Chapters in Iowa

Join us for tours through three beautiful native plant gardens in Iowa City, hosted by Longfellow Native Plant Group in partnership with Northside Native Plant Group and Wild Ones Cedar Rapids Iowa City Chapter.

The Gardens

Gina’s large and sunny pollinator garden is in the Eastside neighborhood. In its tenth year, Gina has steadily expanded the garden annually adding new features like a pond and a handwoven obelisk. There is also a vegetable garden and an inviting archway covered in native roses each spring.


Mike’s native plant garden sits on a large corner lot in the Northside neighborhood. His yard features native herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. A rain garden infiltrates the rainwater collected from the house’s roof. A small vegetable garden provides tomatoes, watermelon, basil, and other homegrown produce.


Ryan’s garden is situated on a quarter acre in the Lucas Farms neighborhood. The north end is a mature sunny garden running from the front of the house to a veggie garden out back, while the south end is a shaded woodland garden with winding paths and a seating area tucked between a sprawling maple and large oak.

All yards will be shared “as is” with minimal preparation.

Spots are limited! Please register at the link below.

Tour the beautiful Hilltop Gardens and shop for native wildflowers and grasses at the Fall Public Native Plant Sale.

Monarch tagging will be hosted by Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center naturalist!

Proceeds from the sale are used for numerous native plant gardens and projects in the region, including individual and community grants to assist with native plantings.

Join us for a fall hike at Wickiup Hill. 

The Wickiup Hill Natural Area is a 700-acre piece of the Cedar River Greenbelt in Linn County which has benefited from protection efforts since the 1980s.

With more than five miles of scenic trails, we can stroll the wetland boardwalk to a peaceful observation deck, take in prairie, woodland, and savanna habitats alive with wildlife, and hike past Native American mounds.

Meeting point
Meet in front of the Wickiup Hill Learning Center, where there is plenty of parking and restrooms available.

This event is open to all, and there's no need to RSVP.

Cancellation/Reschedule
If the hike gets canceled due to weather, we will announce it here - with a possible reschedule date of Sunday, September 27th.

Come join us for a presentation about how to Germinate Native Seeds and then stick around for a hands-on Native Seed harvest at the Loess Hills Arboretum and Nature Trail at Western Iowa Tech Community College on Sunday, October 4th from 3:00pm to 5:30pm.  

Rod Tondreau, biology professor,  will describe the conditions that various native seeds need to break dormancy and germinate.  Techniques like cold, moist stratification will be explained, along with methods to clean and store seeds.

We will start in TBD Classroom, and then move to the Loess Hills Arboretum and Nature Trail.  

The format is casual.  Come for just the presentation, the seed harvest, or both.

A variety of native seeds will be harvested by hand along the nature trail.

Directions to the Loess Hills Arboretum and Nature Trail (Seed Harvest):

Upon entering the WIT campus, take the first right hand turn into the Student Housing area. Continue past Bur Oak Suites and Prairie Place Suites to the far end of the parking lot where there's the gazebo and nature trail entrance. There is a wide, paved path for those not wishing to walk on the uneven ground of the prairie.

Bring clippers, garden gloves, and drinking water. No prior experience needed. Free and Open to the Public

Seeds harvested will be collected for the Seed Share Library at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center.

Co-sponsored by Loess Hills Wild Ones and Western Iowa Tech Community College

Join us for a fall hike at Ciha Fen Preserve, an 80-acre sand prairie/savanna complex and wildlife preserve on a wind-deposited sand ridge. It contains the Ciha Fen, which is one of the only two documented remaining nutrient-poor fens known in the state of Iowa. It has numerous rare plant and animals species.

The site is a wonderful place to find solitude, stroll through short-grass prairie and under ancient oak trees. Read more about Ciha Fen's history and features, and the science and significance.

What to expect
The site is an ideal wildlife refuge, but is primitive for human visitors with ​no restroom facilities, and a small parking area at the entrance.

Hiking is welcomed throughout the property, though there are no maintained trails. The terrain can be uneven and damp. We recommend wearing pants and closed-toe shoes for poison ivy protection. 

This event is open to all, and there's no need to RSVP.

Meeting point
Meet at the small parking lot and “trailhead” at the south-east corner of the preserve: https://maps.app.goo.gl/93yZc6dT4jmpDU1x5

Optional: We may have lunch afterwards at Baxa's Sutliff Store & Tavern.

Cancellation/Reschedule
If the hike gets canceled due to weather, we will announce it here.