Events

Explore how native gardening can address climate challenges in our next Wild Ones national webinar, “Cultivating Change” with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Johnson has been researching and writing about environmental issues for three decades. Learn about the pivotal role of gardening as an act of stewardship in the face of climate and ecological challenges. Discover the profound connections between individual gardens and the broader world and learn how these green spaces can serve as catalysts for positive ecological and social change.  Join Wild Ones for a practical and insightful discussion on gardening's positive impact on the environment and our future. 

Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch the talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Flowers, so rich in symbolic meaning, are one of the best expressions of life on earth, symbols of openness and hope. The early spring bloomers, known as spring ephemerals, are special hallmarks of resilience and strength. They make it through the cold winter and their early appearance in spring delights us with their beauty.

As the spring season begins and wildflowers start to bloom, we invite you to find peace and delight in nature's beauty during this three-session workshop organized in partnership between the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Wild Ones. Psychiatrist Siham Muntasser and Psychologist Roger Vilardaga, landscape architect Preston Montague and Duke Gardens curator Annabel Renwick will lead you on a wellness walk through the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants to highlight the many ways we can improve our health by slowing down and listening to nature.

This unique program embraces the notion that the quality of our environment is critical for our health and well-being. Nature, and particularly our native ecosystems, is very much tied to our health, including our mental health. Walking in the woods looking for wildflowers is very calming. Sharing the experience with someone else brings another level of joy. Drawing, writing and taking pictures are fun ways of solidifying these experiences. We can look at them years later and still feel some of those same feelings of warmth and connectedness.

This journey in nature is divided into three parts: mindful awareness (March 16), openness to new experiences (April 6), and values (May 4). Each part will focus on different sensory experiences. The program is designed to help us increase our awareness, solidify our values and open our minds to new experiences, mindfully, in the present moment, non-judgmentally and with kindness. It is recommended that participants attend the full series to achieve maximum benefit.

Dress comfortably, bring a towel, a pen or a pencil, a journal and join us on this incredible journey through the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants.

Participants will receive a free copy of our beautiful inspirational booklet, Spring Ephemerals: Beauty and Adaptation. 

This event is free. However, registration is required due to limited space. To register please contact Siham Muntasser [email protected].

The program is held on March 16, April 6 and May 4, 2024 from 9-12 at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, NC. 

Registration for this event is now closed, and registrants have been emailed about attending. Please contact [email protected] if you have any issues getting in.

This will be a paid event for both in-person and remote viewing. Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch Dr. Kimmerer's talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Ecological restoration can be understood as an act of reciprocity, in return for the gifts of the earth. This talk explores the ecological and ethical imperatives of healing the damage we have inflicted on our land and waters. We trace the evolution of restoration philosophy and practice and consider how integration of indigenous knowledge can expand our understanding of restoration from the biophysical to the biocultural. Reciprocal restoration includes not only healing the land but our relationship to land. In healing the land, we are healing ourselves.

Wild Ones is excited to cohost this event with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh's Earth Week 2024 and the Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter. 

Wild Ones Central North Carolina and the Ardmore Neighborhood Association are pleased to invite you to this very interesting program. The event is free. However, registration is required to secure seating.
Many of us have a yard of lawn, non-native foundation plants and even some exotic invasive plants that are hard to control. Wouldn't you like to have a yard full of pollinators, butterflies and birds, with flowers, berries and interest throughout the year? In this talk, Kathy Johnson will present ways to start small as you reduce lawn and introduce native plants to your home environment.
Alison Northup will showcase several native plants particularly suitable for the Piedmont of North Carolina.
Bios:
Kathy Johnson is a current Forsyth County Master Gardener and a retired landscape designer, with certificates in Landscape Design and Woody Plants from George Washington University. She has become increasingly aware of the importance of sustainable practices and the use of native plants to support biodiversity and the environment. Kathy lives in Ardmore and has converted her front yard to a "mostly-native" plant garden with minimal lawn.
Alison Northup is the owner of Piedmont Plant Nursery in Rural Hall, NC. She hold a doctoral degree in plant ecology from the university of Texas at Austin and she is a Board member of the NC Native Plant Society.
For more information contact Siham Muntasser: [email protected].

This journey in nature is divided into three parts: mindful awareness (March 16), openness to new experiences (April 6), and values (May 4). Each part will focus on different sensory experiences. The program is designed to help us increase our awareness, solidify our values and open our minds to new experiences, mindfully, in the present moment, non-judgmentally and with kindness. It is recommended that participants attend the full series to achieve maximum benefit.

This experience (session 3) will focus on appreciating the value of the nature connection, the importance of the relationship between plants and between plants and people. A special focus is on reflecting on how these experiences incorporate into our life. 

The City of Winston-Salem Department of Sustainability and the Wild Ones Central North Carolina Chapter are pleased to invite you to this very inspiring program. 

The program embraces the notion that the quality of our environment is critical for our well-being. Nature, and particularly our native ecosystems, is very much tied to our health. 

The program highlights the power of nature for our personal and collective resilience and well-being. The panel discussion focuses on the importance of native ecosystems, landscaping as a form of healthcare, happiness as an active process, and how our commitment to ecological consciousness and environmental justice can be a force of healing for individuals and communities, and for the regeneration of the planet Earth. 

In collaboration with Bee City USA.