11
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Fall Native Plant Sale, Leesburg
Native plants add beauty and interest to your garden year round and provide important habitat for wildlife. Autumn is an optimal time for planting trees and shrubs. These, plus flowers, vines and ferns will be available for purchase from local nurseries. The sale, sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, will be staffed by volunteers knowledgeable about native plants. You can also learn about some of Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s programs. Representatives from Amphibian Monitoring, Audubon at Home, Habitat Restoration and Protecting Pollinators will be staffing tables at the sale.
PENNSYLVANIA – In Person!
September 17
2021 Friends of the Foundation For Sustainable Forests Dinner, Conneaut Lake
Keynote presenter: Doug Tallamy. Recent headlines about global insect declines, the impending extinction of one million species worldwide, and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can–and must–take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. Fee. Ticket includes one complementary drink. There will also be a cash (only) bar, and a Chinese Auction featuring a wonderful array of items – please bring cash to participate!
PENNSYLVANIA/In-Person Event
September 18
Friends of Gifford Pinchot State Park’s Native Plant Sale, York County
The Friends of Pinchot are hosting a fall Pennsylvania-native wildflower sale at Gifford Pinchot State Park in York County, from 9 AM to 12 PM on September 11 and 18. Get a jump start on next year’s gardens – Fall is a great time to plant perennials and shrubs! We are featuring twelve wildflowers for pollinators plus a grass and four kinds of shrubs to add visual interest and wildlife value to your gardens. Link to Google Maps for the entrance to the Conewago Day Use Area (the sale will be held at the Sunnyside Pavilion) https://goo.gl/maps/Ld4Nncxf6bsc8jm89.
PENNSYLVANIA – In-Person Event
September 18
The Foundation of Sustainable Forests: 9th Annual Field Conference: Loving the Land Through Working Forests, Centerville
A one-day field conference that features a rich program of presentations and woods walks about our forests – threats, management practices, and ways that we can enhance our forests’ resilience and overall health. Features horse-logging and goat invasives-browsing demonstrations, children’s programming, and lunch is provided for all. Doug Tallamy is the keynote speaker of “Nature’s Best Hope”: Recent headlines about global insect declines, the impending extinction of one million species worldwide, and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can- and must- take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. Fee for adults.
PENNSYLVANIA – In Person!
September 18
Blue Water Baltimore’s Blue Water Bash!, Baltimore
Bash is Back! Enjoy live music, waterfront views, local food and wine, a silent auction, and more for a good cause at Blue Water Bash! All proceeds support our mission to restore our streams, rivers, and Harbor to foster a healthy environment, a strong economy, and thriving communities. And just like any year, this is a party with a purpose. In addition to being our unofficial family reunion, Bash is a vital source of funding for our programs throughout the fall, spring, and summer to come.
VIRGINIA – In-Person Event
September 18
SEEDS Nature Center Fall Native Plant Sale, Blacksburg
This year’s Native Plant Sale will take place on Saturday, September 18th. We will be holding the sale on the grounds of the SEEDS – Blacksburg’s Nature Center.
MARYLAND/In-Person Event
September 25
Cape Conservation Corps Fall Native Plant Fest & Sale, Annapolis
Once again, the Cape Conservation Corps is planning for the Fall Native Plant Fest & Sale on September 25, 2021. We will again increase the number of plants available.
MARYLAND/In-Person Event
September 26
Chesapeake Natives Nursery Open House Sale, Upper Marlboro
We’re back! Shop high quality native plants, grown on site from locally gathered native seed. Our volunteers will be available to help you find the right native plants for your space. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the nursery! Please note, the entrance to the nursery is at 9640 Rosaryville Road Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. You can not reach the nursery through the Rosaryville State Park entrance on RT. 301.
MARYLAND – Virtual Event
September 28
Maryland Native Plant Society: Native Grasses, Sedges & Rushes for Gardens & Landscapes, Frederick
This presentation will focus on useful and beautiful native graminoids for home gardens. Our speaker, Suzanne Hill, will cover the growing requirements, benefits and suggested landscape uses for some of the more commonly available Maryland native grasses, sedges, and rushes. Free to the public.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Sales & Pickup
Continuing…
Earth Sangha’s Wild Plant Nursery, Springfield
Curbside Pickup or Self-Service Sundays are now in full swing! Support this non-profit organization that collects wild plant seeds and propagates them for homeowners and for local restoration efforts. If you live in the Northern Virginia region, this is THE nursery to purchase your native plants from.
VIRGINIA – In-Person Event
October 2
Northern Alexandria Native Plant Sale, Alexandria
This annual fall sale has been confirmed!
VIRGINIA – In-Person Event
October 2
Fairfax County Parks presents: Life in the Leaf Litter, Annandale
(4-Adult) Life can be found thriving everywhere, even under leaf litter. Investigate the creatures that call the forest floor their home. The program at Hidden Oaks Nature Center runs from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $7 per person.
VIRGINIA/In-Person Event
October 6
The Potowmack Chapter monthly Native Plant Sale at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria
Visit on the first Wednesday of each month from 10am to 1pm at our propagation beds across the driveway behind the Horticulture Center. Our knowledgeable Propagation Bed Volunteers are looking forward to visiting with you and helping you select the right plants for your environment. Please follow all current COVID-19 guidelines. VNPS Potowmac Chapter: https://vnps.org/potowmack/.
MARYLAND/In-Person Event
October 17
Chesapeake Natives Nursery Open House Sale, Upper Marlboro
We’re back! Shop high quality native plants, grown on site from locally gathered native seed. Our volunteers will be available to help you find the right native plants for your space. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the nursery! Please note, the entrance to the nursery is at 9640 Rosaryville Road Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. You can not reach the nursery through the Rosaryville State Park entrance on RT. 301.
MARYLAND/In-Person Event
October 23
Blue Water Baltimore’s Free Tree Giveaway, Baltimore
Blue Water Baltimore is partnering with the Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability, TreeBaltimore, The Department of Public Works (DPW) and Stillmeadow Community Fellowship to offer residents a variety of native tree species for FREE! From small flowering and fruiting trees to large canopy trees, each one makes a difference in our city. Trees cool and clean our air, absorb stormwater, increase biodiversity, and beautify our neighborhoods. Sign up for your own free tree today! Free trees are for residents of Baltimore City and Baltimore County only.
MARYLAND/In-Person Event
October 23
Howard Ecoworks’ Native Plant Sale & Open House, Jessup
Swing by our native plant nursery to get some great deals on plants that are both beautiful and beneficial to the environment! Plus, our Nursery Manager will be giving a 30 minute talk at 10 AM about wild flower meadow establishment.
NEW YORK – Virtual Event
November 2
NYBG presents The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy
Oaks support more species of life than any other tree genus in North America, sustaining everything from acorn-collecting woodpeckers to caterpillars that dazzle like jewels. In his latest book, The Nature of Oaks, award-winning author Doug Tallamy shares insights from his study of these superior trees and details how and why they do more than other shade trees to support animal diversity, protect watersheds, and sequester carbon dioxide. Join us as we explore how returning more of these essential trees to green spaces will help restore ecological integrity to our human-dominated landscapes. Fee.
PENNSYLVANIA – Virtual Event
November 16
Natural Areas Association: Using Informed Plant Selection to Restore Pollinators and Songbirds in Human-Dominated Landscapes
In human-dominated landscapes, such as urban areas, forestry, and agriculture, plant community composition tends to be both novel and cultivated. Restoration efforts to combat adverse effects of habitat fragmentation and degradation have resulted in widespread planting efforts. However, little attention is given to the importance of plant species identity in restoring habitat for biodiversity. This talk, given by Dr. Desiree Narango, will describe recent studies demonstrating that particular native plant species are disproportionately important for restoring local plant-insect-bird food webs. Fee for non-members.
MARYLAND – Hybrid/In-Person & Virtual Event
November 30
Maryland Native Plant Society: Gardening with Local Ecotype Native Plants, Greenbelt
Register to hear Christopher Puttock, MNPS President, speak on the topic of Gardening with Local Ecotype Native Plants. Free to the open to the public.
VIRGINIA – In Person Event
December 7
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Meet Your Wildest Neighbors: Raptors of Virginia, Maryland & DC, Leesburg
It is thrilling to watch a Red-tailed Hawk soar beneath a bright blue sky or hear a Barred Owl call on a cold, clear night. Have you ever wondered where they live, what they eat, or how they raise their young? We invite you into the secret lives of these magnificent birds of prey. The personal stories of the live hawks, owls, and falcons who will be present will help you identify our native species, understand their valuable contribution to a healthy environment, and learn what we can do to provide for their welfare in the face of climate change and an increasingly human world—with good news, bad news, and a few surprises along the way. This program by certified raptor rehabilitator Liz Dennison is being jointly sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Loudoun County Public Library, and is intended for an adult audience. Free to the public.