Experts agree…. Fall is the best time for planting, and with the arrival of meteorological fall on September 1st, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is ready to help your garden thrive with a wide selection of events where we will be distributing more native plants throughout our region! From native plant sales, to plant swaps, to free giveaways, we’ve got you covered!
Have you ever wondered why fall is the best time for planting natives? Soil temperature stays warm well into fall, which allows new plantings to establish healthy root systems. At the same time, the cooler air temperatures keep plants from getting stressed and reduces their need to produce new flowers or leaves; the plant’s energy is focused primarily on underground root growth. By spring, their roots are well established and the plants are ready to thrive. And don’t forget the other benefits of fall planting: reduced watering needs thanks to fall rain, less competition since weeds slow down in fall. and reduced pest and disease pressure, giving plants a healthier start. Read more My Home Park and Wild Ones Capital Region NY.
Featured Highlights
With our largest and most diverse lineup of events yet, we’re highlighting several events of special interest.
First up….
Looking for “monarch-approved” native host plants and nectar plants? Check out Providence’s Fall Plant and Pottery Sale on Friday and Saturday, September 11th and 12th, from 9 am – 1 pm. A new feature this year is a greenhouse stocked full of native plants grown from seed by RePollinate Anne Arundel County. Check out both fall plant lists (Providence list is linked here; AACO RePollinate list is linked here). Prices can’t be beat, with most quarts selling for $6. (See Upcoming Events below for more info.)
Monarch-approved plants at Providence
What plants are on your wish list? Will we see you there??
Next up….
On Tuesday, September 22 at 6:20 pm, join Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners, and the Chesapeake Beach Green Team for Best Stormwater Practices for Your Backyard at the Twin Beaches Library. Learn about stormwater control and plans to plant a buffer garden along Fishing Creek on the Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail.
The event is supported by a Chesapeake Bay Trust grant and features numerous free giveaways for all who attend, including:
- Native plants courtesy of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay
- Rain barrel raffles (2)
- Raffles for books for children and adults by Douglas Tallamy and Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Raffles for gift certificates for native plants from a local nursery (Must be present to win)
You’ll also have the opportunity to sign up for a community planting day on Saturday, October 17, to help plant two new buffer gardens along Fishing Creek on the Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail. At the trail planting, we will raffle off two rain barrels (must be present to win), and each participant can take home a FREE native plant from Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay. We will provide tools and expect the planting to take about two hours. Parking is at Kellams Field. The Chesapeake Beach Rail Trail is a beautiful destination along Fishing Creek to bring family and friends and observe wildlife along the boardwalk over the creek.
Families are welcome! Registration is encouraged, walk-ins are also welcome.
Upcoming Events
Thank you to chapter members who were involved in activities and events last month! Our upcoming events have something for everyone, and volunteers are always welcome! If you would like to volunteer at any of our upcoming events or at our garden workdays, please email us. We rely on volunteers to help make our events successful and to make our garden workdays so much fun (“Many hands make light work!). Your support helps our chapter grow and ensures our vision of native plants and natural landscapes thriving in every community.
Providence Fall Plant & Pottery Sale! (Two Days!)
📆 Friday and Saturday, September 11th and 12th, 2026
⏰ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
📍Providence Greenhouses, 370 Shore Acres Rd, Arnold, MD, 21012 Map
Join us on Friday, September 11th and Saturday, September 12th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM for Providence’s Fall Plant and Pottery Sale! A selection of native plants grown by AACO Repollinate are available.
WOCB/SMNPP FREE Plant Share/Swap
📆 Saturday, September 12th, 2026
⏰ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
📍Deale Library, 5940 Deale Churchton Rd, Deale, MD, 20751 Map
A collaboration between Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, Deale Library, and Southern Maryland Native Plant People. Native plants will be shared with participants. A table with information regarding the benefits of native plants, Wild Ones membership information and plant lists for native plant conditions and garden design.
Fall Native Plant Sale at Earthly Delights Native Gardening LLC
📆 Saturday, September 19th, 2026
⏰ 12:00 6m – 6:00 pm
📍The Earthly Delights Nursery, 14406 Triadelphia Mill Rd, Dayton, MD, 21036 Map
Join Earthly Delights for the first time ever at our native plant nursery!! Come shop at our plant sale and mini maker’s market to kick off fall planting season!! We will have great prices on plugs and quarts of many species of home-grown natives that are more than ready to go into your garden! In addition, you can browse nature-inspired art and clothing made by Miranda, ceramics by Fea Pottery, homemade baked goods, and more to come!
Best Stormwater Practices for Your Backyard
📆 Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
⏰ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
📍Calvert Library- Twin Beaches Branch, 4100 5th St, North Beach, MD, 20714 Map
Join members of the Chesapeake Beach Green Team and the University of Maryland Extension Home Horticulture Educator for Calvert County to learn about our plans to plant a buffer garden using native plants along the Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail!
Cape Conservation Corps – Native Plant Sale
📆 Saturday, September 26th, 2026
⏰ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
📍Cape Clubhouse Field, 1223 River Bay Rd, Annapolis, MD, 21409 Map
Event hosted by Cape St. Claire Improvement Association. Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay members will be on hand to provide information on native plants with an outreach/display table during the plant sale.
Friends of Patuxent Pollinator Festival
📆 Saturday, September 26th, 2026
⏰ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
📍Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel, MD, 20708 Map
An educational and fun day of FREE pollinator festivities for everyone! Rain or shine!! Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay and Nurture Natives will be on hand with FREE native plants for hummingbirds, Plant Pong, selfie photo frames, and more!
Recent News Blogs
If you’re not following our News blogs, please check them out. This is one of the ways we keep our members and community up to date on what’s happening in our chapter. As always, we invite all members to contribute to our chapter’s News blog and/or social media channels. If you have anything related to native plants that you’d like to write about for publication on our News blog or social media, please email us, along with any photos or videos, and we’ll be happy to publish them. Likewise, if your work in the community has been recognized in the media or if you’ve received an award, please let us know so we can share it with our chapter members and the national office. We know our members are doing a lot of great work out in our community, and we’d like to share and recognize your accomplishments!
Nonprofit Spotlight – Maryland Native Plant Society
Did you know the University of Maryland Extension Maryland Native Plants Program, along with University of Maryland Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, is co-hosting this year’s Maryland Native Plant Society’s (MNPS) annual conference? In this fifth post in our ongoing series of nonprofit organizations, we introduce you to the Maryland Native Plant Society, […] Continue reading
August 2026 WOCB Chapter Pulse
With the busy month of July behind us, we’ll take a brief pause during August to catch our breath and plan for our fall events, including numerous plant sales and free plant swaps/shares. You may have noticed we’ve changed the name of our newsletter from “Happenings” to “Chapter Pulse”. We hope this is a better […] Continue reading
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
Wild Ones’ Science at Home series provides research-backed actions for healthier home landscapes and brings together national experts to show how conservation science can guide practical native landscaping choices that benefit wildlife, people, and the planet. Native plants are the foundation. By understanding the relationships among plants, wildlife, soil, water, and ecological processes, we can create landscapes that do more.
On August 19, landscape ecologist, Certified Wildlife Biologist, and author Shaun McCoshum, PhD, presented The Ecology of Home: Creating Habitat That Works, an exploration of how natural ecosystems function and how those same ecological principles can be applied in home landscapes. Drawing on more than 20 years of conservation, restoration, and research experience, Shaun shared practical, evidence-based strategies for creating habitat that works for pollinators, birds, amphibians, and other wildlife. Watch the recorded webinar here.
Up next: on September 16, join Wild Ones and Sara Weaner Cooper for a candid look at her family’s ongoing lawn-to-meadow project. Sara will share the decisions, methods, successes, surprises, and challenges that have shaped the landscape over multiple growing seasons. Read more and register here.
Wildly appreciative of your continued support!
✍️M.Smith
Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is deeply rooted in native plants and cultivating partnerships, while striving to educate, advocate, and collaborate to connect people and native plants for a healthy planet. Our vision is native plants and natural landscapes thriving in every community. Check out our Events page, Google calendar, Facebook, and/or Instagram for our upcoming events. And don’t forget to subscribe to our new YouTube channel and email subscriber list!
