Events Archive: 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Upcoming Events
January 2025
Winter Sowing Native Seeds
James A. Forrest Career & Technology Center, 24005 Point Lookout Rd, Leonardtown, MD, 20650 Map
Public Welcome Free Event Hands-On/How-To Workshop Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Winter sowing native seeds with horticulture management students
All the Dirt on Winter Sowing Native Plants
Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Hands-On/How-To Workshop Seed/Plant Swap Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Event Information: https://stmalib.libnet.info/event/12022938
Learn from the experts on how to get a head start on your garden this year with winter seed starting!
Native plants are critical to supporting birds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators, but they can be expensive! Join Marlene Smith, president of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, and Molly Moore, president of Southern Maryland Audubon, as they introduce participants to the 10 simple steps to winter sowing. Learn how to grow your own natives from seeds, in milk jugs in the dead of winter. In this in-person workshop, you’ll seed your own containers to take home. We will have milk jugs available, along with all other supplies, including seeds. Please bring at least one clean milk jug (translucent, not white) to help replenish our supplies to keep these workshops going. Workshop is free and open to all. Registration required.
This program is made possible with support from Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, Southern Maryland Audubon, and Friends of St. Clements Bay.
Habitat Gardening in Maryland with Debbie Swartz
Hosted by Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter and Greater Baltimore ChapterOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Will be Recorded Program/Speaker Presentation
Habitat Gardening in Maryland will help gardeners make informed decisions for their outdoor spaces by understanding how our environmental system functions. Debbie Swartz will describe a practice she refers to as holistic gardening: a way of gardening that emphasizes environmental stewardship to protect biodiversity and keep our waterways clean. This philosophy of gardening involves stopping erosion, planting native plants, gardening organically, and allowing nature to cycle and work its magic.
Winter Greens
Public Welcome Family Friendly Free Event Nature Walk/Hike Free Public Parking
For ages 16 years through adult
Learn to identify some of our evergreen plants. We’ll explore the meadows and forest in search of the ferns, herbaceous plants, and trees that are green in the winter.
Co-sponsored by Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, Calvert Nature Society and Calvert County Division of Natural Resources
Leader: Karyn Molines
Wear warm clothes for standing around outside (we won't be moving very fast)
Bring (optional, but useful) a 10x hand lens, binoculars, field guides. Bring water, lunch and/or trail snacks.
There is no water on site. There is a portable toilet. Closest "modern facilities" are in Prince Frederick Town Center (there's a WaWa, Starbucks, etc)
Free event, but registration is required.
See Maryland Native Plant Society website for specific directions and to register by clicking on the blue REGISTER button on the left hand side of the page:
https://mdflora.org/event-5845087
Garden Chat/Member Meeting
Online/Virtual
Public Welcome Free Event Chapter Meeting Chapter Social
Join us for our bi-monthly Garden Chat with a presentation by Lynne Wheeler, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Membership Chair, and Marlene Smith, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay President. Lynne and Marlene will introduce you to seed sowing & propagation to grow your own native plants from seed. They will include some of their own tried-and-true methods to inspire you this growing season. Learn how easy and fun it is propagating natives from seed!
All Wild Ones members are welcome to attend and invite a guest!
February 2025
Winter Tree ID
Public Welcome Family Friendly Free Event Nature Walk/Hike Free Public Parking
Leader: Karyn Molines
For adults, although teens 16 years and older may attend.
All trees do not look alike in winter! We'll learn the basics of plant identification using winter keys and field guides, then take a hike to use our knowledge (so make sure you bring outdoor weather clothes). This program is designed for those with little or no experience and will focus on twigs, buds, and bark. Geared for adults, but teens 16 or older may attend.
Wear warm clothes for standing around outside (we won't be moving very fast). Bring a snack or lunch if you think you'll get hungry. (Optional, but useful) a 10x hand lens, binoculars, field guides (we'll have some to lend out).
Location: Kings Landing Park, 3255 Kings Landing Road, Huntingtown, MD directions to be provided to those who register)
This is a free program.
Co-sponsored by Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, Calvert Nature Society and Calvert County Division of Natural Resources
Registration required.
Seed Saving Workshop Members Only
College of Southern Maryland La Plata Campus, 8730 Mitchell Rd, La Plata, MD, 20646 Map
Members Only Hands-On/How-To Workshop Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking
Join CSM faculty, staff, and students for an educational and interactive seed saving workshop! The event will be held on Friday, February 14th at CSM LaPlata Campus ST Building Room 223 from 1-3 PM, and will be led by WOCB President Marlene Smith. We invite you to learn about the basics of recognizing and harvesting seeds from native plants, and put this knowledge to use with plants gathered from the La Plata Campus Pollinator Gardens. The seeds saved at the workshop will directly support the CSM Bee and Bird Campus initiatives and the new CSM Seed Library, scheduled to open on March 3rd. The Seed Library will distribute free seeds to the CSM community and residents of Charles County, fostering sustainable gardening practices and strengthening protections of pollinators and wildlife.
This is a members' only, private event.
Get Ready for Gardening!
St. Mary's Public Library - Leonardtown, 23630 Hayden Farm Ln, Leonardtown, MD, 20650 Map
Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Spring is in sight! Sharpen your pruning skills with this workshop.
Join us as Chris Pax, designer of Leonardtown Library’s Front Yard, shares techniques for why, when, and how to prune woody plants for healthy growth and natural beauty.
Chris will focus on pruning strategies for the Maryland native trees and shrubs that provide essential habitat for our birds, bees and butterflies. Good pruning practices benefit non-native trees and shrubs as well, so join us to make a pruning plan for your yard!
Chris is the owner of Annapolis Native Landscape Design in Annapolis MD. Since the very beginning of her design career, she’s been passionate about gardening with native plants, and is in demand as a speaker for Master Gardener and Garden Club groups throughout Maryland. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about keeping your garden in good health and looking great!
This program is sponsored by St. Mary's Public Library, Frirends of St. Clements Bay, and Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay.
National Panel Discussion: "Bees Beyond Honey: Understanding Native and Managed Pollinators"
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Will be Recorded Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
All are welcome to join this free virtual panel discussion exploring the vital roles of native, solitary, and honeybees in pollination and biodiversity. Featuring experts Sam Droege (USGS), Dave Hunter (Crown Bees), and Dr. Lora Morandin (Pollinator Partnership), this event will discuss into the challenges pollinators face, the balance between managed and wild bees, and actionable ways to support all pollinators.
Gain insights from over 90 years of combined experience and learn how to advocate for pollinator habitats through planting native species, participating in community science, and adopting responsible management practices.
All the Dirt on Winter Sowing; Make & Take, Veggies, Herbs, Annuals & Native Plants
Lexington Park Library, 21677 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Blvd, Lexington Park, MD, 20653 Map
Public Welcome Family Friendly Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Hands-On/How-To Workshop Seed/Plant Swap Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Event Information: https://stmalib.libnet.info/event/11297832
Join Marlene Smith, president of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, and Molly Moore, president of Southern Maryland Audubon, as they introduce participants to the 10 simple steps to winter sowing. Learn how to grow your own veggies, herbs, annuals, and native plants from seeds, in milk jugs in the dead of winter.
In this in-person workshop, you’ll seed your own containers to take home. We will have milk jugs available, along with all other supplies, including seeds.
Please bring at least one clean milk jug (translucent, not white) to help replenish our supplies to keep these workshops going. Workshop is free and open to all. Registration required.
Participating Partners: University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners, St. Mary's County Community Development Corporation, St. Mary's Garden Club, Southern Maryland Audubon Society, and Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay.
Planning Native Garden Projects in your Community with Jimmy Rogers
Hosted by Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter and Greater Baltimore ChapterOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Will be Recorded Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Our communities need more native gardens! However, proposing, planning, and carrying out garden projects can be complicated. Jimmy Rogers of Vibrant Gardening will discuss several community projects he's led in Laurel, MD, and share the opportunities and red flags he looks for when planning a new project. He will talk about creating a vision, gathering and engaging project stakeholders, planning the work, and ensuring that the garden continues to thrive in the future. There will be time for Q&A at the end.
March 2025
Bona Terra Seedling Giveaway Training Session
Bona Terra Nursery
Public Welcome Hands-On/How-To Workshop
Are you or your group interested in distributing native plants to your community? Learn how to get free seedlings from Bona Terra to give to your community during our Seedling Giveaway Training Session!
Once a member in a leadership position of your group attends this workshop, your group will be qualified to receive free community pots of seedlings to give out at your event! Here are the steps!
Fill out the sign-up form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8_u-of8nZ3J4WRfj1kCtufWrwVnVf-ktY0KcEAstJgtUteg/viewform?usp=headerCome to the Seedling Giveaway Training Session on Saturday, March 1st from 10am to 1pm. The workshop will take place at our new nursery location (you will receive the address after you fill out the form) either outside if the weather is clear or indoors if necessary. Be sure to wear layers either way, and bring a notebook to relay this information to your team!
One of the main things that we'll be going over is how to organize and set up your seedling station to make it easy for you to give out as many seedlings as possible. Our experience has been that there is some pretty high demand for the free seedlings, and having some systems in place helps everything run much smoother. We will be going over:
How to organize and set up your seedling stationSupplies you’ll needOrganizational stuff: labelling, information distribution, and recording dataHow to divide seedlingsChoosing which quantities and species will work best for your eventDifferent roles for each volunteer Q&A from Marlene Smith, President of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay and experienced Seedling Giveaway Organizer and Distributor
Designing Home Gardens with Native Plants with Ana Lee
Hosted by Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter and Greater Baltimore ChapterOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Will be Recorded Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Learn the basics of designing a home garden using native plants with Ana Lee of Perfectly Imperfect Gardens.
April 2025
Using Woody Plants in Native Yard Design with Heather Evans
Hosted by Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter and Greater Baltimore ChapterOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Heather Evans of Design Your Wild will talk about how to use trees and shrubs to add structure to a native yard – creating privacy, dividing rooms, adding winter interest, blurring edges, and creating cooling shade. Trees and shrubs also generally support many times the number of native insects as wildflowers.
September 2025
September Wild Ones National Webinar
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Will be Recorded Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!
October 2025
October Wild Ones National Webinar
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Will be Recorded Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!
November 2025
November Wild Ones National Webinar
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Will be Recorded Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!