Chapters in Michigan

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE: MATTHAEI IN MAY

Guide: Calla Butler, Native Plant Horticulturist, Matthaei Botanical Gardens

The Great Lakes Gardens at Matthaei re-create our region’s natural habitats with woodlands, open dunes, alvar, and prairies. Calla Butler, Native Plant Horticulturist at Matthaei, will lead us through the early season of these native plant communities providing cues for the conditions they require to thrive. This is an opportunity to learn about both rare and familiar natives in emergent phases, to identify the cycles of their growth, and to know what plants might be suited to thriving in your own home environment. The tour ends with a visit to the beaver's handiwork on Fleming Creek. 

MEETING POINT: We’ll gather in the Gateway Garden, directly east of the entrance to the Visitor Center (to the left if you are facing the Visitor Center entrance), before proceeding to the adjacent Great Lakes Gardens.

Here is a welcome message from Calla, with some of the highlights of her journey with plants!

Hi Wild Ones! My name is Calla Butler and I am the Native Plant Gardens Horticulturist at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. I started this role in March, but I previously worked at Matthaei for two years as a seasonal horticulture technician. Before Matthaei I was a Head Gardener at a landscape design and maintenance company, and I also worked as a floriculturist at the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle.

I have been working with and interested in native plants for most of my life. My mom started a native plant nursery outside of Philadelphia, so I grew up working and learning there. I feel very lucky to have had that experience, because I believe growing plants is one of the best ways to really learn, understand, and appreciate them. 

As the Native Plant Gardens Horticulturist I maintain the Great Lakes Gardens (alongside wonderful volunteers!), collect and process native seed, and propagate plants for both restoration and our native plant sale. Maintaining the Great Lakes Gardens has been a wonderful learning experience. I can’t think of many gardens with such a variety of native plants—a little over 300 species! My current favorite plant in the gardens is Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica). The blue flower is a striking color, and the fact that hummingbirds like it makes it even better!  

I hope to see many of you on the walk through the Great Lakes Gardens, where we can visit our prairie, alvar, woodland, and dune! I will discuss some of our maintenance techniques in these spaces, and we will see what’s in bloom, before ending with a walk to the newly established beaver dam on Fleming Creek. See you there! 

Carolyn Miller, Botanical Technologist and Plant Recorder at the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden at Michigan State University, will lead this public wildflower walk and has invited the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter to join in. Come out and see spring ephemerals at their finest!

Baker Woodlot: Park in Lewis Arboretum lot 101 (N. side of Service Rd. halfway between Farm Ln. and Bogue St.)
Meet at the NW gate to Baker woodlot near the corner of Farm Ln. and Service Rd.
This 78 acre woodlot is a bird sanctuary for neotropical migrants and has been designated an old growth forest.

Maps to help with parking are available on our website.

The Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter will hold a native Michigan plant sale on Sat. May 11th. Come shop our wide selection of wildflowers and grasses at the Meridian Farmers' Market. The plants are grown by Bendy Stem Farm in Dimondale, Michigan. Native plants support birds, bees and pollinators. Add some to your landscape and watch it come to life!
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Proceeds from this fundraiser will help the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter continue our educational programs and provide grants to help establish native gardens in the greater Lansing area. Thank you for your support!

Seed To Community May Up-Potting: Matthaei Back Hallway - Loading Dock Entrance

Join us for a fun community event where you can learn how to up-pot or plant your seedlings like a pro! Bring your seedlings or learn with a few from the community - either way, you'll leave with the knowledge and skills to keep your green friends happy and healthy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow nature lovers and grow your native gardening skills!

Don't dispair if your container looks barren, just smile and bring them anyway. Our community will happily share our bounty and send everyone home with little Seedlings.

Remember that this series is intended as a big experiment in community scaling, we are care-takers, not really owners. The organizers hope you can practice flexibility as we work through the excitement and unpredictability of nature. We will have trays and soil, water and space to work.

This is a donation supported event and we encourage all to support the cause as they can.

Take stock: Participants come together and review our available species and quantities. Train on up-potting techniques and practices. Discuss and consider equitable distribution, taking only what you need and considering others as you select.

Up-Potting: Everyone deserves nature, no matter how green their thumb currently is. Our hope is that everyone will be able to match their interest and site conditions.

Community up-potting: Unlike earlier events, we will not be up-potting everything by the end of the event. Winter Sowing containers enable seedlings to be placed directly in the ground. Up-Potting is only necessary if you or your project are trying to grow more final plants. We will help you judge. This juggling is new to us, but so exciting.

Wild Ones of Northwest Lower Michigan (seedling chapter), will meet on Saturday, May 11 at the Carnegie building from 10:30-12:00. Alison Adams, Charlevoix Conservation District manager, will share insight about the benefits of planting native, along with helpful tips and resources to assist with your planting process.  Alison will also share how conservation districts are designed to provide local landowners with natural resource management support through a variety of ways, including partnerships, outreach, and inspiring responsible conservation practices. Everyone is welcome to attend.