During three recent events, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay partnered with Nurture Natives to distribute close to 500 common and swamp milkweed plants (Asclepias syriaca and A. incarnata) that we propagated from seed this year. First up: UNIVERSITY PARK (UP) MEADOW DAY, which you may remember from our recent blog, Pollinator Week 2026 Highlights. Meadow Day […] Continue reading "It’s a Wrap on Our 2026 Milkweed Distribution"
Attendees of our July 2026 Garden Chat were treated to an inspiring presentation by our guest speaker, Kerry Wixted. Did you know there are a variety of fens and bogs out there – some of which are calcareous and some of which are acidic. In Maryland, our main distinction is how they fill up with […] Continue reading "July 2026 Garden Chat – “Charismatic Carnivorous Plants”"
Have you noticed that partnerships are key to successful nonprofits? Did you know that Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay partners with University of Maryland Extension (UME) Master Gardeners in several counties? In this fourth post in our ongoing series of nonprofit organizations, we introduce you to UME Master Gardeners, whose mission, vision, and programs align with […] Continue reading "Nonprofit spotlight – University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners"
Don’t miss this month’s virtual garden chat where we’ll connect and learn about “Charismatic Carnivorous Plants” with our guest speaker Kerry Wixted. Carnivorous plants seem like something from folklore, but did you know we have almost 20 species growing in Maryland? Learn about carnivorous plant adaptations and species that exist around the world and in […] Continue reading "July 2026 Happenings – Floral Fireworks in a Native Garden"
As National Pollinator Week wraps up, we take a moment to celebrate our highlights. Though the official festivities conclude, the vital work of these tiny creatures continues, sustaining our flowers, fueling our food supply, and ensuring a vibrant, blooming world. A Morning in the Meadow “On Saturday, June 27, from 9 am to 12 pm, […] Continue reading "Pollinator Week 2026 Highlights"
National Pollinator Week 2026 is observed during the week of June 22-28. “Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. The great […] Continue reading "Pollinator Week June 22-28, 2026"
Welcome summer! The summer solstice 2026 – Sunday, June 21, 2026, at 4:24 a.m. EDT – marks the longest day of the year and the astronomical beginning of summer, occurring when the Earth’s tilt reaches its maximum inclination toward the Sun. Summer brings so many joys in a natural habitat, including the flickering and flashing […] Continue reading "Jewels of the Night – A Sign of Summer"
Plant propagation by Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay has moved to Mystical Gardens at NikHaven, the home of Marlene and Bill Smith, our chapter President and Vice-President. After seed stratification and sowing at Providence Greenhouses this past winter, followed by transplanting in May at the UMD Extension Dairy Farm location in Gambrills, it was time to […] Continue reading "We’ve Moved!"
Seed collection time, like bloom time, differs from native plant to native plant. While I anxiously await each species to bloom as the seasons progress from spring to summer to fall, seed collection follows a similar progression and has been underway since late April here in my southern Maryland gardens. Collections began with Packera aurea […] Continue reading "Believe It or Not, Seed Collecting Has Started in Our Native Gardens!"
Happy Meteorological Summer! Thank you to all our chapter members who were involved in various activities and events during May. We closed the month with our wildly successful NatureFest. With over 1,000 registrants and over 50 vendors, it was our biggest and most successful NatureFest in its 6-year history. Thank you to our chapter members […] Continue reading "June 2026 Happenings! Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay"