Events

Did you know many of our locally native wildflower seeds actually need winter weather to break dormancy and germinate in the spring? Join us next week for a discussion on three ways to cold-stratify your seeds - and take some home with you to try it out!

Several Wild Ones Cheq Bay members have collected seeds to share with the group. If you have extras, feel free to bring yours too! You could also bring tiny baggies or envelopes, or even scrap paper to fold into seed packets, but we will have envelopes available, too.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration will help us plan.

At our February meet-up, we'll talk about some garden planning/design resources, a few ways to convert lawn to garden, and share our intentions for the coming gardening season.

We can even make it a show-and-tell! Feel free to bring photos of the space you're working with, a book that gives you inspiration, or a catalog with the plants you want to add this year. 

During Bayfield's annual Winter Festival, stop by the Apostle Islands Realty building for a milkweed seed activity! You'll learn how to place milkweed seeds into artificial moist-cold stratification so that they're ready to germinate this spring when you plant them outside. Seeds and all supplies provided. Kid-friendly.

We'll take a quick, comparative look into the weed ordinances of several local cities, learn how weed ordinances can actually be a good thing for native habitat restoration, and run through some practical advice on how to make sure your wildflower planting reads as a garden and not a weedy mess.

Learn how to invite more birds into your yard and support them year-round with native plants! This presentation will cover keystone trees that provide critical nutrition (in the form of caterpillars they host) for hungry baby birds, as well as wildflower seed heads to leave standing all winter as a natural bird feeder. We'll also talk about a few other ways to create a bird-friendly yard, with time for discussion and questions. Presenter TBA.

Are you joining the No Mow May movement this year? Learn about the benefits of No Mow May, including the role of native plants in this critical period for native bees and other pollinators. 

Cheerful little weeds that they are, dandelions are often billed as the "first food" for bees in the spring and have gotten a lot of attention in No Mow May campaigns. But there are many early-blooming native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers that do even more to support the bees. Some may even be growing in your lawn already! 

10 am Spring Ephemerals: See what's blooming along the new Leopold Loop through the woods at Beaver Hollow. (Note: this route departs from the universally accessible path and boardwalk at Beaver Hollow for .4 miles.)

11 am Wildflower Garden Volunteer Day: Learn how to maintain a native wildflower garden during this service project! While there is no "big clean-up" necessary each spring and fall as in more traditional ornamental gardens, native plantings do require some care. We'll remove interlopers, relocate floppers, and divide abundant plants to spread them around. We'll also place educational Wild Ones plant markers to help visitors identify the flowers.

*This event has been rescheduled from May 13 to May 20 due to extremely wet conditions

Help add a pollinator garden under and around the solar array! Meet at the parking lot on the west side of the elementary school.  Bring trowels, gloves and any comfort equipment needed to be planting on the ground.  

We are teaming up with our local Master Gardeners group for a behind-the-scenes look at our local native plant nursery. This is a special opportunity, as Wildflower Woods is not normally open to the public. Della and Becky will show us around the greenhouse and their personal native wildflower gardens.

Because space is limited, registration is required. Meet at the Washburn Library at 5:45 to carpool.

Join us for a fun and educational service opportunity, planting up four container gardens for display in public places around the city of Washburn. 

Come get to know the tough wildflowers splashed across the sandy hills of this fire-dependent landscape! Many people visit the barrens in July to pick blueberries or watch the birds and butterflies. We will take a short walk through the woods on a logging road before exploring the open barrens.

Be prepared for uneven terrain, and bring what you need to be comfortable (water, sun protection). There are no restrooms at this location. 

Meet at the Washburn library at 5:15 to carpool. Otherwise, meet at the Moquah Barrens State Natural Area marker/sign. There is a gravel parking area with a turnaround, or parking is also allowed on the shoulder of the road. 

From Washburn: take County C 10 miles west to 236; go south 12.7 miles on 236.

From Corny: take County C 9 miles south to 236; turn right to go south 12.7 miles on 236.

From Ashland: take Highway 2 west to Ino; take 236 north 7 miles to the Moquah Barrens State Natural Area marker. 

Lucy Tyrrell began converting lawn to prairie garden beds in 2018 and has added an additional prairie bed area each year since then. She also has encouraged wetland species (e.g., marsh marigold, cardinal flower, turtlehead, jewelweed) in a low area, and has planted shrubs, including winterberry, at the woods edge. The gardens are an example of what one person can do, and may give ideas to others.

Lucy is offering two tours, each capped at six guests, Monday, August 7, at 4 pm and 6 pm. Address, directions, and additional details will be shared via email following registration.

Susan Nelson of the U.S. Forest Service will welcome Wild Ones volunteers to help collect native wildflower seeds at the Aldo Leopold orchard and 10 acres of native wildflower plantings surrounding the visitor center's parking lot. 

On this plant walk, we'll enjoy fall color in the wildflower garden at the trailhead, as well as along the trail. We'll also highlight native plants along the trail that offer winter interest, for a beautiful garden year-round. 

Join Wild Ones Honorary Director Heather Holm as she explores the nesting habitats, life cycles, pollen collection, brood rearing, and general characteristics of some of the most common native bees in eastern North America, while highlighting the pollination of native plants and the mutualism between native plants and native bees.

When creating and managing thriving habitats for native bees, many factors such as seasonal phenology, nesting strategies, and flower preferences must be considered—and with approximately 3,600 species in North America (north of Mexico), there are many unique aspects to keep in mind when managing successful landscapes for bees. 

Let's share a meal, look back at the year we've had, and dream big for the future. This annual meeting covers chapter business including election of officers. Option to attend (and vote) remotely if needed. 

Join us for an enlightening webinar featuring authors, Neil Diboll and Hilary Cox, as they present their latest book, "The Gardener’s Guide to Prairie Plants." This comprehensive compendium is a treasure trove of knowledge for gardeners looking to incorporate native prairie plants into their landscapes. Neil and Hilary will delve into the making and application of this essential guide, sharing rich historical and ecological insights about prairie ecosystems, all while showcasing stunning images of prairie flora. 

At our December seed swap and giveaway, you'll find seeds for native wildflowers, suited to all different growing conditions! We'll also have some seeds for shrubs and vines. If you have seeds to share - great! If not, no problem. You might want to bring little envelopes or baggies and something to write with, or just show up ready to have a great time and gather up seeds.

This event takes place Monday, December 4, 5:30 pm in the lower level of the Washburn Public Library, 307 Washington Avenue in Washburn.

Try to be 10-15 minutes early for set-up, if you have lots of seeds to share.

Free and open to the public.