Welcome to Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter!
We promote environmentally friendly, sound landscaping to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration, and establishment of native plant communities across Southern Maryland.
Wild Ones chapters are a space where like-minded people gather to support each other in learning about landscaping with native plants and to share with others in their communities and networks about why it’s important to reintroduce native plants into public and private gardens and how to go about doing it. Chapters are where change happens. We are excited to offer local residents the opportunity to expand their impact in the natural landscaping movement and help promote native plants!
SAVE THE DATES for our Upcoming Chapter Events
Please join us for one or more of our upcoming events. Most events are free and open to the public, but please note that some require registration. Please be sure to invite friends and family! Visit our Events page, our chapter Google calendar, or our Facebook Events page for registration and/or RSVP information.

Recent Posts/News
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- Welcome Spring! 2026The first week of spring saw a flurry of activities for Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, from creating a welcoming display case at the local library, to winter sowing and seed sharing at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), to advocating for legislation in Maryland. Twin Beaches Display Case On Monday, several chapter members converted the… Read more: Welcome Spring! 2026
- March 2026 HappeningsWelcome Spring! Today marks the beginning of meteorological spring, with Daylight Saving Time just around the corner. I can’t wait for the weather to get warmer and the gardens to start waking up for the season. We have an exciting lineup of programs for you in March. Please read on, as there’s sure to be something of… Read more: March 2026 Happenings
- National Invasive Species Awareness Week 2026National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) is here! NISAW is happening from February 23–27, 2026, and is an international event dedicated to raising awareness about invasive species, the threats they pose, and the actions that can be taken to prevent their spread. NISAW is led by The North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) in… Read more: National Invasive Species Awareness Week 2026
- Nonprofit Spotlight – XercesSeveral national nonprofit organizations share a similar mission with Wild Ones in promoting native plant communities, biodiversity, and ecological landscaping. This is the first in a series of nonprofit organizations whose work aligns with the Wild Ones mission to promote native landscapes through education, advocacy and collaborative action, with a shared vision of native plants… Read more: Nonprofit Spotlight – Xerces

A Few of My Favorite Native Things
Native bees buzzing and fireflies lighting
Monarches eclosing and new species sightings
Hummingbirds hover on fast-moving wings
These are a few of my favorite things
Red oaks and white oaks in decades old glory
Dogwoods and redbuds in the understory
Paw paw, persimmon, sassafras seedlings
These are a few of my favorite things
Beechdrops on beech roots and milkweed fluff flowing
Seed heads turn brown as the plants finish growing
Winter approaches and then then comes the spring
When I’ll enjoy more of my native things
When the frost bites
When the wind stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my native gard’ning
And then I don't feel so bad
by Marlene Smith, President Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay



