Events

Winter sowing native seeds with horticulture management students

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 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.

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

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!

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Come hear all about the Lexington Manor Passive Park Community Garden and learn the fundamentals of gardening from a Master Gardener!

All are welcome! Come join us for all or just part of the afternoon's activities. We will first learn about how to use the LMPP Community Garden! Renters, volunteers, and interested community members alike are invited to learn about this fantastic community resource. After the garden orientation, there will be a Gardening 101 Class taught by a Master Gardener.

The schedule for the afternoon is as follows:

2 - 3 p.m.: Orientation. Learn how the Community Garden works, review the rules, and ask questions.

3 - 3:30 p.m.: Gardening 101 Class. Learn from the experts how to make your garden a success! Whether this is your first growing season or you're just looking for a refresher, your garden will thank you.

3:30 - 4 p.m.: Meet & Mingle. Can't get enough? Stick around to chat with the Community Garden's Planting Committee and meet your Community Garden neighbors!

Co-hosted by Lexington Manor Passive Park Community Garden and St. Mary's Public Library - Lexington Park

Learn the basics of designing a home garden using native plants with Ana Lee of Perfectly Imperfect Gardens.

Spring is just around the corner! Join us as Jessalyn Mehkram, the Earth Liaison, shares with us her tips on designing a native garden. 

In this workshop, participants will gain a better understanding of what goes into planning a native garden and how to go about it with simplicity and ease. Jessalyn will cover a straightforward basic timeline of the process, from a quick hands-on observation of the space to selecting plants based on aesthetic choice, wants, and habitat. Planting and maintenance will also be covered. Jessalyn wants to make it as easy as possible so everyone can leave the workshop feeling empowered to get their garden started.

Following the indoors workshop, Jessalyn will lead us on an interactive plant walk in the Front Yard gardens, rain or shine.

RSVP required.

Public gardens hold tremendous power to influence landscaping norms and inspire change. By showcasing the beauty, functionality, and ecological value of native plants, these spaces help foster biodiversity, advocate for sustainable practices, and engage communities in environmental stewardship. 

This webinar will explore how public and demonstration gardens serve as powerful tools for native plant advocacy. Attendees will learn how gardens move beyond aesthetics to spark action—turning appreciation into engagement and inspiring participants to replicate these practices in their own communities.

We will hear insights from Nicole Machuca, Environmental Social Scientist at the Field Museum, on how public gardens influence behaviors, foster stewardship, and connect people to conservation efforts through research and community engagement. The Wild Ones Capital Region NY and the Wild Ones San Diego (CA) Chapters will share their experiences building native plant demonstration gardens and how these spaces drive community engagement, education, and advocacy. And We'll finish with a conversation exploring how public gardens create a lasting impact beyond planting day moderated by Kelly Kapuzzi, Demonstration Garden Char with the Wild Ones Hocking Hills (OH) Chapter.

Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is deeply rooted in natives! Join us for our bi-monthly Garden Chat to connect and learn from other native plant garden enthusiasts in our area. 

Got Questions? Need information? We’ll be discussing what’s next to do in your gardens (or NOT to do), where to find native plants for spring planting, and provide chapter and national updates. 

If you have any questions you would like to discuss, let us know in advance. One of the best things about belonging to Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is that many of our members have expertise/experience with using native plants in landscapes. One of the benefits of coming together either virtually or at events is being able to use the collective knowledge of the group to enhance your gardening experience.

We welcome gardeners that are just beginning their journey to those with many years of experience as we all continue to learn about native plants and their ecosystems.

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://wildones-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/NVpFn6qsQxSf0wNtHHcFog

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

All Wild Ones members are welcome to attend and invite a guest!

Join us as Ben Beale, the local St. Mary’s County Extension Agriculture Agent with UMD, shows us how to plan for and install an affordable and efficient drip irrigation system for your home garden.

Learn how to save time, energy and water with a well-designed drip system.  Weather permitting, we'll take a tour of the newly installed drip system in the Front Yard native plant garden in front of the library. 

Beale currently serves as the Extension Educator for Agricultural Sciences with the University of Maryland Extension office in St. Mary’s County.  He focuses his programming efforts in crop production, farm management and alternative crop development. Beale holds a BS degree in Agricultural Sciences and MS degree in Management and Marketing. Beale grew up on a tobacco and vegetable farm in Southern Maryland and enjoys working on the family farm in his spare time. 

Co-sponsored with Friends of St. Clements Bay and St. Mary's Public Library

Visit us at the Lexington Manor Passive Park Cherry Blossom Festival this Saturday, March 29, from 12-4 pm. And join us at 2:30 in the Lexington Manor Passive Park Community Gardens for our last winter sowing workshop of the season.

Now is the perfect time to sow vegetable seeds and native seeds that do not need the chill of winter to break dormancy. We will have a selection of native seeds to choose from.

Winter sowing is the process of planting seeds outdoors in a container during the winter months. The container remains outdoors until the seedlings emerge in the spring. The container protects the seeds from animals and harsh weather, but the exposure to colder temperatures breaks dormancy and the seeds germinate. The container also provides an ideal environment for germination in the spring.

The best time to winter sow perennials and hardy annuals is generally December to March depending on the weather conditions in your area. These seeds require a consistent period of moist, cold temperatures before germination occurs in spring. Tender plants including annuals and vegetables can be sown later in spring (March or April) as they do not require a cold period in order to germinate.

Containerized seedlings stay more compact and do not need to be hardened off before planting in the garden. Winter sowing is ideal for those with limited indoor space for seed starting. No special lighting or equipment is required for germination.

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.

This Festival was created by the citizens of the Mid-Atlantic region to celebrate our charismatic Ospreys, to educate the public, agencies, and owners of structures to foster an attitude of co-existence and conservation awareness throughout the Chesapeake Bay and its estuaries.

Cost to attend: $20 - Family, $10 - Individual 

Proceeds from the Festival go to non-profit organizations who have a vested interest in protecting and conserving Ospreys, Bald Eagles, other wildlife, and natural areas.

 https://marylandospreyfestival.org/2024-maryland-osprey-festival-event-schedule/

Saturday, April 5, 2025 Spring Wildflower Events

1pm Slide show at Scientists’ Cliffs Association (SCA) Community House

2pm Walk on a nearby ACLT trail to identify ephemeral spring wildflowers

Please join us for a Spring Wildflower Show and Tell followed by a walk in the American  Chestnut Land Trust (ACLT). It will be a great time to review the wildflowers in our area and hopefully identify some not so common native species. Several knowledgeable “botanizers” will be present to help answer questions and identify our ephemeral (fleeting) wildflowers during the walk.

We will meet at the Scientists’ Cliffs Community House for the slide show, then walk to ACLT. Wear sensible walking shoes and garments to fit  the weather. ACLT has miles of trails, but we normally only walk about a half mile as the plant identification tends to slow us down greatly.

Non-SCA participants will need to request a parking pass by April 3 ([email protected] or 703-258-4998). We will need to process the pass, and it will need to be displayed on your car’s dashboard. The pass will be distributed to the drivers that day. If it is raining heavily, we will have the slide show on April 5 at 1 pm and the walk on April 6 at 2 pm, providing the weather cooperates.

Directions to the Community House at Scientists’ Cliffs

From the north and south, take MD Route 2/4, Solomons Island Road, toward Prince Frederick. Turn east onto Parker’s Creek Rd (left from the N, right from the S).

In .5 miles, turn right onto Scientists’ Cliffs Road.  

Continue about .8 miles and turn right onto Aspen Road, the Gate A entrance.

In .25 miles, bear left onto Alder Road (sign for Community House).

In .1 mile, arrive at the Community House, 3500 Alder Rd, Port Republic, MD 20676

This event is co-hosted by Scientists’ Cliffs and Maryland Native Plant Society event.

Vegetative buffers are a great way to help protect our river right in your own “back yard.” Drop by the pavilion and receive your free bundle of native plants - help protect our Port Tobacco River!

Celebrate Earth Day with us.

Awareness of the many benefits of adding native plants to our landscapes has been growing significantly in recent years and this has resulted in native plants getting some attention by Maryland lawmakers.  Join us as Kirsten Hoffman and Judy Fulton share the details of recent legislation that promotes native plants by creating the Maryland Native Plants Program and legislation that strengthened Maryland's invasive plant laws.  Both bills are currently being implemented, and they will provide updates on new resources that these laws have made available and discuss what work is still to be done.  

Kirsten Hoffman is one of the founding members of the Maryland Native Plant Coalition which has written and passed two important pieces of state legislation: 2023’s HB950/SB836 creating the Maryland Native Plants Program and 2024’s HB979/SB915 strengthening Maryland’s invasive plant laws. She is a member of the Executive Board of the Green Towson Alliance and heads up their legislative affairs workgroup supporting efforts to improve Baltimore County’s environmental sustainability.  Kirsten is the treasurer for the Maryland Native Plant Society and recently became a Maryland Master Naturalist.  She is part of a Master Naturalist team working on a habitat restoration project at Cylburn Arboretum.  For the past three years, she has been a Blue Water Baltimore tree steward for her neighborhood and has helped residents select and plant over one hundred native trees. Kirsten is a registered architect in the state of Maryland and performs flute and piccolo with Flutopia Baltimore.

Judy Fulton, founder of EcoPlant Consulting, believes healthy ecosystems are crucial for human survival. She transforms places overrun by invasives into native landscapes, shares her knowledge via workshops and field trips, and serves as an expert in invasive plant litigation. Judy is Vice President of the Maryland Native Plant Society, and a member of the Maryland Invasive Species Council and the Board of the Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council. She has earned a Harvard MBA and three Maryland’s Top 100 Women awards from the Daily Record.

During recent Maryland legislative sessions, she was pleased to help write and pass the 2023 Maryland Native Plants Program (HB950/SB836) and the 2024 Maryland Invasive Plant bill (HB979/SB915). Her consulting, her co-authoring Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide, and her lead role in creating the Mid-Atlantic Invaders Tool, an online guide to more than 900 invasive species, have positioned Judy as a sought-after advisor in eco-restoration.

Registration required. 

Details to follow 

Details to follow

Chesapeake Natives’ mission is to propagate. promote and protect native plants of the coastal plains and piedmont that form the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. We aim to restore home and public landscapes and park lands in this region with local ecotype native species (LENS) that best contribute to biodiversity, our best natural defense against the impacts of climate change. 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon!